7. 3.77 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 56/35 
(ib) instead  of discontinuing  aids  as a matter  of 
principle  for  a period  of three  years,  selective 
measures  should  be introduced  which  would  be 
already  a step  towards  a long-term  investment 
policy; 
(c) there  should  be  no  let-up  in the  drive  to 
modernize  production  and  processing,  improve 
productivity  in the  long  term  and  adapt  to 
additional  markets.  At  all  events,  investment 
projects  covered  by Regulation  17/64/EEC  should 
continue  to receive  EAGGF  assistance; 
(d) any  aid  which  would  lead  to the  setting-up  of 
dairy  herds  or the creation  of industrial  processing 
capacity  which  might  encourage  production 
should  be abolished; 
(e) the sole  criterion  for the continued  granting  of the 
aids referred  to in Article  8 of Directive  72/159/ 
EEC  should  be a minimum  degree  of self-suf-
ficiency  in fodder  of the  order  of 80%.  Conse-
quently,  all reference  to the  number  of dairy cows  per  hectare  of the  area  farmed  should  be 
deleted. 
3. Finally,  the  Committee  has  been  unable  to 
discover  in the  Commission's  proposal  any  trace  of 
the suggestions  put  forward  in its  opinion  of 
30 September  1976.  It is particularly  noteworthy  that 
the Committee's  concern  about  the  need  to 
encourage  the  production  of high-quality  products 
finds  no response  in the Commission's  proposal. 
4. The  Committee  is thus  unable  to endorse  the 
proposal  unless  the  fundamental  points  made  above 
are taken  into  consideration. 
Done  at Brussels,  24 November  1976. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
ANNEX 
to the opinion  of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Rejected  Amendment 
The following  amendment,  tabled  in accordance  with  the  Rules  of Procedure,  was  rejected 
during  the discussion: 
Delete  the following  point: 
'(b) Instead  of discontinuing  the  aids  altogether  for three  years,  selective  measures  should  be 
introduced  which  would  be already  a step  towards  a long-term  investment  policy;'. 
Voting 
For : 22, against:  64, abstentions  : 2. 
Opinion  on the  proposal  for  a Council  Decision  reviewing  the  energy  research  and 
development  programme  adopted  by Council  Decision  75/510/EEC  of 22 August  1975 
The text  referred  to the  Committee  has  been  published  in Official  Journal  of the 
European  Communities  No  C 241  of 14 October  1976,  page  5. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 11 August  1976,  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. 
No C 56/36 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 7.3. 77 
B. OPINION  OF THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  prepared  its opinion  on the  above  matter  at its 
143rd  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 24 and  25 November  1976. 
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  198  thereof, 
Having  regard  to the request  for an opinion  made  by 
the Council  of the  European  Communities  on 
11 August  1976, 
Having  regard  to the  decision  taken  by its Bureau 
on 28 September  1976,  instructing  the  Section  for 
Energy  and  Nuclear  Questions  to draw  up an opinion 
and a report  on the matter, 
Having  regard  to the  opinion  issued  by the Section 
for Energy  and  Nuclear  Questions  at its 28th  meeting, 
held on 5 Novemlber  1976, 
Having  regard  to the  oral  report  made  by  the 
rapporteur,  Mr.  Schlitt, 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 143rd  plenary 
session  held  on 24 and  25 November  1976  (meeting 
of 25 November  1976), 
Whereas  it is necessary  to develop  new  energy  sources 
and new  forms  of energy  within  the  framework  of 
a common  energy  policy; 
"Whereas  the Community's  research  and  development 
programme  plays  a fundamental  role  in this  context; 
Whereas  in the interests  of the  optimum  implemen-
tation  of the programme  it is advisable  to modify  the 
appropriations  allocated  to the various  objectives  of 
the programme, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
by a majority,  there  being  one  vote  against  and  two 
abstentions: 
1. General  comments 
1.1. The  Council  Decision  of 22 August  1975  (x) 
laid down  a four-year  energy  R&D  programme  to run from  1 July  1975  to 30 June  1979,  with  a total 
budget  of 59 million  u.a.  The  programme  is to fee 
implemented  in two  stages,  the  first  to run  from 
1 July  1975  to 31 December  1976  with  a budget  of 
12 million  u.a.,  and  the second  to run from  1 January 
1977  to 30 June  1979  with  a budget  of 47 million 
u.a. The  objectives  of the programme  are as follows: 
— 1. Energy  conservation, 
-— 2. Production  and  utilization  of hydrogen, 
— 3. Solar  energy, 
— 4. Geothermal  energy, 
— 5. Systems  analysis:  development  of models. 
