• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Commission The Bulletin of the European Communities reports on the activities of the Commission and the other Community institutions. lt is edited by the Secretariat-General of the Commission (rue de la Loi 200, B-1 049 Brussels) and published eleven times a year (one issue covers July and August) in the official Community languages and Spanish. Reproduction is authorized provided the source is acknowledged. The following reference system is used : the first digit indicates the part number, the second digit the chapter number and the subsequent digit or digits the point number. Citations should therefore read as follows : Bull. EC 1-1977, point 1.1 .3 or 2.2.36. Supplements to the Bulletin are published in a separate series at irregular intervals. They contain official Commission material (e.g. communications to the Council, programmes, reports and proposals). The Supplements do not appear in Spanish. Printed in Belgium BULLETIN OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES European Coal and Steel Community European Economic Community European Atomic Energy Community Commission of the European Communities Secretariat-General Brussels No3 1978 Sent to press in April 1978. 11'h year contents Preliminary chapter: At the European Council in Copenhagen . 5 SPECIAL PART ONE FEATURES 1. Difficulties in the dialogue between the Community and Japan 9 2. The Community and nuclear energy: Conclusions drawn by the Commission from the public hearings . 14 3. Indebtedness of the developing countries: Progress at UNCTAD - Ministerial meeting of the Trade and Development Board . 18 4. Social policy: Review and guidelines - Introduction to the 1977 Social Report . 22 ACTIVITIES PART TWO IN MARCH 1978 1. Building the Community 32 - Economic and monetary policy 32 - Internal market and industrial affairs 34 - Customs union . 36 - Competition . 38 - Employment and social policy 41 - Regional policy . 46 - Environment and consumer protection 47 - Agriculture 49 - Fisheries 55 - Transport policy 55 - Energy policy . 57 - Research and development, science and education 60 - Scientific and technical information and information manage- ment . 63 2. External relations . 64 - Enlargement . 64 - Political cooperation 65 - Multilateral trade negotiations 66 - North-South dialogue: Development cooperation 67 - International organizations 71 - Commercial policy . 74 - Mediterranean countries . 77 - ACP States and the OCT 78 - Other countries . 80 - Diplomatic relations . 82 3. Institutional and political matters 83 - Institutional developments - European policy 83 - Institutions and organs of the Communities 84 • Parliament 84 • Council .... 92 • Commission . 93 • Court of Justice 95 • Economic and Social Committee 104 • ·ECSC Consultative Committee 110 • European Investment Bank . 111 - Financing Community activities . 113 PART THREE DOCUMENTATION 1. Units of account . 118 2. Additional references in the Official Journal 120 3. Infringement procedures . 124 Publications of the European Communities At the European Council in Copenhagen Meeting in Copenhagen on 7 and 8 April, the European Council issued the following statements on the election of the members ol the European Parliament by direct uni­ versal suffrage and on democracy: 1 Date of the election to Parliament 'The Heads of State and of Government note with satisfaction that the legislative procedures in the member countries for the holding of direct general elections to the Assembly are now nearing completion. After examining daes suitable for the election they have reached agreement that the election to the Assembly shall be held from 7 to 10 June 1979.' * The President of Parliament, Mr Emilio Colombo welcomed the decision with the fol­ lowing statement: 'It is with great satisfaction that I learn that the European Council, meeting today in Copenhagen, has given the commitment that the definitive date for the direct elections by universal suffrage to the European Parliament will be fixed for the period 7 to 10 June 1979. This commitment meets the wish which the European Parliament has on several oc­ casions communicated to the governments. I should like to emphasize the importance of this commitment which will transform the European Community into the Europe of the people. Europe, with a Parliament elected by direct universal suffrage, will have received a new stimulus towards its union. This will help to solve the grave problems we are at present facing in the economy and the social sector. The commitment made today will set in motion the procedure and the European Par­ liament will deliver its opinion at the earliest opportunity.' Declaration on democracy 'The election of the Members of the Assembly by direct universal suffrage is an event of outstanding importance for the future of the European Communities and a vivid demonstration of the ideals of democracy shared by the people within them. The creation of the Communities, which is the foundation of ever closer union among the peoples of Europe called for in the Treaty of Rome, marked the determination of their founders to strengthen the protection of peace and freedom. 