28. 4. 86 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 101/1 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision adopting multi-annual research and 
development programmes in the field of the environment (1986 to 1990) 
(86/C 101/01) 
Procedure 
On 20 August 1985, the Council asked the Economic and Social Committee, in accordance with the 
provisions of Article 198 of the Treaty setting up the European Economic Community, for an 
opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision adopting multi-annual research and development 
programmes in the field of the environment (1986 to 1990). 
The Committee instructed its Section for Protection of the Environment, Public Health and 
Consumer Affairs, to prepare its work on the matter. The section adopted its opinion on 4 February 
1986, on the basis of the report submitted by Mr De Grave. 
The Committee adopted unanimously the opinion set out below at its 234th Plenary Session, 
meeting of 26 February 1986: 
1. General comments 
1.1. Approval and justification 
1.1.1. The Committee approves the draft programme 
put forward by the Commission. The Committee considers 
that the research carried out in Europe should be at an 
adequate level vis-a-vis that carried out in other parts of the 
developed world. It is equally necessary to promote the 
coordination of research and the mutual exchange of 
information between EEC Member States so as to avoid 
duplication and to enable the sums invested to be put to the 
most effective use. Furthermore, the proposed programme 
will generate valuable international collaboration. 
1.1.2. The research in the fields of environmental 
protection, climatology and industrial safety is, without 
exception, long-term research and benefits will not readily 
be seen in the short term. Such research is thus not very 
attractive to public or private, university or industrial 
research bodies which would have difficulty in bringing 
together the sums involved. It is, however, equally true that 
such research is likely to produce considerable gains in the 
long term. 
1.2. Finance 
1.2.1. The cost of the programme as a whole for the five-
year period is 105 million ECU, broken down as follows: 
— 65 million ECU for the protection of the environment, 
— 25 million ECU for climatology, 
— 15 million ECU for major technological hazards. 1.2.2. The overall programme is very modest. The 
Committee wishes to draw attention to the fact that in the 
case of the environmental programme — the longest-
running of the programmes — the assessment which has 
been made of the earlier programmes is extremely 
favourable. The first results obtained from the climatology 
programme are also praiseworthy, despite the scant 
funding available. As regards the programme on major 
technological hazards, the series of recent catastrophes 
fully justifies the proposed measures. Some work has been 
done in this field in a number of Member States but very 
little has been done in most of them. Serious research in this 
field is extremely expensive. The sum proposed must 
therefore be regarded as a minimum amount, particularly 
when bearing in mind the very large number of different 
substances and situations. The Committee therefore urges 
that there be no question of reducing the total sum of 105 
million ECU. 
1.3. Contents of the programme 
1.3.1. The Committee considers that the research 
programmes should be expanded to include earthquakes. 
There have been serious earthquakes in a number of 
Member States and earthquakes have also sometimes 
unexpectedly struck Member States generally considered to 
be low-risk areas. 
1.3.2. The Committee understands that this programme 
is ready from a technical point of view and it would 
therefore be possible to include it in the overall programme. 
1.3.3. The Committee does not, however, wish to delay 
adoption of the programme in any way. It could therefore 
No C 101/2 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 4. 86 
envisage that the proposed new fourth section be adopted 
formally at a later date or in a separate form. 
1.3.4. Finally, the Committee would point out that, 
given the modest nature of the funding for the programme, 
the appropriations for the fourth section would have to be 
additional to those already proposed. 
1.4. Cooperation with non-EEC countries 
1.4.1. Scientific cooperation with the industrialized 
countries obviously plays a large role in the current 
research programmes. 
1.4.2. There should also be an increase in the currently 
very low level of cooperation with the developing 
countries, even if these countries have a preference for 
projects which have an immediate impact. 
1.4.3. The research projects in climatology and environ­
mental protection in the Mediterranean regions of the EEC 
(e.g. those on bird migration and desertification) could be 
selected for cooperation with non-EEC Mediterranean 
countries. In this context the Committee draws attention to 
the fact that in its opinion on the protection of the 
environment in the Mediterranean basin (') it made 
reference to the work carried out at the Dakar Conference 
on desertification on 24 July 1984 at which the experts put 
forward the idea of drawing up a regional cooperation 
programme based on measures to conserve water, soil and 
vegetation. On that occasion the Committee called upon 
the Community to provide scientific assistance under its 
cooperation policy, as desertification could have repercus­
sions on the eco-climate of the EEC Mediterranean regions. 
1.4.4. Furthermore, the Committee would draw atten­
tion to the fact that in addition to its European 
geographical area the territory of the European Com­
munities includes the French overseas departments. These 
departments have specific environmental and climatolo-
gical features (such as cyclones) which could provide 
subjects for cooperation between the European Com­
munity and a number of non-EEC countries. 
