No C 326/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 13. 12. 82 
Opinion on the Commission's proposals to the Council fixing the Community's scheme of 
generalized tariff preferences for the period 1983 to 1985 and opening the scheme applicable in 
1983 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 274 of 18 October 1982. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 5 August 1982 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic and 
Social Committee in accordance with Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community. 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 201st 
plenary session held in Brussels on 27 and 28 October 1982. 
The full text of the opinion is as follows: 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 198 
thereof, 
Having regard to the request from the Council of the 
European Communities on 5 August 1982 for an opinion 
on the Commission's proposals to the Council fixing the 
Community's scheme of generalized tariff preferences for 
the period 1983 to 1985 and opening the scheme 
applicable in 1983 (*), 
Having regard to its Rules of Procedure, and in particular 
Article 18 thereof, 
Having regard to the decision of its Bureau on 13 October 
1982 to appoint a rapporteur-general for this matter, 
Having regard to its previous opinions on this subject, 
and particularly those of 30 April 1980 (2), 30 October 
1980 (3) and 29 October 1981 (4), 
Having regard to the draft opinion and oral report of the 
rapporteur-general, Mr Dietmar Cremer, 
Having regard to the discussions at its meeting on 
27 October 1982 (201st plenary session of 27 and 28 
October 1982), 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
with no dissenting votes, but with two abstentions: 
1. The Committee feels that the GSP is an important 
economic development instrument for the beneficiary 
(!) OJNoC274, 18. 10. 1982. 
(2) OJNoC205, 11. 8. 1980. 
(3) OJNoC331, 17. 12. 1980. 
(4) OJNoC 343, 31. 12. 1981. countries and a vital tool of cooperation policy for the 
Community. But the Community must continue its 
struggle to find a way out of the current economic crisis, 
especially as regards jobs. In this respect, the 
implementation of the GSP continues to be a challenge for 
the Community. The Committee therefore wonders if the 
Commission has taken sufficient account of the present 
economic and social situation in proposing that the GSP 
be extended, and particularly if it has managed to strike a 
balance between the concerns of EEC interests, notably 
the farmers, and those of the developing countries, where 
often the poduction and exporting of agricultural 
products is the only possible road to development. 
2. The Committee would point to the need to 
encourage other industrialized countries to make a 
comparable effort to that of the Community in the tariff 
preferences area. The Community must prevent excessive 
competitive pressures developing on its home market for 
certain products. Account must also be taken of the 
possible repercussion on the Community of the United 
States putting their new ideas on reciprocity into practice 
in their trading relations with third countries, particularly 
the developing countries. 
Moreover, the Committee would point out that certain 
industrialized countries who refuse or limit the access of 
EEC goods to their own national markets may get 
preferential access to the EEC market through investing 
in GSP beneficiaries. 
3. The Committee would express once again its wish 
to see the GSP reserved above all for those countries 
which have most need of it. It would refer here to the 
13. 12. 82 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 326/5 
criteria for a selective application of the GSP put forward 
in its opinion of 30 April 1980, namely: 
— LDC capability (based on statistics) to export goods 
to the Community in excess of the quantities admitted 
under tariff preferences and subject to normal 
Community duties (exceeding the 'cut-off), 
— the proportion of an LDC's total exports of a given 
product going to the Community, 
— the proportion of the Community's total imports of a 
given product provided by any one LDC, 
— the proportion of total world trade in a given product 
accounted for by any one LDC's exports of that 
product, 
— the state of technological advancement of an LDC in a 
given sector or product. 
It therefore cannot agree with the Commission's 
proposals to grant certain State-trading countries 
preferential access to the Community market in a 
increased number of products (both industrial and 
agricultural) and repeats its reservations concerning 
China and Romania contained in its opinion of 
29 October 1981. 
Done at Brussels, 27 October 1982. 4. The Committeee would repeat its recommendation 
that the Regulation should contain a clause about the 
application of minimum labour standards in accordance 
with its opinion of 3 July 1980 on development 
cooperation policy and the economic and social 
consequences of applying certain international standards 
governing working conditions (*). It supports the 
Commission's call for the Council to take a decision on 
this matter. 
5. Once again, the Committee regrets that it has had 
to produce an opinion on Commission proposals within a 
very tight time limit and on the basis of texts which are 
incomplete. This prevents not only itself but also the 
Commission and Council from taking account of the 
concerns of professionals in the sectors concerned in the 
Community. It asks that, whatever happens, it be 
consulted on any substantial changes which the 
Commission may make to its initial proposals. 
6. The Committee also reiterates its oft-repeated call 
for the cost of opening the GSP to the developing 
countries to be shared fairly by all economic and social 
sectors in the Community. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Francois CEYRAC 
( i) OJ No C 230, 8. 9. 1980.