No C 263/30 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities 17.11.  75 
2.14.  Article  12 
2.14.1.  The  Committee  endorses  the  solution 
adopted  by  Article  12  (3),  that  is to say  the 
stipulation  that  information  communicated  by  a 
competent  authority  is subject  to the  obligation  of 
professional  secrecy  laid  down  in respect  thereof  in 
the legislation  applicable  in the  country  of that 
authority,  unless  the  authority  gives  express 
authorization  in writing  to divulge  such  information and is empowered  to give  such  authorization  by its 
national  legislation. 
Done  at Brussels,  28 May  1975. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Henri  CANONGE 
Opinion  on the  Commission's  memorandum  to the  Council  entitled  Programmes  of 
research  and  development  actions  in the  field  of energy 
The text  referred  to the Committee  was  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 54 of 6 March  1975,  page  26. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 30 January  1975,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  memorandum  to the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  under  Article  198  of the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community. 
B. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  drew  up its Opinion  at its 130th  plenary  session, 
held in Brussels  on 28 and  29 May  1975. 
The Opinion  is published  below. 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the referral  on 3 February  1975  by 
the Council  of the  European  Communities,  of the 
Commission's  memorandum  to the  Council  entitled 
Programmes  of research  and  development  actions  in 
the field  of energy; 
Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community,  and  in particular 
Article  198  thereof; 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by its Bureau  on 
28 January  1975,  instructing  the Section  for Energy 
and Nuclear  Questions  to draw  up an Opinion  and  a 
report  on the matter; 
Having  regard  to the  Opinion  adopted  by  the 
Section  for  Energy  and  Nuclear  Questions  at its 
meeting  held  on 12 May  1975; 
Having  regard  to the  report  submitted  by  the 
Rapporteur,  Mr Schlitt,  at this  meeting; Having  regard  to the discussions  at its meeting  on 28 
May  1975  (130th  plenary  session  of 28 and  29 May 
1975); 
Whereas  it is necessary  to develop  new  energy 
sources  and  new  forms  of energy  within  the 
framework  of a common  energy  policy; 
Whereas  a Community  research  and  development 
programme  must  play  a fundamental  role  in this 
context, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
unanimously,  less  one abstention: 
1. General  comments 
1.1. In  its Communication  Energy  for  Europe: 
Research  and  Development,  the Commission,  as part 
of its long-term  energy  strategy,  identified  seven 
17.11.75 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities No C 263/31 
strategic  areas  which  are  particularly  important  for 
securing  the  Community's  energy  supplies  and  in 
which  research  and  development  is  to  be 
purposefully  pursued.  The  Committee  took  a stand 
on this  Commission  document  on  30  January 
1975  I1) and  on the  European  Community's  revised 
multiannual  research  programme  on 28 November 
1974  (2) and  27 February  1975  (3). 
1.2. The  Committee  welcomes  the  Commission's 
proposal  that  a four-year  research  programme 
should  be implemented  for the following  five  fields: 
I. Energy  conservation, 
II. Production  and  utilization  of hydrogen, 
III. Solar  energy, 
IV. Geothermal  energy, 
V. Systems  analysis. 
It has  noted  that  the  European  Community's 
activities  will,  in essence,  be  restricted  to the 
coordination  and  concerting  of work  in these  fields 
which  is already  in progress  in the Member  States,  or 
about  to be embarked  on.  It is therefore  important 
for the  Commission  to be notified  by the  end  of 
April  of all national  energy  research  projects  for 
1975,  and by June  of national  plans  for 1976. 
1.3. The  Committee  would,  in principle,  have 
thought  it right  if the work  recently  embarked  on, or 
just being  commenced  in Member  States  were 
conducted  at Community  level,  fot this  alone  can 
ensure  that  the  total  mass  of available  funds  is 
rationally  utilized.  Quite  apart  from  such  funds,  it is 
also at Community  level  that  all the  scientific  and 
technical  staff  can  be most  effectively  pooled  and 
assigned  to the  selected  objectives.  The  Committee, 
is, however,  aware  that  the political  prerequisites  do 
not yet exist  for pooling  all scientific  and  technical 
personnel,  as well  as funds  and  facilities  under  a 
direct  Community  programme.  Under  these 
circumstances,  the Committee  thinks  it is right  that 
the Commission  should  endeavour,  within  the limits 
of current  possibilities,  to swiftly  coordinate  national 
programmes  and  effectively  align  Community 
activities.  It can  fulfil  this  task  more  effectively  if it 
can fall  back  on  the  assistance  of  advisory 
programme  committees.  The  Committee  therefore 
H OJ No C 62, 15. 3. 1975,  p. 3. 
(2) OJ No C 16, 23. 1. 1975,  p. 1. 
(3) OJ No C 108,  15. 5. 1975,  p. 52. considers  such  committees  to be indispensable  for all 
the planned  actions,  and  assumes  that  the 
Commission  has  already  made  provision  for  such 
committees. 
1.4. The  Committee  also  agrees  with  the 
Commission  that  no new  structures  can  currently  be 
set up in the  Community's  R&D  sector,  but 
believes  that  the  operational  capacity  of the  Joint 
Research  Centre  should  be developed.  It supports  the 
Commission's  endeavours  and  intentions  of utilizing 
the various  facilities  available  in Member  States  and 
restricting  to  a  minimum  the  additional 
administrative  personnel  needed  for the management 
of the research  programmes.  One  aspect  of this  way 
of thinking  is the fact  that  the responsibility  for the 
individual  projects  is delegated  to project  leaders 
who,  if need  be,  can  also  come  from  research 
institutes  in the Member  States. 
1.5. The  Committee  also  considers  that  the funds 
earmarked  for  the  activities  listed  are  initially 
adequate.  The  appropriations  for  the  individual 
areas  of research  accord  with  the  Committee's 
Opinion  on the Commission's  document  Energy  for 
Europe:  Research  and  Development,  which  states 
that the bulk  of funds  should  be deployed  in those 
fields  which  promise  an  early  and  maximum 
reduction  in dependence  on oil. All R&D  work  in 
the Member  States,  and  within  the  Community's 
own facilities  (JRC)  will  continue  to be clearly 
centred  on nuclear  energy,  fossil  fuels  and  energy 
conservation  (the  latter  being  the  main  aim  of this 
programme).  In this  respect,  the  Committee  shares 
the Commission's  view  that  energy  conservation  is 
the most  important  and  most  promising  aspect  of the 
proposals  under  review.  Considerable  savings  can  be 
achieved  at relatively  low  cost  and  the  Committee 
thinks  that  the Commission's  target  of a 15 °/o cut in 
the internal  energy  consumption,  which  1972 
estimates  predicted  for  1985,  is not  out  of the 
question. 
1.6. The  Committee  holds  the view  that  the funds 
allocated  for  measures  in the  other  fields  (solar 
energy,  geothermal  energy,  hydrogen  and  systems 
analysis)  will  be adequate  to begin  with,  bearing  in 
mind  the fact  that  they  are pioneering  measures.  The 
research  projects  in respect  of solar  energy  and  the 
production  and  utilization  of hydrogen  however,  are 
certainly  of particular  importance.  The  question  of 
whether  the  funds  for these  two  programmes  will 
have  to be increased  in the near  future  and,  if so, by 
No C 263/32 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities 17.11.  75 
how much,  should  be decided  when  the programmes 
are reviewed  at a later  stage  by the Commission  and 
the Committees  which  it consults. 
1.7. This  European  energy  research  programme, 
which  should  aim  primarily  to obtain  coordination 
between  the  efforts  of the  Member  States  of the 
Community,  should  also  provide  numerous  openings 
for cooperation  with  third  countries,  whether  or not 
they are  members  of the  International  Energy 
Agency.  In this  connection,  the  Committee  would 
mention  'Project  Independence',  the  big  research 
and development  programme  planned  in the USA  in 
which  high  priority  is given  to solar  energy,  thermo-
chemical  hydrogen  production  and  geothermal 
energy.  The  importance  currently  attached  to these 
special  research  fields  is illustrated  by the fact  that 
the USA  intends  to spend  a total  of approximately 
800 million  dollars  on solar  energy  research  projects 
alone  between  1975  and  1985,  whereas  the EEC  has 
only allocated  14 680 000 units  of account  for  the 
same  period.  The  Commission  should  give  thorough 
consideration  to  whether  this  huge  R&D 
commitment  of the USA  could  serve  as the basis  for 
closer  cooperation  between  the Community  and  the 
USA. 
