12. 6. 76 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 131/53 
This  will  make  formalities  easier  to carry  out and 
ensure  that  the  economic  result  is identical 
throughout  the Community. 
3. The  Committee  is pleased  to see  that  no 
additional  committee  is to be set up for  this 
purpose.  The  terms  of reference  of the  existing 
Committee  for Customs  Processing  Arrangements 
are to be extended  to include  all processing 
operations  that  come  under  the  customs  system 
suspending  import  charges.  This  is what  the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  recommended  in its opinions  on the free  zones  system  and  inward 
processing  ('). 
4. The  Committee  trusts  that  this  policy  will 
be continued,  and  that  all customs  procedures 
will gradually  be brought  within  the  ambit  of a 
single  committee  (the  final  objective  being  the 
formulation  of a European  Customs  Code). 
(') OJ No C 75, 29. 7. 1968,  pp.  8 and  10. 
Done  at Brussels,  31 March  1976. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Henri  CANONGE 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Directive  on the approximation  of the laws 
of the Member  States  relating  to measuring  systems  for liquids  other  than  water 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has  been  published  in Official  journal  of the 
European  Communities  No  C 290  of 18 December  1975,  page  2. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 2 December  1975,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  100  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 138th  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 31 March  and  1 April  1976. 
The full  text  of the opinion  is as follows: 
No C 131/54 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 12. 6. 76 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the request  made  by the Coun-
cil of the European  Communities  on 2 December 
1975, 
Having  regard  to the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community,  and  in par-
ticular  Article  100  thereof, 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by its Bureau 
on 16 December  1975,  instructing  the Section  for 
Industry,  Commerce,  Crafts  and  Services  to draw 
up an opinion  and  a report  on the matter, 
Having  regard  to the  Opinion  issued  by the 
Section  for Industry,  Commerce,  Crafts  and  Ser-
vices  at its meeting  on 3 March  1976, 
Having  regard  to the  report  submitted  by the 
rapporteur,  Mr Marvier, 
Having  regard  to the  discussions  at its 138th 
plenary  session,  held  on 31 March  and  1 April 
1976  (meeting  of 31 March), 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
by a unanimous  vote: 
The Committee  approves  the proposal,  subject  to 
the comments  set out below: 
1. The  proposal  for a Directive  and  the work  of 
the IOLM 
1.1. The  Committee  points  out  that,  at least 
initially,  the  Commission  worked  on  the  ap-
proximation  of legislation  in this  field  in close 
collaboration  with  the International  Organization 
of Legal  Metrology.  Subsequently,  work  at the 
Commission  was  speeded  up,  partly  to meet  the 
deadline  stipulated  in the  Council  resolution  of 
21 December  1973  on  industrial  policy,  and 
partly  to allow  swift  implementation  of the 
Council  Directive  of 26 July  1971  on the  ap-
proximation  of the  laws  of the  Member  States relating  to meters  for liquids  other  than  water  ('), 
with  which  the  present  proposal  is closely  con-
nected.  The  Committee  is pleased  to see that  the 
deadline  stipulated  by the Council  has  been  met. 
But it would  draw  the  Community  authorities' 
attention  to the difficulties  that  the Community 
industry  might  run  into  in having  to adapt  its 
production  to conform  to regulations  which  are 
likely  to be modified  at a later  date  in the IOLM. 
A second  adaptation  of production  would  then  be 
necessary. 
2. The  type  of harmonization 
2.1. As  the  Committee  has  already  stated  in 
other  opinions  and,  more  specifically,  in its 
opinion  on the  proposal  for  a Directive  on the 
approximation  of the laws  of the Member  States 
relating  to meters  for liquids  other  than  water,  it 
is regrettable  that  no deadline  has been  stipulated 
for transition  from  'optional'  to 'total'  harmoni-
zation.  The  Committee  has  always  advocated 
'total'  harmonization. 
3. Type-approval  and  initial  verification 
3.1. The  EEC  type-approval  and  initial  verifi-
cation  procedures  for  measuring  instruments  in 
general  are laid  down  in the Council  Directive  of 
26 July  1971  on the approximation  of the laws  of 
the Member  States  relating  to common  provisions 
for both  measuring  instruments  and  methods  of 
metrological  control  (2). 
3.2. The  Committee  considers  that  it would  be 
preferable  for  the  legally  operative  part  of the 
proposal  to make  express  reference  to the Direc-
tive cited  above.  Failing  such  a reference,  the 
provisions  of that  Directive  would  not  apply  to 
the present  proposal  for  a specific  Directive.  As 
an example  of an adequate  reference,  the Com-
mittee  would  mention  Article  3 of Council  Direc-
tive 71/319/EEC  of 26 July  1971  on the approxi-
mation  of the laws  of the Member  States  relating 
to meters  for liquids  other  than  water.  It asks  the 
Commission  to follow  this  example. 
(') OJ No L 202,  6. 9. 1971,  p. 32 (Committee  opinion 
— OJ No C 26, 4. 3. 1970,  p. 2). 
(*) OJ No L 202,  6. 9. 1971,  p. 1. 
12.6.76 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 131/55 
4. Testing  of instruments  and  distortion  of com-
petition 
4.1. Once  the Directive  has  been  adopted  and 
enters  into  force  it will  eliminate  barriers  to trade 
in the  measuring  systems  concerned.  But  it will leave  distortions  of competition  resulting  from 
the fact  that  the  Member  States  have  different 
arrangements  as regards  responsibility  for testing. 
The Committee  considers  that  type-approval  and 
initial  verification  procedures  should  be aligned 
as soon  as possible. 
Done  at Brussels,  31 March  1976. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Henri  CANONGE 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Directive  amending  the Council  Directive 
of 18 October  1971  on the  approximation  of the  laws  of the  Member  States 
relating  to units  of measurement 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has  been  published  in Official  Journal  of the 
European  Communities  No  C 20 of 29 January  1976,  page  4. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 16 December  1975,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  100  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 138th  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 31 March  and  1 April  1976. 
The full  text  of the opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the request  for an opinion  made 
by the Council  of the European  Communities  on 
16 December  1975, 
Having  regard  to the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community,  and  in par-
ticular  Article  100  thereof, Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by its Bureau 
on 16 December  1975,  instructing  the Section  for 
Industry,  Commerce,  Crafts  and  Services  to draw 
up an opinion  and  a report  on the matter, 
Having  regard  to the  opinion  issued  by  the 
Section  for Industry,  Commerce,  Crafts  and  Ser-
vices  at its meeting  on 3 March  1976,