No C 105/50 Official Journal of the European Communities 26. 4. 79 
Opinion on Greece's application for membership of the Community 
The opinion of the Committee is not based on any text. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
At its 163 rd plenary session held on 29 and 30 November 1978 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 163rd 
plenary session held in Brussels on 29 and 30 November 1978. 
The full text of the opinion is as follows: 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, 
Having regard to Greece's application for membership of 
the Community, 
Having regard to its Rules of Procedure, and in 
particular Article 18 thereof, 
Having regard to the decision of the Economic and Social 
Committee at its 163rd plenary session of 29 and 30 
November 1978 to deliver an opinion on the matter, 
Having regard to the oral report submitted by the 
rapporteur-general, Mr De Ridder, 
Having regard to the discussions at its 163rd plenary 
session held on 29 and 30 November 1978 (meeting of 
29 November), 
Whereas there is strong political support for Greek 
membership, not only within the Community but also in 
Greece, where the Government and all socio-
occupational organizations have come out strongly in 
favour of accession to the Community; 
Whereas the Committee will later be delivering an 
opinion on the implications of all the problems posed by 
the possible enlargement of the Community to include 
Greece, Portugal and Spain; 
Whereas each of these applicant countries' cases deserves 
to be examined separately; whereas priority should 
nonetheless be given to the examination of Greece's 
application, not only because this was received well 
before the applications of the other two countries but 
also because Greece has been linked with the Community 
since 1962 by an Association Agreement, 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
by 48 votes to two with nine abstentions: 1. The Economic and Social Committee thinks that, 
on a political level, Greek membership will be of benefit 
to both the present Community and Greece. Membership 
will help to consolidate political, economic and social 
democracy in Greece. 
1.1. The Committee has already prepared a Study on 
Relations between the Community and Greece and 
delivered an opinion on agricultural problems in the 
Mediterranean regions of the Community. Furthermore, 
the existence of the 1962 Association Agreement, which 
makes provision inter alia for the gradual establishment 
of a customs union between the Community and Greece, 
puts the Committee in a better position to assess the 
results and problems of merging the two economies. 
2. The Committee thinks that Greek membership of 
the Community is likely to pose serious problems for a 
number of typically Mediterranean agricultural 
products. These problems will have to be considered in 
the light of the worrying situation already facing the 
sectors and regions affected in the Community. The 
prospect of the further enlargement of the Community 
also adds to these worries. Moreover, the consequences 
of the agreements signed with other Mediterranean 
countries will also have to be borne in mind when these 
problems are considered. 
2.1. The Committee thinks that there should be 
sufficiently flexible and effective transitional 
arrangements which will enable Greek and Community 
agriculture to smoothly adapt. 
3. As regards the establishment of a customs union for 
industrial goods between the Community and Greece, 
the Committee notes that the 1962 Association 
Agreement has had a positive impact, though at the same 
26. 4. 79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 105/51 
time it has also given rise to certain problems. It is hoped, 
however, that these problems will also be solved 
satisfactorily during the transitional period provided for 
industrial goods. 
3.1. For a certain number of sensitive industries, the 
Committee thinks that a relatively long time-scale should 
be agreed upon for the adjustments which will have to be 
made on both sides. 
3.2. At all events, the Committee thinks it is necessary 
to include a two-way safeguard clause in the Treaty of 
Accession - as it was, too for Denmark, the UK and 
Ireland - which would come into force if unexpected 
developments or abnormal competition threatened to 
upset the balance in certain industries or on the labour 
market. 
4. The transitional arrangements for both agricultural 
and industrial products must be accompanied by 
procedures specially designed to stop competition 
between Greece and the Nine from being distorted by 
artificial incentives, such as subsidies for the 
transportation of both processed and non-processed 
agricultural products and export subsidies for industrial 
goods. 
5. The free movement of workers is still a cornerstone 
of the EEC Treaty. However, structural and cyclical 
unemployment in the Community will make a relatively 
long transitional period necessary on this front. It is 
worth recalling that the free movement of workers 
within the Six took 10 years to achieve. 
5.1. At all events, the moment Greece joins the 
Community, Greek nationals working in the Community 
Done at Brussels, 29 November 1978. must be assured exactly the same treatment as workers 
from Member States. 
5.2. The Committee hopes there will be rapid upward 
alignment of EEC and Greek social provisions (working 
conditions, pay, Article 117 of the EEC Treaty). 
5.3. The Committee thinks that immediately after the 
Treaty of Accession has come into force, Greece should 
receive an appropriate share of the European Social 
Fund. In the main, the ESF should finance support 
measures in connection with vocational training and 
reemployment which will help to make the restructuring 
of Greek industry easier. 
6. The Committee also thinks that a number of 
hard-hit sectors and regions should not have to bear the 
burden of Greek membership. It should be borne by the 
Community as a whole. The Committee proposes an 
immediate examination of how the repercussions of 
Community decisions, especially those concerning 
enlargement, can be shared out fairly. 
7. The Committee does however reserve the right to 
issue detailed opinions on the general problems of 
enlargement and the solutions thereof and on the social, 
economic and technical problems raised in particular by 
the accession of individual new Member States. 
8. In conclusion, the Economic and Social Committee 
gives its approval and support to Greece's membership of 
the Community. It hopes that this country, which was 
the founder of Western democracy and civilization, will 
help the enlarged Community to achieve its political, 
economic and social goals. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Fabrizia BADUEL GLORIOSO