3. 3. 80 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 53/47 
Opinion on industrial restructuring and how to implement it at Community level 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
At its 169th plenary session held on 27 and 28 June 1979 the Committee, acting on a 
proposal from the Bureau, decided to deliver an opinion on the abovementioned sub­
ject on its own initiative. 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 
172nd plenary session held in Brussels on 24 and 25 October 1979. 
The full text of the opinion is as follows: 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
Having regard to the fourth paragraph of Article 20 
of its Rules of Procedure, 
Having regard to the decision taken on 28 June 1979 
by the plenary session, on the proposal of its Bur­
eau, (i) to deliver an own-initiative opinion on in­
dustrial restructuring and how to implement it at 
Community level and (ii) to instruct the Section for 
Industry, Commerce, Crafts and Services to prepare 
the Committee's work on the matter, 
Having regard to its opinion of 20 December 1978 
on the proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) on 
Community aid for industrial restructuring and con­
version operations (l), 
Having regard to its opinion of 3 October 1979 on 
the proposal for a Council Decision on Community 
aid for restructuring or conversion investments in 
the shipbuilding industry and the proposal for a 
Council Decision on Community aid for restructur­
ing or conversion investments in the textile industry, 
particularly in the man-made fibres industry, 
Having regard to the opinion issued by the Section 
for Industry, Commerce, Crafts and Services on 3 
October 1979, 
Having regard to the oral report submitted by the 
rapporteur, Mr van Campen, 
Having regard to the discussions at its 172nd plen­
ary session held on 24 and 25 October 1979 (meeting 
of 25 October 1979), 
(•) OJNoC 128,21.5. 1979, p. 1. by 35 votes to 17 with 17 abstentions: 
1. The effects of the economic crisis still persist — 
despite the efforts of the individual Member States 
and of the Community — and are reflected in infla­
tionary pressures, investment difficulties in many in­
dustries, increased competition and high unemploy­
ment. 
2. A number of industrial sectors are facing serious 
restructuring problems and there are difficulties re­
garding investment in sectors capable of promoting 
growth and creating jobs. 
3. There is an urgent need to restructure Commun­
ity industry in view of the age and unfavourable lo­
cation of certain parts of it. However, this task is 
made difficult by the undercapitalization of indivi­
dual undertakings, increasing international competi­
tion (appearance on the market of low-wage coun­
tries and countries who practise dumping), the slow 
rise in world trade, the rapid and continuing oil-
price hike and the strongly rising prices of other raw 
materials. In this same context special social prob­
lems associated with worker mobility are still 
arising. 
4. It is necessary that industry, which currently em­
ploys 40% of the Community's labour force and 
generates 44 % of its gross domestic product, should 
be able to build and develop on solid foundations, 
and improve its ability to compete with other major 
industrial countries. 
5. A number of action programmes and measures 
have been drawn up by the Commission to assist in 
solving problems in particular sectors — e.g. steel, 
shipbuilding and the development of energy re­
sources. But progress towards obtaining Council ap-
No C 53/48 Official Journal of the European Communities 3. 3. 80 
proval of these measures has often proved slow. 
Moreover, no overall industrial strategy has been 
worked out, the impact on other sectors and on 
society as a whole of the measures taken or pro­
posed has not always been sufficiently evaluated, 
and the Community dimension of these measures 
has not been sufficiently recognized. 
6. Above all, only a small fraction of the Com­
munity's overall budget is allocated to the redevel­
opment and restructuring of Industry and the devel­
opment of alternative energy sources. 
The Committee considers it wrong for support mea­
sures to be taken solely at national level, as this can 
distort competition and produce surplus capacity. 
The Committee, 
— recognizes therefore that certain action pro­
grammes and measures have already been pro­
posed by the Commission, referred to both the 
ECSC Consultative Committee and the ESC it­
self and — in some cases at least — approved by 
the Council. Thus, the Committee has been con­
sulted on measures relating to shipbuilding, the 
aircraft industry, data processing, energy sources, 
a number of research programmes (footwear, tex­
tiles/clothing) and the draft Regulation on in­
dustrial restructuring and conversion, while the 
ECSC Consultative Committee for its part has 
been consulted on measures designed to stabilize the Community's steel market and on proposals 
concerning the coal sector. The two Committees 
are anxious to continue their efforts to find solu­
tions to current difficulties, where appropriate by 
means of studies of specific sectors; 
regrets the fragmentary character of the measures 
which have so far been proposed and urges the 
Commission to draw up, in consultation with the 
relevant socio-economic interest groups, a more 
comprehensive programme of structural reform 
and industrial development which is based on an 
overall strategy and designed to deploy appro­
priate measures to stimulate new technologies 
(including energy-saving technology) and indus­
tries and develop new indigenous energy sources, 
notably coal. Such a programme should also be 
directed at stabilizing certain markets, improving 
industry's competitive position and, in particular, 
ensuring that there are enough jobs and that 
these jobs are of adequate quality; 
considers it essential that the Community should 
provide emphatic proof of the political will 
needed to carry out this programme; 
therefore proposes that the necessary basic con­
ditions be created and that instruments and ade­
quate resources be made available, if necessary 
by rebalancing the Community's overall budget; 
these resources, which should be temporary in 
nature, should be incorporated in an effective 
manner in the whole range of Community finan­
cial instruments and other polities. 
Done at Brussels, 25 October 1979. The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
R. VANNI 
ANNEX 
to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee 
The following amendment was rejected: 
Point 6, third indent 
Delete: 
'... if necessary by rebalancing the Community's overall budget.' 
Voting 
For: 23; against: 31; abstentions: 12.