No C 41/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 18. 2. 91 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision adopting a specific research and technological 
development (R&TD) programme in the field of measurements and testing (1990-1994) (x) 
(91/C 41/02) 
On 6 June 1990 the Council consulted the Economic and Social Committee, under Article 
130 Q(2) of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on the abovemen-
tioned proposal. 
The Section for Energy, Nuclear Questions and Research, which was responsible for preparing 
the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 7 November 1990. The 
Rapporteur was Mr Proumens. 
At its 281st plenary session (meeting of 20 November 1990) the Economic and Social 
Committee adopted the following Opinion unanimously. 
The Committee notes with great satisfaction this pro­
posal for a Council Decision. 
This is an important specific programme which will 
bring numerous benefits in the fields covered. The 
Committee would, however, make the following com­
ments. 
1. General comments 
1.1. The proposed programme is to be implemented 
by shared costs contracts and concerted action; it is to 
have a budget of 50 million ECU. 
A specific Joint Research Centre (JRC) action pro­
gramme is also provided for. It is to be adopted by 
Council decision, with a budget of 90 million ECU. 
1.2. The shared cost contract programme is to run 
for five years. 
In actual fact however the budgetary allocation covers 
four years, since the first year (1990) has been neutral­
ized. 
1.3. The Committee stresses the importance of stick­
ing to the proposed budget breakdown. 
If funds are rolled over to the following year, the total 
amount budgeted for should be taken up by the end of 
the scheduled period. 
1.4. Staff expenditure, on the basis of a clearly 
defined establishment plan, accounts for 16% of the 
total budget. 
This proportion would be amended in the event of a 
budgetary shortfall in this area. Moreover the establishment may not be commensurate 
with the envisaged measures which in fact require a 
relatively high staff complement, given the volume of 
work to be carried out internally. 
2. Objectives of the programme 
2.1. The BCR (Community Bureau of Reference) 
and JRC programmes may be regarded as logistical 
measures, while the research programmes — to which 
they may in some measure be connected — are strategic 
measures. 
2.2. Hence their objectives are practical, namely to 
improve calibration and reference in the various priority 
areas listed below. 
2.3. By way of information, it should be pointed out 
that the samples developed under the programme are 
sold; in 1989, for instance, 8,000 samples were sold, 
including 30% to the USA, Japan and Canada; such 
purchases by non-Community countries are an indi­
cation of the quality of the work. 
2.4. The Committee wonders to what extent the 
Commission could assume actual responsibility for the 
commercial aspect of sample sales, i.e. the identification 
of potential customers and negotiations on sales con­
tracts. 
Commission figures indicate that the 8,000 samples 
brought in revenue totalling 400,000 ECU, i.e. each 
sample was sold for 50 ECU. This seems ridiculously 
low since the potential customers include businesses, as 
well as public authorities and universities. A closer 
study should be made of the profitability and retail 
price of these samples. 
(!) OJ No C 174, 16. 7. 1990, p. 35. 2.5. Still on this aspect, the Committee is exercised 
by the dissemination of information on both tenders 
18. 2. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 41/5 
and research findings, for the purposes of improved 
publicity and marketing of the various projects subsi­
dized by the programme. 
The Commission covers a maximum of 50 % of costs 
in this area, the remainder being borne by the undertak­
ings, research centres and other organizations con­
cerned. 
2.6. The main priority areas covered are: 
a) analysis methods related to foodstuffs and agri­
culture (hormones, antibiotics, quality of cereals, 
etc.); 
b) analysis methods related to the environment, e.g. 
for aquatic pollutants, traces of heavy metals, 
atmospheric pollutants, the mutagenicity of chemi­
cals; 
c) biomedical methods of analysis, such as haematolo-
gical tests, cardiovascular diseases, tumor markers, 
etc; 
d) analysis methods for non-ferrous metals; 
e) applied metrology, i.e. measurement and calibration 
for testing laboratories, e.g. with regard to quality 
control. 
The Committee has absolutely no doubt as to the 
importance of these five areas. 
2.7. In addition to industry and agriculture, these 
areas are clearly of direct concern to consumers and 
even to the man in the street. 
Moreover social problems have not been overlooked; 
the programme's priorities include analyses related to 
the work place environment and calibrations relating 
to pressure, temperature, visible and invisible radiation, 
noise abatement, etc.; these cater inter alia for the 
interests of workers. 
2.8. This set of priority areas may seem ambitious 
but is, in fact, directed basically to practical ends. The 
financial resources assigned to the BCR and JCR must 
be sufficient for the programme to be carried out effec­
tively. 
Done at Brussels, 20 November 1990. 3. Specific comments 
3.1. The Commission has provided for a review of 
the programme in 1992 and a report on the review's 
findings. 
Three comments are called for: 
a) the 1992 deadline is premature. Given the pro­
gramme's effective starting date, 1993 would be 
more appropriate. 
b) the review's findings are to be submitted to the 
Council and the European Parliament; the Commit­
tee urges the Commission to ensure that they are 
also forwarded to the ESC; 
c) the Committee points out that, in any event, under 
Article 130Q(2) the Commission is obliged to send 
the Committee any review that includes proposals 
for changes. 
3.2. The proposal provides for chemical analyses in 
connection with the monitoring of pollution levels in 
the North Sea. The Committee asks that these analyses 
be extended to the Mediterranean and the Baltic. 
3.3. The Committee calls on the Commission to 
include in the programme research measures aimed 
at harmonizing analysis and testing methods for the 
biodegradability of products and raw materials. 
3.4. Given the importance of biomedical analysis 
methods, the Committee stresses the need to forge 
closer links with the World Health Organization 
(WHO). 
3.5. On the issue of cooperation with third countries, 
the Committee requests that these analysis methods, 
especially in respect of the environment, should be sold 
to — or made available to — the Eastern European 
nations. 
3.6. Finally it should be pointed out that the Com­
mission has proposed that the Council conclude BCR 
cooperation agreements in this area with Finland, 
Sweden and Switzerland. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Francois STAEDELIN