26.7.93 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC201/59
OpinionontheCommissionCommunication ontheoperationoftheCommunity'sinternal
marketafter1992—Follow-uptotheSutherlandReport
(93/C201/19)
On28January1993theEconomicandSocialCommittee,actingunderthefourthparagraph
ofArticle20ofitsRulesofProcedure,decidedtodrawupanOpinionontheCommission
Communication ontheoperationoftheCommunity'sinternalmarketafter1992—Follow­
uptotheSutherlandReport.
TheSectionforIndustry,Commerce,CraftsandServices,whichwasresponsibleforpreparing
theCommittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon5May1993.TheRapporteur
wasMrSchmitzandtheCo-Rapporteur wasMrsRobinson.
Atits306thPlenarySession(meetingof27May1993),theEconomicandSocialCommittee
adoptedthefollowingOpinionwithnodissentingvotesandtwoabstentions.
1.Foreword 1.3.ThegrowingcredibilitygapinEuropestems
fromthelackoftransparencyinCommunitylegislation
andfromthemaninthestreet'slackofconfidencein
theCommunitydecision-making process.Thisraises
thequestionofhowconfidence-building measurescan
beusedtoinitiateon-goingdialoguebetweena)the
Communitybodiesandb)Europeancitizensandthe
economicoperators.1.1.TheSutherlandReportandthesubsequent
CommissionCommunication (J)requirethorough
examination .TheEconomicandSocialCommitteewill
bereviewingbothofthesedocumentsindetailandwill
issueanadditionalOpinionontheircontentslaterin
theyear.TheadditionalOpinionwillscrutinizethe
draftingofInternalMarketlegislation,itstransposition
intonationallawanditssubsequentapplicationby
theMemberStates.Inparticular,theCommitteewill
undertakeacriticalanalysisoftheCommunication and
theSutherlandReport'srecommendations on:Becauseitrepresentsorganizedsocialandeconomic
forces,theESCplaysanimportantpart,throughits
publicdebatesandtheOpinionsitissues,insecuring
thesocialcohesionwhichmustnecessarilyaccompany
Europeanintegration .Institutionalized dialoguewithin
theESCplaysanimportantpartinre-establishingthe
credibilityofEuropeandregainingtheconfidenceof
thecitizens.—trustbetweenconsumers,workersandentrep­
reneurs;
—thetransparenceandconsistencyoftheCommunity
legislativesystem;
administrative andlegalcooperationbetweenthe
CommunityandtheMemberStates;and
subsidiarity . 2.Introductoryremarks
2.1.TheCommitteeattachesgreatimportancetothe
SutherlandReport.Thetimeisrightforaninterim
stock-takingofthepracticalimpactoftheInternal
Marketrules,andtheReport'srecommendations arean
extremelyusefulbasisfordiscussioninthisconnection .1.2.AstheCouncilhasalreadystartedtodiscussthe
twodocuments,theCommitteewishesforthwithto
highlightanumberofkeyissuesraisedbytheSuther­
land(2)Report,inparticulartheESC'sroleinthe
implementation andfurthershapingoftheInternal
Market.Theissuesonwhichwewishtofocusare:the
consultationprocessinthepreparationoflegislation,
thetransparencyoftheconsultationprocess,the
relationofspecificinterestgroupstotheESC,andthe
methodsbywhichinformationonthepracticaleffects
ofsinglemarketrulesisgathered.
2.2.Fromtheoutset,theCommitteehaswelcomed
theobjectiveofcompletingtheInternalMarket.How­
ever,ithasneverseentheInternalMarketasanend
initself,butratherasanimportantinstrumentfor
improvingtheEC'seconomicefficiency,thusmaking
amajorcontributiontoemploymentandtoimproving
thewelfareofCommunitycitizens.(1)SEC(92)2277final.
(2)Recommendations 8and9,p.24oftheReport.

NoC201/60 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities26.7.93
transparency,administration andlegalenforcement .
