TITLE III

Economic and social provisions

CHAPTER 1

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 46

The Commission may at any time consult governments, the various parties concerned  ( undertakings, workers, consumers and dealers ) and their associations, and any experts.

Undertakings, workers, consumers and dealers, and their associations, shall be entitled to  present any suggestions or comments to the Commission on questions affecting them.

To provide guidance, in line with the tasks assigned to the Community, on the course of  action to be followed by all concerned, and to determine its own course of action, in  accordance with the provisions of this Treaty, the Commission shall, in consultation as  provided above:

1. conduct a continuous study of market and price trends;

2.periodically draw up programmes indicating foreseeable developments in production,  consumption, exports and imports;

3.periodically lay down general objectives for modernization, long terms planning of  manufacture and expansion of productive capacity;

4.take part, at the request of the governments concerned, in studying the possibilities for re  employing, in existing industries or through the creation of new activities, workers made  redundant by market developments or technical changes;

5.obtain the information it requires to assess the possibilities for improving working  conditions and living standards for workers in the industries within its province, and the  threats to those standards.

The Commission shall publish the general objectives and the programmes after submitting  them to the Consultative Committee.

It may publish the studies and information mentioned above.

Article 47

The Commission may obtain the information it requires to carry out its tasks. It may have any  necessary checks made.

The Commission must not disclose information of the kind covered by the obligation of  professional secrecy, in particular information about undertakings, their business relations or  their cost components. Subject to this reservation, it shall publish such data as could be useful  to governments or to any other parties concerned.

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