28. 11.79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 297/13 
Opinion on the proposal for a Regulation establishing a system of aid for the marketing 
of aubergines grown in the French Antilles 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 249 of 3 October 1979, page 6. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 16 August 1979 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic 
and Social Committee in accordance with Article 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 
171st plenary session, held in Brussels on 26 and 27 September 1979. 
The full text of the opinion is a follows: 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the 
European Economic Community, and in particular 
Article 198, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council of 
the European Communities on 16 August 1979 for an 
opinion, 
Having regard to Articles 18 and 46 of its Rules of 
Procedure, 
Having regard to the oral report submitted by the 
rapporteur-general Mr Gavel, 
Having regard to the discussions at its 171st plenary 
session on 26 and 27 September 1979 (meeting of 26 
September 1979), 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
with 12 votes against and six abstention: 
Done at Brussels, 26 September 1979. 
Raffaele VANNI The Committee recognizes the need for Martinique 
and Guadeloupe to try to diversify their agricultural 
production, for example by producing aubergines for 
the European market in the off season. It therefore 
approves the Commission's proposal. In view of the 
fact that the off-season production of aubergines in 
greenhouses is currently being developed in the 
Mediterranean regions of the Community, the 
Committee hopes, however, that the Commission will 
ensure that the implementation of the marketing aid 
system for the French Antilles does not cause 
problems for the Community's Mediterranean 
production. 
It hopes that the Council will adopt as soon as 
possible measures to enable Martinique and 
Guadeloupe to offset the permanent disadvantages of 
their remoteness and climate, as well as aid measures 
to enable them to overcome the major economic and 
social problems caused by the recent cyclone in the 
islands. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
No C 297/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 11.79 
ANNEX 
to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee 
AMENDMENTS REJECTED: 
The following amendments were rejected during the discussion: 
1. First paragraph, second sentence (it therefore approves the Commission's proposal) to be 
replaced by the following: 
'The proposed Regulation needs further examination, however; it is necessary to determine 
whether this is really a Community problem and also to consider the consequences of the 
impending enlargement of the Community.' 
2. Second paragraph to be deleted. 
Reasons 
1. Aubergines do not come under the market regime for fruit and vegetables. Arrangements for 
aubergines should therefore be checked very carefully. The explanatory memorandum does not give 
any details about the common market for aubergines, mentioning only internal French problems 
and the flows of goods from the Antilles to the mother country France. This underlines the fact that 
this is clearly a regional and not a Community problem. 
2. The Committee should not, of its own accord, link any necessary Community aid for the 
production of aubergines, with the general problem of compensating for the Antilles' geographical 
location or above all with assistance connected with the recent cyclone. These are problems of a 
different nature. 
On a more general level, the Committee should refuse to deal with such a matter under urgency 
procedure. The Commission proposal is dated 2 July 1979, the Council asked for an opinion on 
20 August, members received the document on 17 September, the draft opinion of the rapporteur-
general, Mr Gavel, was received on 20 September and the Committee's opinion is to be delivered 
already on 25 September. The documents do not show any need for this subject to be dealt with as 
a matter of urgency. 
Result of the vote: 
for: 19; against: 23; abstentions: 11. 
Opinion on the Commission's proposals concerning the European Community's 
generalized tariff preferences scheme for 1980 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 234 of 17 September 1979. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 31 July 1979, the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic 
and Social Committee in accordance with Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the 
European Economic Community.