CELEX: 51974PC1440
Language: en
Date: 1974-09-17
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION establishing a programme of technological research in the textile sector (submitted to the Council by the Commission)

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COM (74) 1440
Vol. 1974/0233
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 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                            COM(74)1440   final
                                            Brussels , 17 September 1974
                                 Proposal for a
                                COUNCIL DECISION
                    establishing a programme of technological
                         research in the textile sector
                 ( submitted to the Council "by the Commission)
  COM(74) 1440 final
 ---pagebreak---                                     - 1 -                     767/111/74 - E
INTRODUCTION AND MOTIVATION
As the Community 's markets are opened more and more to imports of textiles
from third countries , faster in fact , than internal demand is growing , it
is more than ever necessary to maintain the technical and technological
lead of the Community's textile industries as they become increasingly
diverted towards areas where a promising future is tied to very advanced
technological development .
In the document SEC(l)26l5 final on "a policy for the textile sector", which
was passed to the Council on September 23 , 1971 » the Commission particularly
stressed the essential role played in the development of textile companies
by , on the one hand , research and , on the other , by the fullest use of
modern technology* Hence the Commission declared its interest in being infor­
med of any suggestion of the textile industry in this field , with the view
to submit eventually appropriate proposals to the Council .
In view of the fragmentation and duplication of work being carried out in
generally moderate sized companies , any collective textile research would ,
without , of course , trying to cover too ifide a range , tend to stimulate the
necessary efforts towards integration within the Community.
A programme of six research projects was drawn up by the Co-ordination
Committee of the EEC Textile Industries ( COHITEXTIL ) , from which three
themes have been chosen :
- heat treatment of man-made fibres ,
- treatment of textiles in organic solvent media ,
- fireproofing of textile fibres by radiation-grafting.
In choosing the three projects , the Commission does not pretend to be
establishing a research programme covering the entire textile industry.
nevertheless , each of these items , taken separately , can make an effective
contribution towards achieving precise objectives such as a greater knowledge
of the properties of man-made fibres , strengthening the fight against
pollution and increasing protection for the consumer . Thus , in choosing
 ---pagebreak---                                     Τ 2 -                    767 /ΙΤΤ/7    '· 3
                                      *, '                   3         'ί  .· / ^
these areas , it is intended to give more than merely symbolic support for
increased cooperation in applied textile research a the Community level .
The Community 's financial contribution will constitute only one third of
the total , the remainder coming from the industry itself . Nontfceless , this
modest contribution is expected to have a multiplier effect which will
be out of all proportion to the sum involved .
                V.
 ---pagebreak---                                      - 3 -                   767/111/74 - E
OBJECTIVES OF THE THREE PROPOSED RESEARCH PROJECTS
1,  Hoat treatment of man-made fibres .
    This is intended to throw more light on the still little-known proper­
    ties of the products of an industry which , starting from virtually
    nothing "before the war , accounted for two-thirds of industrial textile
    fibre consumption in Europe in 1973 *
    In the same year , exports of man-made fibre products constituted 52 fo
    of total textile exports .   Furthermore , although the Community 's trade
    balance in textiles was virtually in equilibrium in 1972 , man-made fibres
    produced a positive balance of 1.200 million dollars . In terms of the
    maintenance of an even trade balance for all textiles , therefore the
    presence of this industry is exceptionally important to the Community.
2.  Treatment of textiles in organic solvent media
    This is intended principally to reduce both the volume of effluent water
    and the consumption of energy.
3.  Fireptfcofina: of textile fibres
    This concerns a very serious problem for the consumer , with regard , for
    example , to furnishing fabrics and night attire .
EXECUTION AMD FINANCING
Before embarking on technological work , the Commission considered it necessary
either to carry out a preliminary critical analysis of the knowledge already
available , in order to define a common programme , or , in the case of fire­
proofing , to make some preliminary trials on a Community basis .
With this object , the Commission authorised , on December 11 , 1972 , by
written procedure C/309l/72 , the setting up of a bibliographical study
by the Community textile industries organisation , COMITEXTIL , which brought
together nine textile research laboratories for the work .
 ---pagebreak---                                      - 4 -                       767/111/74 - E
The results of this study are now available , and it is necessary to move
 on to the experimental phase , which will again be entrusted to COMITEXTIL .
They will pass out the v:or!c to the thirteen research laboratories who have
 already worked on the study phase and the preliminary work , and will also
involve other institutions according to geographical and technical reauire-
ments .  The textile industry itself has set aside 500*000 units of account
 for the financing of this programme , twice the sum which the Commission pro­
 posed to spend as a result of this note ( 25*000 u.a.)
As currently conceived , the programme will last three years , and the
expenditure ( for the Community) is phased as follows :
                                        1st , year       2nd , year     3rd . year
- heat treatment of man-made fibres     30.000   u.a .   35*000   u.a . 35*000     u.a .
- treatment of textiles in organic
   solvent media                        30.000
                                        30*000   u.a#
                                                 u*a#    35*000
                                                         35.000   u.a .
                                                                  u#a®  35*000
                                                                        35 «000    u.a #.
- fireproofing of textile fibres by
   radiation-grafting                   10.000   u.a .   20.000   u.a .
                                                                  u*o>* 20.000
                                                                        20*000     u.a .
total contribution
                 .
                    of the Community' 70.000. . u.a.