(TheCommitteewillconsidertheseaspectsinits
additionalOpinion.)2.3.Alegalframeworkisneededtosafeguardthe
practicaloperationoftheInternalMarket,inparticular
thefourfreedomsI1),andtosecureahighlevelof
health,safety,environmental andconsumerprotec­
tion^).Thisframework,embracingcompetition,con­
sumer,environmentandsocialpolicies,involves
responsibilitiesandcostsfortheeconomicactorsand
needstobefeasible.Itmustbebasedonsoundevidence
andresearch.Italsoneedstoinvolvethosewhohave
toimplementitsdetailedprovisions—withouttheir
cooperation,theobjectivescannotberealized.3.3.Inadditiontothepropertranspositionofthe
InternalMarketrulesintonationallawandtheiractual
application,thequestionarisesastohowfarexisting
lawsareappropriate,whethertheyrequirerevision,
andwhetheradditionallegislationisneeded.
3.3.1.Sincetherehasasyetbeenrelativelylittle
practicalexperiencewiththelargevolumeofnew
InternalMarketlegislation,theCommitteesoundsa
warningagainstdevelopingtoomanynewlegalinitiat­
ivesontheInternalMarketatthispoint.
3.3.2.TheCommitteeconsidersthatproceduresfor
draftingorrevisingnewCommunityInternalMarket
legislationoftenfailtoprovideforadequate,appropri­
ateformsofconsultationoftheinterestedparties.The
SutherlandReportrightlypointedthisout.2.4.Thepracticaleffectsoflegislationandthe
capacityoftheeconomicactorstoimplementitwithout
unduestraincanonlybejudgedifaconstructiveprocess
ofconsultationisundertakenpriortothepublication
oflegislation.TheSutherlandReportpointedoutthat
inmanycases,consumersandentrepreneurshavenot
beenproperlyconsultedorinvolvedinthelegislative
draftingprocess.Thiscouldbeconstruedtomeanthat
othergroupssuchasworkers(workers'organizations )
havebeenproperlyconsultedorinvolvedinthelegislat­
ivedraftingprocess.However,thisisnotthecase.
2.5.AsregardstheCommittee,theSutherland
Reportstates:'ConsultationoftheEconomicandSocial
Committee,althoughmandatory,isbyitselfinsufficient
(ittakesplaceonlyoncethepreparatoryworkhasbeen
completed)'(3).4.Roleoftheeconomicandsocialinterestgroupsand
oftheCommitteeinshapingandimplementingthe
Communitylegislativeprocess
3.Generalcomments4.1.TheEconomicandSocialCommitteehasakey
roletoplayinconsolidatingtheInternalMarket,within
theEClegislativeprocessandincheckingandcomplet­
ingexistingprovisions,interaliaonthebasisonan
analysisoftheirimpact.
3.1.By31March1993theCouncilhadadopted
95%ofthelegislationsetoutintheInternalMarket
WhitePaper.However,itisnotcleartowhatextent
thislegislation—particularlydirectives—hasbeenfully
transposedintonationallawinallMemberStates.In
manycasestheCommissionhasbeenobligedtoresort
totheEuropeanCourtofJusticetosecurethelegal
implementation ofInternalMarketlegislation.(The
Committeewillreturntothisquestioninitsadditional
Opinion.)4.2.WhiletheESCwasestablishedasaconsultative
bodytotheCommunitybytheTreatyofRome,there
areneverthelessanumberofconsultativecommittees,
someofthemsectoral,whichplayanimportantroleat
Communitylevel.Butitisoftenunclearwhatremit
theseothercommitteeshave-,whethertheyaretruly
representative ,andwheretheystandinrelationtothe
EconomicandSocialCommittee .Inaddition,their
workunfortunately lackstransparency .
3.2.ApartfromthetranspositionofInternalMarket
rulesintonationallaw,theextenttowhichtheyare
actuallybeingappliedintheMemberStatesneedsto
bestudied.TheSutherlandReportaddressedthisissue
andmadeanumberofmajorproposalswithregardto4.3.Thereisthereforeaneedtoreviewhowthe
relevanteconomicandsocialinterestgroupsaretobe
involvedindraftingCommunitylegislationinfuture,
andwhatroletheexistingconsultativebodiesareto
play.
