No C 358/50 Official Journal of the European Communities 31.12.83 
— more intensive R &D (advice for farmers) designed to improve oleaginous and protein 
yields and varieties, 
— extending the present policy of production support for protein crops to a wider range of 
high-protein products.' 
Voting: 
For: large majority, against: 4, abstentions: 19. 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation establishing a Community scheme to 
provide forests in the Community with increased protection against fire and acid rain 
The text referred to the Committee has not yet been published in the Official Journal 
of the European Communities. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 11. July 1983 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 
211th plenary session held in Brussels on 26 and 27 October 1983. 
The full text of the opinion is as follows: 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the Euro­
pean Economic Community, and in particular 
Article 198 thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council 
of the European Communities on 11 July 1983 for 
an opinion on the proposal for a Council Regula­
tion establishing a Community scheme to provide 
forests in the Community with increased protection 
against fire and acid rain, 
Having regard to Article 18 of its Rules of Proce­
dure, 
Having regard to the oral report made by the rap­
porteur, Mr Schnieders, 
Having regard to the proceedings at its 211th plen­
ary session held on 26 and 27 October 1983 (meeting 
of 27 October 1983), by a unanimous vote: 
1. The Committee welcomes the Commission's 
proposal. The damage to forests, forest floors and 
lakes, which has an incalculable impact on the ecol­
ogical balance and the economy of the EC Member 
States, has reached alarming proportions. Several 
hundred thousand hectares of forest have already 
been destroyed by acid rain and fires. 
2. The Committee deplores the fact that, as there is 
no common forestry policy, the EC Commission has 
few means of tackling the forest-damage problem. 
The Committee would draw attention once again to 
its opinion of 22 May 1979 on the establishment of 
a common forestry policy ('). 
(') OJ No C 227, 10. 9. 1979. 
31. 12.83 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 358/51 
3.1. Forest fires 
3.1.1. Forest fires destroy several hundred thou­
sand hectares of forest every year, particularly in the 
Mediterranean regions. The Committee considers 
that the countermeasures proposed by the Commis­
sion must be supplemented by action to eliminate 
the causes of the fires. Factors which promote or 
cause fires include: building-land speculation, 
depopulation and measures taken by shepherds to 
secure grazing land. The Committee recognizes that 
eliminatibn of the causes of forest fires is a long-
term task (which could perhaps be carried out 
within the framework of the Mediterranean or 
regional programmes) and should be backed up by a 
campaign, in all Member States, to teach the public 
to show a responsible attitude towards nature. As 
the measures to eliminate the causes of fires are not 
likely to bear fruit for a considerable time to come, 
the Committee calls for early implementation of the 
Commission's proposals. 
3.1.2. In the Committee's view the level of the 
Community's financial contribution should be 
reviewed. Instead of having blanket measures laying 
down set levels of contributions, arrangements 
should be introduced which are more in line with 
needs and financial possibilities. 
3.2. Acid rain 
3.2.1. The Commission's proposal forms part of 
the general drive to deal with damage to forests 
caused by air pollution. The acute danger threaten­
ing European forests is recognized, as is the need 
for immediate action in all of the Member States. 
On 8 April 1983 the Commission submitted the final 
version of the draft Council Directive on measures 
to combat air pollution from industrial plants. It has 
also announced its intention of submitting, before 
the end of the year, a draft Directive to limit emis­
sions from large furnaces. There is also a need for 
concrete steps to be taken to implement the Interna­
tional Convention on Clear Air which came into 
force on 16 March 1983. 
3.2.2. In the present draft Regulation the Commis­
sion proposes only the establishment of a 'network 
to monitor forest health in the Community'. This is 
Done at Brussels, 27 October 1983. not enough. What is required is comprehensive surv­
eying and recording of forestry damage in all Mem­
ber States. The draft Regulation should be amended 
accordingly (Article 7). It is also important in this 
connection to make it mandatory for Member States 
to collect data and to communicate their findings. 
3.2.3. Appropriate methods and criteria must be 
adopted, within the framework of the proposed 
Community scheme, with a view to bringing about a 
harmonized procedure for the comprehensive 
survey, registration and assessment of damage to 
forests in all Member States. This would involve (i) 
methods and criteria for recording forestry damage, 
(ii) measurement of air pollution (iii) criteria for 
assessing damage and predicting future trends. 
3.2.4. The very varied direct and side effects — 
which are not yet fully understood — of airborne 
pollutants on forests and forest floors are univer­
sally referred to by the term 'acid rain'. This is, how­
ever, a very inadequate description. There is still a 
tremendous need for research into the mechanisms 
involved in the new types of forest damage. In this 
connection the proposed establishment of teams 
(Article 8) is welcomed. Steps should also be taken 
to ensure close correlation between the establish­
ment of measuring stations and the research to be 
carried out, on behalf on the Commission, into fac­
tors responsible for air pollution damage to forests. 
4. As this opinion had to be drawn up under the 
urgency the Committee reserves the right to issue a 
supplementary opinion on forest damage by fire 
and acid rain at a later stage. Such an opinion 
should be drawn up in connection with the opinions 
to be issued by the Committee on the Commission 
proposals dealing with the following subjects: 
— information system with regard to the state of 
the environment and natural resources in the 
Community (1984 to 1987), 
— sectoral R&D programme in the field of the 
environment. 
An attempt must be made to adopt an overall 
approach covering all three of these proposals (basic 
research, information system and monitoring net­
work) dealing in part with acid rain. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Francis CEYRAC