No C 128/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 21. 5. 79 
Point 7 
Amend the second-last sentence as follows: 
'The Section does, however, consider it essential. .., it would also like to see the Economic and 
Social Committee and the European Parliament consulted on this selection.' 
Reasons (J) 
It is necessary, particularly on the eve of direct elections, to recognize the European Parliament's right to 
be consulted on any declaration of crisis of an entire productive sector. The ESC must act consistently 
with its repeated defense of the prerogatives of the European Parliament. 
Voting 
For: 16; against: 53; abstentions: 1Q. 
(J) The reasons why members turned down this amendment was because they did not wish to express views on the sphere of competence 
of the European Parliament. This was a task for the European Parliament itself. 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision adopting a research and development 
programme for the European Economic Community in the field of reference materials and 
methods (Community Bureau of Reference — BCR) and applied metrology (non-nuclear 
indirect action) (1979 to 1982) 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 176 of 25 July 1978, page 5. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 17 July 1978 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic and 
Social Committee in accordance with Article 235 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 164th 
plenary session held in Brussels on 19 and 20 December 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 235 
thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council of 
the European Communities of 17 July 1978 for an 
opinion, 
Having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau on 
18 October 1978, instructing the Section for Energy and 
Nuclear Questions to prepare an opinion on the matter, Having regard to the opinion issued by the Section for 
Energy and Nuclear Questions at its 44th meeting held 
on 8 December 1978, 
Having regard to the oral report made at that meeting 
by the rapporteur, Mr von der Decken, 
Having regard to the discussions at its 164th plenary 
session held on 19 and 20 December 1978 (meeting of 
19 December), 
21. 5. 79 Official Journal of the European Communities NoC 128/5 
Whereas internationally recognized standard measures 
and measuring systems are needed in every branch of 
commercial, industrial, medical and scientific activity; 
Whereas the Community, through its research activities 
and the Community Bureau of Reference, can make an 
important contribution towards the development of 
common reference materials which are necessary for 
such measurements, 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
unanimously: 
1. The Committee recognizes the usefulness of 
reference materials in many spheres of economic and 
social activity. Progressive harmonization in the field of 
reference materials is of great importance for industry 
and trade within the Community. These materials or 
substances have one or more properties which are 
sufficiently well established to be used for calibrating 
instruments or verifying measuring methods. They 
ensure that measurements and analyses carried out at 
various places are correct and give the same results. The 
Committee notes that Community reference materials 
already available or in preparation cover a wide field. 
They include ferrous metals, non-ferrous metals and 
non-metallic materials which are used in industry and 
trade. They also include reference samples of inorganic 
materials which are used for environmental protection 
purposes (i.e. measuring the heavy and toxic metal 
content of fumes, water or industrial and urban waste). 
Other reference materials relate to public health 
(biomedical analyses) and foodstuffs (implementation of 
Community Directives). 
2. The Community has already carried out two 
research programmes in this field. The first (*) covered 
the period from 1973 to 1975. The second 
programme (2), with a budget of 2-7 MEUA, started in 
Done at Brussels, 19 December 1978. 1976 and ends on 31 December 1978. The Commission 
now proposes a third programme with a total budget of 
11-3 MEUA, which would run for four years starting on 
1 January 1979. 
3. The Committee approves the proposed programme. 
It particularly welcomes the emphasis on work which 
directly relates to Community sectoral policy objectives 
and the improvement of living conditions. It reiterates 
its view (3) that the Community 'should continue to 
aim at providing reference materials which are 
scientifically good and reliable, which are 
internationally applicable, and for which there is a clear 
user requirement'. 
4. The Committee welcomes the fact that greater 
attention is being given to the management of the 
reference materials developed by the Community. It 
believes that it is essential to back up the valuable 
research work being done with a comprehensive 
information programme on the materials available, so 
that the maximum practical benefit may be derived 
from the Community's work. 
5. The Committee notes that the research programme 
on reference materials explicitly excludes work on 
'standardization'. At the same time, it believes that the 
two areas are, to a certain extent, inter-linked. The 
Committee therefore calls for close cooperation between 
those responsible for the research and development 
programme on reference materials and the Directorate 
General which deals with the coordination of 
regulations and standards (DG III). 
6. The Committee considers that the project on 
'applied metrology', as described in the Commission 
document, is rather vague. It nevertheless realizes that 
this is not a complete programme but rather the first 
steps in a coordinated policy of cooperation with/and 
between national bodies. The aim, with these examples 
of joint action, is to lay the foundations for 
broadly-based cooperation. The Committee welcomes 
these first steps and hopes that a more wide-ranging 
programme of cooperation can follow in the very near 
future. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Fabrizia BADUEL GLORIOSO 
(!) OJ No L 187,. 11. 7. 1973, p. 41. 
(2) OJ No L 74, 15. 3. 1976, p. 34. (3) OJ No C 35, 16. 2. 1976, p. 23.