No C 344/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 31. 12. 85 
Comments 
1. The Committee agrees that the European Social Fund 
should cover both the young and long-term unemployed who 
decide to work in a self-employed capacity. The Committee 
accordingly supports the Commission's proposal and notes 
that it accommodates views expressed in previous 
opinions (J). 
2. The Committee believes that, in view of the large 
number of potential beneficiaries, the ESF funds earmarked 
for financing the projects in question are wholly inadequate. 
The Committee therefore feels that adoption of the proposed 
amendment must go hand in hand with an increase in the 
Social Fund budget. This reaffirmation of earlier statements 
is all the more valid today because of the acceptance of new 
ESF aid beneficiaries and the enlargement of the 
Community. 
3. The Committee considers that the beneficial impact of 
the new type of ESF aid would be much greater if there were 
close coordination with other structural funds of the 
Community, such as the ERDF and EAGGF, as well as with 
EEC loan instruments (EIB and NCI). 
4. The Committee considers that generally speaking, and 
particularly where the self-employed are concerned, grants 
(*) Review of the European Social Fund 
OJNoC 124,9. 5. 1983. 
Action to Combat Long-Term Unemployment 
OJNoC25, 28. 1. 1985. 
Statistical Machinery of the European Social Fund 
OJ No C 44, 15. 2. 1985. from the Social Fund must not be limited to financing 
measures and programmes already in process of 
implementation at national level; they must rather be focused 
primarily on promoting new initiatives planned and selected 
according to the principle of 'additionality'. 
5. The Committee proposes that the bodies responsible 
for administering the Fund should give maximum publicity 
to the benefits and opportunities such a Community 
instrument offers to the self-employed and to job-creating 
projects; such publicity would ensure that the maximum 
number of citizens enjoy equal opportunities and would 
highlight one of the advantages of belonging to the European 
Community. 
6. The Committee would not wish to hide the fact that 
there is an element of risk in disbursing funds for 
self-employed activities, especially if such funds are 
earmarked for additional training; the risk lies in the fact that 
the funds might be used up in providing short-term support 
which merely produces a temporary reduction in 
unemployment. The Committee therefore believes that the 
appropriate Community and national bodies need to take 
particular care to ensure that the projects in question have 
concrete prospects of long-term success. 
7. The Committee would underline the importance of 
helping the self-employed in the interests of discouraging all 
forms of moonlighting. 
8. Finally, the Committee considers that help should be 
given to self-employed persons who opt to join 
cooperative-base schemes. 
Done at Brussels, 27 November 1985. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Gerd MUHR 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision adopting an action programme of the Community in 
education and training for technology — Comett (1986 to 1992) (*) 
(85/C 344/04) 
On 27 August 1985 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under Article 
128 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the abovementioned 
proposal. 
On 14 November 1985 the Section for Social Questions, which was responsible for preparing the 
Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion in the light of othe report by Mr 
Nierhaus. 
At its 231st plenary session (meeting of 27 November 1985) the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the following opinion unanimously: 
(J) OJ No C 234, 13. 9. 1985, p. 3. 
31. 12. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 344/5 
I. Introduction, general 
1. The Decision amplifies the Community's drive for even 
closer cooperation between Member States in technology, 
research, teaching and applied science. 
The Community has already set up multifarious programmes 
(Esprit, RACE, BRITE, etc.), to promote cooperation on 
technological R&D between Member-State universities and 
industries. In addition, the Commission is operating work 
programmes on education and vocational training in new 
information technologies ('New information technologies 
and the school systems in the European Community work 
programmes 1985 to 1987' COM(84) 722; 'Vocational 
training and new information technologies. Work 
programme 1985 to 1988' COM(85) 167). 
The new draft Decision, on the other hand, is concerned with 
the cross-frontier initial and advanced post-school training of 
highly skilled staff, on the basis of cooperation between 
universities and industry. 
2. The Committee endorses the action programme, in 
particular because it will further the Community's drive to 
secure world competitiveness in the long term through 
technological cooperation by the Member States. 
Comett offers advantages to university teachers and 
students, as well as to industry and its managers. It will 
further the work of the two sides. University teachers and 
students will be confronted with the everyday skill 
requirements of industry, and will be able to consider these 
requirements in their teaching and studies; managers will be 
able to assess their work in the light of the latest research. In 
addition, it is stimulating to learn how industry and 
universities in other countries operate. 
