No C 69/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 8. 73 
Article 4 
The Committee requests the deletion of the last 
sentence. 
Articles 5 to 9, Articles 13 and 14 
The Committee asks that these Articles, and the 
agreement provided for in Article 16, be adjusted in 
accordance with the general comments submitted 
under item 4. very important. Therefore, it requests Article 16 be 
redrafted to emphasize the concept of standard 
stipulations which will appear in the contracts, and 
that the necessary publicity be assured in the Bank-
Commission Agreement which in any case should 
also be rewritten in view of the comments made in 
point 4 of this Opinion. 
Article 21 
Article 12 
The Section asks that Article 12 be redrafted in 
accordance with the general comments made in part 
4. 
Article 14 
The Committee asks that this Article be reviewed to 
specify the joint and several responsibility of the 
contracted undertakings. Such clarification is 
necessary. 
Article 16 
The Committee feels that the agreement to be 
concluded between the Commission and the Bank is The Committee requests that Article 21 clarify the 
characteristics of the annual report, which the 
Commission has to compile. In particular, the 
Committee feels that this report should bring out the 
manner in which the Commission has applied the 
criteria provided for in Article 3, relating to the 
projects adopted. Likewise, this report should 
mention the contracting parties as well as any 
substantial changes which may be made after the 
signing of the contracts. 
Finally, the Committee is surprised to note that 
Article 21 has not provided for the transmission of 
this annual report to the Economic and Social 
Committee. The Committee asks that this Article 21 
provides expressly for this transmission. 
Done at Brussels, 24 May 1973. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alfons LAPP AS 
CONSULTATION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
on a proposal for a Council Regulation on the coordination of agricultural research 
A. REQUEST FOR AN OPINION 
At its 225th meeting held on 22 to 25 January 1973, the Council decided to exercise 
its option of consulting the Economic and Social Committee on the above proposal for 
a Regulation. 
The request for an Opinion was sent by the President of the Council to the Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee on 24 January 1973. 
28. 8. 73 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 69/15 
B. TEXT WHICH WAS THE SUBJECT OF THE CONSULTATION 
The text which was the subject of the consultation has not yet been published in the 
Official Journal of the European Communities. 
C. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
At its 111th Plenary Session held in Brussels on 23 and 24 May 1973, the Committee 
unanimously adopted its Opinion on the text referred to under B, with 2 abstentions 
out of the members present or represented. 
The text of the Opinion is as follows: 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, 
Having regard to the request by the Council on 24 
January 1973 for an Opinion on the 'proposal for a 
Council Regulation on the coordination of 
agricultural research'; 
Having regard to Article 198 of the Treaty 
establishing the European Economic Community; 
Having regard to the Decision by the Bureau of the 
Economic and Social Committee on 25 January 1973 
to instruct the Section for Agriculture to prepare a 
report and an Opinion on the subject; 
Having regard to Articles 41 and 43 of the Treaty; 
Having regard to the Opinion delivered by the 
Section for Agriculture at its meeting on 17 May 
1973; 
Having regard to the report presented by Mr De 
Caffarelli, rapporteur; 
Having regard to its deliberations at the 111th 
Plenary Session held on 23 and 24 May 1973, and the 
sitting of 24 May 1973; 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION: 
The Committee approves the proposal for a 
Regulation subject to the following remarks. 
General remarks 
The Economic and Social Committee welcomes the 
fact that the objectives of the common agricultural 
policy will be furthered by the Commission's 
proposal for improving the coordination of the 
agricultural research measures taken by Member States. The Economic and Social Committee has 
particularly appreciated the Commission's anxiety to 
make better use of research powers and instruments 
already existing in the Member States of the 
Community. 
However, the Committee emphasizes the importance 
of checking that this proposal; which the 
Commission worked out before the enlargement of 
the Community, also takes account of agricultural 
research situations that could exist in the new 
Member States. 
The Committee notes that, as the Commission sees it, 
the scope of the draft Regulation which is based on a 
more effective coordination of efforts includes the 
agricultural and food industries and research into 
industrial products used in agriculture. Also, it is not 
concerned solely with basic research but also with 
procedures for disseminating findings (applied 
research, communication of knowledge). 
