30. 11. 81 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 310/13 
Opinion on the proposal for a second Council Directive on summertime arrangements 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 87 of 14 April 1981, page 3. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 15 April 1981 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic and 
Social Committee in accordance with 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 
190th plenary session held in Brussels on 23 and 24 September 1981. 
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 Article 100 
thereof, 
Having regard to the request of the Council of the 
European Communities on 15 April 1981 for an opinion 
on the proposal for a second Council Directive on 
summertime arrangements ('), 
Having regard to Council Directive 80/737/EEC of 22 
July 1980 on summertime arrangements (2), 
Having regard to its opinion of 25 February 1976 on this 
matter (3), 
Having regard to the decision of the Bureau of 28 April 
1981 instructing the Section for Transport and 
Communications to prepare an opinion on the matter, 
Having regard to the opinion adopted by the section at its 
139th meeting of 9 September 1981, 
Having regard to the oral report made by the Rapporteur, 
Mr Renaud (Article 29 of the Rules of Procedure), 
Having regard to the discussions which took place at the 
190th plenary session of 23 and 24 September 1981 
(meeting of 23 September 1981), 
Whereas the Council Directive of 22 July 1980 
introduced common dates and times for the start of 
summertime in the Community in 1981 and 1982; 
Whereas Article 4 of this Directive stipulates that 'the 
Council, acting on a Commission proposal and as soon as possible, will adopt more comprehensive measures for the 
harmonization of summertime'; 
Whereas such measures are desirable, particularly for 
facilitating transport and communications between the 
Member States; 
Whereas these measures should lay down common dates 
for the beginning and end of summertime in 1983 and the 
years thereafter; 
Whereas for geographical reasons, the arrangements 
should not apply to Greenland or to the overseas 
territories of the Member States, 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
unanimously, 
1. The Committee approves the Commission's 
proposal, which lays down common dates for the 
beginning and end of summertime from 1983 
onwards. 
2. The Committee thus endorses its opinion of 
25 February 1976, which advocated just such an 
arrangement. 
3. As the Council fixed only the starting date for 
summertime in 1981 and 1982 in its first Directive of 
22 July 1980, the Committee trusts that it will decide as 
soon as possible when summertime is to begin and end in 
1983 and the years thereafter. 
Done at Brussels, 23 September 1981. 
The Chairman 
of the 
Economic and Social Committee 
Tomas ROSEINGRAVE 
(>) OJNoC84, 14.4. 1981, p. 4. 
(2) OJ No L 205, 7. 8. 1980, p. 17. 
(3) OJ No C 131, 12. 6. 1976, p. 12.