15. 2. 85 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 44/1 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Directive concerning the introduction of Community 
methods of sampling and analysis for the monitoring of foodstuffs intended for human 
consumption (J) 
(85/C 44/01) 
On 20 February 1984 the Council decided, in accordance with Article 100 of the Treaty 
establishing the European Economic Community, to consult the Economic and Social 
Committee on the abovementioned proposal. 
The Section for Protection of the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Affairs, which 
was responsible for preparing the Committee's work on the subject, adopted this opinion on 
27 November 1984, in the light of the report by Mrs Williams. 
At its 222nd plenary session (meeting of 12 December 1984) the Economic and Social 
Committee adopted the following opinion by a unanimous vote: 
1. Preliminary remarks 
1.1. The Committee notes that the aim of this 
proposal is Community-level harmonization of the 
sampling and analysis methods for the monitoring of 
foodstuffs under a simplified procedure. 
1.2. In addition, it feels that the adoption of the 
Directive should not directly affect a given foodstuff, as it 
is a horizontal Directive dealing with monitoring and 
analysis methods, rather than foodstuff contents, as is the 
case with vertical Directives. 
The Committee therefore approves the Commission 
proposal subject to the following comments. 
2. General comments 
2.1. The Committee points out that the proposed 
harmonization of monitoring procedures raises 
significant problems which are not evident at first sight. 
These may necessitate administrative, legislative and 
financial adjustments on the part of those Member States 
(') OJ No C 53, 24. 2. 1984, p. 9. which do not primarily and systematically test at factory 
level. 
2.2. Since most Member States carry out this type of 
monitoring and Article 3 requires the Standing 
Committee to make proposals by a qualified majority, 
provision should be made for the factory monitoring 
system to be considered as an approved method within 
the meaning of Article 2. 
2.3. The Committee also notes that the general trend 
throughout the Community is in favour of harmonization 
and the introduction of multi-stage monitoring, as 
concluded by the EEC symposium on enforcement of 
food law in Rome (September 1978) in the following 
terms: 
'In order to be effective, inspection must be carried out 
at all stages in production, manufacture and 
distribution. However, control at the stage of 
production and manufacture is a priority requirement 
because of its preventive value.' 
2.4. The Committee agrees that the aim should be to 
provide for sampling and analysis at all appropriate 
stages in production, manufacture and distribution in 
keeping with paragraph 3.1.1. 
NoC44B2 Official journal of the European Communities 1^,2.8^ 
2,^. The Committee also considers that Community 
level harmonization of methods of sampling and analysis 
could prevent, or even resolve, disputes about the results 
of analyses. 
^. Specific comments 
^,1, Ar^^2 
^,1,1. The Committeefeelsthatthealready tested 
analysis methods referred to in Article 2 should be 
Done at Brussels,12 December 1984, 
L Introduction 
The quick and smooth exchange of data and documents 
and the circulation of personal information between 
national government departments and the Community's 
institutions iscrucial to thefunctioningofthelatter,lthas 
alreadytaken on considerable proportions,as the several 
hundred thousand pages exchanged daily by post testify, 
effective use should therefore be made of the new 
information and communications technologies in order 
that the exchanges might be speeded up and streamlined 
^ot^DC^,i^mt^4,D^ interpreted flexibly in order to allow^iember States to 
maintain different analysis and monitoring methods, 
provided that these lead indisputably to the same results 
in intraDCommunity trade in food products. 
^,2, Against this background the Committee would 
liketheproposaltobee^pandedtoprovidefortemporary 
derogations to alleviate the burden which an over^abrupt 
transitiontothenewsystem would imposeoncertain 
member States, 
still further. This willrequirethat^tember States and the 
Community coordinate their activities, 
^iththisobjectiveinmind andpursuanttoDecision 
82^8^9^^Cofl^ December 1982, theCouncilhasset 
up an advisory committee consisting of representatives of 
the member States and Community bodies. This 
committee is to assist the Commissioning 
— identifying and assessing needs, and 
— preparing proposals for a Community inters 
institutionalintegratedservicesinformationsystem 
^NSIS^, Opinion on the proposal foraCouncil Decision on the coordination of the activities of the 
member States and Community institutions with a view to setting up a Community 
interinstitutional information system ^INSIS^E 
^C44^ 
On^Septemberl984 the Council decided to consult the economic and Social Committee, 
under Articlel98 of theTreaty establishing the European economic Community,on the 
abovementioned proposal. 
The Section for lndustry,Commerce,Crafts and Services,which was responsible forpreparing 
theCommittee'swork on thesubject,adopteditsopinionon28 November 1984,in thelight of 
the report by ^irNierhaus, 
Atits222ndplenarysession^meetingof 12December 1984^, the^conomic and Social 
Committee adopted the following opinion byaunanimousvote^