1.8. The  Committee  considers  that  all R & D 
work  on  solar  energy,  geothermal  energy  and 
thermochemical  hydrogen  production  must  be 
viewed  in relation  to the cost  of oil. The  Committee 
believes  that,  although  the  price  of oil will  never 
again  reach  its previous  very  low  level,  certain  price 
reductions  are  not  to be ruled  out.  But  even  if the 
price  of oil were  to go down,  the 1973/74  oil crisis  is 
sufficient  reason  not  to cut back  the R&D  effort 
on alternative  energy  sources. 
2. Specific  comments 
2.1. Energy  conservation 
2.1.1.  This  aspect  of the programme  is connected 
with the  Rational  Utilization  of Energy  (RUE) 
programme  adopted  by the Council  of the European 
Communities  on 17 December  1974.  The  aim  of 
RUE  is to reduce  the  substantial  energy  losses 
currently  occurring  both  in the  transformation  of 
primary  energy  into  usable  energy  and  in final 
consumption,  by means  of measures  ranging  from 
educating  the public  to the elaboration  of standards 
and administrative  provisions. 2.1.2.  However,  the  Committee  believes  that  the 
funds  allocated  under  the  Communities'  new  four-
year programme,  namely  11-38  million  u.a.  for the 
whole  of the  four  year  period,  are disproportionate 
to the approximately  80 million  units  of account  of 
public  funds  which  the  Member  States  allocated  to 
energy  conservation  in 1974  alone.  The  11-38  million 
units  of account  will  only  be  sufficient  if the 
Commission  confines  itself  predominantly  to co-
ordinating  and  concerting  the measures  to be taken. 
The Commission  should  not,  however,  fail  to take  a 
lead in this  field  and  should,  if necessary,  adopt 
direct  measures  itself.  The  Committee  therefore 
welcomes  the fact  that,  after  a two  year  period,  there 
will be a review  of the work  which  has  been  carried 
out and  the funds  which  have  been  allocated  for the 
continuation  of that  work. 
2.1.3.  In  view  of the  limited  funds  available,  a 
further  critical  review  should  be  made  of the 
individual  aspects  of  the  Commission's  energy 
conservation  programme.  It should  be noted  that  the 
document  under  consideration  gives  no  detailed 
breakdown  of the  funds  allocated  to the  individual 
research  projects  listed  (a)  to (h).  The  following 
paragraph  deals  with  these  projects  individually. 
2.1.4.  Point  (a),  improvement  of  the  heat 
insulation  of buildings,  and  point  (c),  concerning 
urban  transport,  are  already  being  tackled  on  a 
major  scale  by  European  industry  and  the 
Community's  work  in this  respect  can  largely  be 
limited  to coordinating  and  concerting  R&D.  Many 
sectors  of industry,  particularly  the chemical  sector, 
have  also  developed  methods  for  recycling  their 
materials  — point  (e) — and  producing  energy  from 
waste  — point  (b).  On the  other  hand,  operations 
such  as the incineration  of urban  refuse  can  hardly 
be expected  to provide  a net energy  gain,  because  of 
the high  proportion  of inorganic  material.  In the 
field  of waste  disposal,  quality  of the  environment 
takes  precedence  over  energy  conservation.  Point  (b), 
the utilization  of heat  pumps,  does,  however,  present 
interesting  possibilities.  It would  be conceivable  for 
the Community  to use available  resources  to finance 
the engineering  design  of a pioneering  heat  pump 
system  for  air  conditioning  and  residual  heat 
recovery  in a new  satellite  town.  This  aid  would 
make  it easier  for the parties  building  a new  town  to 
reach  a final  decision  on the implementation  of such 
a pilot  scheme.  Although  much  progress  has  been 
made  in many  of the  larger  industrial  plants  with 
regard  to point  (d),  residual  heat  recovery  (large 
chemical  works,  for example,  obtain  up to 40 °/o of 
their  process  steam  requirements  from  residual  heat, 
which  means  that  there  is up to 90 °/o efficiency), 
considerable  research  is still  necessary  in order 
similarly  to reduce  or. profitably  utilize  'minor  heat 
losses'  which  have  hitherto  been  more  or less 
disregarded.  Point  (g),  the assessment  of the specific 
17.11.  75 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 263/33 
energy  consumption  of  various  systems,  is 
undoubtedly  important  in so far  as the  energy 
savings  realized  from  restructuring  industrial 
production  processes  are  often  greater  than  those 
gained  from  recuperating  losses  in existing  processes. 
