ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES 
DE LA COMMISSION 
 
 
 
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COM (83) 737 
 
 
 
Vol. 1983/0 262 
  
 
Disclaimer  
Conformém ent au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003 
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents 
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit 
règlem ent. 
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic 
Community and the European Atomic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
27.9.2003, p. 1), this file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this 
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation. 
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
Februar 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen 
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgem einschaft (ABI. L 43 vom  15.2.1983, 
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. Septem ber 2003 
(ABI. L 243 vom 27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit 
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5 
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben. 
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM{ 8 3) 737 final  
Brussels, 2 December 1983
GENERAL BUDGET FOR 1983  
SECTION III - COMMISSION
TRANSFER OF APPROPRIATIONS No 37/83
(Non-compulsory expenditure)
FR O M  CHAPTER B-101 — CONTINGENCY RESERVE
TO CHAPTER A-27 -  EXPENDITURE O N  PUBLISHING AND INFORMATION
A r t ic le  A-272 -  E x p e n d itu re  on th e  d is s e m in a tio n
o f in fo rm a tio n  and on p a r t ic ip a t io n  
in  p u b lic  events
Item  A-2721 -  P a r t ic ip a t io n  o f th e  C om m unities in
in t e r n a t io n a l e x h ib it io n s  1  300 000 ECU
The F in a n c ia l C o n tr o lle r  approved these p ro p o s a ls  on 27september 1983 
in  accordance w ith  A r t i c l e  21(4) o f th e  F in a n c ia l R e g u la tio n  and 
c e r t i f i e d  th a t th e  a p p r o p r ia tio n s  are a v a ila b le .
COM(8 3) 737 final

GROUNDS
LOUISIANA W ORLD EXPOSITION
On 24 March 1982 th e  U S Departm ent o f S ta te , fo llo w in g  th e  P r e s id e n t's  
s ig n a tu re  o f th e  re le v a n t p ro c la m a tio n  on 4 M arch, in v it e d  th e  Commission 
to  p a r t ic ip a t e  in  an in t e r n a t io n a l e x h ib it io n  to  be h e ld  in  New O rle a n s , 
L o u is ia n a , in  1984.
A. ÏZS§_âQë_î.tlË2!É_2Î_Ë^!2ibition
The New O rleans e x h ib it io n  has been approved by th e  I n t e r n a t io n a l 
E x h ib itio n  Bureau in  P a ris  and re g is te r e d  as a s p e c ia l- c a te g o r y  in t e r n a t io n a l 
e x h ib it io n .  I t  w i l l  be h e ld  between 12 May and 11 November 1984. In 
accordance w ith  th e  IE B 's  c r i t e r i a  f o r  t h is  ty p e  o f e x h ib it io n ,  th e  
o rg a n iz e rs  w i l l  c o n s tru c t th e  b u ild in g s  and le t  them to  e x h ib it o r s .  The
theme o f th e  e x h ib it io n  w i l t  be " The W orld o f R iv e rs  -  Fresh W ater as a 
Source o f L i f e " .
B. £°!Dïïi§âl2Q_EË£!li£iEËÎ.i2Q
S ince a l l  th e  Member S ta te s  b ut I t a l y  have d e cid e d  n o t to  p a r t ic ip a t e  
in d iv id u a lly  in  th e  e x h ib it io n ,  i t  was f e l t  th a t th e  Commission ought to  
a tte n d  as th e  r e p r e s e n ta tiv e  o f th e  Community as a w hole (1 128th m eeting 
o f th e  Permanent R e p re s e n ta tiv e s  C om m ittee, 28 J u ly  1983, r e f .  8 8 2 6 /8 3 E x t/1 , 
date d  2 9 /7 /8 3 ) .
C. fi2 2 D 2 i§ i_ l[!!2 ii2 2 ti2 D §
The f o llo w in g  b u d g e ta ry  arrangem ents were approved f o r  th e  C om m ission's 
p a r t ic ip a t io n :
Maximum o v e r a ll e x p e n d itu re : 1 .3  m illio n  ECU
A p p ro p ria tio n s  to  be tr a n s fe r r e d  to  budget ite m  2721 from  C hapter 101 on a 
p ro p o s a l from  th e  Com m ission.
D. C o n clu sio n s
The Commission th e r e fo r e  subm its t h is  t r a n s f e r  o f a p p r o p r ia tio n s  f o r  your 
a p p ro v a l in  th e  f ir m  b e lie f  th a t a tte n d a n c e  a t New O rle a n s is  p o l i t i c a l l y  
im p o rta n t f o r  Europe and th a t th e  Community sh o u ld  be re p re s e n te d .