1 Reports on the other items discussed at the European Council will appear in Bull. EC 4-1978. Bull. EC 3-1978 5 The Heads of State and of Government confirm their will, as expressed in the Copen­ hagen Declaration on the European identity, to ensure that the cherished values of their legal, political and moral order are respected and to safeguard the principles of representative democracy, of the rule of law, of social justice and of respect for human rights. The application of these principles implies a political system of pluralist democracy which guarantees both the free expression of opinions within the constitutional organ­ ization of powers and the procedures necessary for the protecton of human rights. The Heads of State and of Government associate themselves with the Joint Decla­ ration by the Assembly, the Council and the Commission whereby these institutions expressed their determination to respect fundamental rights in pursuing the aims of the Communities. They solemnly declare that respect for and maintenance of representative democracy and human rights in each Member State are essential elements of membership of the European Communities.' 6 Bull. EC 3-1978 PART ONE SPECIAL FEATURES Standardized abbreviations for the designation of certain monetary un~ts in the different languages of the Community: BFR Belgische frank I Franc beige LFR Franc luxembourgeois DKR Dansk krone FF Franc fran~;:ais DM Deutsche Mark LIT = Lira itahana HFL Nederlandse gulden (Hollandse florijn) UKL Pound sterling IRL = Irish pound EUC European Unit of account USD = Un~ted States Dollar 8 Bull. EC 3-1978 1. Difficulties in the dialogue between the Community and Japan Community-Japan 1.1.1. A number of positive aspects are Correspondents Club in Tokyo in October contained in the joint statement issued in 1977: Tokyo at the end of the high-level talks held (i) The fact that Japan's exports to the from 22 to 24 March between Mr Hafer­ Community are concentrated on a very limit­ kamp, Vice-President of the Commission, ed range of products, which are particularly and Mr Ushiba, Minister of State for Inter­ important from the point of view of employ­ national Economic Relations. ment in the manufacturing industry, which The terms of this statement, which were is subject to structural problems caused by commented on at the press conference held the recession. This has provoked reactions. in Tokyo and in Brussels, nevertheless reveal The Community has already made a number the serious problems raised by the Commu­ of requests to the Japanese to reduce the nity's growing trade deficit with Japan. This pressure which they exert on certain sensi­ deficit remains a major source of concern tive industries: iron and steel, shipbuilding, and a major political problem for the Nine, ballbearings, cars and certain electronic pro­ as the Community institutions have fre­ ducts. quently made clear in statements made in re­ (ii) The difficulty which European products cent years. have in penetrating the Japanese market. Despite the relatively low level of the Ja­ panese tariff, there seem to be structural bar­ riers in the Japanese economy which hinder The trade deficit the importation of manufactures, which make up only 20% of Japenese imports, as 1.1.2. Since the beginning of the 1970s the against 40 to 50% for the other industrial­ Community's trade deficit with Japan has in­ ized countries. There are not only adminis­ creased regularly and the rate at which im­ trative and non-tariff barriers, but also struc­ ports have been covered by exports has de­ tural resistance, stemming partly from the creased, as shown in Table 1. distribution system and partly from social at­ titudes, to the large-scale importation of manufactures in direct competition with pro­ Table 1 - Trade deficit with Japan ducts produced by Japanese industry. Deficit Cover rate Year (USD thousand millions) (%) The dialogue between the 1970 0.3 Community and Japan 1971 0.8 1972 1.3 1973 1.3 67 1.1.3. For several years the Community 1974 2.0 63 has been seeking to strengthen its relations 1975 3.2 46 with Japan. The Nine decided at the Paris 1976 4.1 42 1977 5.1 39 Summit in 1972 to step up the dialogue be­ tween the enlarged Community and the other industrialized countries. 1 Following this decision, the Commisison instituted in The problem of the trade deficit masks two other problems, as Mr Jenkins pointed out in 1 Bull. EC 10-1972, Part One, Chapter I; Section 12 of a speech which he made at the Foreign the final declaration. Bull. EC 3-1978 9 Community-Japan Community-Japan June 1973 1 regular twice-yearly high-level In addition to the consultations held on cer­ consultations with the Japanese Govern­ tain products 7 in July 1977 (processed agri­ ment, similar to those held with the United cultural products) and in October-November States Administration. These consultations of the same year (chemicals, pharmaceuticals, deal not only with bilateral problems but also diesel engines and steel), Mr Jenkins' official the major multilateral economic problems.

Load more

  162

Copy Link