4.4.TheCommitteestressesthatinvolvementofthe
partiesconcerned—andinparticularoftheirrecognized
representatives —inallphasesofthelegislativeprocess,
andinthepreparatorystagesinparticular,isthehall­
markofapluralistsociety.(J)Freemovementofgoods,persons,servicesandcapital(Art.8a
oftheECTreaty).
(2)EECTreaty,Article100a(3).
(3)SectionII.3(2ndparagraph),p.23.

26.7.93 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC201/61
theCommission'sdecisiononaproposaland(b)the
stagebetweentheCommission'sdecisionandthe
Council'sfinaldecision.
5.2.TheSutherlandReportmakesgeneralrec­
ommendations onthistopic(2)whichtheCommittee
canendorse.ButtheCommitteewishestomakethe
followingconcretesuggestionsbasedontherecommen­
dations.4.4.1.Thevolumeoflegislationinitiatedbythe
EuropeanCommunityhasexpandedsubstantiallyover
recentyears,particularlyasaresultoftheInternal
Marketprogramme .Itisthereforenotsurprisingthat
manyassociationsandundertakingsattempttoinflu­
encethelegislativeprocessbydevelopinglobbiesin
Brussels(*).ThereisalsointensivelobbyingofMinis­
tersonECissuesatthenationallevel.
4.4.2.Lobbyingcreatesproblems,however,whenit
seekstoinfluencesociallyorientateddraftlegislation,
e.g.onenvironmental ,socialandconsumerpolicies,
affectingallcitizens,withoutsufficienttransparency
andpublicsupervision .Thisisamuchgreaterproblem
atCommunitythanatnationallevel.AtCommunity
levelthestrongparliamentarysupervisionwhichisa
featureoftheMemberStatesismissing,anddecisions
emergefromasomewhatfuzzyinteractionbetweenthe
Commission andtheCouncil.Theriskistherefore
muchgreateratCommunitylevelthanatnational
levelthatwell-organized firmsorinterestgroupswith
enoughmoneyandmanpowerwillbeabletowield
disproportionate influence.5.2.1.TheCommissionshouldannouncepublicly
andingoodtimethatitproposestotableCommunity
legislationongivensubjects.Forcomplextopics,the
submissionofaGreenPaperwouldbeveryuseful.
5.2.2.Whereimportantissuesareconcerned,the
relevantinterestgroupsshouldbeinformedandinvited
toattendpublichearings,wellinadvanceoftheCom­
missiondecision.Thisraisesthequestionofwhether
theexistingCommissionadvisorycommitteesshould
continuetooperateintheirpresentform.Inthiscon­
text,moreattentionshouldbepaidtotherepresentativ­
ityoftheinterestgroupsconcernedandthetrans­
parencyofworkingmethods.
5.2.3.TheCommissionshouldrecognizeand
strengthentheroleoftheESCasaconsultativeinsti­
tutionundertheTreatiesforthepublicdisplayofthe
effectsofexistingandproposedlegislation.4.5.Anyexaminationoftheroleofinterestgroups
atCommunitylevelshouldstartwiththefunctionsof
theEconomicandSocialCommittee.UndertheTreaty
ofRome,theCommitteeistheinstitutionalized EC­
levelforumforinterestgroups.TheESCcanactas
aconsensus-building forumforinterestgroups.The
informationwhichsuchgroupshaveisvaluableand
theESCisdependentoncloserelationswithinterest
groups.
4.5.1.AttheCommittee,relevantinterestgroupscan
expresstheirviews.Transparencyisensuredbythe
publicdebateatPlenarySessions.