1.5. Dissemination of research findings 
1.5.1. The Committee has already drawn attention in 
the past to the need for the findings of the research 
programmes to be made known more widely. EEC funds 
invested in research will only be used to full effect if 
sufficient sums are spent on disseminating the findings in 
scientific circles, the press and other channels of public 
opinion and the movements, institutions and other bodies 
concerned by the adoption of regulations in the environ­
mental field (2). 
1.5.2. The Committee welcomes the increasing number 
of publications which have appeared following the earlier 
programmes and which are referred to in the Commission's 
proposal. 
(!) OJ No C 160, 1.7. 1985, p. 4, point 7.7. 
(2) ESC opinion on R & D: 1981 to 1985 in OJ No C 353, 
31. 12. 1980, p. 16, point 8. 1.5.3. The Commission should in the Committee's view 
take a further step by providing more comprehensive 
information for the scientific press (including radio and 
television). The adoption of the 1986 to 1990 programme 
could provide the occasion for this step forward. The 
Community's image would certainly be enhanced as a 
result. The press and even those working in the relevant 
fields are generally very poorly informed about this aspect 
of Community policy. 
1.5.4. Furthermore, the economic agents (such as 
industrial and agricultural undertakings and workers) who 
are responsible for implementing the policies will be all the 
more aware of their responsibility if they have been better 
informed. 
1.6. Links between research and the policies for 
promoting the use of new technologies 
1.6.1. The Committee urges that adequate links be 
established between research policy and the policies for 
promoting the use of new tehcnologies. 
1.7. Links with the other R&D programmes 
1.7.1. It is hard to see how the proposed programme will 
tie in with the existing programmes (Research Action 
Programme, Environment (RAP), Community Action on 
the Environment (ACE, BRITE, etc.) and future program­
mes (Eureka). 
1.7.2. Above all, it is essential to coordinate the 
proposed programme with the JRC environment and 
industrial safety programme so as to make them com­
plementary to each other and to minimize duplication. 
1.8. Involvement of industry 
1.8.1. Hitherto few contracts have been awarded to 
industrial groups; this is no doubt due to the fact that 
industry is not yet geared to this type of subsidized research. 
There are, however, also administrative problems, not to 
mention the problem of industrial property, which even in 
this area may in some cases be of overriding importance. 
1.8.2. The draft Decision stresses the need for the 
involvement of industry, in particular in the programme 
dealing with major technological' hazards. More effective 
involvement of industry in a number of cases should 
therefore be sought. 
1.8.3. The Committee considers that the environmental 
research programme must, inter alia, help to make the EEC 
more competitive with regard to environmental tech­
nologies. 
1.9. Consultation of interested parties 
In view of the fact that in all the three sections of the 
programme specific priorities are to be established in 
consultation with the CGC, whose members represent only 
governments, the Committee considers that the Commis­
sion should also find appropriate ways of consulting both 
28. 4. 86 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 101/3 
sides of industry, consumers and the European environ­
mental protection organizations. 
2. Specific comments 
2.1. Programme on the protection of the environment 
The overall programme is, in the Committee's view, 
perfectly balanced. The observations set out below are 
therefore only of secondary importance. 
2.1.1. Health effects of pollutants 
The only way to tackle this subject is by carrying out 
epidemiological studies. The Commission will have to 
ensure that such studies are fully valid in view of the 
inherent methodological difficulties. 
2.1.2. Air quality 
This issue is indeed a matter of priority. Special attention 
should, however, be paid to stratospheric chemistry (4.4.), 
a field in which very little information is available and one 
which may play a fundamental role 
2.1.3. Reduction of pollution 
The current demonstration programmes covering 'clean' 
(less-polluting) technologies have indeed shown themselves 
to be effective (10.2). A specific demonstration programme 
should therefore be put forward. 
2.1.4. Subjects not covered by the proposed pro­
grammes 
2.1.4.1. The rising tide of violence in Europe is a matter 
of considerable concern to the Committee. It appears that 
some links may be established between violence and the 
quality of the environment (living areas). Even if this issue 
is outside the current fields of environmental research, it 
would be advisable to give consideration to the matter with 
a view to introducing measures at a later date, starting, 
perhaps, by drawing up a classification of the different 
types of environment. 
2.1.4.2. The Committee also urges that this programme 
be extended to include research into the rehabilitation of 
coastal areas. 
2.2. Climatology 
2.2.1. This programme is based to a large extent — and 
rightly so — on studies of the likely repercussions of man's 
activity (industry, burning of fossil fuels, deforestation) on 
the climate of the planet. The considerable increase in the 
levels of C02 and chlorofluorocarbons, etc. in the 
atmosphere may have consequences which are all the more 
difficult to determine as we do not yet fully understand all 
the parameters of the situation. Studies of earlier 
climatological changes are therefore essential if we are to verify hypotheses for the future, particularly the forecasts 
of desertification in the south of Europe and an increased 
rate of desertification in Africa. 
