15.3.75 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 62/21 
8. The  Committee  further  considers  that  in the 
near future  the interventions  set out in this  Directive 
should  be coordinated  with  those  arising  out  of the 
regional  development  policy  and  the draft  Regulation 
on priority  agricultural  regions,  whose  adoption  is to 
be desired. Done  at Brussels,  30 January  1975. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Henri  CANONGE 
Opinion  on the 
— Commission  report  to the  Council  on the  situation  regarding  the production  and 
marketing  of hops  for the 1973  harvest 
— proposal  for a Council  Regulation  laying  down,  in respect  of hops,  the amount  of 
aid to producers  for the 1973  harvest 
The text  referred  to the Committee  was  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 147  of 26 November  1974,  pages  14 and  15. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 13 November  1974,  the Council  referred  the  abovementioned  documents  to the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  under  Article  198  of the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community. 
B. OPINION  OF THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  drew  up its Opinion  at its 127th  plenary  session, 
held in Brussels  on 29 and  30 January  1975. 
The Opinion  is published  below: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the referral  on 13 November  1974 
by the Council  of the European  Communities; 
Having  regard  to Articles  47 and  198  of the Treaty 
establishing  the European  Economic  Community; Agriculture  to prepare  the Committee's  work  on the 
matter; 
Having  regard  to its past  work  in this  field  and,  more 
specifically,  its Opinion  of 23 June  1971  (*) 
Having  regard  to the  report  submitted  by  the 
Rapporteur,  Mr Bernaert; 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by its Bureau  on 
26 November  1974  instructing  the  Section  for 
No C 62/22 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 15. 3. 75 
Having  regard  to the Opinion  adopted  by the Section 
for Agriculture  at its meeting  on 16 January  1975; 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 127th  plenary 
session  of 29 and  30 January  1975  (meeting  of 30 
January  1975), 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION other,  producer  organizations  play  a critical  role,  as 
regards  both  the procedures  used  for calculating  aids, 
and the balancing  out of supply  and  demand.  Despite 
the important  measures  taken  by the Commission  on 
behalf  of  producer  groups  (promoting  their 
formation,  changeovers  to different  hop  varieties, 
etc.),  the  Committee  finds  that  the  number  of hop 
growers  belonging  to recognized  producer  groups 
(6 277 out  of 10  584 growers  in 1973)  is still 
insufficient  to ensure  that  the  market  organization 
functions  smoothly.  The  Committee  feels  that 
consideration  could  be given  to additional  incentives 
for hop  growers  to join  recognized  producer  groups. 
by a unanimous  Vote: 
The Committee  approves  the  proposals,  subject  to 
the following  comments: 
1. The  Committee  points  out that  Article  11 of the 
basic  Regulation  on the common  organization  of the 
market  in hops  stipulates  that  the Commission  has to 
submit  to the  Council  each  year  before  30 April  a 
report  on the situation  regarding  the production  and 
marketing  of hops.  This  report  is to be used  as a 
basis  for calculating  the aids  provided  for in the basic 
Regulation.  It is a matter  for particular  regret  that  the 
present  report  — which  is to determine  the amount 
of aids  for the 1973  harvest  — is considerably  late  in 
being  submitted.  The  disadvantages  of this  delay  for 
producers  are aggravated  by the inflation  experienced 
in the period  under  review. 4. As  regards  balance  between  supply  and 
demand,  the Committee  stresses  that,  as things  stand 
at present,  demand  for hops  and  products  from  hops 
is very  concentrated  since  breweries  are virtually  the 
sole outlet.  Consequently  it is particularly  necessary 
to ensure  a proper  balance  between  Community 
production  on the one  hand,  and  outlets  inside  and 
outside  the  Community  on the  other.  With  this  in 
mind,  the Committee  points  out that,  if circumstances 
so require,  it will  be possible  to invoke  Article  12 (4) 
of Regulation  (EEC)  No  1696/71,  which  states  that 
where  there  is a 'risk  of creating  structural  surpluses 
or a disturbance  in the  supply  structure  of the 
Community  hop  market,  the granting  of aid may  be 
limited  to an amount  corresponding  to a given  area 
on the  basis  of the  average  of the  areas  cultivated 
during  the three  years  preceding  that  under  review'. 
2. After  three  years'  application  of the  method 
stipulated  in the basic  Regulation  for the calculation 
of aids,  the Committee  finds  that  this  method,  which 
entails  carrying  out  the  relevant  calculations  after  a 
lapse  of more  than  one  year  after  the  harvest,  is 
inherently  incapable  of enabling  the  fundamental 
objectives  of the  common  organization  of the 
markets  to be  attained,  particularly  as regards 
satisfactory  incomes  for hop  growers.  The  Committee 
observes  that  the Commission  shares  this  concern.  It 
takes  note  of the Commission's  intention  to examine 
to what  extent  a different  system  could  be applied  in 
the Community.  The  Committee  trusts  that  this 
review  will  be carried  out without  delay  and  urges  the 
Commission  to make  provision,  in due  course,  for 
consulting  it on  this  necessary  amendment  of 
Regulation  (EEC)  No 1696/71. 5. In  general  terms  the  Committee  approves  the 
criteria  underlying  the  Commission's  proposals. 
These  criteria  have  led the  Commission  to propose 
that aids  should  be calculated  in such  a way  as to 
ensure  that,  under  normal  production  conditions, 
producers  will  receive,  irrespective  of the  variety  of 
hops  they  grow  an average  return  per hectare  of the 
order  of 3 200 u.a.  The  Committee,  however,  feels 
that outlets  and  the  need  to steer  Community 
production  towards  the  growing  of high-grade 
products  should  also  be borne  in mind  when  aid 
levels  are fixed  for the various  varieties  of hops.  But 
in view  of the fact  that  the market  for hops  is mainly 
run on the  basis  of sales  contracts,  which  for  the 
most  part  are entered  into  several  years  in advance, 
the Committee  considers  that  maximum  account 
should  be taken  of the possible  effects  of inflation. 
3. The  Commission  points  out  that  in  this  6.  Community  producers  express  very  different 
particular  branch  of agriculture,  more  than  in any  opinions  about  the  amount  proposed  by  the 
15. 3. 75 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 62/23 
Commission,  and  particularly  those  for  eight 
varieties: 
— Hallertauer, 
— Record, 
— Hersbrucker, 
— Huller  Bitterer, 
— Spalter, 
— Tettnanger, 
— Goldings, 
— Strisselspalt. The Committee  takes  note  of the  different  comments 
on the  amounts  of aid  to be granted  for  the  various 
varieties.  It feels  that  these  comments  deserve  to be 
examined  with  the utmost  care  but does  not  intend  to 
take  a stand  thereon,  inter  alia  because  the 
Commission  is proposing  to review  the basic  rules  for 
the hops  sector.  Pending  the  review,  and  in the  light 
of the  comments  made  in  paragraph  5,  the 
Committee  asks  the Commission  to satisfy  itself  that 
the present  proposals  will  in  practice  provide 
Community  hop  growers  with  the  target  sum  of 
3 200  u.a.  per hectare  for the 1973  harvest. 
Done  at Brussels,  30 January  1975. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic  and  Social  Committee 
Henri  CANONGE 
Opinion  on the  communication  to the  Council  on the  problems  of the  pulp,  paper  and 
paperboard  industry 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has  not  been  published  in the Official  Journal  of the 
European  Communities. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 10 April  1974,  the  Council  referred  the  abovementioned  communication  to the 
Economic  and  Social  Committee  under  Article  198  of the  Treaty  establishing  the 
European  Economic  Community. 
B. OPINION  OF  THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE 
The Economic  and  Social  Committee  drew  up its Opinion  at its 127th  plenary  session, 
held  in Brussels  on 29 and  30 January  1975. 
The Opinion  is published  below: 
THE  ECONOMIC  AND  SOCIAL  COMMITTEE, 
Having  regard  to the referral  on 11 April  1974  by the 
Council  of  the  European  Communities,  of  the 
communication  to the  Council  on the  problems  of 
the pulp,  paper  and  paperboard  industry; 
Having  regard  to  Article  198  of  the  Treaty 
establishing  the European  Economic  Community; Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by its Bureau  on 
2 May  1974,  instructing  the  Section  for  Industry, 
Commerce,  Crafts  and  Services  to draw  up  an 
Opinion  and  a report  on the matter; 
Having  regard  to the  Opinion  adopted  on 8 January 
1975  by the  Section  for  Industry,  Commerce,  Crafts 
and Services;