28. 1. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 25/3 
5. Geographical distribution 
5.1. The lopsided geographical distribution of the 
exchange projects has still not been solved. This is 
illustrated by the Commission reports to the Council 
on the progress of exchange programmes for young 
workers within the Community. 
5.2. Greater incentives for training in the lesser-
used Community languages could make a considera­
ble contribution here. 
5.3. The Committee welcomes the proposal to gear 
travel cost grants to distance. This will be instrumen-
Done at Brussels, 21 November 1984. 
1. General comments 
1.1. In view of the very tight deadline set for this 
opinion, the Committee will confine itself to some, 
mainly general, comments on key aspects of long-
term unemployment. tal in involving the peripheral areas of the Commun­
ity more closely in the programmes. 
6. Social protection 
6.1. The Committee has always taken the view that 
all participants in exchange programmes must be 
provided with adequate social protection. The third 
programme's proposals for this area may however 
create problems. Given the national legislation gov­
erning this area, special problems may be created by 
the proposal to treat young job-seekers as young 
persons enrolled in vocational training or other 
training courses in their country of origin. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Gerd MUHR 
1.2. The scale and serious implications of this pro­
blem have been highlighted repeatedly in many ear­
lier opinions(O- Consequently, the Committee can-
(') See in particular the opinion on social developments in 
the Community in 1982 — Rapporteur: Mr Noordwal 
(OJ No C 286, 24. 10. 1983). Opinion on the communication from the Commission to the Council on action to combat 
long-term unemployment 
(85/C 25/02) 
On 2 October 1984 the Council of the European Communities requested the Economic 
and Social Committee, under Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the European 
Community, to deliver an opinion on the abovementioned document. 
The Section for Social Question (rapporteur: Mr Noordwal; corapporteurs: Mr Be-
retta and Mr Roseingrave), which was responsible for preparing the Committee's work 
on this matter, adopted its opinion on 8 November 1984. 
The Committee unanimously adopted its opinion at its 221st plenary session held on 
21 and 22 November 1984 (meeting of 21 November 1984). 
No C 25/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 1. 85 
not fail to welcome the idea of Community delibera­
tions and proposals on a matter described by the 
Committee, in its opinion on social developments in 
the Community in 1982, as a 'chronic problems of 
the 1980s'. 
1.3. However, despite the fact that the Commis­
sion's analysis of the causes and effects of long-term 
unemployment coincides to some extent with the 
views expressed in earlier Committee opinions, the 
approach adopted in the Commission's communica­
tion is too piecemeal. It is also marred by certain 
flaws and omissions that can create doubts as to 
whether the proposed measures are an effective 
springboard for action commensurate with the grav­
ity of the situation. 
1.4. In particular the Committee regrets that the 
draft resolution (a) is not part of a comprehensive, 
consistent strategy to combat unemployment and (b) 
contains no reference to the Council's conclusions 
of 22 June 1984 on a medium-term Community 
social action programme(')• 
1.5. Similarly, the Commission document does 
not sufficiently stress the importance of improving 
the general economic climate, and particularly the 
prerequisites for stimulating economic recovery. 
These factors are crucial to job creation — the 
cornerstone of any effective policy to combat long-
term unemployment. 
The Committee therefore feels that the proposed 
specific measures do not make sufficient allowance 
for (a) the overall economic and social context into 
which they will have to be incorporated or (b) the 
conditions for a fresh impetus and the creation of 
new jobs, which are a sine qua non for any lasting, 
deep-seated improvement in the employment situa­
tion. Without such as policy, the Commission's 
practical proposals, whatever their potential merits, 
cannot be expected to provide more than partial, 
limited solutions to the problem of long-term unem­
ployment. 
1.6. Implementation of a policy tackling both the 
causes and effects of long-term unemployment 
hinges on a number of factors, in particular: 
— •a renewed common drive towards joint eco­
nomic and social goals and more closely aligned 
national and Community measures in these 
spheres, 
(') OJ NoC 175,4.7.1984. — attainment of a genuine internal market enabling 
the European economy at last to reap the bene­
fits of a large Community market; 
— implementation, backed by adequate funding, of 
the various components of a Community R&D 
policy calculated to generate new jobs, by secur­
ing a more balanced use of results through the 
manufacture of new products and services to 
meet new needs at marketable prices and rather 
less on the present emphasis in applying R&D 
results to the acceleration of the processes of 
production, 
— in the interests of maintaining competitivity with 
other world trading blocks, it is essential for the 
European Community to bring the results of R & 
D much more quickly to marketing commerciali­
zation than is a present the case, 
— continuation, and where appropriate intensifica­
tion, of dialogue between both sides of industry, 
at the level best suited for that purpose, com­
bined with the framing of procedures and instru­
ments offering the best guarantees for social con­
sensus, particularly on the introduction of new 
technologies (2). 
1.7. Alongside these general prerequisites for effec­
tive action to combat long-term unemployment, the 
Committee considers that five areas merit particular 
attention: 
1.7.1. As part and parcel of a comprehensive, con­
sistent policy to boost employment, measures to 
tackle youth unemployment, particulary amongst 
young women, must take pride of place, as the Com­
mittee has been urging for many years (3). It is no 
longer tolerable that, every year, more and more 
young people are unable to find a job (either be­
cause there are too few jobs to go round or because 
their qualifications are unsuitable) and have no op­
tion but to join the dole queues. Special attention 
must also be focused on the problems which long-
term unemployment creates for the handicapped 
and elderly workers. 
The disastrous side-effects of youth unemployment, 
especially for protracted periods, undermine both 
the individual and society at large (as is apparent in 
many countries) and are proof enough of the urgent 
need for radical action in this field. In this connec-
(2) See the Committee's opinion on technological change 
and social adjustment — Rapporteur: Mr Nierhaus (OJ 
NoC 307, 19.11.1984). 
(3) See the Committee opinion on youth employment — 
Rapporteur: Mr Burnel (OJ No C 211, 8. 8. 1983). 
28. 1. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 25/5 
tion, the intervention procedures of the European 
Social Fund, which primarily channels aid into a 
variety of schemes to assist young people, need to be 
streamlined and speeded up at the Member State 
level away from frustrating bureaucratic manage­
ment so as to allow the ESF to play its part to the 
full. 
1.7.2. As proposed by the Commission, steps 
should be taken to encourage occupational mobility 
by promoting a more flexible and adaptable labour 
market. 
1.7.3. Attempts to secure agreement on various 
schemes to reduce and reorganize working time 
must continue along the lines spelled out by the 
Committee. 
1.7.4. Vocational training schemes(') are needed 
— as recommended in earlier Committee opinions 
— to tailor training and retraining to changing re­
quirements, particularly the demands of new tech­
nology. Special emphasis must be placed on retrain­
ing workers and updating their skills. 
1.7.5. Job creation presupposes concerted action 
by all parties involved (both sides of industry, public 
authorities, etc.). It must be geared to the specific 
circumstances of the individual country, region, sec­
tor of firm. Here the Committee would reiterate its 
support for local employment initiatives (2) includ­
ing youth training schemes, work creation schemes, 
community service activities, etc. since real needs 
can best be detected at local level and flexible, prac­
tical solutions then worked out. 
1.8. On job creation, the Commission study could 
usefully have included a chapter comparing the 
situation in the Community with that in our major 
trading partners such as the United States and 
Japan. Such a comparison, would have to take 
account of various distinctive features (monetary, 
(') See ESC opinion on: 
— the vocational training and new information tech­
nologies: new Community initiatives during the 
period 1983 to 1987 — January 1983 — Rappor­
teur: Mr Nierhaus (OJ No C 77, 21. 3. 1983); 
— the draft resolution of the Council concerning voca­
tional training policies in the European Community 
in the 1980s — March 1983 (OJ No C 124, 
9. 5.1983). 
(2) See the Committee's opinion Community action to 
combat unemployment — The contribution of local 
employment initiatives — May 1984 — Rapporteur: 
Mr Roycroft (OJ No C 206, 6. 8. 1984). commercial attitudes, single market, etc.) that set the 
EEC apart from these other countries. It might well 
have allowed certain lessons to be drawn, especially 
as regards the potential benefit of a more adaptable 
and flexible labout market and a climate conducive 
to employment-generating investment. 
2. Specific comments 
2.1. The Commitee opinion on social develop­
ments in the Community in 1982 pointed out that, 
during the next few years, annual growth rate would 
have to average 3,5 % for several years running in all 
Member States just to keep unemployment in 
check. 
In the light of these forecasts, general measures to 
tackle the roots of long-term unemployment will 
have to be backed by action to alleviate the side-
effects on those afflicted, expecially workers hit by 
structural unemployment. 
2.2. In this connection, the Committee welcomes 
the action outlined by the Commission, which can 
be expected to have a constructive, though limited, 
impact on long-term unemployment. Account must 
however be taken of the above general comments 
and of the need to incorporate such measures into a 
more comprehensive strategy embodying the pre­
requisites for boosting economic recovery. 
2.3. The Committee is in favour of including a 
recital referring specifically to the medium-term 
Community social action programme voted by the 
Council on 22 June 1984. 
2.4. On the collection of fuller data on the number 
of long-term unemployed, the Committee wonders 
how this proposal can be reconciled with the fact 
that the Commission's communication to the Coun­
cil on the statistical machinery for granting Euro­
pean Social Fund aid has had to recognize that 
statistical indicators on long-term unemployment 
have to be eliminated from calculations. 
2.5. The proposal raises the specific point of 
whether the unemployed should be allowed to carry 
out certain forms of unpaid work for public or pri-
No C 25/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 1. 85 
vate organizations without forfeiting unemployment 
benefit. The Committee feels that the practical de­
tails would have to be set out more clearly. There must be no question of such activities, which are 
commendable in theory, competing with normal em­
ployment. 
Done at Brussels, 21 November 1984. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Gerd MUHR 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive laying down the list of simulants to be 
used for testing migration of constituents of plastic materials and articles intended to 
come into contact with foodstuffs (l) 
(85/C 25/03) 
On 18 April 1984 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, 
under Article 100 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on 
the abovementioned proposal. 
The Section for Industry, Commerce, Crafts and Services, which was responsible for 
the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 31 October 1984, in the 
light of the report by Mr Broicher. 
At its 221st plenary session (meeting of 21 November 1984) the Economic and Social 
Committee adopted the following opinion by unanimous vote: 
1. The ESC welcomes the fact that the alignment 
of Member States' laws on the use of plastic packag­
ing for foodstuffs is to take a further step forward. 
However, the proposal deals with only one very lim­
ited aspect of the problem. 
Directive 82/711/EEC has already laid down the 
permitted simulants, but all the present proposal 
does is to specify which simulants are to be used in 
place of which foodstuffs. 
The crucial step — namely determining which plas­
tics may be used and specifying under what condi­
tions these plastics and the additives required for 
their processing may enter into contact with food­
stuffs — still has to be taken. Nationally-compiled 
permitted lists exist already, but this above all is an 
area where there should be Community harmoniza­
tion. In the interest of consumer protection and the re­
moval of barriers to trade this final step should be 
taken as soon as possible and a deadline laid down 
for incorporating these provisions in Member 
States' legislation. 
2. The following points should be made in this res­
pect: 
2.1. In the interest of consumer protection provi­
sion should be made for a procedure involving per­
mitted lists which is clear and as simple as possible 
and is sufficient guarantee that the plastics do not 
have a harmful effect on health or impair the food's 
taste. The Committee also considers preventive ac­
tion to be an absolute necessity, i. e. the composition 
of the packaging material should be tested prior to 
its use. This is the only way in which it can be 
ensured that foodstuffs packaged in unsuitable 
material do not have to be destroyed. 
(1) OJ No C 102, 14. 4.1984, p. 4. 2.2. There are two possible methods for compiling 
permitted lists: