12. 12. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 318/1 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision on a contribution from the general budget 
of the Communities to the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) to finance social 
measures connected with the restructuring of the steel industry (!) 
(88/C 318/01) 
On 24 June 1988, 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 economic, financial and monetary questions, which was responsible for 
preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 13 September 1988. 
At its 258th plenary session (meeting of 28 September 1988) the Economic and Social 
Committee adopted the following Opinion unanimously. 
1. Back on 24 November 1983, the Committee 
approved a proposal for a Council decision concerning 
a contribution to the ECSC from the general budget of 
the Communities (2). 
The decision taken by the Council on 23 July 1984 (3) 
covered a sum of 60 million ECU for coal and a further 
decision of the Council of 23 October 1984 (3) provided 
62,5 million ECU for steel. 
2. In the aforementioned Opinion the Committee 
stressed the need to set aside redeployment aid for jobs 
affected by restructuring measures, a demand which 
was met in full by the Council in its decision of 23 
October 1984. 
3. The Committee has also commented on a 
'Proposal for a Council Decision concerning contri­
butions to the European Coal and Steal Community 
from the general budget of theEuropean Communi­
ties to finance measures connected with the restruc­
turing of the coal and steel industries. (4)' In its Opinion of 28 November 1985, the Committee 
approved this proposal but considered that a solution 
still had to be found to the problem of financing, even 
in the medium term. Because it was to be feared that 
further special social measures would be necessary in 
the near future, the Committee asked the Commission 
to look for a solution to this problem and submit a 
proposal to this effect (5). 
4. Neither this proposal nor the amendment submit­
ted by the Commission on 6 June 1986 to take account 
of Spain's and Portugal's accession, has ever been 
adopted by the Council. 
5. The proposal now under discussion, which deals 
specifically with the financing of social measures con­
nected with the restructuring of the steel industry, is to 
be welcomed. 
6. The Commission estimates that the supplemen­
tary social aid for some 55 000 workers expected to 
lose their jobs as a result of restructuring between 1988 
and 1900 (Art. 56, 2b/ECSC) will cost 50 million ECU 
in 1958, 55 million ECU in 1989 and 60 million ECU 
(') OJ No C 194, 23. 7. 1988, p. 23. 
(2) OJ No C 23, 30. 1. 1984, p. 59. 
(3) OJ No L 208, 3. 8. 1984, p. 55. 
(4) OJ No L 291, 8. 11. 1984, p. 38. (5) OJ No C 344, 31. 12. 1985, p. 35-36. 
No C 318/2 Official Journal of the 
in 1990, making a total of 165 million ECU. The sup­
plementary aid will be needed to help finance early 
retirement for some workers and reemployment pre­
miums for others. 
7. Given the limitations on action by the structural 
funds, the Commission thinks that the ECSC's budget 
must be reinforced in order to meet the special social 
needs which have arisen from the restructuring of ECSC 
industries. 
It therefore proposes to finance the total of 165 million 
ECU by means of: 
— an increase in the levy in 1989 and 1990 (80 million 
ECU, equally divided between the two years); 
— the grant to the ECSC in 1989 and 1990 of the 
equivalent of a part of the new revenue from cus­
toms duties on ECSC products (85 million ECU: 65 
to cover 1988 and 1989 commitments, 20 to cover 
1990 commitments). This revenue is currently esti­
mated to total 80 million ECU a year net of collec­
tion costs; 
Done at Brussels, 28 September 1988. European Communities 12. 12. 88 
— an advance on ECSC reserves, of 50 million ECU 
maximum, could be made available, exceptionally 
and for one year only, to cover commitment require­
ments in 1988, it being understood that this amount 
will only be made available if the decisions in the 
two paragraphs above are adopted. 
The present draft decision accordingly provides the 
legal basis for transferring the equivalent of a part of 
the ECSC customs from the Communities's general 
budget to the ECSC operating budget. 
8. The Committee approves the proposal for 
strengthening the social measures which are to 
accompany the moves to restore the steel market to 
normal and reestablish free competition between Com­
munity firms. However, it will be necessary to define 
an overall social policy which will be capable, in this 
case as in others, of coping with all the consequences of 
the restructuring measures made necessary by economic 
constraints. 
9. The Committee supports the resolution adopted 
by the ECSC Consultative Committee on 21 June 1988 
which requests that the transfer of customs duties be 
high enough to meet the overall requirements of the 
complementary social measures. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alfons MARGOT