No C 269/34 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 13. 11. 78 
2.7. In  relation  to Annex  2A, the Committee  wonders 
how the allocation  of the various  research  programmes  is 
to be distributed  between  the various  countries,  especially 
as no reference  is made  to the role  of the non-Member 
States  involved  in the programme. 2.8. In  relation  to Annex  2B3,  the Committee  thinks 
that there  is some  ambiguity  about  the exact  composition 
of the Concerted  Action  Committee  and the status  of its 
members.  Are  representatives  from  non-Member  States 
contributing  to the programme  included  in membership 
of the  Committee?  The  Committee  thinks  that  these 
points  should  be clarified  in the Commission's  proposal. 
Done  at Brussels,  31 May  1978. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Decision  adopting  a European  Economic  Community 
concerted  action  in the field  of physico-chemical  behaviour  of atmospheric  pollutants 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has been  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 55 of 4 March  1978,  page  3. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 16 February  1978,  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 159th 
plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 31 May  and  19 June  1978. 
The full text  of the opinion  is as follows: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the Treaty  establishing  the European 
Economic  Community,  and  in particular  Article  198 
thereof, 
Having  regard  to the request  which  the Council  of the 
European  Communities  made  on 16 February  1978  for an 
opinion, 
Having  regard  to the Committee  chairman's  decision  of 
6 March  1978  to entrust  the Section  for Protection  of the 
Environment,  Public  Health  and  Consumer  Affairs  with 
the preparation  of an opinion  and report  on the matter; 
Having  regard  to the opinion  issued  by the Section  for 
Protection  of the  Environment,  Public  Health  and 
Consumer  Affairs  at its meeting  on 2 and  3 May  1978, Having  regard  to the report  made  by Miss  Roberts, 
rapporteur, 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 159th  plenary 
session,  held  on 31 May  and  1 June  1978  (meeting  of 
31 May  1978), 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
by a unanimous  vote: 
1. The  Committee  applauds  the Commission  proposal, 
which  seeks  to improve  knowledge  on the  physico-
chemical  behaviour  of atmospheric  pollutants.  A more 
thorough  knowledge  of such  behaviour  is a prerequisite 
13. 11. 78 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 269/35 
for action  consistent  with  the objectives  specified  in the 
Community  Environmental  Action  Programme. 
2. The  Committee  also  welcomes  the  proposal  to 
involve  non-Member  States  in research.  Such  involvement 
will undoubtedly  shed  more  light  on the problems  to be 
resolved. 
3. The  Committee  stresses  the  importance  of 
disseminating  the  results  of research  and  therefore 
wonders  if it would  not  be appropriate  to tighten  up 
Article  5 of the draft  Decision.  As it stands,  Member  States 
need  not publish  results  in full.  This  would  completely 
undermine  the whole  idea  of disseminating  information, 
which,  as the  Advisory  Committee  on Programme 
Management  has stressed  in its opinion,  is the cornerstone 
of Community  action.  The Committee  takes  the view  that 
information  should  be disseminated  in accordance  with 
the arrangements  governing  research  on sulphur  dioxide in the atmosphere  (COST  Project  61 a). The  reports 
should  be published  periodically,  even  if they  are 
incomplete.  There  might,  at the outside,  be a case  for 
restricting  the dissemination  of data  on specific  areas,  but 
there  can  be no question  of this  becoming  standard 
practice. 
4. It  is proposed  that  the 'concerted  action'  should  run 
for four  years.  Given  the complexity  and  scale  of the 
programme,  four  years  may  not be long  enough.  The 
measures  taken  by  the  Member  States  and  the 
Commission  should,  if possible,  yield  concrete  results 
during  the  programme's  lifespan,  even  if these  are 
incomplete. 
5. The  Committee  is anxious  that  the concerted  action 
should  receive  adequate  funds  to allow  it to be pursued 
with success. 
Done  at Brussels,  31 May  1978. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
Opinion  on the proposal  for a Council  Directive  amending  Directive  73/173/EEC  on the 
approximation  of Member  States'  laws,  regulations  and administrative  provisions  relating  to 
the classification,  packaging  and  labelling  of dangerous  preparations  (solvents) 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has been  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 25 of 31 January  1978,  page  4. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 23 January  1978,  the Council  referred  the abovementioned  proposal  to the Economic  and 
Social  Committee  in accordance  with  Article  100  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 159th 
plenary  session,  held  in Brussels  on 31 May  and  1 June  1978. 
The full text  of the opinion  is as follows: