No C 109/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 26. 4. 88 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Decision on a European stimulation plan for economic science (1989 to 
1992) (SPES) 
COM(88) 98 final 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 22 March 1988) 
(88/C 109/04) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 130Q 
(2) thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
In cooperation with the European Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
"Whereas Article 130K of the Treaty provides that 
implementation of the framework programme be carried 
out by means of specific programmes developed within 
each of its action lines; 
Whereas Council Decision 87/516/Euratom, EEC (') 
adopting the multiannual framework programme 1987 to 
1991 includes the stimulation, enhancement and better 
use of existing Community human research and devel­
opment resources among the activities it provides for; 
Whereas Decision ... of ... adopting the second plan to 
stimulate the international cooperation and interchange 
needed by European research scientists (Science) for the 
period 1988 to 1992 concerns only the exact and natural 
sciences; whereas it is recognized that support would be 
advantageous in other scientific areas; 
Whereas economic science addresses itself to the funda­
mental objectives of the Community, is able to contribute 
to a better formulation of Community policies and, more 
generally, aims to increase the wealth and productivity of 
the whole economy; it is therefore appropriate that of 
the human and social sciences priority should be given to 
stimulating economic science; 
Whereas the creation of a 'Researchers' Europe' is 
necessary in order to ensure that the development gap 
between different Member States of the European 
Community does not widen further; Whereas it is in the Community's interest to involve third 
countries and international organizations in certain 
Community programmes and particularly those 
programmes contributing to the overall strengthening of 
Europe's scientific potential; 
Whereas the Scientific and Technical Research 
Committee has given its opinion, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1 
A plan to stimulate cooperation between and the inter­
change of researchers in economic science, hereinafter 
referred to as the 'programme', as set out in the Annex, 
is hereby adopted for a four-year period commencing on 
1 January 1989. 
Article 2 
The procedural arrangements for implementing the 
programme are set out in the Annex. The rate of the 
Community's financial contribution to stimulation ac­
tivities shall amount to 100 % of the cost of these 
scientific cooperation or interchange activities. 
Article 3 
The funds estimated as necessary for the execution of 
the programme amount to 6 million ECU for the period 
1989 to 1992, including expenditure on a staff of two. 
Article 4 
1. The Commission shall be responsible for the 
execution of the programme and shall be assisted by the 
Committee for the European Development of Science 
and Technology (Codest), set up pursuant to 
Commission Decision 82/835/EEC (2) and by 
consultants. 
(') OJ No L 302, 24. 10. 1987, p. 1. O OJ No L 350, 12. 12. 1982, p. 45. 
26. 4. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 109/5 
2. Contracts entered into by the Commission shall 
regulate the rights and obligations of each party and in 
particular the methods of disseminating, protecting and 
exploiting research results and any necessary reim­
bursement of funding given. 
Article 5 
1. In its fourth year, the Commission shall undertake 
a review of the programme. It shall report to Council 
and the European Parliament on the results of this 
review together, if necessary, with any proposals for 
modification or prolongation in the light of the interim 
results achieved. 
2. After completion of the programme, the 
Commission shall report to Council and the European 
Parliament on the evaluation of the final results. 
3. The abovementioned reports shall be established 
having regard to the objectives of the programme as set out in the Annex and in conformity with the provisions 
of Article 2 (2) of the framework programme. 
Article 6 
The Commission is authorized to negotiate, in 
accordance with Article 130N of the EEC Treaty, 
agreements with European non-member States and inter­
national organizations (in particular those countries 
participating in European Cooperation in the field of 
Scientific and Technical Research (COST) and those 
having concluded framework agreements in S/T co­
operation with the Community) with a view to associ­
ating them wholly or partially with the programme. 
Article 7 
This Decision shall apply from 1 January 1989. 
Article 8 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 
ANNEX 
European stimulation plan for economic science 1989 to 1992 (SPES) 
1. The programme consists of a range of activities which have as their aim the establishment of a network 
of cooperation and interchange between economists of the highest professional quality at the European 
level. 
