No C 64/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 15. 3. 82 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision adopting a research and development 
programme (1982 to 1985) in the raw materials sector 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the 
European Communities No C 170 of 10 July 1981, page 5. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 3 July 1981 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 
193rd plenary session held in Brussels on 15 and 16 December 1981. 
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 (1) thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council of 
the European Communities on 3 July 1981 for an 
opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision 
adopting a Research and Development Programme 
(1982 to 1985) in the Raw Materials SectorO, 
Having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau on 
22 September 1981, instructing the Section for 
Energy and Nuclear Questions to draw up an 
opinion and a report on the subject, 
Having regard to the opinion adopted by that Section 
at its 66th meeting on 4 December 1981, 
Having regard to the oral report made by the 
rapporteur, Mr Mills, 
Having regard to the discussions at its meeting of 
15 December 1981 (193rd plenary session of 15 and 
16 December 1981), 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
unanimously: 
The Committee approves the proposal for this 
research programme consisting of seven 
(i) OJ No C 170, 10.7. 1981. subprogrammes, three of which are extensions of 
existing research programmes (Metals and Mineral 
Substances — formerly Primary Raw Materials —, 
Uranium Exploration and Extraction, Recycling of 
Urban and Industrial Waste). Three other 
subprogrammes are new areas for Community 
research activity (Wood as a Renewable Raw 
Material, Recycling of Non-Ferrous Metals, and 
Substitution) while the remaining subprogramme 
(Ceramics) was the subject of an opinion by the 
Committee in September 1979 but has not yet been 
formally approved by the Council. The Committee 
welcomes the grouping of the individual programmes 
into a general raw materials programme as part of the 
rationalization of Community R&D which it has 
been urging for several years. As regards the content 
of the Commission's proposal the Committee has 
both general and specific comments. 
1. GENERAL COMMENTS 
1.1. The purpose of this raw materials programme 
is to anticipate possible supply shortages in imported 
raw materials by the diversification of sources of 
supply, the development of indigenous sources, 
alternative technologies, recycling and substitution 
techniques. The programme also aims to improve the 
external trade balance of the Community by 
reducing imports and to have a positive effect on the 
internal economy and employment. 
15. 3. 82 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 64/7 
1.2. In supporting this proposed R&D 
programme, the Committee emphasizes the 
importance of not merely undertaking research. 
Practical development and demonstration must be 
carried out to ensure that the results of the research 
are applied, bearing in mind the long lead times 
involved. The Committee suggests that these factors 
be given further consideration by the Commission, 
and recommends that special attention be paid to the 
dissemination of the results so that the entire 
technological base of the Community can benefit 
from the effort made. 
1.3. The Committee notes that the results to date 
from the primary raw materials and from the 
uranium exploration and extraction programmes 
have been encouraging. The Committee recognizes 
that in all such programmes the benefits of research 
cannot be forecast accurately, but considers that a 
more conscious attempt at a cost benefit analysis 
should be made at an early stage. Unless there are 
major strategic reasons for undertaking research, the 
Committee stresses that more emphasis should be 
placed on quantifying the macro-economic benefits 
projected to result from the programme in order to 
avoid research which is not economically viable. 
1.4. The Committee is aware that as part of a 
continuous programme to reduce costs and remain 
competitive, R&D work is already being supported 
in many of the areas of the proposed programme by 
European industry and other bodies. The 
Community approach is justified only where it 
encourages useful work which would not otherwise 
be undertaken, and when it enhances existing work 
by coordination and dissemination of results. 
1.5. The Committee has in many of its previous 
opinions drawn attention to the fact that Community 
R&D funds are too widely dispersed to be effective. 
The Committee repeats this criticism on the 
programme under review where 71 million ECU are 
to be allocated to five of seven subprogrammes. The 
dispersion for some 58% of these funds on the 
subprogrammes on Ceramics, Wood as a Renewable 
Raw Material, Recycling of Non-Ferrous Metals, 
and Substitution may not produce the positive results 
hoped for, particularly if these funds are then split up 
among a large number of industrial R&D 
organizations, universities and research institutes. 
The Committee maintains that there has to be greater 
concentration of contracts into areas where there is 
high return and where the contracting organization 
demonstrates efficiency and ability to produce timely 
results. Moreover, activities under the programme 
should be streamlined and in some cases 
amalgamated in order to take account of the need for the greatest possible economy in the use of scarce 
funds and in order to avoid the risk of duplication of 
work. 
1.6. The Committee welcomes and stresses the 
importance of the flexible approach to funding as 
adopted in the present proposal. This approach will 
enhance the benefits to be obtained from the 
grouping of the subprogrammes, which in turn will 
permit the rigorous review the Committee considers 
indispensable. 
1.7. The Committee would draw the Commission's 
attention to the considerable potentialities as regards 
wood and minerals of certain overseas regions 
forming an integral part of the Community. 
