No C 344/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 31. 12. 85 
taken to ensure that any bureaucratic obstables to the release 
of university and industry employees are overcome as far as 
possible. competitiveness of Community industry by taking full 
advantage of human resources. The overriding requirement 
is to push forward technological development while ensuring 
that it can be kept (or brought) under social control. 
The Committee points out that exchange programmes will 
only be successful if they are carefully organized in advance. 
If the proposed measures are to be put to good use, potential 
participants must be properly informed about the various 
possibilities. National exchange organizations should be 
involved in the information drive. In particular, the media 
are urged to keep a broad public informed of the scope and 
progress of Comett. 
The Committee recommends that it be made clear in the 
Commission's proposals that the establishment and 
expansion of partnerships will be promoted in the Member 
States where they do not at present exist. 7. The planned trainee year abroad for students means 
that they will have to spend a longer total period 
studying. 
The financial arrangements for exchanges, and national 
financial support arrangements for students, must ensure 
that students from less well-off families who are dependent 
on public funds for their studies are not disadvantaged. 
8. The Committee considers that the European 
dimension of Comett exchange programmes will promote 
the intensive learning of European languages. 
6. The Committee endorses the proposed establishment 
of a high-level panel of experts to assist the Commission in 
the coordination of the programme. In addition to members 
from universities and from industry, the panel should include 
representatives of social groups to ensure that the basic aims 
of the Comett programme can be discussed and established 
with the broad agreement of all the groups concerned. 
Further humanizing of the working world should be given the 
same importance as the aim of enhancing the efficiency and This aspect is an opportunity and a constraint. The 
Committee recommends that grants should be available 
towards expenditure on intensified learning of the language 
of the host country, preparatory to and during the stay 
there. 
9. The Decision states that there is to be an 'interim 
report' reviewing the progress achieved during the first phase 
(1986 to 1988). This, and the annual reports, should be 
forwarded to the ESC as well as to the Council and the 
European Parliament. 
Done at Brussels, 27 November 1985. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Gerd MUHR 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) abolishing certain postal charges for customs 
presentation (*) 
(85/C 344/05) 
On 26 July 1985 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under Article 
198 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the abovementioned 
proposal. 
The Section for Industry, Commerce, Crafts and Services, which was responsible for preparing the 
Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 6 November 1985. The rapporteur was Mr 
Broicher. 
(») OJ No C 202, 10. 8. 1985, p. 8. 
31. 12. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 344/7 
At its 231st plenary session (meeting of 27 November 1985) the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the following opinion unanimously: 
Guided by the arguments set out in the explanatory memorandum, the Committee approves the 
content of the draft Regulation. 
Done at Brussels on 27 November 1985. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Gerd MUHR 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 3164/76 on the 
Community quota for the carriage of goods by road between Member States (*) 
(85/C 344/06) 
On 22 October 1985 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under 
Article 75 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the abovementioned 
proposal. 
The Section for Transport and Communications, which was responsible for preparing the 
Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion at its 166th meeting on 13 November 1985, in 
the light of the oral report by Mr Binnenbruck. 
At its 231st plenary session (meeting of 27 November 1985) the Economic and Social Committee 
adopted the following opinion with no votes against and two abstentions: 
1. Preliminary comments 
1.1. Council Regulation (EEC) No 3621/84 of 19 
December 1984 amending Regulation (EEC) No 3164/76 
on the Community quota for the carriage of goods by road 
between Member States (2) increased the Community quota 
by 30 % in 1985 and by 15 % in each of the following four 
years (3). The total number of Community authorizations for 
1985 was thus fixed at 5 268 (4). 
1.2. 'The Community authorizations resulting from the 
increase in the quota shall be allocated among the Member 
States on the basis of 50 % allocated across the board and 
50 % on the basis of the use made of the Community quota 
authorizations by carriers established in each Member State. 
The method of calculating the utilization of Community 
authorizations is given in Annex IV (5). 1.3. It was also specified that, because of their special 
geographical situation, the number of authorizations 
allocated to Greece, Ireland and the United Kingdom was to 
be increased by six, six and two units respectively in 1985 
and by three, three and one units in each of the four following 
years. 
1.4. Finally, Article 3 (5) of the Regulation stated that 
from 1985 onwards the Commission was to determine, 
before 1 October of each year, the new allocations resulting 
from the increase in the quota in accordance with the fixed 
criteria. Accordingly, Commission Decision 85/476/EEC 
of 27 September 1985 fixed the 15% increase for 1986 at 
803 authorizations (thus bringing the total to 6 071) and 
divided out this increase between the Member States (6). 
1.5. The present proposal, apart from reiterating the 
1986 provisions for the Community of Ten which the 
Commission has already laid down, has a dual purpose: 
») OJ No C 284, 7. 11. 1985, p. 6. 
2) OJ No L 333, 21. 12. 1984, p. 61. 
3) idem, Article 3 (1) of amended Regulation No 3164/76. 
4) idem, Article 3 (4). 
5) idem, Article 3 (3). firstly, it fixes the number of Community authorizations 
for Spain and Portugal; 
(6) OJ No L 284, 24. 10. 1985, p. 61.