                                                   . . .
                                                         90.000
                                                         '
                                                                  u.a. 90.000 u.a.j
On the basis of tho results obtained during this period , an examination will
be made of whether research into these objectives should continue , and if so ,
 in what form#
DECISION REQUESTED OP THE COUNCIL
To approve this research programme in the textile sector .
 ---pagebreak---                                                          767/111/74 - E
                             Proposal for a
                             COUNCIL DECISION
Establising a programme of technological research in the -textile sector
THE COUNCIL OP THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
HAVING REGARD TO the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community ,
in particular Article 235 . thereof ?
HAVING REGARD TO the proposal from the Commission ;
HAVING REGARD TO the- Opinion of the European Parliament »
WHEREAS the Council on the 14»1»1974 adopted a resolution concerning the
co-ordination of national policies and the definition of actions of
Community interest in the field of science and technology ;
WHEREAS the final communique of the conference of Heads of State held in
Paris on 19-21 October 1972 , envisages the joint execution of actions of
Community interest in the context of the development of a common policy
in the field of science and technology ;
WHEREAS by virtue of Article 2 of the Treaty , one objective of the
Community among others , is to further the harmonious development of economic
activities in the Community as a whole , and continuous and balanced
expansion ;
WHEREAS the research to which the present Decision relates is concerned
with a variety of objectives , such aa the reduction of manufacturing costs ,
experiments with new fibres , the solution of certain environmental problems ,
as well as consumer safety and protection, and represents a fundamental
step in the development of an important economic sector of the Community,
the textile industry ;
WHEREAS preliminary research carried out by the textile industry has
demonstrated the value of the programme to which the present Decision
 ---pagebreak---                                      -6 -                 767/111/74 - E
relates and as a result of which the textile industry intends to join
in the programme v/ith a financial contribution twice that of the Community
WHEREAS the technological programme to which the present           relates
appears necessary in order to achieve within the common market the aforesaid
Community objectives ;
WHEREAS the Treaty does not provide all the powers necessary to achieve these
objectives ;
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS s
 ---pagebreak---                               - 7 ~
                            Article 4 :
There is hereby established, for a period of three years commencing
1.12.1974 , a European Economic Community research programme in the
textile sector as set out in the Annex hereto .
                            Article 2
A sum of 250 000 units of account is allooated for the realisation
of this programme and a corresponding appropriation shall "be included
in the Community Budget , the unit of account "being as defined in "the
Financial Regulation on the establishment and implementation of the
Budget of the European Communities and on the responsibility of
authorising officers and accounting officers .
                           Article 3
The Commission shall carry out the programme by means of contracts .
                           Article 4
Know-how and inventions resulting from the execution of the programme ,
whether patentable or hot , shall be subject to the provisions of
Regulation ifo     /74 of the Council of             establishing the
conditions of use of know-how applicable to research programmes under­
taken for the European Economic Community.
                                 Done at Brussels ,
                                 For the Council
                                 The President
 ---pagebreak---                                       - 8 -                   767/ΐΙΐ/Π
                                                              AMEX -  1
                          Research programme in the textile sector
A maximum of 0,250 million units of . account is provided for carrying out
the programme which is concerned with the three following themes :
1 , Thermal treatment of chemical fibres
    Main objectives :
    The optimisation of production methods to improve the yield and the
    quality of products , especially in medium and small companies , who gene­
    rally lack the required research facilities .
    Programme :
    Structural modification of chemical fibres : polyamides , polyester ,
    acrylic and modacrylic , olefin , di- and tri-acetate , under different
    conditions of thermal treatment (under tension or not , under tension
    with twist ).
    Changes , as a result of thermal treatment , in dyeing , mechanical , physi­
    cal and shpae properties .
2 , Textile processing in organic solvents
    Hain object ive s ;
    Reduction in pollution of effluent water , and in energy consumption by
    using organic solvents instead of water in production - methods .
    Programme :
    Pibre/solvent interaction
    Types of fibre : polyester , polyamide , wool
    Types of solvents s perchlorethylene , dichloromethane , hydrocarbon
    fraction , isopropyl alcohol .
    Interactions : solubility of fibre in the solvent
                     solubility of solvent in the fibre
                     variation in fibre structure ,
    Rheology in the solvent medium : two-phase effects ( fibre/solvent ),
    three-phase ( fibre/solvent/water - fibre/solvent/dyestuff ), four-phase
    ( fibre/solvent/wator/dyestuff ),
    Mechanical , physical , shape and surface characteristics .
 ---pagebreak---                                     - 9 -                     767/111/74 - E
3 » Fireproofint' of textile fibres by radiation grafting
    Main objectives :
    Consumer protection by tho reduction of flammability in clothing and
    household textiles-
    Programme :
    Types of fibre : cellulosic , wool , polyamide , polyacrylic .
    Type of flame rotardant : various monomers of vinyl , or acrylic groups ,
    epoxides and others , h&logenated , phosphorised or nitrogen containing
    compounds .
    Irradiation csrried out on a pilot scale by electron accelerators .
    Physical-chemical control of fire-retardant textiles , and tests of flam­
    mability and combustibility according to methods and standards laid do™
    by member Ftrtes and cortrin +hiri ocurtricSe