ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES 
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COM (85) 318 
 
 
 
Vol. 1985/0 132 
  
 
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Conformément au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique 
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003 
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents 
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit 
règlement. 
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic 
Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
27.9.2003, p. 1), t his file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this 
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.  
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom 1. 
Februa r 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen  
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI. L 43 vom 15.2.1983,  
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. September 2003  
(ABI. L 243 v om 27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit  
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COMMISSION O F THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
C0MÎ85) 318 final
B russels, 24 June 1985
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL
concerning the programme of measures to promote the use of fibre flax  
for the 1984/85, 1985/86 and 1986/87 marketing years
COM (85) 318 final

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM C- 0 fi Ì > ?
1. Article 1 (3) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 1423/82 concerning the  
measures to promote the use of fibre flax for the marketing years from  
1982/83 to 1986/87 provides that the Commission is to forward to the  
Council the programme of measures which it plans to take.
This Communication contains the programme of these measures for the last  
three marketing years of the five covered by Regulation (EEC) No 1423/82.
2. The programme covers the search for new outlets and, more particularly,  
information campaigns directed at existing and potential users.
In the case of the information campaigns, it is proposed that all the  
funds available should be allocated to the Community market. Since  
insufficient funds are available or full-scale campaigns on both Community  
and non-Community markets, a choice between the two has to be made. The  
Commission feels that priority should be given to the Community market.
The planned measures will have an instructive purpose and will aim in  
particular at boosting the image which flax has acquired in the clothing  
and other textile sectors. The recovery of lost outlets (eg. furnishing,  
household linen) would facilitate the disposal of certain types of flax  
which the clothing sector cannot or can only partially absorb.

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL
concerning the programme of measures to promote the use of fibre flax  
for the 1984/85, 1985/86 and 1986/87 marketing years
1* The Council decided, by Regulation No 1423/82 l, that measures would be  
taken to encourage the use of fibre flax over the period from 1982/83 to  
1986/87. These measures consist of information campaigns and the search  
for new outlets and improved products.
The said Regulation states that the measures are to be adopted by the  
Commission, which is to forward to the Council the programme of measures  
which it plans to introduce. It also states that the measures are to be  
fully financed by withholding a portion of the flat-rate aid granted in  
respect of areas under flax in the Community. In document COM (83) 452  
final the Commission informed the Council of the measures planned for the  
first two of the five marketing years covered by Regulation (EEC)
No 1423/82. The information campaigns (2 200 000 ECU) will end in the  
summer of 1985 and the last contract relating to the search for new  
outlets (130 000 ECU) is due to expire on 31 December 1986.
This communication contains the progranmie which the Commission plans to  
implement for 1984/85, 1985/86 and 1986/87.
2. As regards the financing of these measures, Council Regulation (EEC)
No 1107/84 (fixing the aid per hectare for flax for the 1984/85 marketing  
year) sets the portion of the aid to be withheld at 22.85 ECU per hectare  
for 1984/85. Given the areas under fibre flax (64 500 ha) the total  
available for this marketing year amounts to 1 474 million ECU. Article 2  
of Regulation (EEC) No 1423/82 provides that the portion to be withheld  
for the next two marketing years should be decided when the aid is fixed  
for the year concerned. Without anticipating the decisions on this  
matter, the Commission is putting forward a programme for measures costing  
4 500 million ECU. This estimate is based on the assumption that neither  
the areas sown or the portion of aid withheld will decrease, account also  
being taken of the Commission's proposal relating to the portion of aid to  
be withheld in 1985/86 (22.85 ECU/ha). If necessary, however, the  
progranmie for the third marketing year should be adjusted in the light of  
the fluids actually available. Account can then be taken of quantitative  
and qualitative changes in production and consumption within the Community 
and elsewhere.
‘  0J No L 162, 12.6.1982, p. 19.

