15. 5. 75 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities No C 108/79 
2.5. Article  6 
Article  6 should  be brought  into  line  with  Article  2, 
in other  words,  the Member  States  should  forward 
to the  Commission  the  results  given  by national 
measuring  networks. 
2.6. Lists  1 and  II and  the  Annex 
The Committee  proposes  that  a new  catalogue  be 
compiled  of the substances  which  the Commission's 
draft  Decision  is to cover.  In view  of the Decision's 
aims,  there  is no need  for a breakdown  into  separate 
lists (classification). 
The criteria  for  inclusion  in the  catalogue  of sub-
stances  should  be based  on the  factors  taken  into 
account  by the  Commission,  viz.  persistence,  toxi-
city and  tendency  to accumulate  in living  organisms. Further,  if substances  are  biologically  harmless  or 
are rapidly  converted  in water  into  substances 
which  are  biologically  harmless,  they  should  be 
excepted. 
The specifications  of the  substances  in question 
must  be the same  in all Member  States  of the Com-
munity. 
Before  the substances  are  specified,  it is necessary 
for Member  States  to agree  on common  methods 
of analysis  which  give  reproducible  values  and  the 
smallest  possible  margin  of error. 
Done  at Brussels,  27 February  1975. 
The Chairman 
of the  Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Henri  CANONGE 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Directive  on the approximation  of the laws  of 
the Member  States  relating  to the  scales  of charges  for  the  testing  of gas  meters 
The text  referred  to the Committee  was  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities,  No  C 74 of 1 July  1974,  page  5. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 19 June  1974,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic 
and Social  Committee  under  Article  100  of the  Treaty  establishing  the  European 
Economic  Community. 
B. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  drew  up its Opinion  at its 128th  plenary  session, 
held in Brussels  on 26 and  27 February  1975. 
The Opinion  is published  below: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the  referral  on 21 June  1974  by 
the Council  of the  European  Communities  of the 
proposal  for a Council  Directive  on the approxima-
tion of the laws  of the Member  States  relating  to the 
scales  of charges  for  the  testing  of gas  meters; 
Having  regard  to article  100  of the Treaty  establish-
ing the  European  Economic  Community; 
Having  regard  to the  decision  taken  by its Bureau 
on 25 June  1974,  instructing  the Section  for Indus-try, Commerce,  Crafts  and  Services  to draw  up an 
Opinion  and  a report  on the  matter; 
Having  regard  to the  Opinion  adopted  by  the 
Section  for  Industry,  Commerce,  Crafts  and  Ser-
vices  at its meeting  on 5 February  1975; 
Having  regard  to the report  submitted  by the Rap-
porteur,  Mr  Clark; 
Having  regard  to the discussion  at its 128th  plenary 
session  of 26 and  27  February  1975,  sitting  of 
27 February  1975. 
No C 108/80 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities 15. 5. 75 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
by a unanimous  vote: 
1. The  Economic  and  Social  Committee  approves 
the proposal,  subject  to the  following  comments: 
1.1. The  proposal  is a limited  but  useful  step 
towards  the removal  of a barrier  to inter-Commu-
nity trade  in gas  meters.  But  it is only  one  step. 
Even  when  the  proposal  is fully  effective,  after  a 
period  of six years,  the charges  for testing  in indi-
vidual  Member  countries  may  vary  — perhaps 
substantially  — since  those  prescribed  will  only  be 
minima. 1.2. The  Committee  believes  that  meter  manu-
facturers  will  be encouraged  to seek  EEC  approval 
and initial  verification  for their  products  in order 
that inter-Community  trade  shall  be promoted. 
The long-term  aim  should  be to standardize  charges 
for EEC  approval. 
1.3. At  all events,  the Committee  considers  that 
the fees  charged  for type  approval  and  initial  veri-
fication  should  be harmonized  as soon  as possible. 
Done  at Brussels,  27 February  1975. 
The Chairman 
of the  Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Henri  CANONGE 
Opinion  on the 
proposal  for a Council  Regulation  providing  for exemption  from  duties  and  charges  on 
importation  in respect  of goods  sent  by a private  person  from  a third  country  in small 
consignments  of a non-commercial  nature  to another  private  person  living  in the customs 
territory  of the  Community 
proposal  for a Council  Directive  on the exemption  from  taxes  on importation  of small 
consignments  from  third  countries  of goods  of a non-commercial  nature 
The texts  referred  to the Committee  were  published  in Official  Journals  of the European 
Communities,  No  C 24 of 1 February  1975,  pages  11 and 12, and No C 18 of 25 January 
1975,  pages  6 and  7. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 14 and  16 January  1975,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposals  to 
the Economic  and  Social  Committee  under  Article  198  of the Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community. 
B. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  drew  up its Opinion  at its 128th  plenary  session, 
held in Brussels  on 26 and  27 February  1975. 
The Opinion  is published  below: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the referral  on 16 and  17 January 
1975,  by the Council  of the European  Communities 
of the proposal  for a Council  Regulation  providing 
for exemption  from  duties  and  charges  on impor-
tation  in respect  of goods  sent  by a private  person 
from  a third  country  in small  consignments  of a 
non-commercial  nature  to another  private  person living  in the  customs  territory  of the  Community 
and of the proposal  for a Council  Directive  on the 
exemption  from  taxes  on  importation  of small 
consignments  from  third  countries  of goods  of a 
non-commercial  nature; 
Having  regard  to Article  198  of the Treaty  establish-
ing the  European  Economic  Community;