No C 59/16 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 8. 3. 78 
Opinion  on the  communication  from  the  Commission  to the  Council  entitled  'action 
programme  for aeronautical  research' 
The text  referred  to the Committee  has been  published  in Official  Journal  of the European 
Communities  No  C 210  of 2 September  1977,  page  8. 
A. LEGAL  BASIS  FOR  THE  OPINION 
On 16 August  1977  the  Council  referred  the abovementioned  communication  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 153rd 
plenary  session  held  in Brussels  on 23 and  24 November  1977. 
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  for an opinion  made  by 
the Council  of the  European  Communities  on 16 
August  1977, 
Having  regard  to the decision  taken  by its chairman  on 
29 August  1977  instructing  the Section  for Industry, 
Commerce,  Crafts  and Services  to draw  up an opinion 
on the matter, 
Having  regard  to the opinion  issued  by that  Section  at 
its meeting  on 9 November  1977, 
Having  regard  to the  oral  report  submitted  by the 
rapporteur,  Mr Evain, 
Having  regard  to the discussions  at its 153rd  plenary 
session  held  on 23 and  24 November  1977  (meeting  of 
24 November), 
HAS  ADOPTED  THE  FOLLOWING  OPINION 
unanimously: 
The Committee  endorses  the Commission's  communica-
tion and  has the following  comments  to make. 
1.1. The  Commission  report  and proposal  to the Coun-
cil entitled  'action  programme  for  the  European 
Aeronautical  Sector'  placed  considerable  emphasis  on 
aircraft  production.  It raised  a number  of difficult  prob-lems  facing  both  governments  and  manufacturers, 
although  they  have  long  been  accustomed  to working 
together  on joint  projects. 
1.2. Experience  has shown  — and  the Committee  made 
this point  in its opinion  of 25 February  1976  (1) — that 
the further  'upstream'  the objectives  lie in the produc-
tion process  the easier  it will  be to implement  a Com-
munity  action  programme.  We  are  referring  here  to 
standards,  certification  rules,  test  facilities  and  certain 
research  work  to improve  fundamental  knowledge  of 
materials,  aerodynamics,  noise,  etc.  This  has also  been 
the key idea  guiding  the Commission  in the preparation 
of the action  programme  under  examination. 
1.3. While  it considers  a more  ambitious  programme  to 
be essential  to enable  the European  aircraft  industry  to 
cope  effectively  with  world  competition,  the Committee 
notes  with  satisfaction  that  the Commission  regards  this 
programme  as a prime  element  of its overall  strategy  for 
the aeronautical  sector  and  that  it intends  actively  to 
pursue  this  strategy. 
1.4. The  Committee  did not consider  it necessary  to go 
into the purely  technical  aspects  of the Commission's 
proposals.  This  task  has been  entrusted  to the Scientific 
and Technical  Research  Committee  (CREST),  which  has 
already  embarked  upon  an examination  of the Commis-
sion's  proposals  and  of a document  of 30 June  1977 
entitled  'the  common  policy  in the field  of science  and 
technology'  (2). The  second  part  of the latter  document 
mentions  aeronautical  research. 
H OJ  No C 131,  12. 6. 1976,  p. 1. 
(2) OJ  No C 187,  5. 8. 1977,  p. 3. 
8. 3. 78 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities No C 59/17 
1.5. The  programme  incorporates  those  proposals 
made  by the industry  that  the Commission  found  to be 
the best  thought  out,  the  most  capable  of immediate 
implementation  and  the  most  compatible  -with  the 
available  funds.  The  proposals  of the  engine  and 
equipment  manufacturers,  which  the  Commission  did 
not consider  to be of the same  standard  as those  of the 
airframe  and  helicopter  manufacturers,  were  accord-
ingly  held  over.  The  construction  of a large  wind  tunnel, 
a rather  costly  project  which  in addition  poses  problems 
of geographical  location,  was  also  deferred.  The  Com-
mittee  notes  the choice  made  and  urges  that  the pro-
posals  that  cannot  be adopted  at the present  time  be 
implemented  subsequently. 
2.1. According  to Article  3 of the draft  Council  Decision 
in Annex  V, the Commission  is to be responsible  for the 
implementation  of the programme.  In accordance  with 
the customary  procedure,  the Commission  is to be as-
sisted  in the management  of research  programmes  in the 
aircraft  construction  sector  by a consultative  committee 
set up for the entire  duration  of the programmes.  This 
committee  is to be consulted  in particular  on the choice 
of the  organizations  to which  the  work  is to be en-
trusted,  on the  choice  of project  directors  and  on the 
evaluation  of the results  of the work  at each  programme 
stage. 
