Annex OfficiaUournal of the European Communities No 214 March 1977 LIBflAflY English edition Debates of the European Parliament 1977 -197 8 Session Report of Proceedings from 8 ro 11 March 1977 Europe House, Strasbourg Contents Sitting of Tuesday, 8 March 1977 Opening of the session, p. I - Address by the Oldest Member, p. I - Election of the President, p. 4 - Address by the President, p. 7 - Election of Vice-Presidents, p. l0 - Agenda for the next sitting, p. 13. Sitting of lVednesday, g March 1977 l4 Approval of the minutes, p. l5 p. l6 Election of Vice-Presidents, -'Welcome, - p. l6 Mcmbership of committees, p. l5 Order of business, p. l8 Question Time,- p. 19 Limit on speaking time, p.3l- Time limit for tabling- amend- ments, p..ll- Situation on the dairy market,- Asscmbly - p.32 - UN General mccting of 24 November 1976, p. 49 - Control of concentrations berween under- takings, p. .5-l - Meeting of the Social Affairs Council of 9 December 1976, p. 56 EEC-Greece Joint Parliamentary Committee, p. 57 Agenda for the next sitting,- p. 65. - Sitting of Thursdey, 10 March 1977 66 Approval of the minutes, p. 58 - Agenda, p. 58 - Verification of credentials, p. 59 - Question Time, p. 59 Relations between the European Community and Japan, p. tlO Agenda, p. 8.5- Relations between the European Community and (Resumption),- - Japan p. 8.5 - Procedural motions, p. 90 - The EEC's relations with India, p.9l - ACP-EEC Convention, p.94 Motion of censure, p.94 Agcnda, p. 9.5 Medium-term economic policy, p.- 95 Tabling of a motion for- a rcsolution, p.- 120 - - Agenda for the next sitting, p. 120 - Annex, p. 122. (Continued overlea$ I ^: r r,. , l NOTE,TO R,EAPER Appearing at the same time as the English edition.are editions in the five other official languages of the Communities: Danish, German, French, Italian and Dutch. The English edition contains the original texts of the interventions in English and an English transla- tion .of those made in other languages. In these cases there are, after the name of the speaker, the following letters, in brackets, to indicate the language spoken : (DK) for Danish, (D) for German, (F) for French, (I) for ltalian and (NL) for Dutch. The original texts of these interventions appear in the edition published in the language spoken. Contents (continued) Sitting of Friday, 11 March 1977 126 Approval of thc nrinutcs, p. 127 Document received, p. 127 Pctitions, p. 127 Agcrrtla, p. 127 Procedure- without report, p. 127 Sale- of agricultural -prorlrrcts orr board ship,- p. 127 Comnrunity transport- policy towards statc- trading countrics, p. l2tl Approximation- of legislation relating to boats, p. l.l.l Application of thc European- unit of account, p. l-14 ECSC Auditor's rcport -tor lL)75, p. l.)7 Europcan Convention on the Protection- of Farnr Aninrals, p. 140 Hcalth protcction- standards for sulpur dioxide, p. 142 Dangcr to health aslrt'stos,- 145 Agcnda tl.re ncxt part-scssion, p. 149- Adjournnrcnt of of p. - of - tlrc sessiorr, p. 150 Approval of the minutes, p. 1.50. - ll,rtrtlntiont tlolttttl .tt .\iilinS.t o.f g to ll fllttrth 1977 ap/>ut irt thc O.llicitrl -/ottrn,tl of lltt l11111,pr.,,,t Clontnttrttilir., i g'3 14 l. l. tii. Sining of Tuesday, 8 March 1977 SITTING OF TUESDAY, 8 MARCH 1977 Conten ts l. Ofuning o.l' tbe tnnual.rer'.rion I ,llfr 1rtoli, Vict-Prcsidant o.f thc Comnri.rsion 5. Electiott ol Vice-Presiderr.r 2. Addrtss fu tha Oldcst lllcmber I - Procedurc : lllr Brockv; l[r.t Eu'ing: lVr 3. Elction of'tbe Presifunt 4 Giraud : JVr Felltrnaier, on beba(' ol tbe l>roccdtrul notiotts: lllr de la lllaline; lllr Socialist Groult : Mn Euing; fi{r A. Fcllcrmaier Bertrand ; Sir Petcr Kirk; Mr Jobn.rton : Mr Nlborg; /Vr Fellerncticr: lllr Liickcr: Stdtcment on behalf of' tbe Socialist Group : lVr Schui.jt; Mr Yc,tts;Mr Liickcr:tllr A. tltr Fcllcrnaier . Bertrand : lltlr Fellcrntitr r0 4. Addrets by thc Pretidcnt 6. Agenda lbr tbe ncxt titting t3 IN THE CHAIR: MR HOUDET of our Members I regret to say that the number diminishes each year- were present at the first part- session on 19 March -1958. They have participated in (Oldut lllember) the development of our Community since its incep- (The sitting utas opened at 11.10. a.m) tion. Those who, like myself, have become Members since that date have been able to benefit from their experience. Those of our colleagues who have only President. - The sitting is open. been with us for a few months soon come to share this faith in the future of our Community. They will bring to us, and will receive in return, the sincere and l. Oltening of tbe annual sessiott genuine understanding that has united us for twenty years, whatever our political beliefs, in the democratic President. Ladies and gentlemen, pursuant to and European spirit that characterizes our Assembly. Rule I of the- Rules of Procedure, I declare the 1977- 1978 annual sesssion of the European Parliament The dual mandate conferred upon us is extremely opened. onerous, and it is only by unstinting efforts that you discharge your duties. I should like to bring this fact 2. Address b1 tbe Oldest Jllenber to the attention of our national parliaments, who are following our proSress, and also to the public, who are President. Ladies and gentlemen, as the Oldest often inadequately informed on this point. Member, I have,- for the third time, the honour and privilege of opening the annual session of our Parlia- Since our first session, we have had ten Presidents: ment - the twentieth - and of taking the Chair for Robert Schuman, Hans Furler, Gaetano Martino, Jean a short time, here in this fine lllaison de l'Europe Duvieusart, Victor Leemans, Alain Poher, Mario where we have the pleasure of holding our monthly Scelba, \Uflalter Behrendt, Cornelis Berkhouwer, and Part-sessions. Georges Sp6nale. First of all, ladies and gentlemen, may I pay public tribute to the dedication and faith in European democ- I should like to pay tribute to the memory of the first racy you have shown in carrying out the mandate four presidents, now, sadly, no longer with us. Ve are conferred on you by our national parliaments. Some gratified that Mr Poher, Mr Scelba, Mr Behrendt and Debates of the European Parliament Prcsident Mr Berkhouwer elected, at the end of their terms of we have made a useful contribution, our progress has office, to remain with us as faithful Members of our been steady even if we have sometimes made Assembly. mistakes. In particular I should like to say how grateful we are At the same time, I should like to stress the impor- to Mr Sp6nale for the invaluable services he has tance of the continuing efforts of this Parliament to rendered to our Parliament over the past two years. uphold the human values of iustice and mutual depen- (Appldusc) dence. Our determination to defend fundamintal rights wherever they are threatened is exemplified in !7ith his strong personality, his unshakeable belief in the ioint declaration by the three Communiry institu- Europe, he has strenghtened the position and tions soon to be signed by their respectiye presidents. enhanced the prestige of our Assembly. He has ably Our resolve to maintain solidarity with all peoples, championed our views and proposals in his contacts especially the most deprived, is indicated by our with the other Community institutions and also with commitment to generalized preferences as set out in the Heads of State and Government and other leading the [,om6 Convention, th€ most extensive agreemcnt figures in our respective countries. ever signed between industrialized nations and the Third Vorld. !flithout the combined resources and His term of office has been particularly notable for determination of the Community, no such step could the strengthening of our budgetary f,oweni, the crea- have been taken by the countries of I7estern Europe. tion of own resources and the implementation of Article 138 of the Rome Treaty, providing for direct ln 1972 three new States, firmly established democra- elections. He deserves our thenks for his indepen- cies, joined the six original Member States after negoti- dence of mind, his determination and the persuasive- ations which, with the various refusals and resump- ness of his speeches, which reflect the poetry in him. tions, seemed constantly in danger of breaking down, until finally, after open and realistic negotiations, May I also say to all the officials of our Parliament agreements were reached which enabled these new whatever the positions they occupy, how much we Member States to be more quickly and fully inte- appreciate all the assistance they give us in our work. grated. Vith a sensible approach it was possible to On 25 March we shall be celebrating the rwentieth ensure that enlargement did not hold up the consoli- dation of Community rules. hope anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. I7e have come a I that we shall be equally sensible in our approach to the accession of long way since the proiect was first conceived by Jean Monet, since the declaration by Robert Schuman, and further Member States ; we want to extend our the inspiration provided by the enthusiasm of Community geographically and achieve a bctter balance Adenauer, de Gasperi, Spaak and Beck. S7e have done ; we want to help the more recently esta- blished a great deal of hard work, many obstacles have arisen and more precarious democracies to conso- but been overcome by the determination of dedicated lidate their position but, in the interests of both sides, Europeans, many aspirations have been thwarted, but let us make a careful assessment of the economic invariably renewed.