As the main point of the Commission proposal is 
based on collaboration with the Standing Committee 
for Agricultural research, the Committee feels that 
the terms of reference and composition of the 
Standing Committee should be scrutinized, so as to 
ensure collaboration with the relevant socio-profes-
sional groups, both in defining priorities and in 
implementing the measures which need to be taken. 
The Committee feels that the financial contributions, 
which the Commission lays down for financing 
action taken under the regulation are very small in 
comparison with the objectives to be attained and 
should be considered as an initial stage of an 
increasing Community contribution to measures of 
common interest. It must be understood that these 
measures are complementary to national measures. 
The Committee also points out that in some Member 
States, a very considerable number of new activities, 
relating to the environment, for example, are often 
No C 69/16 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 8. 73 
imposed on research bodies. The Committee is aware 
of the importance of these new activities but stresses 
that it is essential not to lose sight of the fundamental 
purpose of agricultural research, which must 
primarily concentrate on the problems of agriculture 
and of the agricultural and food industries. 
Finally the Committee is anxious to see agricultural 
research coordinated with the general research and 
development policy recently initiated in the 
Community. 
Special remarks 
As a preliminary remark, the Committee states that 
due to the nature of the Commission proposal 
reference should be made in the citations to the 
opinion of the Economic and Social Committee. 
Article 1 
The Commission has stated its intention to reword 
Article 1 as follows: 
'In order to allow the objectives of the common 
agricultural policy to be attained at Community 
level agricultural research efforts in the Member 
States shall be assured, coordinated and prompted 
in the manner laid down in the present 
Regulation and coordinated with the general 
research and development policy.' 
The Committee agrees with the new text. 
Article 2 
Reword the first line to read: 
'In order to make a continuing contribution to 
the coordination and promotion of agricultural 
research, and to the valorization and disclosure of 
its findings.' 
As Article 2 deals with the possibilities linked to the 
composition of the Standing Committee for 
Agricultural Research mentioned in Article 2, the 
Committee refers to its comments on Article 4. 
Article 3 
Without it needing to be specified in Article 3, the 
Committee feels that this Article implies that the specific measures proposed by the Commission are to 
be preceded by socio-economic studies in order to 
determine, if need be, the exact priorities and 
guidelines. 
Article 4 
Considering the important role in implementing the 
proposed regulation which the Commission confers 
on the Standing Committee for Agricultural 
Research, the Committee feels that a careful 
examination should be made of the composition of 
the Standing Committee and the various duties which 
it is to discharge. In this respect the Committee 
makes the following comments: 
In line with the comment already made on Article 2, 
the Economic and Social Committee points out that 
the Standing Committee is to be given tasks of 
initiating, coordination, guidance and administration. 
The Economic and Social Committee considers that 
the socio-economic sectors should be consulted over 
guidelines and the definition of priorities, and urges 
that the procedures for such consultation be laid 
down in the Regulation. 
Article 6 
Paragraph 1: 
The Committee notes that this provision must be 
taken to mean that in the case of research projects 
which have been financed under Articles 3 (b) and 
3 (c), ie with a Community share of up to 50 % of 
the cost, each national research body is free to 
dispose of any patents obtained as a result of such 
research, but that free licences must in all cases be 
granted to the eight other Member States of the 
Community. 
The Committee points * out that the possible 
consequences of this provision should be analysed so 
as to ensure that the interests of researchers in the 
Member States are not liable to be jeopardized. 
Paragraph 3: 
The Committee requests that this paragraph read as 
follows: 
'The Commission shall use appropriate legal and 
financial means to promote and encourage the 
dissemination ...' 
28. 8. 73 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 69/17 
In addition, the Committee draws attention to 
the vital role played in the Member States by 
public and professional bodies in the 
dissemination of information and also to the need 
for the Commission to obtain their assistance. 
Article 8 
As already emphasized in the 'General remarks' 
the Committee notes that this Article should be 
considered as an initial step. 
The Committee feels that the Commission should 
be able to enter into contracts and provide 
Done at Brussels, 24 May 1973. complete Community financing for work with an 
obvious Community interest. 
Moreover, the Committee feels it should be 
emphasised that the second sentence of the 1st 
paragraph should be taken as referring not to a 
contribution towards work already carried out by 
the Member States, but to a common budget to 
be used to supplement programmes and to ensure 
the coherence of work. 
Article 9 (1) 
The Committee requests that the report on 
coordination be presented yearly and referred to 
the Economic and Social Committee. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alfons LAPP AS