30. 1.84 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 23/3 
frequently added to foods. A research programme 
could concentrate on the following issues: How 
high is the actual trace requirement? Have general 
eating habits in the Community led to a shortage of 
trace elements? To what extent do the standard food 
technology procedures influence the presence and 
bio-availability of trace elements? 
4.3. Irradiation (ionization) 
A major process not yet studied thoroughly is irra­
diation (ionization) of foods for preservation pur­
poses. 
This is one of the fundamental studies on new pro­
cessing techniques of obvious benefit to the food 
and drink industries, and although a substantial 
amount of international collaboration already exists 
in this area, the Committee feels that a fuller investi­
gation is called for. 
4.4. 'Natural'foods 
It is increasingly important for consumers to know 
exactly how foods described as 'natural' or 'organic' 
differ from conventional foods so that they may be 
aware whether the claims made on behalf of such 
foods are justified. 5. While recognizing the more or less 'voluntary' 
nature of the COST projects including COST 91 and 
91 bis, the Committee hopes that the results will not 
be left in a vacuum and calls on both the Commis­
sion and the Member States to ensure that such 
results are distributed as widely as possible, and not 
just mainly to participating laboratories. It should 
be borne in mind that it is small and medium-sized 
enterprises that are most likely to need this type of 
research back-up, given that the larger concerns nor­
mally have their own research facilities. 
6. The Committee also feels that consumer organi­
zations in addition to governments have a role to 
play in ensuring that consumers understand the 
merits and demerits of any new techniques which 
may be developed under the COST programme, and 
that the appropriate labelling, packaging and adver­
tising requirements are introduced and imple­
mented. 
7. The Committee considers that the Commission 
should concern itself with monitoring the follow-up 
to these COST projects, not only from the technical 
point of view, but also in respect of legal and 
administrative obstacles particularly at Community 
level. 
8. Finally, the Committee asks the Commission to 
report on the the implementation of the research 
programme in question. It also reserves the right to 
draw up an opinion on the results and on a wider 
range of related nutritional problems. 
Done at Brussels, 23 November 1983. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Francis CEYRAC 
Opinion on the draft Council recommendation on railway tariffs for international 
transport by container and piggyback techniques 
(84/C 23/02) 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the Euro­
pean Communities No C 187 of 13 July 1983, page 7. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 11 July 1983 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic 
and Social Committee in accordance with Article 198 (1) of the Treaty establishing the 
European Economic Community. 
No C 23/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 30. 1.84 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 
212th plenary session held in Brussels on 23 and 24 November 1983. 
The full text of the opinion is as follows: 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the Euro­
pean Economic Community, and in particular 
Article 198 (1) thereof, 
Having regard to the Council's decision on 11 July 
1983 to ask for an opinion on the abovementioned 
proposal ('), 
Having regard to the decision of its Bureau on 
5 July 1983 instructing the Section for Transport and 
Communications to prepare an opinion on the mat­
ter, under Article 22 of the Rules of Procedure, 
Having regard to the opinion adopted by that Sec­
tion at its 153rd meeting, held on 9 November 1983, 
Having regard to the oral report of the rapporteur, 
Mr Querleux (Article 29 of the Rules of Procedure), 
Having regard to the discussions at its meeting on 
23 November 1983 (212th plenary session of 23 and 
24 November 1983), 
Whereas in its communication to the Council of 
7 May 1983 concerning an action programme in the 
field of international rail cooperation the Commis­
sion announced concrete measures for implement­
ing such a programme; 
Whereas among the measures envisaged, some con­
cern piggyback transport; 
Whereas this new transport technique should be 
developed because of the numerous advantages it 
offers, 
(') OJ No C 187, 13. 7. 1983, p. 7. unanimously: 
1. General comments 
1.1. The Committee has no fundamental objec­
tions to the present proposal. Indeed, it has noted 
that the railways are in overall agreement on the 
proposal. 
1.2. Having said this, the Committee would 
observe that the important thing is not the mathe­
matical structure of the reference tariff which has 
been — or is to be presented by the networks, but 
rather the through rates actually offered to loaders 
by them. 
1.3. The problem for the networks is twofold: 
— the through rate must be competitive with prices 
on the transport market, particularly those in 
road transport, 
— each network must receive a quota covering its 
direct costs and a surplus to help cover fixed 
charges (Article 7 of Decision 82/529/EEC). 
1.4. Whatever may be the commercial interest of 
the networks in developing container and piggyback 
transport, which is indisputable, and however much 
they may be convinced that reference tariffs and 
actual prices must be competitive, it is not unusual, 
unfortunately, for the networks to run into cost 
problems, despite all the technical efforts to 
improve efficiency. 
1.5. For this reason, although it supports the Com­
mission's proposal in principle, the Committee 
understands the networks' present method of work­
ing: i.e. determining through rates which are com­
patible with the market, followed inevitably by dis-
30. 1. 84 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 23/5 
cussions with each other to divide up total earnings 
in the light of everyone's costs, which obviously 
vary greatly because of the large number of possible 
links. 
2. Specific comments 
2.1. Article 2 
The draft recommendation wants each network par­
ticipating in a traffic link to apply a tariff charge 
share which decreases with distance for the journey 
on its own lines. This is already done for certain 
types of international rail traffic (e.g. ECSC goods). 
While approving this principle, the Committee 
admits that it may be impossible to apply it in prac­
tice on very long total journeys, as a network's share 
of the fare may turn out to be lower than its direct 
cost. 
The Committee would point out that although the 
structure of the present international reference tariff 
No 9145 for container transport does not comply with the draft recommendation, it gives overall 
prices with cost declining with distance. For in­
stance, for the three journeys Antwerp-Paris (332 kil­
ometres), Zeebrugge-Bordeaux (855 kilometres) and 
Le Havre-Milan (1 127 kilometres), the prices per 
kilometre (UIC) for 20 tonnes are 7,08, 4,49 and 3,59 
francs respectively. 
2.2. Articles 3 and 4 
The networks have given Intercontainer a free hand, 
within a certain margin, to deviate from the refer­
ence tariff when quoting prices to loaders; Intercon­
tainer only has to consult the networks if the margin 
is not competitive in view of the state of the market 
or of rapid market change. The networks are trying 
to improve their procedures to cut down answering 
times. 
With the piggyback companies, the networks have 
regular joint meetings (more than once a year on 
average) to fix prices for the different piggyback 
links being used. If a new link is opened up, specific 
joint consultations are held. 
Done at Brussels, 23 November 1983. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Francis CEYRAC 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive amending the First Council Directive on 
the establishment of common rules for certain types of carriage of goods by road between 
Member States 
(84/C 23/03) 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the Euro­
pean Communities No C 200 of 27 July 1983, page 5. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 14 July 1983 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic 
and Social Committee in accordance with Article 75 (1) of the Treaty establishing the 
European Economic Community.