By and  large,  the  work  is to be carried  out  under 
contract  (indirect  Community  action). 
1.2. On  28 May  1975,  the  Economic  and  Social 
Committee  issued  an opinion  on the  programme  of 
research  and  development  actions  in the  field  of 
energy  (2), in which  it welcomes  and  endorses  the 
Commission's  proposals.  The  Committee  noted  that 
the European  Community's  activities  would,  in 
essence,  be restricted  to coordinating  and  supporting 
work  already  in progress,  or albout  to be embarked 
on, in the Member  States  in these  fields.  The  Com-
mittee  considered  that  the  funds  provided  for  were 
initially  adequate  and  that  the  individual  areas  of 
research  accorded  with  its opinion  on  the  Com-
mission's  document  entitled  'Energy  for  Europe: 
Research  and  Development'.  The  bulk  of the  funds 
should  be deployed  on those  research  and  develop-
ment  projects  which  promised  an early  and  maximum 
reduction  of the  Community's  dependence  on oil. 
The Committee  thouglht  that  particular  emphasis 
should  be put  on energy  conservation;  as for  the 
other  fields,  where  work  was  of a more  pioneering 
character,  research  on solar  energy  and  hydrogen 
projects  was  considered  to be of special  importance. 
(*) OJ No L 231,  2. 9. 1975,  p. 1. (-) OJ  No C 263,  17. 11. 1975,  p, 30. 
7. 3.77 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 56/37 
The adequacy  of the  funds  earmarked  for  such 
projects  should  be examined  when  the projects  came 
up for review. 
1.3. Article  4 of the Council  Decision  states  that  the 
programme  is to be reviewed  at the end  of the first 
year,  after  the  Scientific  and  Technical  Research 
Committee  (CREST)  has  delivered  its opinion,  so 
that any  necessary  amendments  to the  programme 
can be implemented  by the beginning  of 1977  at the 
latest.  The  Committee  has  recognized  that  these 
measures  are appropriate. 
1.4. The  changes  and  additions  to the  programme 
contained  in the  new  proposal  have  been  approved 
by the  appropriate  bodies,  particularly  the  Pro-
gramme  Management  Advisory  Committee  (ACPMs) 
and the Scientific  and  Technical  Research  Committee 
(CREST).  The  Commission  is now  asking  for  the 
Council  Decision  to be amended  accordingly. 
1.5. The  proposed  amendments  concern  the 
following  objectives  of the programme: 
— 2. Production  and  utilization  of hydrogen, 
— 3. Solar  energy, 
— 4. Geothermal  energy. 
1.6. The  Committee  has  the  impression  that  no 
sweeping  amendments  are  being  proposed  to the 
energy  R&D  programme.  All points  remain  basically 
unchanged.  Such  changes  and  additions  that  have 
been  suggested  are  covered  by the  Economic  and 
Social  Committee's  earlier  opinion  and  thus  already 
have  Committee  endorsement.  No new  aspects  have 
arisen  that  would  give  the Committee  any  cause  to 
make  further  proposals. 
1.7. The  proposed  changes  and  additions  have 
received  the full  support  of the ACPMs  and  CREST. 
The financial  implications  are small  and  are  covered 
by the programme.  Some  additions  that  would  mean 
increased  spending  are  balanced  by cuts  under  the 
same  heading. 
1.8. The  Committee  has  no comments  to make  on 
the minor  alterations  to the various  objectives  of the existing  programme.  In giving  its approval  the Com-
mittee  agrees  with  the ACPMs  and  CREST. 
1.9. The  Commission  can  'be congratulated  on the 
outcome  of the  first  year  of the  programme.  The 
Committee  was  particularly  impressed  by the  speed 
with which  research  contracts  were  signed  following 
the acceptance  of the programme  on 22 August  1975. 
2. Specific  comments 
2.1. Production  and  utilization  of  hydrogen 
(objective  2) 
2.1.1.  Project  C is to include  two  new  actions: 
— 1. Studies  related  to the  problems  of medium-
scale  industrial  storage  of hydrogen, 
— 2. Studies  of the  possibility  of using  existing 
pipelines  for the distribution  of hydrogen. 
The emphasis  will  continue  to be on the production 
of hydrogen.  The  proposals  received  in response  to 
calls  for tenders  indicate,  however,  that  it would  be 
expedient  for  the  work  on  hydrogen  storage  to 
embrace  medium-scale  industrial  storage,  for 
example,  in the  chemical  industry,  and  not  simply 
be confined  to small-scale  storage  (e.g.,  in motor 
vehicles).  It is also  suggested  that  studies  be made  to 
determine  how  far existing  pipelines  might  be used 
for the distribution  of hydrogen. 
2.1.2.  The  proposed  additional  work  does  not  call 
for any additional  appropriations. 
2.2. Solar  energy  (objective  3) 
2.2.1.  Project  C (photovoltaic  conversion)  is to 
include  two  new  actions: 
— 1. New  or improved  encapsulating  materials, 
— 2. Data  collation. 
The additions  proposed  here  are  relatively  minor 
and, again,  require  no further  appropriations. 
No C 56/38 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 7.3. 77 
2.3. Geothermal  energy  (objective  4) 
2.3.1.  In project  D, the  third  action  (hot  rocks)  is 
to be replaced  by 'study  of new  stimulation  methods'. 
A new  project  E (hot  dry  rocks)  is to be subdivided 
into: 
— 1. Studies  and  experiments  on fracturation, 
— 2. Studies  and  experiments  on heat  extraction. 
The present  project  E (training  of specialists)  becomes 
project  F. The ACPM  responsible  for geothermal  energy  took 
the view  that  the  work  on hot  dry  rocks  should 
become  the subject  of a separate  chapter.  The  Com-
mission  agreed  in principle  with  this  proposal. 
Done  at Brussels,  25 November  1976. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Regulation  containing  provisions  to enable  the 
International  Atomic  Energy  Agency  to carry  inspections  and  verifications  in the terri-
tories  of the  Member  States  of the  European  Atomic  Energy  Community 
iThe text  referred  to the  Committee  has  been  published  in Official  Journal  of the 
European  Communities  No  C 207  of 2 September  1976,  page  2. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 28 July  1976,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic 
and Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  170  of the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Atomic  Energy  Community. 
B. OPINION  OF THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  prepared  its opinion  on the  above  matter  at its 
143rd  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 24 and  25 November  1976. 
The full  text  of the opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Atomic  Energy  Community,  and  in 
particular  Article  170  thereof, 
Having  regard  to the request  for an opinion  made  by 
the Council  of the  European  Communities  on 
28 July  1976, 
Having  regard  to the  decision  taken  by its Bureau 
on 28 September  1976,  instructing  the  Section  for 
Energy  and  Nuclear  Questions  to draw  up  an 
opinion  and  a report  on the matter, Having  regard  to the  opinion  issued  by the  Section 
for Energy  and  Nuclear  Questions  at its  28th 
meeting,  held  on 5 November  1976, 
Having  regard  to the  oral  report  made  by  the 
rapporteur,  Mr Schlitt, 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 143rd  plenary 
session  held  on 24 and  25 November  1976  (meeting 
of 25 November  1976), 
Whereas  pursuant  to Article  2 (e)  of the  EAEC 
Treaty,  the Community  is required  to ensure,  through