ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(73)1521
Vol.1973/0266

Disclaimer
Conformément aurèglement(CEE,Euratom)n°354/83duConseildu1erfévrier1983
concernantl'ouvertureaupublicdesarchiveshistoriquesdelaCommunauté économique
européenne etdelaCommunauté européenne del'énergieatomique(JOL43du15.2.1983,
p.1),telquemodifiéparlerèglement(CE,Euratom)n°1700/2003du22septembre2003
(JOL243du27.9.2003,p.1),cedossierestouvertaupublic.Lecaséchéant,lesdocuments
classifiésprésentsdanscedossierontétédéclassifiés conformément àl'article5dudit
règlement.
Inaccordance withCouncilRegulation(EEC,Euratom)No354/83of1February1983
concerningtheopeningtothepublicofthehistoricalarchivesoftheEuropeanEconomic
Community andtheEuropeanAtomicEnergyCommunity (OJL43,15.2.1983,p.1),as
amendedbyRegulation(EC,Euratom)No1700/2003of22September2003(OJL243,
27.9.2003,p.1),thisfileisopentothepublic.Wherenecessary,classifieddocuments inthis
filehavebeendeclassified inconformitywithArticle5oftheaforementioned regulation.
InÜbereinstimmung mitderVerordnung(EWG,Euratom)Nr.354/83desRatesvom1.
Februar1983überdieFreigabederhistorischen ArchivederEuropäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft undderEuropäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI.L43vom15.2.1983,
S.1),geändertdurchdieVerordnung (EG,Euratom)Nr.1700/2003vom22.September2003
(ABI.L243vom27.9.2003,S.1),istdieseDateiderÖffentlichkeit zugänglich.Soweit
erforderlich,wurdendieVerschlusssachen indieserDateiinÜbereinstimmung mitArtikel5
dergenanntenVerordnungfreigegeben.

COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(73)1521final
Brussels,17September1973
Regulation oftheCouncil
establishing aprocedureofconsolidation
(submittedtotheCouncil "bytheCommission)
CCM(73)1521final

Ixplanatory Mémorandum
1.1.TheconplaintisoftenheardthatthelawlaiddownbyCommunity
Institutions lacksclarityandisnoteasilyaccessible,despite
itspublicationintheOfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities .
2.Thereasonsforthisarewellknown.Oneofthemostimportantis
thatCommunitylegalinstruments mustfrequentlybeamendedtotake
accountofeconomicdevelopments .Afterafewyears,therefore,the
originaltextofaregulation ,directiveordecisionconsequently
nolongerreflectsthelawinforceatagiventime;ithastobe
readinconnectionwithalargenumberofamendments ,spreadover
severalissuesorevenvolumesoftheOfficialJournal.
3.ThepresentsituationmakesitmoredifficultforCommunityinsti­
tutions,MemberStatesandindividualstoapplyComnunitylaw.It
isalsodamagingtothereputationoftheCommunityasalegal
Community. ■"'"
II.4*Accordingly ,itisverynecessarytoimprovethissituation.Above
allaproceduremustbedevelopedtoenableinstruments whichhave
beenamendedseveraltimesandhavethusbecomeuncleartobere­
draftedinsuchawaythat:
'-theneedsofallpersonsaffectedtohaveauniform,
comprehensible andreliabletext-canbemet;
-amaximumdegreeofcertaintyinthelawcanbe
ensured;
--.technicalproblemswhichhavealreadybeensolved
shouldnot,however,bethesubjectoffreshdis­
cussionsintheconsolidation procedure.
Theattachedproposalservesthispurpose.Itdrawsontheaccumu­
latedexperiencesofalltheMemberStatesinthismatter.However,
SJ/293/73-E

-2-
itdoesnotsimplycarrythenoverintoCommunitylaw,batprefers
asolutionwhichcorrespondstothespecialneedsoftheConnunity
decision-making process.-......
5.TheproposalconcernsonlyCouncillegalinstruments.Intheopinion
oftheCommissionaspecialproceduroisinpracticeonlynecessary
forCouncilinstruments.''Thereishardlyanyproblemasregardsthe
consolidation ofCommissioninstruments whichhave"beenfrequently
amended:theCommissionisinapositiontocarrythisoutwithout
ιcreatingaspecialprocedure.
ObviouslytheCommissionwillapplythesameenergyandcareinthe
consolidation offrequentlyamendedtextswhichititselfhas
adoptedinconnectionwiththeconsolidation ofCouncilinstruments.
6.TheproposallaysdownabasicprocedureforallCouncilinstruments.
Theneedforuniform,,.comprehensible andreliabletextsexistsin
allspheresoftheCommunity'sactivities.Consequently ,Article235
istoprovidethelegalbasisforthisRegulation,sincetheTreaty
doesnotelsewhereconfertherequisitepowersforthecreationof
aprocedureofsuchascope.
Theneedforuniformtextscannotbesatisfiedinallfieldsat
oncejitwillbenecessarytogivecertainsubjectspriority.This
iswhyArticle1oftheproposalempowerstheCouncil,actingona
proposalfromtheCommission ,todeterminewhichinstrumentsare
_tobeconsolidated# Thusonlyindividualspecifiedinstruments can
bedealtwithjontheotherhanditnaybefounddesirableto
consolidateinstrumentsdealingwithanentirefieldofpolicy
(e.g.thecommonorganizationofamarket).
7.Therearetwoprimafaciesolutionstotheproblem,putupon
furtherconsideration theybothlosetheirappeal.
SJ/293/73-E

