No C 180/26 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 28.7.  77 
sought  to pass  judgement  on  the  Commission's 
assessments  and  conclusions,  in view  of the complex 
problem  posed  by the widely  differing  situations  and 
the difficulty  of deciding  in favour  of any  one 
interpretation. 
The Committee  would,  however,  draw  attention  to 
the fact  that  the reasons  for the various  divergences 
Done  at Brussels,  22 June  1977. are not  exclusively  agricultural.  General  economic 
conditions  are  an important  factor  in this  respect. 
Nevertheless,  advances  in methodology  alone  will 
not be sufficient  to lead  to improved  farm-price 
policy  decisions,  the latter  being  even  more  dependent 
on progress  in all the  various  fields  of European 
integration. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Regulation  on direct  cooperation  between  the 
bodies  designated  by Member  States  to verify  compliance  with  Community  and 
national  provisions  in the wine  sector 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has  not yet been  published  in the Official  Journal 
of the European  Communities. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
At its 148th  plenary  session  held  on 27 and  28 April  1977  the Committee,  acting  on a 
proposal  from  the  Bureau,  decided  to deliver  an opinion  on the  abovementioned 
subject  on its own  initiative. 
B. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  prepared  its opinion  on the above  matter  at its 
150th  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 22 and  23 June  1977. 
The full  text  of the opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the fourth  paragraph  of Article  20 
of its Rules  of Procedure; 
Having  regard  to the decision  which  the Committee 
took  on 28 April  1977,  acting  upon  a proposal  of 
the Bureau,  to  draw  up  an  opinion  on  the 
abovementioned  subject, 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by its Chairman 
in accordance  with  the  urgency  procedure  provided 
for in Articles  46 and  47 of the Rules  of Procedure, 
instructing  the Section  for Agriculture  to prepare  the 
Committee's  work  on the  matter, 
Having  regard  to the  opinion  drawn  up  by the 
rapporteur,  Mr  Guillaume,  and  adopted  by  the 
Section  for Agriculture  at its meeting  on 2 June  1977, 
Having  regard  to the  discussions  at its  150th 
plenary  session  held  on  22  and  23  June  1977 
(meeting  on 22 June  1977), HAS  UNANIMOUSLY  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING 
OPINION: 
1. The  Committee  notes  with  satisfaction  that  the 
present  proposal  to some  extent  follows  up the 
requests  made  by it on various  occasions  for  an 
efficient,  Community-level  monitoring  system  to be 
set up for the wine  sector. 
2. However,  the  Committee  regrets  that  the 
Commission  has  presented  a proposal  that  is 
relatively  moderate,  especially  as regards  the  scope 
and nature  of the  controls  it suggests. 
3. There  is reason  to doubt  the  effectiveness  of 
the scheme  proposed  by the Commission,  especially 
if one  remembers  certain  attempts  at abolishing 
fraud  in Member  States  that  are not wine  producers. 
28. 7. 77 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 180/27 
4. Moreover,  the  Committee  considers  that  the 
present  proposal  should  make  express  provisions  for 
controls  in all areas  covered  by Community  rules, 
especially  planting.  This  seems  to be the case  when 
one reads  the  title  of the  proposal,  but  no  such 
provision  is made  in any  of the Articles. 
5. The  Committee  believes  that  the  conditions 
under  which  the  operations  involved  in preparing 
and storing  wines  are controlled  should  be aligned. 
This  should  include  access  to the cellars  and  offices 
of the establishments  concerned. 
Done  at Brussels,  22 June  1977. The Committee  considers  that  the  limits  placed  on 
the activities  of such  cellars  and  establishments  in 
the various  Member  States  should  all be aligned,  so 
as to make  monitoring  easier.  When  rules  differ, 
this often  leads  to higher  costs  for some  and  lower 
costs  for  others,  and,  consequently,  distortions  of 
competition. 
6. Finally,  the Committee  feels  that  the Commission 
must  be involved  more  in implementing  the proposed 
measures. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
Opinion  on the  proposal  for  a Council  Regulation  amending  Regulation  (EEC)  No 
816/70  laying  down  additional  provisions  for the common  organization  of the market 
in wine 
The text  referred  to the  Committee  has  been  published  in Official  Journal  of the 
European  Communities  No  C 124  of 26 May  1977,  page  4. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 16 May  1977,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic 
and Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Articles  43 and  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 
150th  plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 22 and  23 June  1977. 
The full  text  of the opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to  the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community,  and  in particular 
Articles  43 and  198  thereof, 
Having  regard  to the  Council's  request  for  an 
opinion  of 16 May  1977, 
Having  regard  to its decision  of 22 June  1977,  in 
view  of the urgent  nature  of the matter,  to appoint 
a rapporteur-general  in accordance  with  Article  18 
of the Rules  of Procedure, Having  regard  to the  oral  report  made  by  the 
rapporteur-general,  Mr De Grave, 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 150th  plenary 
session  held  on 22 and  23 June  1977  (meeting  of 
22 June), 
HAS  UNANIMOUSLY  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING 
OPINION: 
The Committee  approves  the Commission's  proposal, 
subject  to the following  comments,