4.5.2.Asavarietyofinterestgroupsarerepresented
ontheCommittee,itismorethanaplatformfora
broadrangeofinterests:itisalsotheInstitutionwhich
seekstosecureconsensusbetweenthevariousinterests,
inordertopreventanysingleinterestprevailing.5.2.4.TheEECTreatystipulates:TheCommittee
mustbeconsultedbytheCouncilorbytheCommission
wherethisTreatysoprovides.TheCommitteemaybe
consultedbytheseinstitutionsinallcasesinwhichthey
consideritappropriate'(3).TheCommitteeregretsthat
underaunilateralinterpretationoftheTreaty,itisnot
asaruleconsulteduntiltheCommissionhasformally
finalizedproposalsforDirectives,Regulationsor
CouncilDecisions.TheCommitteecallsontheCom­
missiontoconsultitmoreatthedraftingstage.AGreen
Papercanbejustasusefulasaspecificreferraltothe
Committee .
5.ProposalsforinvolvementintheCommunitylegis­
lativeprocess
5.1.InthepreparationofCommunitylegislation,a
distinctionshouldbedrawnbetween(a)thestagebefore5.2.5.FormalconsultationoftheCommitteeafter
theCommissionhasfinalizeditsproposalissomewhat
unsatisfactory .Documentsareoftennotsubmittedin
timeandnotinallofficiallanguages,andtheconsul­
tationproceduredeadlineisoftentight.Consultation
isonlyworthwhilewhenOpinionscanbeadoptedin
timeforthemtoinfluenceParliamentaryandCouncil
decisions .
HCommissionsources(OJNoC63,5.3.1993,p.2,'Anopen
andstructureddialoguebetweentheCommissionandspecial
interestgroups',ThePresentSituation)indicatethatthere
are3000EC-orientedlobbyorganizationsemployingmore
than10000peopleinBrusselsalone.Brusselsthereforecomes
secondonlytoWashingtonintermsoflobbyists.(2)Recommendations Nos8and9,p.24oftheReport.
(3)Article198,paragraph1.

NoC201/62 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities26.7.93
5.2.6.TheCommissionandtheCouncil,inconjunc­
tionwithParliament,shouldconcludeanagreement
withtheCommitteeontheconsultationprocedure.The
agreementshould:
—settletechnicalaspectsofdocumentsubmission
arrangements ,andthetimingandcoordinationof
theconsultationprocedurewithParliamentandthe
Council;
—provideforpossibleconsultationbeforetheCom­
missionfinalizesitsdecision;and
—laydowncriteriaforconsiderationoftheCom­
mittee'sproposalsbytheCommissionandthe
Council.
5.3.InaResolutiononthe1992InternalMarket
programme,theEuropeanParliamentsuggestedtothe
Councilthat'theESCshouldconstituteaforumfor
futuredevelopmentofaCommunityactionplanand
periodicallyanalyzeandstudyitsprogressandimpli­
cationsforbusinesses,consumersandothergroups
representedintheESC'(*).5.3.1.TheCommitteeispleasedthattheParliament
advocatesthisrolefortheESCintheimplementation
andfutureshapingoftheInternalMarketprogramme;
theCommitteesupportstheParliament'sinitiative.
5.3.2.TheCommitteeregretsthattheEuropeanPar­
liamentResolutionrefersonlytobusinessandcon­
sumers.Workersareanotherimportantgroupaffected
inmanywaysbyEuropeanunion.Theyshouldbe
specificallymentioned.
5.3.3.TheCommitteedoesnot,however,interpret
Parliament'sproposalasrequiringarevampofthe
ESC'sorganizationalstructure.TheCommitteeiscon­
fronted,asawholeandthroughtheworkofitsSections,
withtheimplementation andshapingoftheInternal
Market.TheCommitteewillsubmitspecificproposals
onworkingmethods.
Inthisconnection,theCommitteeurgestherecognized
interestgroupsintheMemberStatesandatCommunity
leveltosendtheESCcomplaintsandsuggestionsin
respectoftheCommunitylegislativeprocess.These
complaintsandsuggestionsshouldbeaddressedbythe
ESCwhenitisdealingwiththeCommission'sregular
progressreportsonimplementationoflegislation,and
initsdiscussionsontopicslinkedtotheoperationof
theInternalMarket.f1)EP202.673/fin,ResolutionA3-0401/92,point16,11.
DoneatBrussels,27May1993.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
SusanneTIEMANN