No C 101/20 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 26. 4. 78 
B. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  prepared  its opinion  on the  above  matter  at its 
156th  plenary  session  held  in Brussels  on 1 and 2 March  1978. 
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  43 thereof, 
Having  regard  to the request  made  by the Council  of 
the European  Communities  on 10 January  1978  for 
an opinion, 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by its chairman 
on 19  January  1978  instructing  the  Section  for 
Agriculture  to draw  up an opinion  on the matter, 
Having  regard  to Articles  46 and  47 of the Rules  of 
Procedure  (urgency  procedure), 
Having  regard  to the opinion  issued  by the Section 
for Agriculture  at its meeting  on 9 February  1978, Having  regard  to the  oral  report  submitted  by the 
rapporteur,  Mr de Tavernier, 
Having  regard  to its discussions  at its 156th  plenary 
session  held  on 1 and  2 March  1978  (meeting  of 
1 March  1978), 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
unanimously: 
The two  draft  Regulations,  which  stem  from  two 
Judgments  of the  Court  of Justice,  reintroduce 
production  refunds  for maize  groats  and  broken  rice 
used  for brewing,  and  for quellmehl  used  in baking. 
The Committee  approves  both  drafts. 
Done  at Brussels,  1 March  1978. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
Opinion  on  the  proposal  for  a Council  Regulation  amending  Regulation  (EEC) 
No 517/72  on the introduction  of common  rules  for regular  and  special  regular  services 
by coach  and  bus between  Member  States 
The text  referred  to the  Committee  has  been  published  in Official  Journal  of the 
European  Communities  No  C 293  of 6 December  1977,  page  5. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 28 November  1977,  the  Council  referred  the  abovementioned  proposal  to the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  75 of the Treaty  establishing 
the European  Economic  Community. 
26. 4. 78 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities No C 101/21 
B. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  prepared  its opinion  on the  above  matter  at its 
156th  plenary  session  held  in Brussels  on 1 and  2 March  1978. 
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  75 thereof, 
Having  regard  to the  request  made  by the  Council  of 
the European  Communities  on 28 November  1977 
for an opinion, 
Having  regard  to Regulation  (EEC)  No  517/72  of 
28 February  1972  (1), 
Having  regard  to the  decision  taken  by its chairman 
on 13  December  1977  instructing  the  Section  for 
Transport  and  Communications  to  draw  up  an 
opinion  on the matter, 
Having  regard  to the  oral  report  made  by  the 
rapporteur,  Mr  Renaud  (Article  29 of the  Rules  of 
Procedure), 
Having  regard  to the  opinion  issued  by the  Section 
for Transport  and  Communications  at its  118th 
meeting  on 18 January  1978, 
Having  regard  to the  discussions  at its 156th  plenary 
session  held  on  1 and  2 March  1978  (meeting  of 
2 March  1978), 
Whereas  the  draft  Directive  seeks  to simplify  the 
form  and  to some  extent  the  content  of certain 
procedures  provided  for  in Regulation  (EEC)  No 
517/72, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
unanimously: 
1. Simplification  of procedures 
It is proposed: 
— to abolish  mandatory  notification  to  the 
Commission  of applications  for  authorization  or 
(x) OJ  No L 67, 20. 3. 1972,  p. 18. renewal  of authorization  to introduce  services 
(Article  12 (4)), 
— to replace  the  annual  report  on the  operation  of 
the Regulation  by a three-yearly  report  (Article 
15). 
These  amendments  will  not  have  any  significant 
impact  on the  Regulation  and  do not  therefore  call 
for any  comment. 
2. Provisional  authorizations 
2.1. It  is also  proposed  to introduce  a speeded-up 
procedure  for issuing  provisional  authorizations  (new 
Article  16a  (1)).  With  the  agreement  of the  States 
concerned,  the new  procedure  would  be used: 
— where  warranted  by unforeseeable  circumstances 
or force  majeure, 
— where  objections  by  other  carriers  made  it 
impossible  to take  a decision  on  renewal  or 
variation  of  an  authorization  before  that 
authorization  expired. 
Provisional  authorizations  would  run  for  six months 
and would  be renewable. 
2.2. There  is a case  for a speeded-up  procedure  for 
the introduction  of regular  road  services  needed  to 
meet  unforeseeable  circumstances  or force  majeure. 
But it must  be made  clear  beyond  a shadow  of doubt 
that these  are  temporary  services  only.  They  must 
only  operate  for  the  period  needed  to  meet 
emergency  requirements,  for  example,  the  time 
needed  to  re-open  temporarily  unusable 
communication  links  (railway  accident,  landslide  in 
mountains  or  tunnel  blockage)  and  re-establish 
normal  services. 
Authorizations  should  cover  only  the  period  during 
which  replacement  services  are required. 
2.3. It  is also  proposed  to introduce  a speeded-up 
procedure  for issuing  authorizations  where  objections 
by other  carriers  make  it impossible  to take  a 
No C 101/22 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 26. 4. 78 
decision  on  the  renewal  or  variation  of  an 
authorization  before  the authorization  expires. 
Provisional  authorizations  may  well  be justifiable 
where  renewals  have  been  requested.  But  to grant 
them  for  variations  in services  might  create  new 
situations  which  would  be difficult  to reverse. Provisional  authorizations  should  therefore  be 
restricted  to  applications  for  renewals;  also, 
governments  should  take  the  necessary  precautions 
for the situations  described  in 2.2 and  2.3. 
Article  16a (1) (ii) should  be amended  accordingly. 
Done  at Brussels,  2 March  1978. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
Opinion  on  the  proposal  for  a Council  Regulation  amending  Regulation  (EEC) 
No 516/72  on the introduction  of common  rules  for shuttle  services  by coach  and  bus 
between  Member  States 
The text  referred  to the  Committee  has  been  published  in Official  Journal  of the 
European  Communities  No  C 293  of 6 December  1977,  page  6. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 28 November  1977,  the  Council  referred  the  abovementioned  proposal  to the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  75 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 
156th  plenary  session  held  in Brussels  on 1 and 2 March  1978. 
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  75 thereof, Having  regard  to Regulation  (EEC)  No  516/72  of 
28 February  1972  (1), 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by its chairman 
on 13 December  1977  instructing  the  Section  for 
Having  regard  to the request  made  by the Council  of 
the European  Communities  on 28 November  1977 
for an opinion, (!) OJ  No L 67, 20. 3. 1972,  p. 13.