Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to start by congratulating the Commission and the Commissioner responsible for research, for, with this thorough document, they have done something to fill the gap which always occurs in our activities between one framework programme and the next. We occasionally have two-year periods which are sometimes called rest periods or reflection periods, whereas, in actual fact, you are not allowing us to relax, and rightly so, presenting us with a very timely communication on the European research and development area. I would say that this contribution is all the more welcome in that it fertilises fallow land, namely the field of cooperation between the European Community and the Member States in the area of research. This cooperation, which we could already describe as consolidated and which is laid down by Articles 165, 168 and 169 of the Treaty has, up until now, only existed in theory. Your communication has brought the provisions to life. We hope that, having come into being, this cooperation will then grow, but I will come back to this point. In this regard, I would, of course, also like to congratulate Mrs Plooij­Van Gorsel on her report – and not just as a friend or colleague. Even though she was pressed for time and had to work under conditions which were not always favourable, the result is completely satisfactory. We will therefore support the report, especially since it has been improved upon by the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy. However, I would not like it to be inferred from the reading of Mrs Plooij­Van Gorsel’s report during this sitting that the alpha and omega of research and development consists of nothing more than finding a solution to what has been dubbed the European research paradox: high level research which lacks the innovation necessary for it to reach United States quality. Consequently, there is a great temptation, and you have succumbed, ladies and gentlemen, to the temptation to say that the most important element is clearly the transition from laboratory research to the reality of the market. You have stressed, extremely vigorously I would say, all the elements which facilitate this transition: benchmarking, aid to private investment, tax exemption and a certain amount of support for enterprise and SMEs with high technological added value, all of which is important and necessary. In effect, we must convert research into growth and growth into jobs. But how could we think that a European Community, which devotes only half the amount of resources to research and development that the United States or Japan do, would be able to maintain a sufficient knowledge and skills base? If, tomorrow, we want innovation, our knowledge base has to be up to the task. The best means for achieving this end put forward by this major communication, in my opinion, are precisely the establishment of centres of excellence and networks to link these centres, infrastructures, the sharing of large facilities and better structured mobility. In short, everything which will contribute to consolidating our knowledge base. Moreover, as my predecessor, Mr Harbour, used to say, henceforth, Commissioner, you can count on the wide support of the European Parliament. I know that you already have the support of the European scientific community and that is extremely important. Now we must convert the test into proposals, but also into more radical changes. A meeting will be held midway through the fifth framework programme and, without waiting for the sixth framework programme, this may well be the right time to formalise the announcements you have made today, which seem to offer great potential, as laws and new priorities. IN THE CHAIR: MR WIEBENGAVice-President

Political group: PSE