The Commission  remains  fully  responsible,  however, 
and provision  is made  to enable  it to exercise  this  re-
sponsibility.  Thus,  under  paragraph  5 of Annex  III deal-
ing with  the budget,  the Commission  is to recruit  two 
full-time  experts  and  two  administrative  officials,  and it 
is also  to avail  itself  of the services  of part-time  experts 
working  in the Member  States. 
2.2. No  details  are given  concerning  the practical  pro-
cedure  that  will  ultimately  be adopted.  In the  Com-
mittee's  view,  this  should  at all events  focus  on the 
importance  of the research  from  the Community  point 
of view  and  at the same  time  take  account  of research 
being  conducted  also  at national  level;  the Commission 
has already  been  devoting  attention  to this  point  in the 
development  of its long-term  strategy. 
2.3. Experience  has  shown  that  the development  of a 
Community  aeronautical  policy  is attended  with  special 
difficulties  connected  in particular  with  the  possible military  implications  of such  a policy.  (Most  research 
work  can  be utilized  for both  civil  and  military  applica-
tions.) 
2.4. If action  is to be effective,  account  must  be taken 
of this  fact.  The  Committee  therefore  suggests  that  for 
the execution  of its programme  the Commission  should 
as far  as possible  make  use  of existing  research 
capabilities  in the various  Member  States.  This  policy  of 
decentralization  is in no way  incompatible  with  the 
power  the Commission  should  and  does  have  to decide 
on the contractor  and  any  sub-contractors,  the detailed 
subject  of the  research,  the  funds,  etc.  The  Commis-
sion's  power  to take  these  decisions  is in fact  vital  in 
order  to preserve  the  Community  character  of the 
activities. 
3.1. As already  mentioned,  provision  is made  for  a 
consultative  committee  for the management  of research 
programmes  in the aircraft  industry.  This  committee  is 
to comprise  two  representatives  of each  Member  State 
and two  representatives  of the Commission,  i.e. a total 
of 20 persons. 
3.2. One  must  also  not overlook  the practical  difficul-
ties that  could  be involved  in choosing  representatives  in 
certain  countries  where  technical  staff  is to be found 
solely  in State  laboratories.  Representatives  drawn  from 
that source  would  be considered  to be acting  as judges 
in their  own  cause.  Care  must  be taken  to ensure  that 
the objectivity  of the Committee's  decisions  cannot  be 
called  into  question. 
4.1. As regards  inventions,  it is indicated  in Annex  IV 
that the prior  authorization  of the Commission  is re-
quired  for the granting  of licences  to parties  in third 
countries  if such  licences  will  enable  products  to be 
exported  to the Community. 
4.2. The  aircraft  industry  is highly  export-oriented. 
Many  customer  countries  ask for an offset  deal  (particu-
larly  in the  form  of a share  in manufacture);  the 
Community,  incidentally,  does  the  same  when  it is 
making  purchases.  The  provisions  of Annex  IV,  B, 
paragraphs  1 and  2, which  would  be normal  in other 
cases,  thus  gives  the Commission  a veto  in respect  of 
practices  that  are quite  customary  in the world  aircraft 
industry.  These  provisions  must  therefore  be applied 
with  all the requisite  flexibility. 
Done  at Brussels,  24 November  1977. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic 
and Social  Committee 
Basil  de FERRANTI 
No C 59/18 Official  Journal  of the European  Communities 8. 3. 78 
ANNEX 
to the opinion  of the Economic  and Social  Committee 
The following  passage  from  paragraph  3.2 of the Section's  opinion  was  deleted  as a result  of the adop-
tion of an amendment  tabled  during  the discussions: 
'In its view  it will  be important  to have  as members  persons  who  are really  competent  to assist  the 
Commission  with  the choice  of projects  and  project  directors,  the evaluation  of results  and  the 
orientation  of work.  In the case  of certain  projects  such  persons  will  be found  only  in the Member 
States  directly  involved  (for  example,  only  four  Member  States  will be taking  part  in helicopter  re-
search);  the Committee's  Rules  of Procedure  should  contain  provisions  designed  to solve  this diffi-
culty.' 
Voting 
For: 69, against:  6, abstentions:  5.