No C 116/18 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 30.9.74 
3.2. The  draft  resolution  confirms  the Council's 
intention  to act,  within  the time  limits  laid  down  in 
the various  programmes,  on the proposals  on mass 
dismissals,  the protection  of the  existing  rights  of 
workers  in the  case  of mergers,  concentrations  or 
rationalization,  guarantees  for investments  in third 
countries,  internal  company  mergers^  the Statute  for 
the European  Company,  the  structure  of socidtes 
anonymes  and the control  of concentrations. 
3.3. It  also  lists  a number  of decisions  which 
should  be  taken  and  notes  the  Commission's 
intention  to submit  as soon  as possible  proposals  on 
the protection  of workers  in the event  of takeovers, 
the introduction  of Community  rules  concerning  in 
particular,  stock  exchange  operations  and  the origin 
of funds  for investment,  a scheme  for cooperation 
between  the  national  bodies  responsible  for  the 
supervision  of  s stock  exchange  operations, 
arrangements  for  international  assistance  and 
cooperation  in the  field  of tax  information, 
monitoring  and  recovery,  including  in particular 
development  of a common  system  of transfer  prices 
Done  at Brussels,  26 June  1974. and licence  fees,  and  finally  the law  on groups  of 
companies  and  the  collection  of  adequate 
information  on  the  international  activity  of 
undertakings. 
3.4. Subject  to  its  comments  on  the 
Communication,  the Committee  approves  in principle 
the broad  outlines  of the draft  resolution. 
3.5. Although  the recitals  of the draft  resolution 
meet  with  the  Committee's  approval,  there  are 
divergences  of opinion  about  many  of the practical 
measures  envisaged. 
3.6. Not  wishing  to bring  up  again  certain 
problems  which  have  already  been  discussed  in its 
Opinions  on drafts  submitted  by the Commission,  the 
Committee  would  merely  refer  to and  confirm  these 
earlier  opinions. 
3.7. As  to the  new  proposals  which  are  now 
announced,  the Committee  will  give  its opinion  on 
these  proposals  when  it is consulted. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Alfons  LAPPAS 
Opinion  on the 'Proposal  for a Council  Directive  concerning  the approximation  of the 
laws  of the Member  States  relating  to the composition  of petrol  — Problem  of the lead 
content  of petrol' 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has been  published  in the Official  Journal  of the 
European  Communities  No C 8 of 31 January  1974  page  28. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 18 December  1973,  the  Council  referred  the  abovementioned  proposal  to the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  100  of the  Treaty 
establishing  the European  Economic  Community. 
B. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  prepared  its Opinion  on the above  matter  at its 
121st  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 26 and 27 June  1974. 
The full text of the Opinion  is as follows: 
30.9.74 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 116/19 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE: 
Having  regard  to the  request,  dated  19 December 
1973,  by the  President  of the  Council  of the 
European  Communities  for  an opinion  on  the 
'Proposal  for  a Council  Directive  concerning  the 
approximation  of the  laws  of the  Member  States 
relating  to the composition  of petrol  — Problem  of 
the lead  content  of petrol'; 
Having  regard  to Article  100  of the  Treaty 
establishing  a European  Economic  Community; 
Having  regard  to the Decision  taken  by the Bureau  on 
29 January  1974  entrusting  the Section  for Industry, 
Commerce,  Crafts,  and Services  with  the preparation 
of a report  and an opinion  on the matter; 
Having  regard  to the Opinion  delivered  on 5 June 
1974  by the Section  for Industry,  Commerce,  Crafts 
and Services; 
Having  regard  to the supplementary  Opinion  of the 
Section  for the Protection  of the Environment,  Public 
Health  and  Consumer  Affairs  delivered  on 21 March 
1974; 
Having  regard  to the  report  presented  by  the 
rapporteur,  Miss  Roberts; 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its plenary  session 
of 26 and 27 June  1974,  sitting  of 27 June  1974, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
by 62 votes  to 2 with  8 abstentions: 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  approves  the 
proposal  for  a Directive  subject  to the  following 
comments: 
1. The  Committee  notes  that  the  Commission's 
proposal,  which  is concerned  with  the  removal  of 
barriers  to trade  within  the Community  as regards 
both  motor  fuel  and  motor  vehicles,  represents  an 
important  and  realistic  step  forward  in reducing  air 
pollution  from  lead  and,  in consequence,  in 
protecting  the environment. 
2. The  difficulties 
2.1. When  the Directive  was  drafted  it was  already 
realized  that  car manufacturers  would  have,  to some 
extent,  to re-design  their  engines  if they  are to run on petrol  with  a lower  lead  content  than  before.  Oil 
refineries  will  also  have  to adjust  their  processes  if 
they are to produce  petrol  with  a lower  amount  of 
lead but with  the necessary  anti-knock  qualities.  This 
will be more  costly  and  will  use more  crude  oil. As 
regards  the problems  created  by the recent  energy 
crisis,  the  Committee  is a>Vare  of the  balance  of 
payments  difficulties  which  Member  States  may  face 
because  of additional  imports  of crude  oil due  to 
application  of the proposal  for a Directive. 
2.2. However,  the Commission  was  satisfied  that 
the oil and  automobile  industries  considered  that  the 
snags  mentioned  above  were  not  technically 
insuperable  at the  levels  which  are  currently 
proposed. 
2.3. The  Committee  recognizes  that  — although 
new cars  could  be designed  to use the new  type  of 
petrol  with  a lower  lead  content  — some  existing  car 
types  might  have  problems. 
2.4. The  Committee  considers  that,  although  the 
danger  from  lead  in the atmosphere  is not proven, 
the suspicion  that  it is harmful  is so strong  that  all 
possible  precautions  should  be taken  to lower  the 
concentration  of lead  in the atmosphere. 
2.5. It  was  suggested  that  lead  traps  would  make 
the reduction  of lead  in the petrol  itself  unnecessary. 
This may  be so, in the future.  The  Committee  hopes 
that research  on the subject  will  continue  vigorously. 
No doubt  the  dates  set for  lead  reduction  will 
stimulate  this  research.  But  lead  traps  are not  yet 
sufficiently  developed  to substitute  for reduction  of 
the lead  content  to the  levels  proposed  by the 
Commission. 
2.6. In  any  case,  the Committee  believes  that  the 
Commission's  proposal  for a Directive  is justified  oij 
the grounds  of the removal  of technical  barriers  to 
trade.  In fact,  as appears  from  the document  of the 
Commission  itself,  certain  Member  States  have 
decided  to take  measures  to reduce  the level  of lead 
allowed  in petrol.  This  would  cause  serious  barriers 
to trade  if the  proposal  for  a Directive  were  not 
adopted. 
The Committee  further  notes  that  if adopted,  the 
Directive  would  make  it possible  to guarantee  the 
free movement  and  the release  for free  circulation  of 
products  which  conform  with  it and  that  any 
countries  which  fixed  stricter  standards  for their  own 
production  would  not  be able  to oppose  the free 
movement  and  the  use  of products  in accordance 
with the Directive. 
No C 116/20 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 30.9.  74 
3. Other  pollutants 
3.1. The  first  problem  is that  of the  substances 
which  would  have  to be added  to petrol  in the place 
of lead,  to achieve  the  same  anti-knock  qualities. There  is surely  the  possibility  that  these  substances 
might  be more  polluting  than  the lead  itself? 
3.2. It  was,  however,  agreed  that  Article  3 of the 
Directive  appeared  to deal  satisfactorily  with  this 
problem.  Lead  is not  to be removed  at the  cost  of 
adding  other,  possibly  more  polluting,  substances. 
Done  at Brussels,  27 June  1974. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Alfons  LAPP  AS 
Opinion  on the 'Proposal  for a Council  Regulation  (EEC)  laying  down  conditions  for 
granting  national  aid under  the common  structural  policy  for seafishing' 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has  been  published  in the Official  Journal  of the 
European  Communities  No  C 110  of 13 December  1973,  page  64. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
At its 117th  plenary  session  held  on 30 and  31 January  1974  the Committee,  acting  on 
a proposal  from  the Bureau,  decided  to deliver  an Opinion  on the  abovementioned 
subject  on its own  initiative. 
B. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  prepared  its Opinion  on the above  matter  at its 
121st  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 26 and  27 June  1974. 
The full  text  of the Opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE: 
Having  regard  to Articles  43 and  198  of the Treaty 
establishing  the European  Economic  Community; 
Having  regard  to the Decision  taken  on 30 January 
1974,  in accordance  with  the  fourth  paragraph  of 
Article  20 of the Rules  of Procedure,  to draw  up on 
its own  initiative  an Opinion  on the 'Proposal  for a 
Council  Regulation  (EEC)  laying  down  conditions for granting  national  aid  under  the  common  struc-
tural  policy  for seafishing'; 
Having  regard  to the various  Opinions  delivered  by 
the Economic  and  Social  Committee  on the fisheries 
sector,  and  in particular  its Opinion,  dated  27 March 
1969,  on the  'Proposal  for  a Council  Regulation 
establishing  a common  structural  policy  for 
seafishing'  (*); 
(*) OJ No C 76, 17. 6. 1969.