8. 8. 83 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 211/49 
other countries, e.g. Member States or third coun­
tries). This criterion was adopted in the origin-mark­
ing Regulations (802/1968 and 749/1978) because it 
is the processing which gives finished textile prod­
ucts their particular form and which represents a 
substantial part of the value added. There would be 
nothing to stop these rules being altered if it was 
Done at Brussels on 2 June 1983. 
The full text of the opinion is as follows: 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, 
Having regard to Article 20, third paragraph, of its 
Rules of Procedure and the decision taken at its 
meeting on 1 June 1983 to draw up an opinion, 
under Article 46 of the Rules of Procedure (urgency 
procedure) on the revision of the European 
Regional Development Fund Regulation, 
Having regard to Article 18 of the Rules of Proce­
dure and its decision of 1 June 1983 nominating Mr 
Milne rapporteur-general, 
Having regard to its opinion of 29 April 1982 on the 
proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regu-thought advisable, but in the meantime they must of 
course be applied. 
6. In view of the comments made about the Com­
mission document in points 3, 4 and 5, the Com­
mittee wonders if the Commission should not take a 
second look at the matter. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Fran?ois CEYRAC 
lation (EEC) No 724/75 establishing a European 
Regional Development Fund ('), 
Having regard to the discussions at its 208th Plenary 
Session held on 1 and 2 June 1982 (meeting of 2 
June) on the basis of the oral report made by the 
Rapporteur-General, Mr Milne, 
Whereas the gap between the less prosperous and 
the most developed regions in the Community has 
in general grown wider since the creation of the 
ERDFin 1975, Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 
724/75 establishing a European Regional Development Fund 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the Euro­
pean Communities No C 336 of 23 December 1981, page 60. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
As a follow-up to its opinion of 29 April 1982 (') on the abovementioned proposal for 
a Council Regulation, the Economic and Social Committee has delivered an additional 
approach on this subject under the third paragraph of Article 20 (3) of its Rules of 
Procedure. 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 
208th plenary session held in Brussels on 2 June 1983. 
(') OJNoC 178, 15.7. 1982. (') OJ No C 178, 15.7. 1982. 
No C 211/50 Official Journal of the European Communities 8. 8. 83 
Whereas the necessary action to counter this 
increased divergence requires energetic, imaginative 
and flexible action by the Community and its Mem­
ber States, 
Whereas the Commission's proposals of 26 October 
1981 for the revision of the European Regional 
Development Fund Regulation, endorsed by the 
Committee, provide a basis for such action, in 
particular through: Whereas the whole revision process will have served 
only to underline the inability of the Council to 
reinforce regional development policy — with its 
important consequences for the Community as a 
whole — if the above five elements are significantly 
weakened or eliminated in the search for comprom­
ise, 
Whereas the decision concerning revision has been 
too long delayed, 
— coordination of national regional policies, 
— the replacement of project finance by pro­
gramme finance, 
— the greater concentration of ERDF interven­
tions, 
— the significant increase in the size of the quota-
free section, 
— the introduction of a legal basis for integrated 
operations, HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
unanimously: 
The Committee re-affirms the importance it attaches 
to reform of the European Regional Development 
Fund as proposed by the Commission and endorsed 
by the Committee itself. It deplores the failure of the 
Council to reach agreement before now and calls on 
it to act without further delay. 
Done at Brussels, 2 June 1983. 
The Chairman of the 
Economic and Social Committee 
Francois CEYRAC 
Opinion on youth employment 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the Euro­
pean Communities No C 149 of 8 June 1983, pages 3 and 14. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
At its 204th plenary session held on 26 and 27 January 1983 the Committee, acting on a 
proposal from its Bureau in accordance with Article 20, paragraph 4, of its Rules of 
Procedure, decided to deliver an opinion on the abovementioned subject on its own 
initiative. 
On 5 May 1983 the Council decided to exercise its option of consulting the Economic 
and Social Committee on the communication from the Commission concerning the 
promotion of employment for young people, including a draft Council resolution.