31. 12. 81 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 348/21 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) extending Regulation (EEC) 
No 574/72 to self-employed persons and members of their families 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the 
European Communities No C 321 of 9 December 1981, page 1. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 9 November 1981 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the 
Economic and Social Committee in accordance with Articles 51 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 
192nd plenary session held in Brussels on 25 and 26 November 1981. 
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 
Articles 51 and 198 thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council of 
the European Communities on 9 November 1981 for 
an opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation 
(EEC) extending Regulation (EEC) No 574/72 to 
self-employed persons and members of their 
families, 
Having regard to the plenary session's decision of 25 
November 1981 to appoint Mr Rollinger 
Rapporteur-General in accordance with Article 18 of 
the Rules of Procedure, 
Having regard to the discussions at its 192nd Plenary 
Session held on 25 and 26 November 1981 (meeting 
of 25 November), 
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) 
No 1390/81 of 12 May 1981 extending to self-
employed persons and members of their families 
Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 on the application of 
social security schemes to employed persons and 
their families moving within the Community (•); and 
having regard to the Committee opinion (2). 
(i) OJ No L 143, 29.5. 1981. 
(2) OJ No C 269, 13. 11. 1978. HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
by a unanimous vote: 
The Committee approves the Commission's 
proposal, which contains mainly stylistic and 
technical changes to Regulation (EEC) No 574/72 
laying down the procedure for implementing 
Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71. These changes have 
been made in order to allow for the fact that 
Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 now also applies to 
the self-employed. 
The Committee would point out that it approved the 
extension of Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 to self-
employed migrant workers, and would underline the 
importance of these measures. It regrets, however, 
that in making this extension, the Council did not 
adopt the proposal made by the Commission in the 
wake of the European Parliament and ESC opinions 
that persons not economically active also be 
covered. 
The Committee also regrets that the self-employed 
are not to be covered by the provisions of Regulation 
(EEC) No 1408/71 relating to the payment of family 
benefits to family members residing in a Member 
State other than the country of employment. 
No C 348/22 Official Journal of the European Communities 31. 12. 81 
Furthermore, though it understands why it has not 
been possible to draft proposals right now with 
regard to workers who are in wage-earning 
employment in one Member State and self-employed in another at the same time and who are subject to 
both Member States' legislation, the Committee 
would ask the Commission to draft these proposals 
as quickly as possible. 
Done at Brussels, 25 November 1981. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Tomas ROSEINGRAVE