10 9 90 Official]ournal of the European Communities ^oC2^B13 
international bodies as the European Tyre and Ram 
Technical COrgani^ation^ETloTCo^ and CE^I. 
3.3.^ This is even more important when one considers 
the disproportionate amount of time required by the 
Commission to adapt to techmcalprogressanumber of 
existing Uirectives,with all the adverse consequences this 
can entail when progress is particularly slow^ 
3.3.A This draft is also based on an ECE Regulation 
which does not cover the fitting of vehicle tyres. The 
Committee therefore calls for the separation of Anne^l^ 
so as to enable harmonised requirements to be retained. 
3.3.8. Idowever, even if this request is not accepted, 
points, which is sometimes misinterpreted, should be spelt 
out more clearly as follows 
^. Thetyre fitted to thesparewheel,ifany,ofavehicle 
must be 
1. The Committee approves the Commission'sproposal 
to comply with the Creels CovernmenCs request for a 
threeDyear extension ofthe time table laid downin decision 
8^3^0^EEC on the restructuring of the system of 
agricultural surveys in Creece and to increase the 
Community'scontnbution to this operation from one third 
to two thirds for the years 1991, 1992 and 1993. 
2. The austerity plan introduced by the Creels CovernD 
mentin!98^ has meant that it has not been possible to 
adhereto the timetable laid down in the Council Uecision, 
l^encean extension oftheoperations and anincrease in the 
Community contribution — although the original ceiling — identical to one of the tyres fitted to or approved for 
the vehicle, or 
— of the type defined in Anne^H, point 2.3B^ of the 
Council Uirective on pneumatic tyres for motor 
vehicles and their trailers, or 
— of the type defined in Anne^H, point 2.3.^ of that 
UirectiveB 
^L ^here a temporary spare wheel is mounted, the 
restrictions onuse contributing to the attammentof the 
desiredsafety levelshouldbespecified by analogy with 
ECE Regulations 
UoneatBrussels,^]ulyl990, 
of ECU 20 million remains — are vitalThe Committee 
noted in its opinion of 2B^ March 198^ on the same subject. 
^tisessentialthattheCreel^systemforcompilmgand 
processing agricultural statistics should be aligned with the 
systems in force in the otherMember States in order to 
ensure that reliable and comparable data is available for all 
the Member States ^B 
3. Bearing in mind thedifficultiesmherentin restructure 
ing the system of agricultural surveys in Creece, the 
Committee regrets that the Commission turned down the COpiuiou on the proposal for a Council decision ameudu^g Excision 8^3^0^EEC on the 
restructurrng of the system of agricultural surveys iu Greece ^^ 
^90^C22^0^ 
On 23 May 1990 the Council decided to consult the Economic and SocialCommittee,under 
Article 198oftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommumty,ontheabovementioned 
proposal. 
The Section for Agriculture and Eishenes,which was responsible for preparing the Committee's 
worl^ on the subject, adopted its opinion on^]une!990.The rapporteur was Mr Uassis. 
At its 2^8th plenary session ^meeting of^]uly 1990^ the Economic and Social Committee adopted 
the following opinion unanimously. 
^ot^ei^,^ i^D^ ^o^Dei^i^^^ 
No C 225/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 10. 9. 90 
Greek Government's original request for an average 
Community participation rate of ± 75 % over the entire 
programme. 
1. General comments 
1.1. The Committee welcomes the proposal in that it 
represents the first official if limited Community initiative 
to be taken in support of older people. In a Community 
with 100 million people over the age of 50 — almost a third 
of Europe's population, with 20 % of the labour force also 
over 50, and with a rapidly increasing number of very old 
people, this is indeed a matter which concerns us all. The 
Commission was therefore right to announce in the Social 
Action Programme accompanying the Social Charter that, 
whilst Member States at national, regional or local level, 
are primarily and directly responsible for action in this 
area, the Community should also 'indicate the importance 
that it attaches' to the requirements and positive contri­
bution of such a large section of its population (2). 
1.2. In the light of the above statement, the Committee 
would urge the Commission to carry through its own stated 
thinking on the subject, in favour of a proposal more 
ambitious in scope and content, more rigorous in terms of 
political commitment and timescale, and more demonstrat­
ive of the 'importance' which it attaches to the situation of 
older people, which includes those still in work, the retired, 
those who are active and those who are dependent (i.e. 
(!) OJ No C 120, 16. 5. 1990, p. 8. 
(2) Communication from the Commission concerning its Action 
Programme relating to the implementation of the Community 
charter of basic social rights for workers [doc. COM(89) 568 
final of 29 November 1989]. 3.1. It would therefore ask the Council to take account 
of this request and to comply with it as far as possible. 
Done at Brussels, 4 July 1990. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alberto MASPRONE 
physically active but mentally impaired, or physically frail 
but mentally alert). 
2. Specific comments 
2.1. In the first recital of the draft Decision, the 
Commission correctly draws attention to various resol­
utions from the European Parliament regarding the elderly. 
It is also useful in this context to refer to the Economic and 
Social Committee's 'Information report on the de­
mographic situation in the Community' (3), notably the 
sections on birth rates and on the ageing labour force, the 
repercussions for public finances, the volume and structure 
of consumption, savings and investment, etc. 
2.1.1. Likewise, reference should also be made to the 
two recent and positive ESC opinions on the 'Right of 
residence for employees and self-employed persons who 
have ceased their occupational activity' (4) and on 'Basic 
Community social rights' (5), in which the right to proper 
health protection, to proper sickness and social insurance 
cover and to a proper pension was underlined. 
2.1.2. The Directives and final draft Directive on equal 
treatment between men and women as regards occup­
ational and statutory social security and pension schemes 
should also be mentioned. 
(3) Brochure, Brussels 1986. 
(«) OJ No C 329, 30. 12. 1989. 
(5) OJ No C 126, 23. 5. 1989. Opinion on the communication on the elderly (*) 
(90/C 225/07) 
On 7 May 1990 the Council of the European Communities decided to consult the Economic and 
Social Committee, under Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the European Economic 
Community, on the abovementioned proposal. 
The Section for Social, Family, Educational and Cultural Affairs, which was responsible for 
preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 8 June 1990. The 
rapporteur was Mrs Williams. 
At its 278th plenary session (meeting of 4 July 1990) the Economic and Social Committee adopted 
the following opinion by a majority vote in favour, with two votes against and one abstention.