Today, new needs impose new tasks on the Community.

The most important is the adoption of an environmental policy that trade, industry, and technology policies must support. The Community's interest in this area stems from its obligations, initially arising from the opening of the Common Market and from supporting fair competition conditions.

The emergence of national rules aimed at preventing chemical and technological pollution may raise new barriers to trade and punish industries in those countries that implement stricter legislation. This alone is enough to compel the Community to adopt Community rules.

(Altiero Spinelli, 1972) [Excerpt from the introduction of the publication]