26. 4. 79 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 105/23 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 163rd 
plenary session held in Brussels on 29 and 30 November 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 made by the Council of the 
European Communities on 30 August 1978 for an 
opinion, 
Having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau on 
18 October 1978 instructing the Section for Protection 
of the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Affairs 
to draw up an opinion and a 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 held on 21 November 
1978, 
Having regard to the oral report submitted by the 
rapporteur, Mrs Heuser, 
Having regard to the discussions at its 163rd plenary 
session held on 29 and 30 November 1978 (meeting of 
29 November), 
Whereas in its opinion of 23 November 1977 the 
Committee welcomed the first medical and public health 
research programme and the fact that a second 
programme was to be submitted in 1978; Whereas the projects proposed by the Commission under 
this second programme have been selected on the basis of 
their scientific, medico-social and economic importance 
and the feasibility of their implementation and 
cooperation; whereas the work in progress in other 
countries has been taken into account; 
Whereas the Commission's activity in the field of medical 
research should be extended to cover cancer research, in 
particular the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of this 
disease, 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
unanimously: 
The Committee welcomes this second medical and public 
health research programme and endorses the projects 
proposed. 
As regards project No 4 (Criteria for perinatal 
monitoring) (page 17 et seq.), the Commission does not 
deal with the concept of infant mortality, which is used 
in different ways in the Member States. Standardization 
of the definition of infant mortality should therefore be a 
precondition for further work under this programme. 
The Committee also calls upon the Commission to give 
attention to cancer research, in particular the prevention, 
diagnosis and treatment of this disease and after-care. 
Done at Brussels, 29 November 1978. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Fabrizia BADUEL GLORIOSO 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation establishing a European monetary system 
(Doc. COM(78) 572 final 2) 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the European 
Communities No C 266 of 10 November 1978, page 6. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 30 October 1978 the Council referred the abovementioned proposal to the Economic and 
Social Committee in accordance with Article T98 of the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community. 
No C 105/24 Official Journal of the European Communities 26. 4. 79 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 163rd 
plenary session held in Brussels on 29 and 30 November 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 made by the Council of the 
European Communities on 30 October 1978 for an 
opinion, 
Having regard to the decision taken by its chairman on 
13 November 1978 instructing the Section for Economic 
and Financial Questions to draw up an opinion on the 
matter, and in accordance with the urgency procedure 
laid down in its Rules of Procedure, 
Having regard to the opinion issued by the Section for 
Economic and Financial Questions at its meeting held on 
22 November 1978, 
Having regard to the oral report submitted by the 
rapporteur, Mr Charpentie, 
Having regard to the discussions at its 163rd plenary 
session held on 29 and 30 November 1978 (meeting of 
30 November), 
Whereas it was advocated in the opinion of 21 June 1978 
on the Community approach to the present international 
monetary disorder (Doc. CES 767/78, based on the 
report of Mr Charpentie) that the European Monetary 
Cooperation Fund (EMCF) should be reformed and that 
its resources, authority and areas of responsibility would 
have to be increased so that it could take effective action 
and thus perform, at Community level, functions similar 
to those of the IMF; 
Whereas the proposal provides for the minimum of what 
would be legally required for the system as so far outlined to go into operation; whereas the rest of the 
system can be handled by the various central banks 
without any further Regulations; 
Whereas Regulation (EEC) No 907/73 setting up the 
European Monetary Cooperation Fund did not entitle 
the EMCF to have reserves on deposit, to accept gold and 
dollars or to issue ECU; whereas the proposed new 
Regulation does just that and also authorizes the use of 
the ECU as a means of settlement between the monetary 
authorities of Member States and for transactions 
between those authorities and the Fund, 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
by 80 votes to four with six abstentions: 
1. The Committee approves the setting-up of a 
European monetary system aimed at bringing about 
greater monetary stability and solidarity in the 
Community and at world level. The way in which such a 
system is organized and operates should be sufficiently 
flexible as to enable realistic exchange rates to be 
established and maintained, such rates to reflect the 
balance in economic relations between the participating 
countries. 
2. The Committee therefore approves the proposed 
Regulation submitted to it. It considers', however, that it 
must be able to give an opinion on every aspect of the 
European monetary system's operation and the rules 
relating thereto in order, among other things, to assess 
the scheme's effects on the different economic and social 
policies of the Community, particularly the common 
agricultural policy. This should be done as soon as new 
information is forthcoming from the Commission. 
Done at Brussels, 30 November 1978. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Fabrizia BADUEL GLORIOSO