;
5.
D. Formula for burden-sharing between the Member States
The French delegation restated its argument that the scale used in 1974 for burden-sharing was out of date, and that a scale should be adopted which reflected product by product each Member State's share of consumption (1).
Gab
Most delegations and the Commission representative disagreed with the French delegation's argument, pointing
out that
any change in the present formula for burden-sharing was likely to involve serious delays in carrying out work, the final result of which was in any case uncertain;
- such a change, which would lead to a reduction in the
burden to be borne by some Member States, would inevitably mean an increase in the burden for other Member States, who would hardly be prepared to accept such a situation;
in any event, the present rules on burden-sharing were an essential part of the "DAVIGNON approach" which had just been approved by the Council.
The Working Party also received a document draw up by the German delegation, setting out the results which the use of such a scale would give. The German delegation emphasized that its technical co-operation in this connection in no way meant that it shared the views of the French delegation*
S/1114 e/77 (COMER 215) ain/PB/hmcg