2.2.2. The Committee also draws attention to the need 
for more thorough research into extreme, relatively rare 
phenomena which have a considerable social and economic 
impact. Improved forecasting would make it possible to 
reduce the loss of life and economic losses. 
2.2.3. This part of the climatology programme is closely 
related to meteorology. Attention may be drawn here to the 
very significant results which have already been obtained 
with the aid of appropriations under COST which have led 
to the establishment at Reading, near to London, of the 
European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting. 
Forecasts can now be made four or five days ahead with a 
good deal of reliability. The models worked out by the 
European Centre are now better than all the other existing 
models — in particular those used in the United States and 
Japan — according to comparative analyses carried out by 
the World Meteorlogical Organization. 
2.2.4. In the Committee's view research should continue 
to be carried out on a number of meteorological issues on 
which European cooperation is already taking place. We 
must keep in mind the major economic and sometimes 
human cost of phenomena such as storms, fog, ice and 
floods in a large number of economic sectors (farming, 
fisheries and maritime transport, road and railway 
maintenance, air transport, etc.). 
2.2.5. Accurate weather forecasting also enables us to 
foresee the high-risk periods for forest — fires, avalanches, 
storms, etc. 
A number of the COST projects already cover 
meteorology, namely the projects dealing with: 
— the establishment of an experimental network of 
oceanic stations (in zones inadequately covered by 
existing observations but providing data which is 
necessary for the forecasting models), 
— the harmonization of radar data collecting methods so 
as to permit the exchange of information between 
neighbouring States. 
2.2.6. There is, however, a striking discrepancy between 
the amount of information which is technically available 
and that which is in reality available to users in a practical 
form. This applies to information in such fields as 
agricultural-meteorology and air transport safety. A 
serious effort should be made to improve this situation, in 
particular by the use of the new information technologies. 
It would be useful to have a balance sheet showing the 
practical repercussions of such a step. 
2.3. Major technological hazards 
2.3.1. Introduction 
2.3.1.1. The Committee vigorously rejects the im­
position of any significant cuts in this programme. 
No C 101/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 4. 86 
2.3.1.2. The Committee stresses the need for this 
programme and for cooperation in this field with countries 
to which technology is exported (e.g. Bhopal, India and 
Mexico). The Committee is pleased to note the research 
already being carried out in a number of Member States. 
2.3.1.3. The chemical industry is one of the industrial 
sectors having the highest accident potential. Research in 
this sector, both at EEC level and in the majority of 
Member States, lags far behind that in other hazardous 
sectors of industry, such as the nuclear industry. 
2.3.1.4. The Committee wishes to point out that 
research must take account both of accidents and of 
possible deliberate acts. Practical preventive measures and 
monitoring measures should be devised quickly. 
2.3.1.5. In view of the proposals which have been made 
that part of this programme should be entrusted to the JRC, 
the Committee would draw attention to the importance of 
experiments (into fires, explosions, etc.) for which suitable 
sites are rare. 
2.3.2. Contents 
SECTOR A 
This part of the programme is by far the most readily 
exploitable. The various fields (Al to A8) are clearly specified and the relevant research structures already exist. 
This programme will be of interest to many specialized 
research bodies and also to industry. It should be given 
priority and allocated the bulk of the available appropria­
tions. Methodological harmonization, an urgent require­
ment, depends on this programme. In the absence of such 
harmonization each Member State will develop its own 
models. 
SECTOR B 
The areas covered by Sector B are doubtlessly more 
fundamental than those in Sector A but the presentation of 
the latter sector is much less specific and in its current form 
it cannot be used as a basis for the submission of tenders. 
Futhermore, the three individual areas, Bl, B2 and B3, are 
areas of constant evolution. 
SECTOR C 
The topics relating to emergency action (C7 and C8) are of 
immediate importance. 
Done at Brussels, 26 February 1986 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Gerd MUHR 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 1900/85 
introducing Community export and import declaration forms 
(86/C101/02) 
On 23 January 1986 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under 
Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the abovementioned 
proposal. 
The Section for Industy, Commerce, Crafts and Services, which was responsible for preparing the 
Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 5 February 1986, in the light of the report 
by Mr Broicher. 
At its 234th Plenary Session (meeting of 26 February 1986) the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the following opinion unanimously: 
The Committee endorses the proposed amendment. 
The Regulation now being amended provided for export and import declaration forms aligned on 
the forms for intra-Community trade. Appropriate powers must be delegated to the Commission so 
that discrepancies between the codes for intra-Community trade and the codes for trade with non-