16.10.74 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 125/53 
Having  regard  to  Article  100  of  the  Treaty 
establishing  the European  Economic  Community; 
Having  regard  to the  Decision  taken  by its Bureau 
on 17 May  1974  entrusting  the Section  for Industry, 
Commerce,  Crafts  and  Services  with  the preparation 
of an opinion  on the matter; 
Having  regard  to the  Opinion  delivered  by  the 
Section  for Industry,  Commerce,  Crafts  and  Services 
on 3 July  1974; 
Having  regard  to discussions  at its 122nd  plenary 
session  on 17 and  18 July  1974,  sitting  of 17 July; 
Whereas  it was  agreed  during  the  negotiations  on 
accession  that  there  should  be certain  additions  to 
the provisions  of Directive  No 71/307/EEC  (Chapter 
VIII,  paragraph  1, of Annex  II to the  Act  of 
Accession); 
Whereas  in accordance  with  this  undertaking  the 
Commission  forwarded  to  the  Council  on 
24 November  1972  a proposal  for  a Directive amending  Directive  No 71/307/EEC,  which  proposal 
was based  on Article  153  of the Treaty  of Accession; 
Whereas  the  Council  was  unable  to adopt  this 
proposal  before  the  end  of 1972  and  whereas 
Article  153  having  since  become  null  and  void,  the 
Commission  informed  the  Council  in a letter  of 
11 December  1973  that  it was  amending  its proposal 
so as to base  it on Article  100 of the EEC  Treaty, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
unanimously: 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  approves  the 
proposal  for a Directive. 
Done  at Brussels,  17 July  1974. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Alfons  LAPPAS 
Opinion  on the draft  Council  resolution  concerning  animal  and  plant  health  and  animal 
nutrition 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has  been  published  in Official  Journal  of the 
European  Communities  No  C 64 of 5 June  1974,  page  14. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 13 May  1974,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  draft  to the Economic  and 
Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Articles  43 and  198  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 
122nd  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 17 and  18 July  1974. 
The full  text  of the Opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the  request,  dated  13 May  1974, 
from  the Council  of the European  Communities  for 
an opinion; 
Having  regard  to the communication  from  the Com-
mission  to the  Council  on  the  draft  Council resolution  concerning  animal  and  plant  health  and 
animal  nutrition; 
Having  regard  to Articles  43 and  198  of the Treaty 
establishing  the European  Economic  Community; 
Having  regard  to the  Decision  taken  by its Bureau 
on 17  May  1974  instructing  the  Section  for 
Agriculture  to prepare  an opinion  on the matter; 
No C 125/54 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 16.10.  74 
Having  regard  to the  various  opinions  delivered  by 
the Committee  pertaining  to the  harmonization  of 
laws  concerning  animal  and  plant  health  and  animal 
nutrition,  and  in particular  the  document  drawn  up 
by the  Economic  and  Social  Committee  on 
24 May  1972  on the  basis  of a report  submitted  by 
the Rapporteur,  Mr Bourel,  and  entitled  'Harmoniza-
tion of the  laws  concerning  agricultural  and  food 
products'; 
Having  regard  to the  oral  report  presented  by the 
Rapporteur,  Mr Droulin; 
Having  regard  to the  Opinion  delivered  by  the 
Section  for Agriculture  at its meeting  on 4 July  1974; 
Having  regard  to its discussion  at its 122nd  plenary 
session  held  on  17  and  18  July  1974,  sitting  of 
17 July  1974, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
unanimously: 
The Committee  approves  the  Commission's 
proposal,  subject  to the following  comments: 
1. The  Committee  approves  the  work  programme 
and timetable  put  forward  by the  Commission,  but 
is obliged,  regretfully,  to note  that  the  Community 
institutions  have  fallen  considerably  behind  schedule 
with  respect  to the  General  Programme  to eliminate 
trade  barriers,  which  had  been  laid  down.  As the 
Committee  has  already  pointed  out  on  several occasions,  basically  this  delay  is most  often  due  to 
the Council,  whose  working  methods  and  procedures 
have  not  enabled  the  Commission's  proposals  to be 
examined  as and  when  they  are  received  by the 
Council. 
2. The  Committee  hopes  sincerely  that  the 
programme  of work  currently  proposed  by the Com-
mission  will  draw  the  Council's  attention  to its 
responsibilities  and  to the consequences  which  would 
result  from  a further  increase  to the  considerable 
delays  which  have  already  occurred. 
3. The  Committee  therefore  calls  upon  the  Council 
to approve  and  adhere  to strictly  the dates  proposed 
to it by the Commission. 
4. The  Committee  for  its part  reserves  the  right  to 
take a stand  on each  of the  proposals  envisaged  in 
the programme  of work,  which  by the  way  is not 
exhaustive,  and  undertakes  to prepare  each  of its 
Opinions  as rapidly  as possible  so as to enable  the 
Council  to take  its Decisions  on schedule. 
Done  at Brussels,  17 July  1974. 
The Chairman 
of the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Alfons  LAPP  AS 
Opinion  on the  situation  in the  Community 
The Opinion  of the Committee  is not based  on any  text. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
At its 120th  plenary  session  held  on 29 and  30 May  1974  the Committee,  acting  on a pro-
posal  from  the Bureau,  decided  to deliver  an opinion  on the abovementioned  subject  on 
its own  initiative. 
B. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  prepared  its Opinon  on the  above  matter  at its 
122nd  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 17 and  18 July  1974. 
The full  text  of the Opinion  is as follows: