30.11.  77 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities No C 287/3 
production  of  all  protein-rich  crops  should  be  field  beans,  which  are already  well  suited  to the  soils 
expanded  — in particular  those  such  as peas  and  and  climate  in the Community. 
Done  at Brussels,  29 September  1977. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
Opinion  on the  communication  from  the  Commission  to the  Council  regarding  energy 
savings  from  the modernization  of existing  buildings  in the Community 
The text  referred  to the  Committee  has  been  published  in Official  Journal  of  the 
European  Communities  No  C 138  of 11 June  1977,  page  4. 
On 8 June  1977,  the  Council  referred  the  abovementioned  Communication  to the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  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 
151st  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 28 and  29 September  1977. 
The full  text  of the opinion  is as follows: A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community,  and  in particular 
Article  198  thereof, THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, Having  regard  to the  discussions  at its 151st  plenary 
session  held  on 28 and  29 September  1977,  (meeting 
of 29 September  1977), 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by its Bureau  on 
21 June  1977  instructing  the  Section  for Energy  and 
Nuclear  Questions  to draw  up an opinion  and  report 
on the matter, Having  regard  to the request  for an opinion  from  the 
Council  of the  European  Communities  on 8 June 
1977, Whereas  by bringing  about  improvements  in energy 
consumption  patterns  (elimination  of waste)  and  in 
the balance  of payments,  as well  as by playing  a 
useful  role  in the  creation  of jobs,  the  Commission's 
recommendations  on  the  rational  utilization  of 
energy  can  help  to reflate  the economy; 
Having  regard  to the  opinion  which  the  Section 
adopted  at its 34th  meeting  held  on 9 September 
1977, Whereas  the  proposed  measures  must  form  part  of a 
comprehensive,  consistent  energy  policy; 
Having  regard  to  the  report  submitted  by  the 
rapporteur,  Mr Ammundsen, Whereas  these  measures  must  be  backed  up  by 
research  and  development  leading  to  proper 
exploitation  of  all  available  Community  energy 
resources, 
No C 287/4 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities 30.11.77 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
unanimously: 
Comments 
1. The  Committee  endorses  the  objective  of the 
Commission's  proposal,  which  is to economize  on the 
use of energy  in existing  buildings. 
2. But  the  Committee  has  the  following 
reservations  about  the use of a directive: 
— in view  of the big difference  in climate  and  other 
conditions  in the  Member  States,  the  directive's 
call for a given  percentage  of dwellings,  etc.,  to be 
modernized  within  a certain  period  of time 
cannot  be regarded  as a reasonable  proposition 
everywhere, 
— the  Commission's  proposal  is based  upon  the use 
of incentives  as regards  private  dwellings.  It is not 
apparent  from  the  proposal  how  the  individual 
Member  States  are to achieve  the goals  set if the 
incentives  offered  are not effective, 
— it is not clear  how  in practice  one  is to check  how 
much  insulation,  etc.,  has been  installed  in private 
dwellings  since  such  improvements,  as  the 
Commission  notes,  will  often  be carried  out  by 
the occupant  himself. 
The Committee  would  therefore  prefer  the use  of a 
recommendation  to  try  and  attain  the  desired 
objective. 
3. The  Committee  recognizes  that  each  Member 
State  should  be responsible  for  drawing  up its own package  of measures-  so that  it is best  tailored  to the 
various  different  economic,  social,  demographic  and 
climate  conditions.  At the same  time,  it is important 
that the Community  as a whole  should  seek  to attain 
a common  target  on energy  saving,  ultimately  as part 
of a common  energy  policy. 
4. It  is essential  that  the various  financial  measures 
adopted  by  the  Member  States  should  promote 
insulation  techniques  which  have  a reasonable 
pay-off  period. 
5. Care  should  be taken  that  the cumulative  effects 
of the  financial  incentives  adopted  and  high  energy 
prices  — which  undoubtedly  exercise  real  pressure 
— do  not  encourage  householders  to  insulate 
without  regard  to  health  factors  (humidity,  air 
circulation).  This  danger  must  be avoided  by the 
provision  of adequate  information  and  by monitoring 
the effects  of the  schemes,  adapting  them  where 
necessary. 
6. The  Commission  points  out  that  landlords  who 
are not  responsible  for  heating  costs  have  no 
incentive  to improve  insulation  in their  property.  The 
Committee  believes  that  this  is a real  problem,  which 
must  be tackled  in the  measures  adopted  by the 
Member  States. 
7. The  Committee  takes  the  view  that  financial 
incentives  for  improving  insulation  and  heating 
systems  in  existing  buildings  should  be 
complemented  by: 
— research  and  development  to  derive  new  and 
better  materials  and  techniques  for  improving 
energy  use in existing  buildings, 
— public  information  campaigns  to ensure  that  the 
individual  is in possession  of the  best  data  on 
which  to base  his investment  decisions. 
Done  at Brussels,  29 September  1977. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI