Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the Proposal for a Council Regulation laying down special measures to encourage silkworm rearing (Codifed version) COM(2006) 4 final — 2006/0003 (CNS)
Date: 2006-09-13
Institutions: European Economic and Social Committee
Subjects: EU law, codification of EU law, sericulture

C 318/114

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

23.12.2006

Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee on the Proposal for a Council Regulation
laying down special measures to encourage silkworm rearing

(Codifed version)

COM(2006) 4 final — 2006/0003 (CNS)

(2006/C 318/19)

On 8 February 2006, the Council decided to consult the European Economic and Social Committee, under
Article 37 of the Treaty establishing the European Community, on the abovementioned proposal.

The Section for Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment, which was responsible for preparing
the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its opinion on 11 July 2006. The rapporteur was
Ms Le Nouail.

At its 429th plenary session, held on 13 and 14 September 2006 (meeting of 13 September), the European
Economic and Social Committee adopted the following opinion by 168 votes to 7 with 17 abstentions.

1. Introduction

1.1
The purpose of the Commission's proposal is to under-
take a codification of Regulation (EEC) No. 845/72 laying down
special measures to encourage rearing of silkworms (Bombyx
mori (Linnaeus, 1758)) using the accelerated procedure provided
for under the inter-institutional agreement of 20.12.1994.

1.2
Codification is used for rules that have been frequently
amended over time and have therefore become unclear or diffi-
cult to understand.

2. General comments

The Regulation cited above came into force over thirty
2.1
years ago. It has been amended substantially several times and,
as a result, it has become difficult for the intended users of this
legislation to understand its content and scope without consid-
erable legal research work to assess which parts of the text are
currently applicable.

2.2
Consequently, the Committee supports the proposal on
codification, which makes it easier for Europe's citizens to
access the law and contributes to the goal of establishing better
lawmaking, as called for and expressed in the Committee's
earlier opinions (1).

3. Specific comments

Consideration should also be given to the use of other
3.1
simplification procedures, such as the repeal or updating of the
legislation concerned.

Brussels, 13 September 2006.

caterpillar, or

3.2
Silkworm rearing began to develop in Southern Europe
in the 13th century and reached a peak in the 19th century,
before collapsing in the wake of an epidemic which struck the
silk moth, Bombyx mori, whose
silkworm,
produces a cocoon made up of a single strand of silk, used in
the textile industry. Despite the reintroduction of healthy
eggs (2), silkworm rearing never recovered. Not only do the silk-
worms themselves require a good deal of care, rearing also
involves mulberry cultivation, since the worms feed exclusively
on mulberry leaves and eat vast quantities, which need to be
picked every day. Today, the industry depends almost exclusively
on imports, mainly from China and Vietnam.

Given that silk has many different uses, requiring various
3.3
different qualities, and that research may uncover many new
applications for silk in the future, the Committee considers that
the basis for a European silk worm rearing industry should be
preserved, especially since it provides jobs in disadvantaged or
outlying regions (3). The granting of aid for each box of silk-
worm eggs, as provided for in the Regulation, is vital to ensure
the future of an activity that faces fierce competition from mass
imports from countries outside the EU, where labour costs are
extremely low. Furthermore, European silk is not only suitable
for current applications, but may also have other applications in
the future, thus warranting the preservation of EU production.

The President

of the European Economic and Social Committee

Anne-Marie SIGMUND

(1) Including the EESC's 2005 exploratory opinion on Better Lawmaking
(rapporteur: Daniel Retureau) INT/265 — OJ C 24 of 31.1.2006, p. 39.

(2) Eggs of the silk moth, Bombyx mori.
(3) Half of all Europe's production comes from the Canary Islands.