-  2 -
3. The broad lines of the programme of measures planned would thus be as  
follows:
(1) Duration of the programme
In order to ensure the necessary continuity and, consequently, the  
effectiveness of the programme, the latter is to be spread over the  
remaining three marketing years as stated in document COM (83) 452,  
subject to possible adjustment (as mentioned in section 2. above).
(2) Search for new outlets and improved products
Increased popularity of flax in the clothing sector indicates that  
the possible outlets for flax in the textile sector as a whole are  
far from being exhausted. Moreover, it is too early to conclude,  
from the limited research conducted so far, that flax has a great  
future in the non-textile sectors (eg. non-woven materials). It  
would thus seem that, for the time being, it would be. best to seek  
ways of expanding the use of flax in the textile sector only.
Given the number of specialised institutes in the flax sector and  
the number and quality of the tenders received in &he< past, it would  
seem best not to increase the percentage set aside for such measures  
(5.6%). It is therefore proposed that the total allocation for this  
purpose should be 350 000 ECU for the period in question.
The purpose of these measures will be to expand the use of flax in  
the textile sector by ascertaining consumer requirements as regards  
one or more specific products consisting wholly or chiefly of flax,  
by devising products which are likely to arouse the interest of  
users and by adapting existing products to the said requirements.
Since consumer tastes change very rapidly it would seem best to  
issue two invitations to tender, each for half the total sum  
available, with the first being issued in autumn 1985, and the  
second early in 1987.
The maximum advantage must also be taken of the research done under  
previous Community programmes. With this in mind, the sum of  
100 000 ECU should be made available for the exploitation of such  
research, including a study of user reactions and the dissemination  
of the knowledge thus acquired.

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3. Measures with an instructive purpose
Given the need to train young users and the genuine interest which young  
people have shown in instructional materials concerning flax (eg. at  
technical colleges), the Commission still considers that part of the  
budget (150 000 ECU) should be set aside for instructional measures.
4. Information campaigns
In view of the foregoing, the sum of 4 million ECU would be available for  
information campaigns.
(a) Geographical spread
Assessment of the campaigns carried out under earlier programmes  
shows:
- that no real impact is made unless the measures taken are on a  
certain scale;
- that a single campaign, provided that it is on a sufficient scale,  
is more worthwhile than several smaller campaigns all the same  
size and more widely spread;
- that the effectiveness of a campaign depends largely on continuity  
and that the message must therefore be constantly repeated.
In the light of these considerations, the Commission feels that the funds  
available are insufficient to achieve the minimum degree of effectiveness  
both on the Community market and on non-Community markets. For political  
and technical reasons (the Community market is more accessible), campaigns  
should be restricted to the Community market, subject to possible  
adjustments as provided for in Section 2 above, despite the fact that the  
campaigns launched on the American market have met with some success.
(b) Sectoral spread
Assessment of past campaigns also shows that flax has succeeded in  
acquiring an image and making a name for itself in the clothing  
sector, thanks to the provision of proper information on its  
characteristics and some remarkably creative ideas.
All the wellknown designers have rediscovered flax and the younger  
generation of stylists use it for all purposes.

- 4 -
The Commission considers that flax will win back customers in the other  
textile sectors (furnishing, household linen) provided that the proper  
message is put across, namely that flax styles are "distinctive" styles.
The purpose of the proposed measures should therefore be to extend to  
other sectors the image which flax has acquired in the clothing sector.
No single textile sector would receive special attention but every effort  
would be made to promote flax within the same framework of ideas (youthful  
and distinctive styles) as was used to win over designers, stylists antjl  
the retail trade.
The same information channels can be used as in the past but in future:
1. the emphasis should be shifted to the idea of "distinctive style";
2. the harmonization of the various measures must be improved.
5. The Commission will take greater care to ensure that its programme is
carried out in complete harmony with the measures taken by the flax trade  
itself. The latter plan to step up their efforts to increase the use of  
flax. Any duplication or inconsistency should therefore be avoided.
Like the wool and cotton industries, the flax industry has been trying for  
some time to reach the targets of its promotion and information campaigns  
by using a symbol (logo or label) to emphasise the special nature of flax.  
The positive results obtained by this technique, particularly in the  
clothing industry, have led the Commission to advocate its use. The  
Commission hopes in this way to achieve the same success in the other  
textile sectors. The Commission thus proposes that customers should be  
made more aware of flax by the widespread use of a (new or existing)  
symbol whereby the image acquired in the clothing industry can become more  
widely known in all the textile sectors.
6. The Commission reserves the right to review this programme in the light of  
the needs arising when the programme is drawn up and the validity of the  
proposals submitted. The Council will be informed of any major changes to  
the programme, depending in particular on the funds which are eventually  
allocated.