-3-
a)Thefirstsolutionwouldconsistofre-adoptingintheformofa
newinstrument,aninstrumentwhich "byreasonoftheamendments
madetoithas"becomeunclear!theoldinstrumentwouldberepealed.
Thismethodoffersthegreatestdegreeofcertaintyinthelaw,
sinceitremovesanypossibilityofconflict "betweentheoldand
thenewinstrumentinfavourofthenewinstrument.Ithas,however,
onedisadvantage :Itwouldbenecessaryfor;fchenewinstrument
tobeadoptedbythesaneprocedureastheoldinstrument(i.e.
CouncilDecisiononaproposalfromtheCommission ,frequentlyafter
consultation withtheEuropeanParliamentandtheEconomicand
SocialCommittee)*Aprocedureofthiskindiatineconsuming
andcouldalsojeopardisecompromises reachedinthepastwithsuch
jreatdifficulty.■ .*
Theprocedureis,moreover,notnecessaryinmosteases..-
Thisdoesnotmeanthatitshouldneverbeapplied.Theremaywell
beoccasionswhenitwouldbeuseful.Thisisindeedqvtitepossible
sinceundertheTreatyitcanbedoneatanytime...
b)Underthesecondmethodaninstrumentwhichhadbeenamendedmany
timeswouldbepublishedasanoticeintheCkeriesoftheOfficial
Journal.Thiswouldobviatethedisadvantages of-thefirst-method.
OntheotherhandthereisanotherobjectiontotheproceduresThis
methoddoesnotensurelegalcertainty.Basicallythereisno
distinction betweenthismethodandpublication elsewherethanin
theOfficialJournal,whetherbytheofficeforofficialpublications
oftheEuropeanCommunitiesorbyaprivateprinter.
1)e.g."CouncilRegulationEECNo1035/72of18May1972onthe
commonorganization ofthemarketinfruitandvegetables :
OJNoL118/1/1972.
2)e.g.publicationoftheStaffRegulationsinOJNoC100/4/1972,
whereitisstated"ThisConsolidatedtextisofnolegalforce".
SJ/293/73-E

-■4-•
Consequently ,thismethodofpublication bywayofNoticedoes.,
notseentoofferageneralsolution.
8.Thepresentproposalthereforeoptsforathirdmethod,whichmakes
forclarityofthelawandprovidesmaximumcertaintyinthelaw
withoutcreatingthedangersofthefirsttwosolutions.
Theproposedmeasuredoesnotinfactinvolvecreatinganew
instrument ,i.e.doesnotentirelyreplaceandrepealtheold
instrument.Theoretically andlegallytheoldinstrumentcontinues
inforce:incaseofconflictbetweentheoldandthenewinstru­
ment,theoldinstrumentwouldprevail.
Theproposedmeasure,however,involvesadoptinganewinstrument
whichinpracticerenderstheoldinstrumentinapplicable .Prom
thedateofadoptionofthenewinstrumentallsubsequentactions
byCommunityinstitutions (e.g.amendments,rulesofapplication ,
judgments)wouldrelatetothenewinstrument !inpracticeit
replaoestheoldinstrument.Theoldinstrumentwouldonlyneed
tobereferredtoincaseofdoubtastotheconformitybetween
theoldandthenewinstrument , ^
Sincethenowinstrument ..'ispresumedtohavebeenregularlymade,
itshouldinpraciioe "taketheplaceoftheold#.Clearly ,alllegal
,possibilities ,.arestillavailable .tonako.theoldinstrumentprevail
ifoccasionsxiscs.
9.Undertheproposedprocedureconflictbetweenoldandnewinstru­
mentsispractically excluded.
FirstlytheCommissionismaderesponsiblefordraftingthecon­
solidatedtext,-Inpracticeitdoesnotseemappropriatetoburden
theCouncilwithapurelytechnicalandadministrative taskofthis
kindwhichhasnopoliticalinterestwhatsoever.
TheprocedurefurtherprovidesthattheCouncil,whichisinany
casetheauthorityadoptingtheconsolidated instrument,maymake
SJ/293/73-E

-5-
knownitsviewsonanysuchtextdrawnupbytheCommission,Inthis
way1theCouncilcanmalicaurathat'the.newtextaccordswiththeold*
SystematicpcforencctothoCouncilandthe.supervision whichthis
makespossiblewillensurethatthenewtextswillinpracticenever
deviatefromtheoldtexts.
10.Thenewtextmustillallcasesincorporateallamendmentstothe
oldtext.Moreover,itwillfrequentlybedesirabletomakenew
adjustment(e.g.numberingofArticlesandparagraphs,drafting
ofpreambleandtitle).Itmayevenbefoundappropriatetocombine
severalparalleltextsintoasingletext.
Thescopeoftheadjustments whichmaybedesiredcannotbedeter­
minedonceandforallinadvance,butmustbedeterminedineach
caseasaresultoftheexperiencegained.Detailedrulesasre­
gardstheconsolidation procedureisthereforesubjecttosub­
sequentactionbytheCouncil.
Theapplication oftheproposedmethodwill-atleastinitially-
throwupanumberofpracticalproblems.ItistheCommission's
intentiontosolvetheseproblemsinclosecooperation withthe
representatives ofotherCommunityinstitutions concernedinparti­
culartheCouncil.
11.ThereisnocommontermintheMemberStateswhichwouldcoverthe
proposedmethod.Itisthereforenecessarytochooseawordfromthe
abundanceofexistingwords,noneofwhichisreallyappropriate.
TheCommissionfeelsthattheword"consolidation "isthebestname
fortheprocedure,andthattheresultinginstruments canbestbe
termed"consolidated ".
HI.12.Itisobviousthatendeavourstomakethelawclearercrustnotbe
restrictedtoCouncilinstruments .Aswehavealreadysaidthe
Commissionforitspartwilldoallthatitcaninordertoapply
thisprincipletoitsowninstrumentsinthebestpossibleway.
l)ForinstanceRegulationEEC1035/72mentionedabove.
SJ/293/73-E

-6-
IV.AsthesuggestedregulationistobebasedonArticle235»con­
sultationoftheEuropeanParliamentisnecessary.Consultation
oftheEconomicandSocialCommitteeistoberecommended asthe
consolidation mayrelatetolegalactsonwhichtheCommitteehas
beenheard.
SJ/293/73-E

THECOUNCILOPTHEEUROPEAN COMtlUNITIES
Havingregard,totheTreatyestablishing theEuropeanEconomicCommunity,
andinparticularArticle235thereof;
HavingregardtotheproposalfromtheCommission;
HavingregardtotheOpinionoftheEuropeanParliament ;
HavingregardtotheOpinionoftheEconomicandSocialCommittee;
Whereas,sinceitisnecessarythatthelawshouldhebothclearand
certain,aprocedureshouldbeintroducedbywhichanyCouncillegal
instrument whichhasbeenamendedseveraltinescanbeconsolidated
inasingletext;
Whereasthisproceduremustmakeitpossibletoactflexiblyandquickly,
whileensuringthatthecontentofthenewtextdoesnotdiffer,asto
substance,fromthatoftheoriginaltexts;
Whereassuchaprocedurenuutnotchangetheexistinglegalsituation *
WhereastheTreatydoesnotconferthenecessarypowersforestablishing
aconsolidation procedureextendingtoallCouncillegalinstruments ;
HASADOPTEDTHISREGULATION :
Article1
TheCouncil,actingonaproposalfromtheCommission ,mayspecifythe
legalinstruments orcategoriesoflegalinstruments amongthoseadopted
byitwhicharetobeconsolidated .
SJ/2S3/73-E

Article2
• • .k
Consolidation shallconsistofincorporating intotheoriginaltext
ofaninstrumenttheamendments whichhavebeenmadetoitorof
combininginonesingletextseveralinstrumentsconcerningthesame
subject.Thismayinvolve,interalia;
-adaptationofthenumberingoftheArtiolesand
paragraphs }
-modification ofthetitle,citationsandrecitals.
TheCouncilmay,inaccordancewiththeprocedurespecifiedin
/
Article1,laydowndetailedrulesforthecodification procedure.
Consolidation shallbecarriedoutbytheCommission,whichshall
forwardthecodifiedtexttotheCouncil.TheCommissionshalladopt
theinstrumentifwithintwomonthsnomemberoftheCouncilhas
objectedthereto.Whereobjectionsareraisedduringthatperiod,the
Councilshalldecideonthepointswhicharethesubjectofthe
objection.TheCommissionshallthereafteradoptthewholetext.
Article4
Consolidation shallnotinvolvetherepealoftheinstruments
affected.
Shoulditbenecessary,insubsequentCommunityinstruments ,to
refertoprovisionswhichhavebeenthesubjectofacodification ,
referencesshallbetothecodifiedtext.
SJ/293/73-®

ThisRegulationshallenterintoforceon1January1974.'
ThisRegulationshallbe"bindinginitsentiretyanddirectly
applicableinallMemberStates.
DoneatBrussels,17September1973 FortheCouncil
ThePresident
SJ/293/73-E