Amended proposal for a Council Decision adopting a specific research and technological programme in the field of standards, measurements and testing (1994 to 1998) (94/C 262/05) (Text with EEA relevance) COM(94) 243 final - 94/0083(CNS)

(Submitted by the Commission pursuant to Article 189 A (2) of the EC Treaty on 6 June 1994)

The proposal for a Council Decision adopting a specific research and technological development programme in the field of standards, measurement and testing (1994 to 1998) (COM(94)0068 final - 94/0083(CNS)) is amended as follows:

Recital 4

Whereas in accordance with Article 130i (3), an estimate should be made of the financial resources needed to carry out this specific programme; whereas the final amounts will be decided upon by the budgetary authority in accordance with the resources available under the financial perspective and the relative priority assigned to the area covered by this programme within activity I under the fourth framework programme;

Recital 6a

(new)

Whereas any increase in the overall maximum amount of the framework programme will depend in particular on the evaluation of the progress made in implementing the programme; whereas the progress made in this programme will be deemed satisfactory only if the first commitments of appropriations are effected within a reasonable period following the adoption of the programme; whereas that period may not exceed 12 months;

Recital 12a

(new)

Whereas the Commission's efforts to simplify and speed up the application and selection procedures and make them more transparent must be continued, in order to promote the implementation of the programme and to facilitate the action which firms, particularly SMUs, research centres and universities must take in order to participate in a Community RTD activity;

Recital 13a

(new)

whereas research activities related to standardization, measurements and testing for the iron and steel industry can be taken into consideration in this specific programme if they are of a precompetitive and multi-sectoral nature;

Article 2 (1)

1. The funds estimated as necessary for the execution of the programme amount to ECU 167 million, including a maximum of 10,9 % for staff and administrative expenditure.

The first appropriations shall be committed no later than 12 months following the adoption of the programme, unless good reason is given for exceeding this deadline.

Article 2 (4)

4. The budgetary authority shall determine the appropriations available for each financial year in accordance with the availability of resources under the financial perspective and the scientific and technological priorities set in the fourth framework programme.

ANNEX I

Section 2, first paragraph

Sound, reliable measurements, be they physical, chemical or biological in nature, are essential to the functioning of modern society. Without them, industries, particularly high technology ones, cannot operate, trade is impaired by disputes, health care becomes empirical and legislation, ranging from environmental and worker protection to the operation of the Common Agricultural Policy and the Single Market, cannot be successfully implemented. For these reasons advanced industrial nations spend up to 6 % of their gross national product on measurements and measurement-related operations. Community action directed towards the establishment of harmonized systems of measurements, reference materials and written standards is thus fully in line with the principles of subsidiarity and cohesion and supports the aims of the Commission's White Paper on Growth, Competitiveness and Employment. This need is particularly acute in Member States which have less well developed infrastructures for measurements and testing.

Section 2, seventh paragraph

When attempting to meet the above objectives, the Standardization, Measurement and Testing programme will carry out its activities in close collaboration with other specific programmes (for example, Industrial and Materials Technologies, Environment and Climate, Marine Sciences and Technologies, Biotechnology, Biomedicine and Health, Agriculture and Food Technologies, Socio-Economic Research). Similarly, activities aimed at strengthening the metrological infrastructure at the European level will be carried out in consultation with existing networks of national laboratories, such as Euromet, Eurachem, Eurolab, WECC and Welac. In view of the increased emphasis places upon the resolution of unpredictable or short- to medium-term difficulties which arise during the development or implementation of a wide range of Community policies, it is also necessary to establish additional thematic networks of excellence. Such networks could serve not only to solve scientific and technical problems but also as reference points for enterprises (especially SMEs) producing goods and services, as centres for analysing national needs and disseminating and transferring information, and as advanced training centres.

Theme II, second paragraph, fifth indent

- Measurements required by customs laboratories: the protection of the external frontiers of the Community against the importation of illegal substances, substandard goods, counterfeits or fraudulently labelled materials requires the development of new and improved harmonized methods of sampling and measurement. In particular, measures will be promoted for checking that contents accord with labelling, for the general purposes of protecting consumers and the environment. In addition, measurements are required to determine duties to be levied or refunded.

Theme III, second paragraph, third indent

- Justice system: coordinated activities are needed to develop and harmonize the specialist measurements used in forensic science and control, in particular, of narcotics in support of the newly established cooperation in the field of justice. Whilst relatively few laboratories are involved, the advanced nature of the measurements and the consequences of the results warrant coordinated action.