8. 3. 78 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 59/39 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Decision  adopting  a programme  of research  and 
development  for the European  Atomic  Energy  Community  on uranium  exploration  and 
uranium  extraction 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has been  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 226  of 22 September  1977,  page  3. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 25 August  1977  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic  and 
Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Articles  7 and  170  of the Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Atomic  Energy  Community. 
B. OPINION  OF THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  prepared  its opinion  on the above  matter  at its 153rd 
plenary  session  held  in Brussels  on 23 and  24 November  1977. 
The full text  of the opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the Treaty  establishing  the European 
Atomic  Energy  Community,  and  in particular  Articles  7 
and 170  thereof, 
Having  regard  to the request  for an opinion  which  the 
Council  of the  European  Communities  made  on 25 
August  1977, 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by its Bureau  on 27 
September  1977  instructing  the Section  for Energy  and 
Nuclear  Questions  to draw  up an opinion  and  a report 
on the matter, 
Having  regard  to the opinion  adopted  at that  Section's 
36th  meeting  held  on 11 November  1977, 
Having  regard  to the oral  report  submitted  by the rap-
porteur,  Mr Preben  Nielsen, 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 153rd  plenary 
session  held  on 23 and  24 November  1977  (meeting  of 
24 November), 
Whereas  it is of capital  importance  that  the Community 
ensure  the security  of its uranium  supplies,  in view  of 
the importance  of uranium  to the Community's  energy 
supply  and  the Community's  dependence  on imported 
uranium; HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
unanimously: 
1. The  Committee  approves  the  Commission's  pro-
posal. 
2. It believes  that  the development  of the Community's 
indigenous  resources  of natural  uranium  can  best  be 
encouraged  by: 
— supporting  uranium  prospecting  work, 
— developing  new  techniques  for  prospecting  and 
extraction. 
3. On  the first  point,  the Committee  notes  with  satis-
faction  that  the Commission  on 23 July  1976  adopted  a 
Regulation  (Euratom)  No 2014/76  on the support  of 
projects  concerning  uranium  prospecting  programmes 
within  the  territories  of the  Member  States  (1). One 
million  units  of account  has  already  been  allocated 
under  this  Regulation  in 1976  and  the Commission  is 
working  on a second  tranche  of five  million  units  of 
account  from  the 1977  budget  for a three-year  period 
and is seeking  11-5  million  units  of account  in the 1978 
Whereas  it is in the Community's  interest  to develop 
existing  resources  within  its own  borders, (!) OJ No L 221,  14. 8. 1976,  p. 17. 
No C 59/40 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 8. 3. 78 
budget  (also  for a three-year  period  with  4 4 million  in 
1978).  While  these  sums  are relatively  small,  the Com-
mittee  nevertheless  believes  they  can  have  a useful 
stimulating  effect. 
4. The  Committee  regards  the second  measure,  which  is 
the subject  of the current  proposal,  as a natural  com-
plement  to the first.  Given  that  the geological  conditions 
of the main  potential  uranium  areas  in the Community 
require  the  use  of sophisticated  detection  techniques, 
and given  that  new  extraction  technology  would  prob-
ably be needed  to exploit  any  finds,  it is logical  that  the 
Community  should  concentrate  its research  and  de-
velopment  effort  on these  areas.  While  the Committee  is 
not in a position  to pass  judgement  on the  detailed 
technical  aspects  of the  proposed  fields  for study,  it 
nevertheless  endorses  the Commission's  thinking  from 
an overall  policy  viewpoint. 
5. The  Committee  approves  the  expenditure  of 4-65 
million  units  of account  on the Community  budget  for indirect  action  research  and  development  for an initial 
period  of three  years  (1978  to 1980). 
6. Towards  the  end  of the  three-year  period,  the 
Commission  should  review  the  operation  of the  pro-
gramme  with  a view  to strengthening  Community 
activity  in this  field. 
7. The  Committee  endorses  the creation  of an Advisory 
Committee  on Programme  Management  to assist  the 
Commission  on natural  uranium  research  and  develop-
ment.  At the same  time,  special  care  must  be taken  to 
ensure  close  policy  coordination  between  this  research 
and development  work  and  Commission  assistance  for 
exploration  work,  granted  under  Regulation  (Euratom) 
No 2014/76. 
Done  at Brussels,  24 November  1977. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI