8. 2. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 35/5 
its survey of reference material requirements among the 
relevant national bodies. 
15. In view of the growing importance of CEN/ 
Cenelec and of the reforms advocated in order to 
increase its effectiveness, particularly through the active 
participation of consumers in its work, it is desirable 
for the Commission to take even more account of the 
work and achievements of the BCR, especially in the 
priority fields covered by the proposal for a Regulation. 
The reference materials produced by the BCR should 
also facilitate and speed up work on standards, which 
will make it possible to achieve harmonization—the basis of the large European market to be completed by 
1992—as soon as possible. 
16. The BCR needs to become better known and 
recognized by all government bodies, to ensure a wide 
dissemination of its work among all potential users, 
based on its reputation. 
In this connection, it should be noted that the BCR's 
role is to promote research and cooperation rather than 
to act as a referee. 
17. The programme will be reviewed after three 
years and if necessary revised. The Economic and Social 
Committee should be informed of the outcome of the 
Done at Brussels, 16 December 1987. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Alfons MARGOT 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation adopting a plan to stimulate the inter­
national cooperation and interchange needed by European research scientists (SCIENCE), 
plan 1988-1992 
(88/C 35/03) 
On 20 October 1987, the Council of the European Communities decided to consult the 
Economic and Social Committee, under Article 130 Q of the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, on the abovementioned 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 3 December 1987. The 
rapporteur was Mr Moreland. 
At its 251st plenary session (meeting of 16 December 1987) the Economic and Social 
Committee adopted the following Opinion unanimously, with 2 abstentions: 
1. Background 
1.1. In March 1985 the Community launched a plan 
to stimulate European scientific and technical cooper­
ation. By May 1987, 346 joint projects had brought 
together 2 550 research scientists (full-time equivalent) 
belonging to 950 different teams. 1.2. The existing programme support covers: 
a) research grants to enable scientists to join a team 
in another Member State; 
b) twinnings between research teams from at least two 
different Member States; 
No C 35/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 8. 2. 88 
c) operations with a specific result in view. 
1.3. It is proposed under the 'SCIENCE' programme 
to extend the support to cover: 
a) participation in large scale facilities such as acceler­
ators, synchrotrons or oceanographic vessels to 
enable Community researchers who would not 
otherwise have access, to make use of them, and so 
that they might be adapted, given special features 
and operated more economically; 
b) career awards intended to encourage high quality 
researchers to remain in the Community. 
1.4. The funds estimated as necessary for the 
execution of the plan between 1988 and 1992 are 
167 million ECU. 
2. Comments 
2.1. Given the short period of time available to the 
Committee for the preparation of an Opinion in a 
programme proposal costing as much as 167 million 
ECU, the conclusions to be drawn can only be con­
sidered as preliminary and the Committee may wish to 
make further comments on the important programme. 
2.2. It should be noted that many favourable com­
ments have been made about the programme to date, 
in particular in the 'mid-term evaluation' by the review 
panel, which states that 'the results obtained are most 
impressive'. Consequently, the programme should be 
developed as proposed by the Commission. 
Done at Brussels, 16 December 1987. 2.3. The conclusions and recommendations of the 
review panel are particularly worthy of note, especially 
what is said concerning: 
a) the need for a greater involvement from the com­
mercial and industrial world through greater par­
ticipation by industrial laboratories; 
b) the desirability of more widespread applications. It 
is pointed out that all the Community institutions 
(including the Economic and Social Committee) 
have a responsibility for making the programme 
widely known; 
c) the need to ensure that the procedures are relatively 
rapid and flexible and that simplified contracts and 
procedures below the 100 000 ECU level should be 
introduced; interim reports should be simplified and 
contract extension be made possible. 
2.4. The Commission should encourage recipients to 
give greater attention to the practical applications of 
the results of the programme. 
2.5. In the light of potential cost-benefit and given 
the level of demand for resources, the Section urges the 
budgetary authorities (the Council and the European 
Parliament) to give very careful consideration to the 
need for funds over the proposed budgetary period so 
as to ensure the programme is properly funded. 
2.6. The Commission's suggestion that the pro­
gramme should be extended in 1989 to the economic 
sciences is a good one. 
This suggestion should be pursued, interpreting it in 
the widest sense so as to include statistics, operational 
research and business and management science. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Aifons MARGOT