1. 7. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities NoC 160/13 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation on a programme of support for technological 
development in the hydrocarbons sector (') 
(85/C 160/04) 
On 6 December 1984, 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 Energy and Nuclear Questions, which was responsible for preparing the Committee's 
work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 8 March 1985, in the light of the report by 
Mr Campbell. 
At its 225th plenary session (meeting of 27 March 1985), the Economic and Social Committee 
unanimously adopted the following opinion: 
1. Overall assessment 
1.1. The Committee sees this proposal for a Council 
Regulation as being a commitment on the part of the 
Community to continue with its programme of technological 
development projects in the hydrocarbons sector, permitting 
it to review the adequacy of the arrangements for defining 
and controlling the programme. 
1.2. The Committee believes that the experience gained 
over the last 10 years that Regulation (EEC) No 3056/73 has 
been in operation, and the conclusions contained in the 
Commission's communications on the subject, justify its 
belief that there is a continuing need for the Community to 
support a selected number of technological development 
projects. For the same reason, the Committee approved the 
R&D programme for the optimization of the production 
and utilization of hydrocarbons (2). It believes that these 
projects should be included in the proposed programme of 
support for new hydrocarbons technologies, being projects 
which involve a long time scale for completion, and/or have 
a high technical risk factor. 
1.3. In so far as the proposals for changes to the 
administrative arrangements appear to be an improvement, 
the Committee approves this proposal in general, subject to a 
number of observations given below. 
2. General observations 
2.1. During the period 1974 to the present time, the 
Community's support for new hydrocarbons technologies 
has been authorized annually by the Council, against specific 
project proposals. In future, subject to the Council's 
approving the respective chapter item in the Community's 
overall budget, the decisions to grant assistance to projects 
(») OJ No C 325, 6. 12. 1984, p. 6. 
(2) Opinion of 21 November 1984 (OJ No C 25, 28. 1. 1985, 
p. 23). will be delegated to the Commission, which will approve the 
individual projects. To enable the Commission to perform 
this function, it will be assisted by an advisory committee 
made up of representatives from the Member States. This 
appears to be a more practical method of working than 
heretofore, since it gives adequate financial control whilst 
providing greater flexibility in dealing with individual 
projects. 
The present proposal involves the Council in agreeing to an 
indicative total expenditure of 200 million ECU over a 
five-year period, provision being made for a review at the end 
of four years. 
This is much to be preferred to a series of annual programmes 
which would be quite inappropriate for technological 
projects of this nature where the calendar year has no 
relevance. 
2.2. Nevertheless, an even better solution would be to 
provide a rolling programme involving a review every two 
years. 
The advisory committee would advise at this review, where 
progress would be assessed, projects seeking support 
scrutinized and, subject to findings, the programme rolled 
forward two years. The indicative funding required for the 
later years can be increased or decreased. 
This procedure has two advantages: 
— for those engaged in research projects, the work can be 
soundly and productively organized without the artificial 
barrier of calendar years or five-year review, 
— from the viewpoint of financial authorization and 
control, it permits a more continuous authorization 
depending on funds available and the actual demand for 
assistance with projects. Such changes would be limited 
NoC 160/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 1. 7. 85 
in the first one or two years of the programme, but could 
be significant - up or down - in the final two years. 
2.3. One of the reasons for the relative weaknesses of the 
Community's competitive capability is the delay between the 
completion of applied research and its effective use in 
industrial products. It is desirable that a proportion of the 
finance available be clearly directed to stimulating the 
application of successful research projects. 
2.4. Whilst the Commission has the opportunity to 
monitor the projects which are being supported, the 
Committee believes that in the case of the largest projects, 
particularly of a multiannual nature, the Commission should 
be required to carry out a minimum number of formal 
reviews. The projects to be monitored should be designated 
by the advisory committee. The Commission should 
endeavour to ensure that funds allocated are additional to 
funds supplied by government and/or industry, and are 
being used for research which would not otherwise be carried 
out. 
3. Specific observations 
The Committee proposes that the Articles of the proposed 
Regulation be amended, or added to, as follows: — Article 2 (2) should be amended to read: 
'The projects may be carried out within or outside the 
territory of the Community provided that no adequate 
facilities exist within the Community.' 
— Article 4 (4) (new) to read: 
'Any agreement for support shall include a provision for 
repayment of the Community's contribution in the case of 
projects which have been exploited commercially.' 
— Article 7 (4) should read: 
'Where the extent of Community financial support is 
considerable on certain designated larger projects, the 
Commission shall participate as an observer in meetings 
of the bodies responsible for the management of projects 
at such intervals as will enable the Commission to prepare 
a detailed report on the progress of the project.' 
— Article 10: add a new third paragraph as follows: 
'Every two years there shall be carried out a detailed 
review of the progress of the programme to determine its 
effectiveness, and consider the range of projects for which 
Member States are seeking assistance. In the light of this 
review the Council shall give an indicative sum of money 
which it regards as necessary for a further period of five 
years from 1 January 1987. This procedure will be 
repeated every two years. 
Done at Brussels, 27 March 1985. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Gerd MUHR 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation on a common measure to improve the structures of 
certain areas under vines in Greece and amending Regulation (EEC) No 355/77 on common measures 
to improve the conditions under which agricultural and fisheries products are processed and 
marketed (*) 
(85/C 160/05) 
On 25 February 1985 the Council decided, in accordance with Article 198 of the Treaty establishing 
the European Economic Community, to ask the Economic and Social Committee for an opinion on 
the abovementioned proposal. 
The Section for Agriculture, which was entrusted with the preparatory work, adopted its opinion on 
14 March 1985. The rapporteur was Mr Chalioris. 
On 27 March 1985, during its 225th plenary session, the Economic and Social Committee 
unanimously adopted the following opinion: 
(>) OJ No C 76, 22. 3. 1985, p. 2.