3. The Committee endorses the Commission's statement 
that, in a highly technological age, managers 
must not only possess specialist skills but also have a 
'broad appreciation of the economic, social and cultural 
repercussions of technological change'. 
II. Specific comments 
1. Given the impact of new technologies on all areas of 
life, the training partnership between industry and universities should not be confined to engineering and 
information science. It should also embrace legal studies, 
economics and social sciences. University lecturers in social 
sciences and students in particular should be familiarized 
with the practical possibilities and limits of the new 
technologies. Conversely, partnership with universities 
should give engineers an opportunity to evaluate the 
economic and social aspects of their activity. 
2. University teaching and research has fundamentally 
different tasks from industrial R&D (including mid-career 
training), even if both have to further the interests of society. 
The Commission bases itself on this fact when it argues, for 
instance, that the short-term commercial interests of industry 
do not always coincide with the longer-term perspective of 
the education and training system. 
This tug-of-war between the aims of industry and universities 
is turned to advantage in the proposed partnerships. The 
organization and financing arrangements must therefore 
ensure that the two sides of the partnerships retain full 
independence and only influence each other to the extent that 
serves their separate aims. 
This aspect must be kept in mind when selecting the members 
of university/industry partnerships. 
3. The Committee points out that it may be difficult for 
small and medium-sized firms to participate in the exchange 
programmes, because of otheir limited technological, staff 
and financial resources. On the other hand, small and 
medium-sized firms could benefit greatly from such 
programmes. Grants for the provision of replacement staff 
should therefore receive special attention. 
4. The Committee welcomes the proposed use of distance 
learning systems for communicating the latest scientific 
knowledge, within the framework of the Comett 
programme. This will make it easier for the staff of small 
firms to participate, and eliminate mobility problems. The 
possibilities offered by modern distance learning should be 
explored. 
5. The Committee points out that the experience and 
know-how of national exchange organizations could be used 
in implementing the Comett programme. Steps should be 
No C 344/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 31. 12. 85 
taken to ensure that any bureaucratic obstables to the release 
of university and industry employees are overcome as far as 
possible. competitiveness of Community industry by taking full 
advantage of human resources. The overriding requirement 
is to push forward technological development while ensuring 
that it can be kept (or brought) under social control. 
The Committee points out that exchange programmes will 
only be successful if they are carefully organized in advance. 
If the proposed measures are to be put to good use, potential 
participants must be properly informed about the various 
possibilities. National exchange organizations should be 
involved in the information drive. In particular, the media 
are urged to keep a broad public informed of the scope and 
progress of Comett. 
The Committee recommends that it be made clear in the 
Commission's proposals that the establishment and 
expansion of partnerships will be promoted in the Member 
States where they do not at present exist. 7. The planned trainee year abroad for students means 
that they will have to spend a longer total period 
studying. 
The financial arrangements for exchanges, and national 
financial support arrangements for students, must ensure 
that students from less well-off families who are dependent 
on public funds for their studies are not disadvantaged. 
8. The Committee considers that the European 
dimension of Comett exchange programmes will promote 
the intensive learning of European languages. 
6. The Committee endorses the proposed establishment 
of a high-level panel of experts to assist the Commission in 
the coordination of the programme. In addition to members 
from universities and from industry, the panel should include 
representatives of social groups to ensure that the basic aims 
of the Comett programme can be discussed and established 
with the broad agreement of all the groups concerned. 
Further humanizing of the working world should be given the 
same importance as the aim of enhancing the efficiency and This aspect is an opportunity and a constraint. The 
Committee recommends that grants should be available 
towards expenditure on intensified learning of the language 
of the host country, preparatory to and during the stay 
there. 
9. The Decision states that there is to be an 'interim 
report' reviewing the progress achieved during the first phase 
(1986 to 1988). This, and the annual reports, should be 
forwarded to the ESC as well as to the Council and the 
European Parliament. 
Done at Brussels, 27 November 1985. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Gerd MUHR 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) abolishing certain postal charges for customs 
presentation (*) 
(85/C 344/05) 
On 26 July 1985 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 Industry, Commerce, Crafts and Services, which was responsible for preparing the 
Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 6 November 1985. The rapporteur was Mr 
Broicher. 
(») OJ No C 202, 10. 8. 1985, p. 8.