31. 12. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 339/5 
30 November 1991 to achieve the objective of harmoniz­
ation based on Article 100 A of the Treaty, which will 
be made easier by the proposed codification. 1.6. Annex I of the codified text contains detailed 
definitions of the units of measurement involved, 
together with their symbols. 
Done at Brussels, 25 September 1991. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Francois STAEDELIN 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive on admission to the occupation of road 
haulage and road passenger haulage operator in national and international transport 
operations (!) 
(91/C 339/04) 
On 9 July 1991 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, under 
Article 75 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the above-
mentioned proposal. 
The Section for Transport and Communications, which was responsible for preparing the 
Committee's work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 3 September 1991. The Rapporteur 
was Mr Bleser. 
At its 289th plenary session (meeting of 25 September 1991), the Economic and Social 
Committee adopted the following Opinion unanimously. 
1. General comments 
1.1. Conditions of admission to the occupation of 
road haulage and road passenger transport operator 
in national and international transport operations are 
governed by Directives 74/561/EEC and 74/562/EEC. 
The substance of these two quite distinct Directives 
was amended on 21 June 1989. 1.3. The Council wants to examine the consolidated 
text, without calling into question the substantive sol­
utions contained therein. The Committee endorses this 
approach. 
1.4. The Committee is pleased to note, nevertheless, 
that the comments made in its Opinion (2) on the 
amendments proposed to the Council in 1988 have been 
largely accepted. 
1.2. Because of the parallel nature of their provisions, 
the Commission has acted wisely in presenting a co­
ordinated text, incorporating the amendments made 
since 1974 into a single Directive. 2. Specific comments 
2.1. Article 8(2) 
2.1.1. The Committee sees no reason for making 
further references to the texts of the 1974 Directives, 
(!) OJ No C 286, 14. 11. 1990, p. 4. (2) OJ No C 318, 12. 12. 1988, p. 11. 
No C 339/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 31. 12. 91 
repealed in Article 10 of the co-ordinated text. Article 3(4) of the co-ordinated text should suffice. 
Done at Brussels, 25 September 1991. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Francois STAEDELIN 
Opinion on the Regions in the 1990s—Fourth Periodic Report on the Social and Economic 
Situation and Development of the Regions of the Community 
(91/C 339/05) 
On 29 January 1991 the Commission decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee, 
under Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the 
Regions in the 1990s — Fourth Periodic Report on the Social and Economic Situation and 
Development of the Regions of the Community. 
The Section for Regional Development and Town and Country Planning, which was respon­
sible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 19 July 
1991. The Rapporteur was Mr Frerichs. 
At its 289th plenary session (meeting of 25 September 1991), the Economic and Social 
Committee adopted the following Opinion unanismously. 
The Committee has already issued Opinions on the 
previous three Periodic Reports published in 1981, 1984 
and 1987; the Opinions stressed that these Reports were 
extremely important for understanding and developing 
regional policy. At the current stage in the drive towards 
economic and social cohesion in the Community, as 
dealt with in Title V of the Single Act, the Fourth 
Periodic Report is of invaluable importance. 
In line with its earlier Opinions, the Economic and 
Social Committee also approves the Fourth Periodic 
Report, subject to the following comments. 
1. Introduction 1.2. The Fourth Periodic Report clearly differs from 
its three predecessors. Previous Reports considered a 
number of specific issues such as the problems of per­
ipheral regions, differences in infrastructure, the classi­
fication of regions, differences in regional disparities 
between the United States and the Community, etc. 
Although they have not been examined again in the 
present Report, these issues, with their regional impli­
cations, continue to be relevant. 
1.3. Unlike its predecessors, this Report also exam­
ines policy response to the Community's regional prob­
lems, particularly in the context of the 1988 reform of 
the three Structural Funds. 
1.1. The Fourth Periodic Report on the social and 
economic situation and development of the regions in 
the Community not only examines regional trends and 
regional differences—as previous Reports have—but 
also presents new information and analyses on regional 
problems and related policy matters. 1.4. In addition, the Report considers a number of 
broader developments, which will have important 
consequences for the regions in the decade ahead. These 
include demographic changes, the political and econ­
omic developments in Central and Eastern Europe,