1.8. The Committee notes that five ACPMs 
(Advisory Committees on Programme Management) 
will be covering the seven subprogrammes and would 
support any further moves by the Commission to 
reduce the number of ACPMs involved. At the same 
time, however, it feels that these committees should 
be made more representative of socio-economic 
interests as they currently appear to be too heavily 
weighted towards academic and governmental 
expertise. To this end, the Council resolution of 
18 July 1977(1) should be appropriately amended. 
2. SPECIFIC COMMENTS 
2.1. Subprogramme I — 
Metals and Mineral Substances 
The Committee's opinion of 1977 gave full support to 
the original programme and anticipated further 
measures in this direction. The Committee is pleased 
to note the positive results as outlined in the 
Commission's communication, and endorses the 
extensions of the exploration area of the 
subprogramme to cover a wider range of metals, to 
include the immediate near-shore areas of the 
continental shelf, and to cover research on 
prospecting methods in third countries. 
2.2. Subprogramme II — Uranium 
The Committee fully endorses this subprogramme, 
and does not feel that any further amendment to the 
1980 opinion (2) is required. The Committee notes 
and supports the flexibility of resource allocation 
afforded by the possible incorporation of this 
subprogramme within subprogramme I. It would 
(•) OJ NoC 192, 18.7.1977. 
(2) OJ No C 348, 31. 12. 1980. 
No C 64/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 15. 3. 82 
point out that integration of this subprogramme in 
subprogramme I, which has a similar objective, could 
make for greater efficiency in research. 
2.3. Subprogramme III — Ceramics 
A proposal for a ceramics programme (Clay 
Minerals and Technical Ceramics) was considered in 
detail by the Committee in 1979(1). The Committee 
regrets that this proposal, which received the full 
support of the Committee, was nevertheless not the 
subject of a favourable decision by the Council. In 
view of the contribution of the ceramics industry to 
the Community economy and its role in regional 
employment, and the low level of expenditure on 
R & D in this sector, the Committee confirms its 
previous opinion and recognizes this subprogramme 
as a priority for Community action. It would, 
however, be worth examining whether a more 
rational use of funds could be achieved by 
integrating research area 1 of this subprogramme in 
subprogramme I and research area 2 in 
subprogramme VII, as these subprogrammes have 
related objectives. 
As regards powder processing technology in 
particular, the R&D programme should also include 
as top priorities silicon nitride and silicon carbide, in 
view of the important contribution made by special 
ceramics to energy saving through their use in 
equipment for the conversion of energy (engines, gas 
turbines, etc.). 
2.4. Subprogramme IV — 
Wood as a Renewable Raw Material 
The Community's annual net imports of wood and 
wood products (1979: 11300 million ECU) are 
second only to oil imports. The Committee endorses 
the application of 21 % ot the total funds available to 
the subprogramme because of the potential for 
reducing imports of wood and wood products. As 
regards the apportionment of resources among the 
various items, it would be in the Community's 
interest to concentrate the available resources as far 
as possible on research areas that have not been 
adequately investigated. 
2.5. Subprogramme V — 
Recycling of Urban and Industrial Waste 
This programme was examined by the Committee in 
an opinion given in 1978(2), which approved the 
(i) OJ No C 297, 28. 11. 1979, p. 2. 
(2) OJ NoC 128, 21.5. 1979, p. 7. Commission's proposal. The Committee appreciates 
the advantages (economic, environmental, etc.,) to be 
gained from recycling and urges the Commission to 
press ahead with this subprogramme. In particular 
the Committee takes the view that the emphasis of the 
subprogramme should be on development and 
industrial applications. The Committee hopes that 
when the programme is reviewed the Commission 
will be able to provide a full account of progress to 
date, and at that time any projects which are unlikely 
to be developed should be eliminated. 
2.6. Subprogramme VI — 
Recycling of Non-Ferrous Metals 
The Committee recognizes that substantial benefits 
in the form of reduction of imports, energy savings 
and environmental improvement could be achieved 
by the recycling of non-ferrous metals. It is pleased 
that this subprogramme envisages certain techno-
economic studies. In view of the possible benefits to 
be obtained and the strategic importance of metals 
such as chromium, cobalt, titanium and manganese, 
the Committee urges the Commission to consider an 
appropriate enlargement of this research programme 
to include other areas of vital interest to Community 
industry. 
2.7. Subprogramme VII — Substitution 
Here too the Committee is pleased to note that 
techno-economic studies are planned. But the 
Committee has a number of reservations as regards 
this subprogramme: 
(a) it is essential that Community research on 
substitution should not duplicate research that is 
already being done in industry or research 
centres in the Member States; 
(b) the overriding consideration must be security of 
supply, and this may be best achieved by a 
coordinated approach of stockpiling, research 
and development. However, the economic 
consequences for the developing countries 
dependent upon the export of certain raw 
materials should be recognized as far as 
possible; 
(c) as already stated, substitution technologies 
which remain in the research laboratory will not 
help Community industry if there are sudden 
interruptions in the supply of particular metals 
and minerals. It is therefore necessary, at least in 
the case of the most important products, that 
development work should reach the industrial 
15. 3. 82 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 64/9 
stage as soon as possible and that all the 
preparations should be made for an expansion 
of production in the event of pressure on the 
market; 
(d) the secondary effects cited by the Commission 
— saving of energy, environmental protection and improved competitiveness of firms — have 
potentiality but cannot at present be firmly 
evaluated. Whether the substitution of one 
industrial process by another will produce such 
effects is at best a matter of conjecture. 
Done at Brussels, 15 December 1981. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Tom£s ROSEINGRAVE