The purpose of these activities is to: 
— stimulate the mobility of Community economists and cooperation on joint research projects or 
networks by researchers of the Community member countries, 
— improve training by encouraging doctoral students and researchers of the Community member 
countries to continue with their work in Community universities or research centres other than those 
of their country of origin, 
— encourage young European economists to return to the Community if they have been working for 
some time in centres of excellence of non-Community countries, and 
— favour or support the exchange of knowledge and information between researchers in economic 
science of Community member countries. 
2. The programme shall be implemented by support for the following actions: 
— scholarships, research grants, grants for multinational networks or research projects, and 
— subsidies for the organization of high level training courses, scientific meetings (conferences, 
seminars, workshops), organized in collaboration with the scientific communities concerned, and 
facilitating the realization of surveys and studies as well as access to data banks. 
3. Consideration shall be given to applications for financial support made by individuals or institutions 
which satisfy each of the following criteria: 
(a) scientific excellence; 
(b) the multinational European aspect (transnational cooperation or activity outside the country of 
origin); 
(c) the European interest of the substance of the research either in terms of its general scientific value 
or its applied analytical content. 
No C 109/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 26. 4. 88 
4. The selection of stimulation measures, beneficiary projects and/or researchers shall be made by the 
Commission assisted by an ad hoc group within the European Committee for the Development of 
Science and Technology (Codest). 
5. Possible topics of research are: 
(a) the Community's internal market programme raises many issues of microeconomic analysis, 
including industrial organization and the economics of regulatory policies (e.g. standards) that 
deserve urgent attention; 
(b) European integration economics, including issues of intra-European regional north-south 
relations, raises a further set of issues not well covered by the research community; 
(c) the determinants of economic growth in Western Europe, including dynamic factors such as 
advanced technology and innovation, and constraints, such as environmental concerns; 
(d) systemic issues in the monetary areas and macroeconomic and fiscal policy coordination have 
received increasing academic attention in recent years, but rarely dealing adequately with their 
intra-European as compared to their international aspects; 
(e) problems of trade policy and the role of Western Europe in the international division of labour; 
(f) employment and social policy issues, which have quite different characteristics in Western Europe, 
compared to the United States or Japan; and 
(g) methodological and modelling problems relevant to the abovementioned subjects or otherwise of 
fundamental interest. 
Proposal for a Council Regulation (EEC) on the implementation of co-financing operations 
for the purchase of food products or seeds by international bodies or non-governmental 
organizations 
COM(88) J 58 final 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 7 April 1988) 
(88/C 109/05) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 235 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European 
Parliament, 
Whereas the Community can come to the assistance of 
needy sections of the population of developing and other 
non-member countries by helping to finance the 
purchase by non-governmental organizations or interna­
tional bodies of food products or seeds; 
Whereas the measures to be taken for the implemen­
tation of such co-financing operations should be 
determined; 
Whereas provision should be made for a procedure for 
the management of co-financing operations; whereas 
Article 8 (2) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3972/86 
of 22 December 1986 on food-aid policy and food-aid management ('), as last amended by Regulation (EEC) 
No 3785/87 (2), contains a procedure which may be used 
for this purpose; 
Whereas the Treaty does not provide the necessary 
powers other than those contained in Article 235, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION: 
Article 1 
1. The Community may contribute to the financing of 
purchases by international bodies or non-governmental 
organizations of food products or seeds intended for 
needy sections of the population of developing or other 
non-member countries. 
2. Such operations may be implemented at the request 
of international bodies or non-governmental organiz­
ations when the target sections of the population are 
faced with serious difficulties as a result of natural 
disasters or exceptional circumstances. 
(') OJ No L 370, 30. 12. 1986, p. 1. 
(2) OJ No L 356, 18. 12. 1987, p. 8.