No C 97/38 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities 16. 8. 74 
CONSULTATION  OF THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
on a Commission  communication  to the Council  on a Community  action  programme 
on employment  of handicapped  persons  in an open  market  economy 
A. REQUEST  FOR  AN  OPINION 
On 2 January  1974,  the  Council  decided  to exercise  its option  of consulting  the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  on the above  communication. 
The request  for an Opinion  was  sent  by the President  of the Council  to the Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee  on 2 January  1974. 
B. TEXT  WHICH  WAS  THE  SUBJECT  OF  THE  CONSULTATION 
The text  which  was  the  subject  of the  consultation  has  not  been  published  in the 
Official  Journal  of the European  Communities. 
C. OPINION  OF THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
At its 119th  plenary  session  held  tin Brussels  on 27 and  28 March  1974,  the Committee 
adopted  its Opinion  on the text  referred  to under  B by a unanimous  vote  of all members 
present  or represented. 
The text  of the Opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the request  for an Opinion  made 
by the  Council  of the  European  Communities  on 
2 January  1974; 
Having  regard  to  the  decision  taken  by  the 
Chairman  of the  Committee  on 7 January  1974  in 
accordance  with  Article  22  of  the  Rules  of 
Procedure  entrusting  the  Section  with  the 
preparation  of a report  and  an opinion  on the 
matter; 
Having  regard  to the  Opinion  delivered  by the 
Section  for  Social  Questions  at its meeting  on 
14 March  1974; 
Having  regard  to the verbal  report  presented  by Sir 
John  Peel,  rapporteur; 
Having  regard  to the  discussions  at the  119th 
plenary  session  on 27 and  28 March  1974; 
Whereas  the  greater  degree  of mechanization  and 
technological  development  in all walks  of life  have 
led to an increase  in the  number  of handicapped 
persons,  a tendency  that  has  been  strengthened  by 
the increase  in the number  of handicapped  persons 
whose  lives  can  now  be saved  because  of medical 
progress; 
Whereas  as stated  in the  guidelines  for  a Social 
Action  Programme,  there  is a need  for  action  to establish  pilot  centres  and  to  promote  pilot 
experiments  in the  training  of instructors  in the 
rehabilitation  of handicapped  workers; 
Whereas  there  is a need  not  only  for measures  to 
restore  the handicapped  to full  social  and  economic 
integration  but  also  for research  and  action  in the 
whole  area  of prevention  if the  steady  increase  in 
the numbers  of handicapped  persons  is to be 
stemmed; 
Whereas  the Community  Action  Programme  appears 
to be unduly  rigid  and  measures  should  be taken  to 
allow  for greater  variation  in its application, 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION: 
Subject  to the  following  comments  and  proposed 
changes  the Committee  approves  the proposals  put 
before  the Council  by the Commission. 
I. GENERAL  COMMENTS 
1. The  expression  'Open  Market  Economy'  in the 
title of the Action  Programme  has no clear  meaning 
in the  Community  context.  The  Committee  took 
this term  to refer  to the  private  sector  of the 
economy,  but  understands  that  it  is  the 
Commission's  intention  that  all areas  of employment 
be included  in each  programme. 
16. 8. 74 Official  Journal  of the  European  Communities No C 97/39 
2. In  general  it can  also  be  said  that  the 
document,  while  being  full  of admirable  intentions, 
is too vague,  and  does  not  offer  enough  in the way 
of specific  and  precise  proposals.  In this  sense  it 
does  not present  an Action  Programme. 
3. A  central  fact  underlying  present  concern  with 
regard  to the employment  of handicapped  persons  is 
the sharp  increase  in their  numbers  in recent  years. 
There  are two  reasons  for this  increase.  In the first 
place  progress  in medical  knowledge  and  the 
development  of better  scientific  and  technological 
methods  in medical  treatment  has  the  effect  that 
physically  or mentally  handicapped  children  who 
would  previously  have  died  at birth  or soon  after, 
are now  surviving;  and  more  and  more  adults 
suffering  handicaps  as the  result  of progressive 
diseases  and  accidental  injuries  can  also  now  be 
saved  but  often  with  permanent  handicaps.  The 
second  reason  is that  the  much  increased  use  of 
machines  (particularly  the  motor-car)  has  greatly 
added  to the risks  of accidental  injuries.  In the home 
as well  as in factories,  for  a wider  variety  of 
reasons,  accidents  are all too frequent. 
4. The  Committee,  while  welcoming  any  measures 
designed  to restore  the  handicapped  to full  social 
and economic  integration,  believes  that  there  is also 
an urgent  need  for both  research  and  action  in the 
whole  area  of prevention,  with  particular  emphasis 
on information  and  education  of the  citizen  with  a 
view  to forestalling  avoidable  accidents  and  injuries. 
5. In  1969  the  Commission  was  first  asked  to 
draw  up a joint  action  programme  for  the  social, 
vocational  and  medical  integration  of handicapped 
persons.  With  that  end  in mind  a series  of colloquia 
and seminars  were  arranged  in which  experts  from 
various  countries  pooled  their  knowledge  and 
experience.  Further,  a number  of working  parties 
of experts  from  the nine  countries  were  organized, 
and finally  a working  document  was  produced  to 
serve  as a basis  for  the  present  recommendations 
from  the  Commission.  The  handicapped  fall  into 
three  main  categories,  depending  on the  severity 
and nature  of the handicap: 
(a) Those  who  can  look  forward  to complete 
rehabilitation  and  full  employment,  either  in 
their  original  job  or in a new  one  after  re-
training; 
(b) Those  capable  of rehabilitation  and  training,  but 
only up to the  level  of sheltered  employment, 
including  young  people  suffering  from  a 
congenital,  physical  or mental  handicap  who 
have  not yet been  in employment; (c) Those  whose  handicap  is such  that  they  are 
never  likely  to undertake  any  form  of gainful 
employment. 
6. The  present  Commission  proposals  relate 
primarily  to category  (a),  although  there  is no clear-
cut distinction  between  the  three  categories.  While 
welcoming  the  initiative  and  detailed  proposals  of 
the Commission,  the  Committee  wishes  to 
emphasize  that  rehabilitation  from  the point  of view 
of medical,  social  and  occupational  assistance 
collectively  is a continuous  process.  It begins  at the 
moment  of diagnosis  of a handicap,  or recognition 
of its  possible  later  development,  and  continues 
through  to the  point  when  the  fullest  possible 
recovery  has been  made  and  the handicapped  person 
has taken  up gainful  employment  in an open  market. 
At the  beginning  of any  rehabilitation  programme, 
therefore,  it is not  always  possible  to give  an 
accurate  prognosis  in regard  to the  degree  of 
recovery  and  rehabilitation  which  may  ultimately  be 
achieved.  Consequently,  there  is a paramount  need 
for the  closest  possible  integration  of all  those 
actively  involved  in rehabilitation  programmes  — 
medical,  paramedical,  social  and  employment  bodies. 
7. The  Committee  wishes  to stress  its agreement 
with  the  Commission  that  rehabilitation  is a 
continuing  process  and  that  it would  be a mistake 
to attempt  to foresee  numbers  in advance  or make 
strict  classifications  as to the various  phases,  which 
must  be closely  associated  and  may  overlap. 
8. In  view  of the  fact  that  the  social  and 
economic  needs  are increasing,  that  these  needs  are 
far from  being  satisfied  in any  country,  and  that 
finance  is limited,  the  Committee  welcomes  the 
proposals  of the  Commission  for  establishing  a 
programme  to cover  a six-year  period.  During  this 
time  it is suggested  that  14 to 16 centres  of high 
repute,  experience  and  expertise  should  collaborate 
in research  into  new  methods  in experimentation 
and in the teaching  and  training  of those  who  will 
become  actively  engaged  in this  field  of work  in the 
future.  During  the  second  half  of the  programme, 
the new  methods  which  have  been  developed  in the 
first three  years  will  be  put  into  practical 
application,  and  ultimately  the  responsibility  for 
occupational  rehabilitation  will  be established  at a 
regional  level,  and  occupational  rehabilitation  will 
be included  within  the  framework  of  an 
unemployment  policy. 
9. The  Committee  recognizes  that  such  a 
programme  of rehabilitation  related  to employment 
is practical  and  also  makes  good  economic  sense. 
