No L 38/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 14. 2. 79 COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) No 270/79 ’ of 6 February 1979 on the development of agricultural advisory services in Italy THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 43 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commis- sion (1), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parlia- ment (2), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Whereas, if effective and balanced implementation of the common agricultural policy in Italy is to remedy the serious structural deficiencies and markedly inadequate agricultural productivity in this Member State, a considerable effort must be made to provide farmers with information and advice ; Whereas many regions of Italy at present lack an effec- tive agricultural advisory service ; Whereas, because of economic and budgetary constraints, the Italian Republic does not have suffi- cient means to make the considerable effort involved in establishing a system comparable to those already highly developed in the other Member States ; Whereas an effective agricultural advisory service in Italy will be in the interest of the Community and will contribute to the attainment of the objectives defined in Article 39 (1) (a) of the Treaty, including the structural changes necessary for the proper func- tioning of the common market; whereas these measures therefore constitute a common measure within the meaning of Article 6 of Council Regula- tion (EEC) No 729/70 of 21 April 1970 on the financing of the common agricultural policy (*); Whereas the terms should be defined on which the Community will help to finance the planning and operation of an advisory service in the Member State concerned ; whereas, while the Italian Republic should be responsible for such planning, account being taken of existing administrative structures, (1) OJ No C 169, 14. 7. 1978, p. 7. (3) OJ No C 239, 9. 10. 1978, p. S6. () Opinion delivered on 19 October 1978 (not yet published in the Official Journal). () OJ No L 94, 28. 4. 1970, p. 13. certain conditions should be laid down to guarantee optimum utilization of the Community’s financial contribution ; Whereas the planned service must not only give farmers permanent access to agricultural information and guidance but must also help the individual farmer to use such information and guidance to his own best advantage ; Whereas the provision of an advisory service cannot be treated in isolation but must form part of pro- grammes or measures for the balanced development of agriculture within which advisory work, experi- mental research and vocational training of farmers and farm workers should be closely coordinated ; Whereas the Community must be able to check that the measures taken by the Italian Republic will help to attain the objectives of the common measure and will fulfil the conditions under which Community financing is granted ; whereas a procedure should be laid down whereby the Member States and the Commission will cooperate closely in the Standing Committee on Agricultural Structures set up under the Council Decision of 4 December 1962 on the coordination of policies on the structure of agricul- ture (°), and whereby the Committee of the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund provided for in Articles 11 to 15 of Regulation (EEC) No 729/70 will be consulted on financial matters, HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION : Article 1 1. In order to ensure that farmers in Italy have permanent access to a system of agricultural informa- tion and guidance, thereby helping to increase produc- tivity and incomes and contributing to the moderniza- tion of farms, a common measure within the meaning of Article 6 of Regulation (EEC) No 729/70 is hereby instituted for the development of an agricultural advi- sory service in Italy in conjunction with programmes or measures for the balanced development of agricul- ture. () OJ No 136, 17. 12. 1962, p. 2892/62.