2. 4. 80 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 83/9 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Directive  on the approximation  of the laws  of the 
Member  States  relating  to certain  types  of simple  pressure  vessels 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has  been  published  in Official  Journal  of the Euro-
pean  Communities  No  C 37 of 10 February  1979,  page  2. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 5 January  1979  the  Council  referred  the  abovementioned  proposal  to the  Eco-
nomic  and  Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  100  of the Treaty  establishing 
the European  Economic  Coummunity. 
B. OPINION  OF THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  prepared  its opinion  on the above  matter  at its 
174th  plenary  session  held  in Brussels  on 12 and  13 December  1979. 
The full  text  of the opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the  Treaty  establishing  the  Euro-
pean  Economic  Community,  and  in particular  Arti-
cle 100  thereof, 
Having  regard  to the  request  made  by the  Council 
of the European  Communities  on 5 January  1979  for 
an opinion, 
Having  regard  to the  decision  taken  by its Bureau 
on 23  January  1979  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  Services  at its 
meeting  held  on 28 November  1979, 
Having  regard  to the report  submitted  by the rappor-
teur,  Mr Marvier, 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 174th  plenary 
session  held  on 12 December  1979, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
b\ a unanimous  vote: 
The Committee  approves  the draft  Directive,  subject 
to the following  comments: 1. Scope  of the Directive 
1.1. The  present  draft  Directive  is a follow-up  to 
the outline  Directive  of 27 July  1976  and  sets  out 
provisions  for a specific  group  of products,  namely 
simple  pressure  vessels.  The  scope  of the  present 
Directive  is, however,  rather  broad.  It covers  a wide 
variety  of vessels  which  differ  as regards  operating 
temperatures,  the  types  of fluids  contained  and 
whether  the vessels  are fixed  or moveable.  Further-
more,  and  this  is particularly  important,  the  draft 
Directive  covers  vessels  manufactured  in series, 
those  manufactured  in small  quantities  and  even 
one-off  vessels. 
1.2. As  the tests  and  inspection  procedures  set out 
in the  Technical  Annex  seem  to be geared  more 
towards  vessels  produced  in large  quantities,  the 
Committee  earnestly  requests  the  Commission  to 
limit  the  scope  of the  Directive  inititally  to series-
produced  vessels.  Vessels  produced  in small  quanti-
ties or individually  could  be covered  by the test  and 
inspection  provisions  set out in Article  22 of the out-
line Directive. 
2. EEC  approval  and  inspection  procedures 
2.1. The  Committee  appreciates  the  fact  that  the 
draft  Directive  allows  certain  vessels  to be marketed 
or brought  into  service  without  EEC  verification 
(Article  3). This  means  that  manufacturers  them-
selves  may  carry  out checks  in respect  of these  ves-
sels,  thereby  reducing  costs.  It should  also  be pos-
sible  in the majority  of cases,  to replace  the inspection 
of each  individual  vessel  by sample  inspections  fol-
lowing  the standard  rules. 
No C 83/10 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 2. 4. 80 
3. Technical  specifications 
3.1. In  the  absence  of European  standards  with 
regard  to simple  pressure  vessels  the  Commission 
has had  to prepare  a Technical  Annex  to the Direc-
tive.  In some  cases,  however,  the Commission  has 
drawn  upon  existing  international  standards  (ISO, 
CEN,  Euronorm,  etc.)  or their  national  equivalents 
(BSI,  DIN,  AFNOR,  etc.). 
3.2. The  Commission  has  set out minute  technical 
provisions  in the Annex.  It has also  laid  down  rules 
covering  many  aspects  of the  design  of the  vessels and their  dimensions.  The  question  arises  as to 
whether  it would  not  have  been  preferable  to have 
laid down  the objectives,  rather  than  to have  set out 
detailed  specifications. 
3.3. At  all events,  the Committee  earnestly  requests 
the Commission  to make  provision  in the Directive 
for the recognition  of qualitiy  controls  carried  out 
ipso facto  by the  manufacturer  during  the  produc-
tion process,  subject,  of course,  to certain  criteria 
being  met.  Such  recognition  would  certainly  make  it 
possible  to simplify  the EEC  inspection  procedure, 
thereby  reducing  inspection  costs. 
Done  at Brussels,  12 December  1979. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Raffaele  VANNI 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Directive  on the harmonization  of procedures  for 
the exportation  of goods 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has  been  published  in Official  Journal  of the Euro-
pean  Communities,  No  C 201  of 10 August  1979,  page  6. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 3 August  1979  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic 
and Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  198  of the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community. 
B. OPINION  OFTHE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  prepared  its opinion  on the above  matter  at its 
174th  plenary  session  held  in Brussels  on 12 and 13 December  1979. 
The full  text  of the opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the Treaty  establishing  the  Euro-
pean  Economic  Community,  and  in particular  Arti-
cle 198  thereof, 
Having  regard  to the request  made  by the  Council 
of the European  Communities  on 3 August  1979  for 
an opinion, 
Having  regard  to the  decision  taken  by its Bureau 
on 25 September  1979  instructing  the  Section  for Industry,  Commerce,  Crafts  and  Services  to draw  up 
an opinion  on the matter, 
Having  regard  to the opinion  issued  by the Section 
for Industry,  Commerce,  Crafts  and  Services  at its 
meeting  held  on 28 November  1979, 
Having  regard  to the  oral  report  made  by the  rap-
porteur,  Mr Marvier, 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 174th  plenary 
session  held  on 12 December  1979,