No C 205/24 Official Journal of the European Communities 9. 8. 82 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision on the collection of information concerning the 
activities of road hauliers participating in the carriage of goods to and from certain 
non-member countries 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 36 of 12 February 1982, page 8. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 2 February 1982 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic and 
Social Committee in accordance with Articles 198 and 213 of the Treaty establishing the 
European Economic Community. 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 198th 
plenary session held in Brussels on 26 and 27 May 1982. 
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 Articles 198 
and 213 thereof. 
Having regard to the Council's decision of 2 February 
1982 to consult the Economic and Social Committee on 
this matter, 
Having regard to the decision taken by its chairman on 
12 February 1982, instructing the Section for Transport 
and Communications to draw up an opinion on the 
matter (Article 22 of the Rules of Procedure), 
Having regard to its opinion of 23 and 24 November 
1977 on transport problems in relations with Eastern 
bloc countries ('), 
Having regard to the oral report made by the rapporteur, 
Mr Renaud (Article 29 of the Rules of Procedure), 
Having regard to the opinion adopted by the Section for 
Transport and Communications at its 142nd meeting 
held on 12 May 1982, 
Having regard to the discussion during the 198th plenary 
session held on 26 and 27 May 1982, 
Wereas road haulage is affected by the expansion of the 
Eastern bloc countries' share of traffic, which is 
threatening the survival of Western operators; 
Whereas there is an imbalance in road transport relations 
between Member States and these countries; 
(M OJ No C 59, 8. 3. 1978. Whereas the percentage of East/West traffic carried by 
Community hauliers varies considerably from one route 
to another, but is in general well below 50%; 
Whereas the background to this situation is the 
fundamental difference in the two economic systems, and 
whereas State-trading countries' road hauliers who are in 
competition with Community hauliers employ methods 
against which Member States' operators have no effective 
commercial remedy, however efficient they may be; 
Whereas these methods include controlling the terms of 
transport in bilateral trade and restricting the right of 
Member States' road hauliers to establish agencies in 
State-trading countries while they themselves are at 
liberty to establish agencies in Member States; 
Whereas, generally speaking, in traffic to and from 
Eastern bloc countries there is no free competition 
between road hauliers, and users have no freedom of 
choice with regard to carriers; 
Whereas, moreover, the basic conditions regarding price 
formation differ between undertakings in East and West, 
and whereas as a result, East European carriers undercut 
free market transport prices; 
Whereas there are other barriers such as transit taxes, 
visas, tolls, etc., which work to the disadvantage of 
Western operators, since Eastern bloc carriers are in 
general subject to different operating and cost 
conditions; 
Whereas all the Member States face the same situation 
which works to the detriment of their national road 
9. 8. 82 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 205/25 
haulage industries, and whereas there is therefore a clear 
case for preparing action at Community level; 
Whereas the first stage is to exchange information in 
order to ensure that the Community institutions are fully 
briefed about developments in road haulage between the 
Community and State-trading countries; 
Whereas the Commission proposal meets these 
requirements, 
Done at Brussels, 26 May 1982. HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
by a unanimous vote: 
1. The Economic and Social Committee unreservedly 
endorses the Commission proposal, which represents a 
first step in the proposed Community action. It trusts that 
the Community will, in future, endeavour to protect the 
legitimate rights of Community road hauliers when 
concluding trade agreements with State-trading 
countries. 
The Chairman 
of the 
Economic and Social Committee 
Tomas ROSEINGRAVE