Nevertheless,  this  programme  point  should  be 
subjected  to a further  critical  review.  Every  business 
operating  on a rational  basis  should  constantly  seek 
to reduce  specific  energy  costs,  but  such  a research 
project  would  inevitably  involve  the examination  of 
such  a multitude  of  systems,  processes  and 
techniques  — which  would  have  to be studied  in 
every  possible  combination  —  that  it is quite 
legitimate  to ask  how  the  results  of this  research 
project  could  possibly  be effectively  publicized  and 
thus rendered  useful.  On the  other  hand,  point  (h) 
the development  of methods  of storing  secondary 
energy  is, in the  Committee's  view,  of the  greatest 
economic  significance  and  particularly  suitable  for 
making  a major  contribution,  in the  short  term,  to 
reducing  or containing  the demand  for oil. It should 
be a general  principle  that  the funds  set aside  for this 
EEC  research  programme  should  not be employed  in 
fields  in which  industry  in the  various  Member 
States  is already  very  active,  or which  have  already 
been  well  promoted  by national  agencies. 
2.2. Production  and  utilization  of hydrogen pressure  electrolysis,  are  of great  importance,  and 
not only  for the future.  All the results  obtained  in 
this sphere  can  almost  be  applied  immediately 
wherever  hydrogen  is already  being  produced  by 
electrolysis.  There  has,  however,  been  hardly  any 
industrial  research  in this  field  up to now. 
2.3. Solar  energy 
2.3.1.  The  Committee  also  supports  the proposed 
research  projects  with  regard  to  securing  and 
utilizing  solar  energy. 
2.3.2.  As  regards  photovoltaic  conversion,  it 
should  be investigated  at once  whether  the  new 
technology  developed  in the  USA  in 1974  for  the 
continuous  manufacture  of thin-film  silicon  ribbons 
has already  achieved  a breakthrough  and  led to the 
production  of solar  cells  at l/100th  of the cost  of the 
single-crystal  silicon  solar  cells  in current  use.  It 
should  also  be checked  how  much  of an advance  the 
recently  commenced  manufacture  of thin  wafers 
from  other  polycrystalline  material  (cadmium 
sulphide)  represents.  This  technology  combines  an 
efficiency  comparable  with  that  of silicon  solar  cells 
(approx.  12-5  °/o) with  far  more  advantageous 
material  characteristics. 
2.2.1.  The  Committee  gives  its  unqualified 
support  to all the research  programmes  put forward 
by the Commission  in respect  of the production  and 
utilization  of hydrogen. 
2.2.2.  About  40 different  three-  and  multi-stage 
processes  for  the  thermochemical  production  of 
hydrogen  from  water  are  now  known  (this 
production  could  perhaps  be carried  out  at a later 
date by  using  the  heat  from  high-temperature 
reactors).  It is still  not certain,  however,  whether  the 
proposals  made  up  to  now,  will  yield  a 
technologically  and  commercially  viable  technique. 
The main  problem  with  regard  to these  multi-stage 
processes  is that  very  large  quantities  of chemicals 
have  to be transported,  made  to react  and  then 
separated  once  again  and  also  that  considerable 
changes  in temperature  are required  from  one  stage 
of the  operation  to  another,  which  inevitably 
subjects  the  equipment  involved  to  extreme 
fluctuations  in temperature. 
2.2.3.  Research  into  increasing  the  efficiency  of 
electrolytic  cells  and  new  technological  developments, 
for example,  in the field  of high-temperature,  high-2.4. Geothermal  energy 
2.4.1.  Geothermal  energy  from  high-  and  medium-
temperature  sources  will  probably,  in the foreseeable 
future,  be of non-negligible  interest.  This  area  should 
not, therefore,  be neglected  —  particularly  the 
problems  of basic  geophysical  research  which  are 
involved.  In  addition,  the  introduction  of 
standardized  measurement  systems  for the whole  of 
the EEC  would  set an inspiring  example  of beneficial 
collaboration  between  private  research  institutes  and 
between  universities.  But  before  more  ambitious 
projects  (pilot  plants)  are  taken  in hand,  sufficient 
attention  should  be devoted  to the  environmental 
problems  which  are  particularly  important  in this 
sphere  (salt  contamination,  effects  on geological 
structure,  danger  of subsidences). 
2.5. Systems  analysis 
2.5.1.  In  principle,  the  Committee  supports  the 
Commission's  view  that  a research  programme  to 
analyze  energy  systems  cannot,  if it is to be efficient 
and attain  the desired  end,  be limited  to the national 
context  but  must  be undertaken  on a Community 
scale. 
No C 263/34 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities 17.11.  75 
But in the Federal  Republic  of Germany  at least  and 
probably  in all the  other  Member  States,  many 
institutions  are  already  engaged  on model-building. 
Therefore,  it  should  be  examined  whether 
comparable  results  cannot  be obtained  for less  than 
the 3 940 000 units  of account  proposed  by the 
Commission  by amalgamating  or extending  existing 
systems  models.  Finally,  the collection  of information 
of this  sort  is only  justifiable  if it is made  available  to all interested  parties  at the right  time  and  provides  a 
realistic  aid to decision-making. 
Done  at Brussels,  28 May  1975. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Henri  CANONGE 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Directive  on the collection,  regeneration  and/or 
destruction  of polychlorinated  biphenyls  (PCB's) 
The text  referred  to the Committee  was  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 49 of 1 March  1975,  page  1. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 21 February  1975,  the  Council  referred  the  abovementioned  proposal  to the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  under  Article  198  of the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community. 
B. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  drew  up its Opinion  at its 130th  plenary  session, 
held in Brussels  on 28 and  29 May  1975. 
The Opinion  is published  below. 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community  and,  in particular, 
Article  198  thereof; 
Having  regard  to the  referral  on 24 February  1975 
by the Council  of the European  Communities,  of the 
proposal  for  a Council  Directive  on the  collection, 
regeneration  and/or  destruction  of polychlorinated 
biphenyls  (PCB's); 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by its Bureau  on 
25 February  1975  instructing  the  Section  for 
Protection  of the  Environment,  Public  Health  and 
Consumer  Affairs  to draw  up an Opinion  and  a 
report  on the matter; 
Having  regard  to the  Opinion  adopted  by  the 
Section  for  Protection  of the  Environment,  Public 
Health  and  Consumer  Affairs  on 13 May  1975  and 
the oral  report  made  by  the  Rapporteur,  Mr 
Jaschick; Having  regard  to the discussions  at its meeting  on 28 
May  1975  (130th  plenary  session  of 28 and  29 May 
1975), 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
by a unanimous  vote: 
Subject  to the  following  comments,  the  Committee 
approves  the  aims  set  out  in the  Commission's 
proposal. 
1. General  comments 
1.1. The  proposal  lays  down  special  provisions 
dealing  with  particularly  dangerous  wastes,  and 
comes  within  the overall  framework  of the  Council 
Directive  on  waste  disposal.  It is the  necessary 
adjunct  to the  Directive  concerning  restrictions  on