Each  handicapped  person  who  can  be rehabilitated 
to full  employment  reduces  the economic  strain  on 
No C 97/40 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 16. 8. 74 
the medical,  social  and  community  resources,  and  he 
can then  both  pull  his  weight  as a productive 
member  of the  population  and  benefit  personally 
from  the  greater  possibilities  of fulfilment  open  to 
him.  Nevertheless  the  Committee  wishes  to 
emphasize  that  the economic  aspect  is only  one  of a 
complex  problem,  which  involves  psychological, 
emotional,  human  and  social  aspects. 
10. The  Committee  feels  that,  while  the 
Commission  is right  to give  particular  emphasis  to 
the employment  of handicapped  persons  as  an 
economic  problem,  in the  elaboration  of policy 
equal  emphasis  should  be given  to the  impact  that 
physical  and  mental  disablement  has  for  the 
individual  as an obstacle  to personal  fulfilment. 
II. SPECIFIC  COMMENTS 
11. The  Committee  points  out  that  as it was  due 
to start  in 1973,  it will  now  be necessary  to alter  the 
time-schedule  of the whole  programme. 
12. The  Committee  has  a comment  to make 
relating  both  to the  definition  of 'centres'  to be 
studied  and  to  the  limitation  to  teaching  of 
'teachers'.  In some  countries  the  whole  range  of 
rehabilitation  and  placement  functions  is contained 
in integrated  centres. 
13. In  other  countries,  however,  diagnosis  and 
assessment,  medical  rehabilitation,  industrial 
rehabilitation  (including  re-training  where  necessary) 
and ultimate  placement  can  be  carried  out  by 
interlinked  but  separate  authorities  or other  bodies. 
14. The  Committee  considers  it important  that 
the programme  should  be based  widely  enough  to 
embrace  and  gain  experience  of the  best  practice  in 
the various  distinct  elements  in the  rehabilitation 
process. 15. The  Commission  rightly  lays  emphasis  upon 
the need  for  progressive  assessment  of  the 
operational  efficiency  of each  and  every  project.  The 
Committee  doubts,  however,  whether  the  procedure 
of self-assessment  by the  heads  of the  pilot-centres 
as suggested  in the document  is really  enough.  What 
is really  needed  is a small  committee  of independent 
experts  (say  one  from  each  of the  nine  countries) 
which  would  be able  progressively  to monitor  each 
programme  and  finally  assess  its efficiency.  The 
Committee  can  see  no real  need  for  the  type  of 
committee  suggested  by the  Commission,  which  in 
any case  would  be  too  large  to be  effective. 
Although  such  a broad  based  organ  might  serve  a 
useful  purpose  later,  the  Committee  feels  strongly 
that it would  be premature  to establish  it in the 
early  phases  of the programme. 
16. The  smaller  committee  than  that  proposed  by 
the Commission  should  include  experts  with 
experience  of assisting  handicapped  persons  not  only 
with  the  practical  difficulties,  but  also  with  the 
psychological  difficulties  which  are  often  of great 
importance. 
17. There  was  a general  feeling  in the Committee 
that the  Commission's  approach  does  not  have 
enough  room  for  flexible  adjustment.  Three  years 
on the  training  of rehabilitation  personnel  and  three 
years  on research  programmes  are  periods  which 
may need  lengthening  or shortening,  and  should  not 
be fixed  firmly  in advance,  especially  in view  of the 
need  to accomplish  this  effort  as fast  as possible. 
Done  at Brussels,  28 March  1974. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Alfons  LAPPAS 
CONSULTATION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
on the  proposals  from  the  Commission  to the  Council  on the  shipbuilding  industry 
consisting  of a draft  Council  Directive  on aids  to shipbuilding,  and  a memorandum 
from  the  Commission  to the  Council  on procedures  for  action  in the  shipbuilding 
industry 
A. REQUEST  FOR  AN  OPINION 
On 23 November  1973,  the  Council  decided  to exercise  its option  of consulting  the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  on the  above  proposals  from  the Commission  to the 
Council. 
The request  for an Opinion  was  sent  by the President  of the Council  to the Chairman 
of the  Economic  and  Social  Committee  on 29 November  1973.