No C 100/20 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities 22.11.  73 
applied  with  due  regard  to the  information 
already  in possession  of the  Commission  through 
notifications  of  import  required  under 
Regulation  (EEC)  No 1055/72; 
(b) the  surveillance  and  safeguard  measures 
provided  for  in Regulation  (EEC)  No  1025/70 
may be applied  not  only  for the reasons  set out 
in the  Regulation  but  also  if the  security  of the 
Community's  hydrocarbon  supply  justifies  their 
application. 
The compulsory  statements  by Member  States  to the 
Commission  on  imports  for  the  current  and  the 
following  year  only  apply  to crude  oil and  natural 
gas and  not  to refined  products  for  which  the 
surveillance  and  protection  measures  in Regulation 
(EEC)  No 1025/70  can be effectively  applied. 
But above  all the  Economic  and  Social  Committee 
does  not  share  the  Commission's  faith  that 
knowledge  of import  data  will  effectively  help  to 
ensure  security  of supply. 
Rather,  if the  trend  of crude  oil and  natural  gas 
imports  were  to cause  a security  of supply  problem 
for the  Community,  the  measures  provided  for  in 
Regulation  (EEC)  No  1025/70  would  offer  no 
remedy  whatever  since  the  Community  would  have 
no real  possibility  of altering  the  amount  and  the 
source  of the  imports  which  in a free  market  are 
dictated  by a set of objective  factors. In a situation  which  for  a long  time  yet  will  not 
offer  viable  alternatives  either  within  the  oil sector 
or within  the  overall  energy  sector  measures  for 
improving  security  of supply  cannot  be improvised 
at the  end  of any  given  year  for the following  year. 
Knowledge  of  the  imports  programmes  freely 
established  by undertakings  does  not  even  constitute 
an adequate  basis  for  working  out  a long-term 
supply  policy  where  Community  interests  and 
objectives  reach  far beyond  the admittedly  important 
aspect  of security. 
In the special  case  of natural  gas,  the Economic  and 
Social  Committee  must  emphasize  that  imports 
correspond  every  year  to the  amount  specified  in 
long-term  supply  contracts.  On  the  basis  of these 
contracts,  very  expensive  transport  infrastructures 
(and,  for liquid  gas,  processing  plants)  are  built  and 
also consumer  allocation  programmes  are  drawn  up 
which  cannot  be altered  without  compromising  both 
the profitability  of the  operation  and  the  coverage 
of market  requirements.  Accordingly,  concern  for 
security  should  be shown  when  contracts  are  being 
concluded  for  gas  supplies  and  not  at any  moment 
during  their  performance. 
Whether  for  crude  oil or natural  gas,  security  of 
supply  must  be sought  by means  of an appropriate 
hydrocarbon  policy  to  which  instruments  like 
Regulation  (EEC)  Nos  1055/72  and  1025/70  cannot 
make  substantial  contribution. 
Done  at Brussels,  27 June  1973. 
The Chairman  of 
the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Alfons  LAPPAS 
CONSULTATION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
on a proposal  for  a Council  Directive  on mountain  farming  and  farming  in certain 
other  less-favoured  areas 
A. REQUEST  FOR  AN  OPINION 
At its 231rd  meeting  held  on 5 and  6 March  1973,  the Council  decided  to exercise  its 
option  of consulting  the Economic  and  Social  Committee  on the  above  proposal  for a 
Directive. 
The request  for an Opinion  was  sent  by the President  of the  Council  to the Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee  on 5 March  1973. 
22. 11.73 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities No C 100/21 
B. TEXT  WHICH  WAS  THE  SUBJECT  OF  THE  CONSULTATION 
The text  which  was  the  subject  of the  consultation  has  not  yet  been  published  in the 
Official  Journal  of the European  Communities. 
C. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
At its 112th  Plenary  Session  held  in Brussels  on 26 and  27 June  1973  the  Committee 
adopted  its Opinion  on the  text  referred  to above,  by 73 votes  to 9, with  8 abstentions 
out of the  90 members  present  or represented. 
The text  of the Opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the  request  by  the  Council  on 
5 March  1973  for  an Opinion  on the  'Proposal  for  a 
Directive  on agriculture  in mountain  areas  and  in 
certain  other  poorer  farming  areas'; 
Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community,  and  in particular 
Articles  43 and  198  thereof; 
Having  regard  to  the  Decision  of  its  Bureau 
entrusting  the  Section  for  Agriculture  the 
preparation  of an Opinion  on the  matter; 
Having  regard  to the  Opinion  delivered  by  the 
Section  for  Agriculture  at its meeting  on  12  June 
1973; 
Having  regard  to the  report  presented  orally  by Mr. 
Emo; 
Having  regard  to its discussions  at its 112th  Plenary 
Session  of 26 and  27 June  1973,  during  the  Session 
of 27 June; 
Whereas  the  measure  supporting  and  encouraging 
the soil  and  landscape  conservation  function,  which 
to a large  extent  is at present  ensured  by persons 
working  in agriculture  and  forestry  in poorer  areas 
of the  Community,  are  in the  public  interest; 
Whereas  in these  areas,  the  inadequacy  of farm 
incomes  is the  common  denominator;  whereas  such 
inadequacy  is, however,  rooted  in economic,  social 
and1  ecological  factors  which  combine  in different 
ways  from  one  area  to  another;  whereas  it is 
therefore  necessary  to  diversify  the  measure 
provided  for; 
Whereas  the  measures  taken  under  the  common 
agricultural  policy  must  supplement  those  taken  by 
the Member  States  and  by  the  Community  within the more  General  context  of a regional  development 
policy; 
Considering  the  contribution  to  the  agricultural 
economy  of  the  Community  and  to  meeting 
consumer  requirements  which  is made  by agriculture 
in mountain  areas,  such  areas  being  particularly 
suited  to stock  rearing  and  other  typical  quality 
production; 
Considering  the  particular  importance  of forestry  in 
handicapped  areas  especially  for  safeguarding  the 
natural  environment  both  from  the  economic  and 
employment  aspect  and  from  the safeguard  of nature 
angle; 
Whereas  in general,  there  is a lack  of the  national 
and Community  statistics,  broken  down  by  areas 
not corresponding  to administrative  units,  needed  to 
determine  farm  incomes,  whereas  it is therefore 
necessary  to  apply  more  flexibly  this  income 
yardstick  for  the  delineation  of  areas  to  be 
considered  'poorer'  at Community  level; 
Whereas  to achieve  the  objectives  set  out  in the 
proposed  Directive  it is desirable  for  all the  Member 
States  to  implement  promptly  the  necessary 
regulations  and  administrative  procedures; 
Whereas  the  measures  envisaged  by the  Commission 
fell within  the  framework  of Community  Directives 
for reforming  agricultural  structures, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION: 
The Committee  approves  the  proposal  for  a 
Directive  subject  to  the  following  comments. 
No C 100/22 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities 22.11.  73 
1. General  comments 
1.1. The  Economic  and  Social  Committee  points 
out that  while  the  common  denominator  of all 
handicapped  rural  areas  covered  by  the 
Commission's  proposed  Directive  is the inadequacy 
of farm  incomes,  the  reasons  for  this  inadequacy 
and therefore  the actual  problems  to be solved  vary 
from  one  area  to another.  The  Committee  therefore 
feels  that  the Community  measures  taken  under  the 
common  agricultural  policy  for  handicapped  rural 
areas  should  be sufficiently  diversified  when  applied 
at national  level,  to overcome  obstacles  and  meet  the 
specific  nature  of existing  problems,  and  without 
involving  distortions  of competition. natural  environment,  the  Committee  believes  that 
the stipulation  regarding  'adequate  infrastructure'  in 
handicapped  areas  should  not  preclude  the 
immediate  implementation  of the  various  measures 
to improve  the  income  of persons  working  in 
agriculture. 
1.5. Moreover,  the  Committee  feels  that  the 
proposed  compensatory  aid system  does  not  provide 
a sufficient  incentive  for  small  farmers.  Therefore 
the compensation  to be granted  to each  beneficiary 
within  the  meaning  of Article  6 of the  proposed 
Directive  should  be sufficient  for the  achievement 
of the aims  of the Directive  itself. 
The Community  aid  system,  moreover,  must 
supplement  measures  taken  by the Member  States  in 
the more  general  context  of a regional  development 
policy,  and,  more  specifically,  to help  farming  in 
naturally  handicapped  areas,  provided  such  measures 
are in accordance  with  the aims  and  conditions  laid 
down  in the present  Directive. 1.6. The  Committee  agrees  with  the  Commission 
that the  proposed  aid  system  can  usefully  help  to 
strengthen  animal  farming,  which  is usually  what 
naturally  handicapped  areas  are best  equipped  for.  It 
believes  that  there  should  likewise  be incentives  for 
extensive  stock  rearing,  which  is best  suited  to the 
natural  production  conditions  in the  majority  of 
such  areas  and  also  to the  maintenance  of their 
natural  environment. 
1.2. The  Economic  and  Social  Committee  feels  that 
note  should  be  taken  of the  contribution  that 
mountain  and  hill farming  can make  generally  to the 
agricultural  economy  of the  Community  by way  of 
typical  quality  products,  particularly  the products  of 
stock  rearing. 
1.3. With  regard  to the  criteria  proposed  by the 
Commission  for  delineating  the  farming  areas 
covered  by the  Directive,  the  Committee  feels  that 
the criterion  of the  ratio  between  the  average  farm 
income  of these  areas  and  the  national  average 
income  from  farming  could  give  rise  to serious 
difficulties  in practice  since  these  areas  do not 
necessarily  correspond  to administrative  units,  and 
there  is very  often  a lack  of both  national  and 
Community  statistics  concerning  them. 
The Committee  notes  the  statement  by  the 
Commission  representative  that  Member  States 
could  if necessary  undertake  'sample  survey'  studies 
in order  to establish  this  income  level. 
1.4. Since  one  of the basic  aims  of the Directive  is 
to maintain  a viable  rural  Community  by improving 
income  from  agriculture  and  thus  safeguard  the 1.7. The  Economic  and  Social  Committee,  in line 
with  its previous  Opinions,  hopes  that  as soon  as 
possible  and  within  the framework  of a Community 
programme  for  safeguarding  the  natural 
environment,  the  Commission  will  propose  a 
Directive  on measures  for  forestry,  with  particular 
emphasis  on reafforestation,  so as to maintain  the 
indispensable  balance  between  agricultural  and 
forestry  activities,  particularly  as  regards 
employment  possibilities. 
1.8. The  Committee  points  out  moreover  that  the 
presence  of paid  agricultural  manpower  in the areas 
concerned  can  be a significant  factor  in reaching  the 
objectives  of the  proposed  Directive.  It requests  the 
Commission  to examine  to what  extent  it would  be 
possible  to provide  for  measures  to help  this 
category  of workers. 
1.9. Finally,  the  Committee  hopes  that  all 
Member  States  in accordance  with  the  rules  of the 
proposed  Directive,  will  swiftly  implement  the 
regulations  and  administrative  provisions  needed  to 
achieve  the aims  set out therein,  bearing  in mind  the 
over-abundance  or  unemployment  of  forestry 
workers  pending  the implementation  of the Directive 
on forestry. 
22.11.  73 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities No C 100/23 
1.10.  In  so far  as the  envisaged  measures  go 
beyond  the  purely  agricultural  sphere  and  until 
common  policy  for  the  protection  of  the 
environment  has  specific  and  adequate  funds,  the 
Committee  reiterates  that  the  relevant  expenditure 
should  be kept  separate  from  expenditure  under  the 
common  agricultural  policy. 
2. Special  comments 
Articles  3 and 4 
The Committee  believes  that,  pending  the 
availability  of national  and  Community  statistics 
broken  down  into  the areas  covered  by the proposed 
Directive,  the  criterion  of income  from  farming 
mentioned  under  Article  3 (2) and  Article  4 (lb), 
first indent,  can  only  usefully  be applied  as a 
supplementary  criterion  if it is necessary  to establish 
a scale  of priorities  for  the  areas  meeting  the 
requisite  physical  and  climatic  criteria.  The 
Committee  feeds  that  in any  case  the limit  of two-
thirds  mentioned  in the  above  Articles  is too  low, 
particularly  for  those  Member  States  where  the 
prevalence  of naturally  handicapped  areas  reduces 
the average  national  income  from  farming  to a 
figure  very  near  income  in the  handicapped  areas 
themselves. 
The Committee  proposes  rewording  Article  3 point 
3 as follows: 
— first  indent: 
'either  the physical  geography  of the greater  part 
of the  district  must  preclude  the  normal  use  of 
machinery'. 
— second  indent: 
'there  must  be  difficult  natural  climatic 
conditions  (for  example,  a substantially  reduced 
growing  season)  and  slopes  such  as  to 
limit...'  (the  rest  unchanged). 
Article  7 
The Committee  proposes  rewording  Paragraph  1 as 
follows: 
'Individual  farmers  and  farmers  working  in 
partnership  who  are  eligible  for  compensation 
are those  with  at least  3 hectares...'  (rest 
unchanged); 
The Committee  proposes  a paragraph  1 (a) worded 
as follows: 
certain  woodland  areas  (scrubland)  used  for 
livestock  grazing  shall  be treated  as utilized agricultural  areas  within  the  meaning  of this 
Article'. 
Article  8 
The Committee  requests  that  domestic  solipeds 
should  be included  in the list of livestock  taken  into 
consideration  when  calculating  compensation. 
Moreover,  the  Committee  asks  the  Commission  to 
check  that  the  factor  given  by the table  annexed  to 
the proposed  Directive  for the  conversion  of sheep 
and goats  to livestock  units  (1.  u.)  is in fact 
equitable. 
Moreover,  the  Committee  proposes  inserting  a new 
paragraph  1 (a) worded  as follows: 
Notwithstanding  the provisions  of this  Article: 
— land  mentioned  in paragraph  1 (a) of Article  7 
shall  be included  in the area  counted  as grazing 
land; 
— solely  in handicapped  mountain  farming  areas, 
account  shall  be  taken,  when  calculating 
compensation  of cows  whose  milk  is marketed 
and serried  areas  of more  than  5 000 m2  per 
farm  of pears,  apples  and  peaches. 
The Committee  also  requests  that  the  amount  of 
compensation  provided  for  in  Article  8 be 
determined  on the basis  of Community  criteria. 
Article  9 
The Committee,  given  the  desirability  of mainly 
promoting  extensive  stock-rearing  in these  areas 
believes  that: 
— there  is no justification  for retaining  a maximum 
amount  per  farm  for  the  guidance  premium 
mentioned  in Article  10 of Directive  No 72/152/ 
EEC  especially  in the case  of development  plans 
submitted  by several  producers  in partnership; 
— the  minimum  1. u. per  hectare  of grazing  land 
required  for  grant  of the  increased  guidance 
premium  should  be reduced  from  0"7 to 0*4. 
Article  10 
The Committee  agrees  with  the Commission  that  in 
the areas  covered  by this  Directive,  the  fact  that  a 
larger  proportion  of non-agricultural  income  is 
taken  into  account  when  calculating  the comparable 
income  per  man  work  unit  to be achieved  by farm 
development  plans,  represents  a real  help  towards 
No C 100/24 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities 22.11.  73 
Article  11 
The Committee  feels  that  in  particular  joint 
drainage,  irrigation  and  fencing  investment  schemes 
should  also  fall  within  Article  11. 
The Chairman  of 
the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Alfons  LAPPAS 
ANNEX 
containing  the amendments  rejected  during  the 112th  Plenary  Session 
1. The  following  amendment  was  rejected  by 69 votes  to 6 with  5 abstentions: 
Comments  on Article  3, point  3 
Add a third  indent  worded  as follows: 
'The  compensatory  allowance  granted  must  under  no circumstances  be less  than  500  u.a. 
nor may  it exceed  5 000 u.a.  per beneficiary  unless  this  beneficiary  is a legal  entity'. 
2. The  following  amendment  was  rejected  by 53 votes  to 22 with  13 abstentions: 
Comments  on Article  7 
Reword  the proposed  modification  (paragraph  1) as follows: 
'Individual  farmers  and  farmers  working  in partnership  with  each  other  or with  farm 
trainees  or farm  employees  who  are  eligible  for compensation  are  those  who  possess  or 
occupy  at least  3 hectares  of utilized  agricultural  land  . . 
Reason 
This  is a matter  of clarifying  the scope  of the paragraph. 
3. The  following  amendment  was  rejected  by 38 votes  to 32 with  17 abstentions: 
Comments  on Article  8 
The first  paragraph  is deleted. 
Reason 
It is both  logical  and  justified  that  the  Commission  proposal  should  exclude  cows  whose 
milk  is for marketing  and  serried  areas  of more  than  5 000 m2  per farm  of apples,  pears  and 
peaches  from  benefiting  form  compensatory  allowances. modernizing  farms  and  is therefore  a contribution 
towards  achieving  the  Directive's  general  objectives. 
In this  context,  the  Committee  believes  that  the 
waiver  mentioned  in Article  10 (1)  should  not  be 
limited  by Article  4 (4 b) of Directive  No  72/159/ 
EEC  and  should  therefore  be  extended  to  all 
MWU's  concerned  in a farm  development  plan. 
Done  at Brussels,  27 June  1973. 
22.11.  73 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 100/25 
In these  sectors  the  Community  has  large  surpluses,  the  stocking  and  valorizing  of which 
are very  costly  for the consumer  and  taxpayer. 
It is certainly  perfectly  justifiable  to give  financial  support,  in the general  interest  of course, 
to the  maintenance  of agriculture  in hill  and  mountain  areas,  but  this  must  not  be 
incompatible  with  other  objectives. 
This  is clearly  what  would  happen  if this  paragraph  were  not  deleted.  (Financial  aid,  for 
example,  would  be given  in mountain  regions  per  area  of apples,  pears  or peaches  while  in 
other  areas  grants  would  be given  for the digging  up of such  areas.) 
CONSULTATION  OF THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
on a proposal  for a Council  Directive  measures  to mitigate  the effects  of difficulties  in 
the supply  of hydrocarbons 
A. REQUEST  FOR  AN  OPINION 
At its 210th  meeting  held  on 30 October  1972,  the Council  decided  to exercise  its 
option  of consulting  the Economic  and  Social  Committee  on the above  proposal  for a 
Directive. 
The request  for an Opinion  was  sent  by the President  of the Council  to the Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee  on 2 November  1972. 
B. TEXT  WHICH  WAS  THE  SUBJECT  OF THE  CONSULTATION 
The text  which  was  the subject  of the consultation  was  published  in the Official  Journal 
of the European  Communities,  No  C 134  of 27 December  1972,  pages  23 and  24. 
C. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
At its 112th  Plenary  Session  held  in Brussels  on 26 and  27 June  1973,  the Committee 
unanimously  adopted  its Opinion  on the text  referred  to under  B, with  3 abstentions 
out of the members  present  or represented. 
The 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  103 and 198  thereof; 
Having  regard  to the  letter  from  the President  of 
the Council  of the  European  Communities  of 
2 November  1972  asking  the Economic  and  Social 
Committee  to deliver  an Opinion  on the 'Proposal 
for a Council  Directive  concerning  measures 
designed  to attenuate  the effects  of the  difficulties 
inherent  in hydrocarbon  supplies'; 
Having  regard  to the  Rules  of Procedure  of the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  and  in particular 
Article  22 thereof; Having  regard  to the  Decision  of its Bureau  on 
28 November  1972  to instruct  the Specialized  Section 
for Energy  Questions  to prepare  an Opinion  and  a 
report  on the matter; 
Having  regard  to the  Decision  of its Bureau  on 
25 January  1973  to instruct  the Section  for Nuclear 
Questions  and  Energy  to continue  work  on  the 
matter; 
Having  regard  to the  Opinion  delivered  by the 
Section  for  Nuclear  Questions  and  Energy  at its 
meeting  on 7 June  1973;