ADDITIONAL EXPLANATION CL
SUI1JECT:  European Community participation at the 1.984 New Orleans  
International Exhibition.
European Community participation at the 1984 New Orleans International Exhibition  
is part of a policy that the Commission has pursued for several years. In April  
1983 the Council adopted it in principle.
The policy applies to all International Exhibitions registered with the International  
Exhibition Bureau (IBK) in Paris, that are not aimed at trade promotion,but that.' - ' 
convey information and are therefore important from a political and economic  
point of view. EC member states are expected to group themselves around the  
Commission paviilion,in order to give the public a coherent idea of the Community  
and to increase the political impact of participation.(These exhibitions can  
attract 10-20 million visitors.)
The most important examples over the coming years r hoth in terms of theme and  
geographic location - are in the Community's main political and economic trading  
partners,including:
1984: New Orleans,USA,"The world of rivers ...^resh water-the source of life."
198r >:  Tsukuba,Japan,"Science and Technology for man and his environment."
1986; Vancouver,Canada,"Transport and Communications."
!?or the New Orleans exhibition, the member states had decided not to participate  
individually,but to ask the Commission to represent the Community as a whole.
Italy and Trance the cided to set up an individual national stand,next to
that of the Commission.

faking into account,on the one hand the theme of the exhibition and on the  
other the job of presenting the Community as a whole to an expected 13 million  
visitors,the Commission plans to base its presentation on the following lines:
- Kurope has the most dense network of v;aterways in the world.Over the centuries  
our rivers have been channels of communication and civilisation and could thus  
be seen as central to European culture.
- Waterways are of major economic importance:industries located by rivers,transport  
river ports,hydro-electric power,etc.
- Fresh water,a source of life: It provides drinking water,fish to eat and is  
vital to agriculture,etc.
- But water is threatened .  Industrialisation and modern society is causing  
dangerous pollution. Europeans are aware of the danger and are increasingly  
introducing water-protection measures to fight against pollution and save the  
environment for future generations.
BUDGET:
By way of bowing to budgetary imperatives,the total cost of the project has been
cut to 1.3 million ECU from the 1.6 million ECU originally planned. This will mean
n reduction in the size of the pavillion from 1000 in* to 300 m*. Detailed estimates
at
based on past experience ,particularlyjhinoxville,and prices communicated by the
organizers.
In general terms the budget of 1.3 million ECU comprises the planning and building  
of the navillion,its operation for the six months duration of the exhibition,
documentation for distribution,the displays listed and dismantling costs. This is  
an absolute minimum for participation in hhk event of this size.

The budget represents a cost of 1625 ECU per metre ,  Member states normally  
allovj between 2500 - 5500 per metre (not counting often considerable contributions  
from industry.) Very prestigious pavillions can cost in the region of between  
4600 - 5000  ECU per metre^.
TIT IMG:
The preparation required for taking part in an exhibition of this size normally  
takes a minimum of one year. For example,for Knoxville,which opened in Hay 1982,  
preparatory work began in December 1930. Invitations to tender for the Commission  
pavil.l.ion 'were  issued in July 1981.
Taking into account the various discussions that followed the decision that,  
in principle the Community should participate,the five month deadline is a  
strict minimum. This means that funding will have to he found under the  
1983 "budget. It is important that the funds are transferred and approved by  
Budgetary Authority as soon as possible.