21.4.92 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC98/31
OpinionontheproposalforaCouncilRegulation(EEC)concerninginter-branchorganiza­
tionsandagreementsinthetobaccosector
(92/C98/14)
On13November1991theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee,
underArticle198oftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity,onthe
abovementioned proposal.
TheSectionforAgricultureandFisheries,whichwasresponsibleforpreparingtheCom­
mittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon7February1992.TheRapporteurwas
MrNoordwal .
Atits294thPlenarySession(meetingof26February1992),theEconomicandSocial
CommitteeunanimouslyadoptedthefollowingOpinion.
b)thedegreeofrepresentativeness whichsuchorganiz­
ationsmustpossessiftheyaretorequestblanket
extensionofagreementsorconcertedpractices.
3.1.WhilenotingthatintheCommission'sview
extensionofrulestonon-membersrespectstheprinciple
ofsubsidiarityanddoesnotthereforecontradict
nationallaw,theCommitteeurgestheCommissionto
confirmthatthedraftRegulationiscompatiblewith
MemberStatelegislation .1.TheCommitteestressesthevalueofthedraft
Regulation (i)asaspecificresponsetoaparticular
requestmadebytheCouncilwhentheagricultural
pricesandrelatedmeasureswereadoptedforthe1991/
1992marketingyearand(ii)asanadditionalaspect
ofthesubstantialchangesproposedatthesametime
concerningcommonmarketorganization,forthe
tobaccosectorinparticularandagricultureingeneral.
ItrepresentsthefirstpracticalexpressionoftheCom­
mission'spositiononinter-branchorganizationswithin
thecommonagriculturalpolicy(CAP).
2.TheCommitteebroadlyfeelsthatrecognitionof
inter-branchorganizations andtheiractivitiescould
permit:
—moreadvantageous productexploitation ,either
throughthepromotionofspecificproductqualities,
orbymeansofstricterproductionandmarketing
methods,
—optimumuseofcommercialcapacitythroughbetter
understanding ofmarketsandforeseeabletrends,in
qualitativeterms.3.2.TheCommitteealsofeelsthatrulesshouldonly
beextendedwherestrictlynecessaryforachievinginter­
branchorganizational aims,therebypreventingany
infringementoftheprinciplesoffreedomofassociation
andofenterprise.
3.3.TheCommitteebelievesthattheconceptof
representativeness needstobedefinedwiththeutmost
clarityforboththeaspectsenvisagedbytheproposal:
recognitionoforganizationsandeligibilitytoapplyfor
blanketextensionofscopeofrules.3.TheCommitteewouldhighlighttwomain
elementsinthedraftRegulationasmeritingparticular
attentiononthepartoftheCommunityauthorities :
a)theopportunityforinter-branchorganizationsto
requestextensionofcertainagreementsorpractices
tonon-memberindividualoperatorsandassoci­
ationsofsectorsoperatinginthesameareaof
production;3.4.TheCommitteeconsidersaCouncilRegulation
tobethelegalinstrumentmostlikelytomeetthe
requirementsetoutinArticle8.
3.5.TheCommitteewouldpointtoasimilar
requirementfortransparencyindefiningthe'regions'
withinwhichinter-branchorganizationsoperate,are (i)OJNoC295,14.11.1991,p.5.

NoC98/32 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities21.4.92
requiredtodemonstratetheirrepresentativeness andthecontractsandtheruleswhichsuchorganizations
mayexercisetheirrighttorequestblanketextensionofmaydrawup.
DoneatBrussels,26February1992.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
MichaelGEUENICH
OpinionontheproposalforaCouncilDecisionadoptingtheAnnualEconomicReport1991/
1992ontheeconomicsituationintheCommunityanddeterminingtheeconomicpolicy
orientationfortheCommunityin1992—AnnualEconomicReport1991/1992
(92/C98/15)
On23December1991theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee,
inaccordancewithCouncilDecision90/141/EECof12March1990ontheattainmentof
progressiveconvergenceofeconomicpoliciesandperformanceduringStageOneofEconomic
andMonetaryUnion(EMU),ontheabovementioned proposal.
Atits293rdPlenarySession(meetingof29January1992)theEconomicandSocialCommittee
adopteditsOpiniononthisreport(doc.ESC92/92).
On26November1991and17DecembertheCommitteeBureaudecidedtodrawupan
AdditionalOpiniononthesubject.
TheSectionforEconomic,FinancialandMonetaryQuestions,whichwasresponsiblefor
preparingtheCommittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon13February1992.
TheRapporteurwasMrPompen.
Atits294thPlenarySession(meetingof27February1992),theEconomicandSocial
CommitteeadoptedthefollowingAdditionalOpinionbyamajorityvote,with5abstentions .
1.TheCommission'sanalysisandforecasts 1.1.1.Themajorreasonsareasfollows:
1.1.Worldeconomicgrowthhaspracticallyground
toahalt(0,2%).Growthinworldtradehasslumped
from7%in1987to2%in1991.thedeclineineconomicactivityaffecting,inparticu­
lar,anumberofmajorindustrializednations,such
astheUS,theUKandCanada,