No C 343/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 31. 12. 81 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision relating to the coordination of the 
activities of the Member States and Community institutions with a view to setting up a 
Community inter-institutional information system and the proposal for a Council Decision 
concerning the coordination of the actions of Member States and the Commission related 
to activities preparatory to a long-term programme for the use of telematics for 
Community information systems concerned with imports/exports and the management and 
financial control of agricultural market organizations 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the 
European Communities No C 291 of 12 November 1981, pages 2 and 3. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 28 July 1981 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic 
and Social Committee in accordance with Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the 
European Economic Community. 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 
191st plenary session held in Brussels on 28 and 29 October 1981. 
The full 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 198 thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council of 
the European Communities on 28 July 1981 for an 
opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision 
relating to the coordination of the activities of the 
Member States and Community institutions with a 
view to setting up a Community inter-institutional 
information system (l), and the proposal for a 
Council Decision concerning the coordination of the 
actions of Member States and the Commission 
related to activities preparatory to a long-term 
programme for the use of telematics for Community 
information systems concerned with imports/exports 
and the management and financial control of 
agricultural market organizations(*), 
Having regard to the decisions taken by its chairman 
on 14 August 1981, instructing the Section for 
Industry, Commerce, Crafts and Services to prepare 
an opinion and a report on the matter, Having regard to the oral report submitted by the 
rapporteur, Mr Nierhaus, 
Having regard to the opinion adopted by the Section 
for Industry, Commerce, Crafts and Services, at its 
meeting on 7 October 1981, 
Having regard to the discussions at its meeting of 
28 October 1981, (191st plenary session, held on 28 
and 29 October 1981), 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
unanimously: 
The Committee welcomes the Commission's 
proposals for Decisions subject to the following 
comments: 
1. Proposal for a Council Decision with a view to 
setting up a Community inter-institutional 
information system INSIS 
(i) OJ No C 291, 12. 11. 1981, pp. 2 and 3. 1.1. This proposal indicates that the studies relating 
to the use of a Community inter-institutional 
31. 12. 81 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 343/5 
information system have reached an advanced stage. 
The Commitee welcomes this. 
1.2. The Community's bodies will thus have a big 
opportunity, as the users of new communications 
systems, to 
— enhance efficiency and save money by improving 
the management of large administrative units, 
— foster product innovation in this field, 
— boost Community growth industries and improve 
their international competitiveness, 
— stimulate national PTTs' efforts to improve the 
interchangeability of data and terminal 
equipment, and 
— contribute towards safeguarding and improving 
the employment situation. 
1.3. The Committee considers that the most 
efficient technology — and system organization — 
available must be used; otherwise the aims of the 
draft Decision will not be attained. It will thus be 
necessary to have integrated systems which are 
compatible and can be operated decentrally. 
1.4. The advisory committee provided for by the 
Commission is considered by the Committee to be a 
suitable forum for the elucidation and close 
alignment of national administrations' aims. Because 
of the nature of large-scale technical projects, close 
contacts ought to be established from the very start 
between administrations (as users) and 
manufacturers. Accordingly, provision should be 
made for their representation on this advisory 
committee, as well as that of other interested 
institutions. 
1.5. Detailed inter-institutional discussions about 
objectives might provide information for further 
cost-benefit analyses, which are necessary to ensure 
that the objectives are met as closely as possible. 
1.6. The Commission rightly points out that user 
needs should not be neglected. The communications 
network must satisfy all the requirements laid down 
in the most up-to-date ergonomic studies. 
1.7. The question of confidentiality and secrecy in 
connection with the use of new communications 
systems should also be included in further studies. 
Done at Brussels, 28 October 1981. 1.8. The Committee is astonished to see that 
pursuant to Article 2 of the proposal, only the 
Council and the European Parliament are to be 
reported to and presented with proposals for a 
detailed design programme. The Committee urges 
the Commission to ensure that it is also notified in 
good time. 
2. Proposal for a Council Decision relating to the 
preparation of a long-term-programme for the use 
of information technology for Community 
information systems concerned with imports/ 
exports and the management of agricultural 
market organizations 
2.1. The Commission's proposal for a Directive 
stems originally from the action programme on 
priorities in the field of information technology 
submitted in 1975. The Economic and Social 
Committee welcomed this action programme at the 
time and the Committee is pleased that the subject 
has now resurfaced. 
2.2. The Committee takes note of the findings of the 
study on Community cooperation in data and 
documentation for agricultural imports and 
exports. 
2.3. The Committee hopes that the new generation 
of information systems will overcome the 
shortcomings of existing systems and that it will be 
possible to simplify and speed up the management of 
the customs union, foreign trade and the agricultural 
market organizations. This is considered by the 
Committee to be particularly important for 
Community integration. 
2.4. The Committee therefore supports the further 
procedural proposals of the Commission. It also 
suggests that the further studies should concentrate in 
particular on cost-benefit relationships and 
compatibility with the planned INSIS system. 
2.5. The proposal, too, stipulates that only the 
Council and the European Parliament are to be 
presented with a report about the development 
programme. The Committee asks that it receive a 
copy of this report also. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Tomas ROSEINGRAVE