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COM (83) 277 
 
 
 
Vol. 1983/0 113 
 
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européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, 
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In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Econom ic 
Communit y and the European Atom ic Energy Communit y (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as 
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243, 
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In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom  1. 
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COMMISSION  OF THE  EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 
COM(83) 277 final 
Brussels,  11 May 1983 
Amendment;of  the Proposal  for a 
COUNCIL DECISION 
promoting  a European  infrastrucutre  for innovation  and 
technology  transfer 
(submitted  to the Council  by the Commission pursuant  to the second 
paragraph  of Article  149 of the EEC  Treaty) 
COM(83) 277 final 

Motivation 
On 18 June 1982, the Commission  sent to Council a proposal for 
a Council decision "concerning a plan for the transnational 
development  of the supporting  infrastructure  for innovation 
and technology transfer  (1983-1985)"  (1) 
The President of the Council sent  this proposal to the  European 
Parliament on  30 June 1982. On 10 March  1983, Parliament  adopted 
a resolution  (2) approving the plan but also voted a  number  of 
amendments . 
At the time of the discussion in the plenary session and in the 
parliamentary  committees  it became  clear  that there was a  broad 
agreement  between  the Parliament and the  Commission  on all  amend­
ments.  Therefore the  Commission  presents  this modified proposal 
for a Council decision  which,  on the one  hand,  reflects this 
agreement,  and which,  on the other  hand,  also includes  some minor 
modifications  the Commission  finds  opportune  to make. 
With respect to the  original  proposal, the  major  modifications 
are listed  and commented  below. 
1. The original,  rather  heavy-handed  title  is replaced by a  more 
direct and snorter  title. 
2. A third  indent is  appended  to Article  3, so as to state  expli­
citly in the Council Decision that the transnational aspects of 
pilot projects in technologically  lesser  developed  Member  States 
are eligible  for support. 
3. The Commission  considers that the  amendment  proposed  by Parl­
iament,  which  no longer provides for an advisory  committee 
created by Council Decision, is acceptable in  view of the 
following  circumstances  : 
a) the  Commission  intends in any event, and has  made  this clear 
in Parliament, to create an advisory  body composed  of the 
national  authorities  responsible for innovation  policy,  if 
only for the execution of the actions of  Chapter  3 of 
Annex I; 
b) this  plan of action  towards  a European  infrastructure  for 
innovation  and technology transfer is an  essential  element 
in the general  activity  of the  Community  for the generation 
and useful  application  of new technology. 
• · · / · · · 
(1) OJ N° C187 of  22.7.82,  pages  4 to 7 
(2) OJ N° C of  83,  pages  to 

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As such, any advisory  body must,  in the view of the  Commis­
sion, fit into the general  framework  of advisory  committees 
for that broad area of  work both as regards its  position  vis­
a-vis the Commission  and as regards its  rules and procedures. 
The Commission  has made a proposalO)  in £his respect in 
response to the Council's request for improved procedures. 
The Commission  feels  that  this proposal should not be 
prejudged by the  decision  on the present  programme  and that 
the definitive  arrangement  for it  must conform with the  gen­
eral dispositions  which  will be decided.  Until  then, a 
temporary  solution  should be adopted on  this programme  to 
avoid further  delay. 
4. Annex  I is expanded  to include a  list of actions,  the execution 
of which  will nave  priority  at the  start  of the implementation 
of the Council Decision and which  will provide the  Commission 
with the necessary experience for its  further  execution and 
the Council with the basis for  further  decisions in  this matter. 
(3) COM(83)  143 final  of 16  March  1983 

Amendment  of the 
(x) PROPOSAL FOR A 
COUNCIL  DECISION 
Promoting  a European  infrastructure  for innovation  and technology  
transfer 
(submitted  pursuant  to Article  149, paragraph  2 of the EEC  Treaty) 
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  Par1iament,(1) 
Having  regard  to the  Opinion  of the  Economic  and Social  Committee,(2) 
Whereas,  in accordance  with Article  2 of the  Treaty,  the Community 
has as its task  to promote  a harmonious  development  of economic 
activities  and continuous  and balanced  expansion  throughout  the 
Community; 
Whereas  the Heads of State or Government,  meeting  in Luxembourg 
on 1 and 2  December  1980,  expressed  the hope that efforts  by the 
Member  States  in the  field of industrial  innovation  would be better 
coordinated  in order to improve  the competitiveness  of European 
products  by making  the best use of the  dimension  afforded  by the 
common market;  whereas  they requested  the competent  authorities  of 
the Community  to examine  ways of eliminating  the fragmentation  of 
markets  and improving incentives  to innovation  and the  dissemination 
of knowledge; 
Whereas  it is  primarily  up to  undertakings  to develop  trade in tech­
nologies  and to  promote  their  exploitation; 
Whereas  , nevertheless,  a resolute  effort  is required  to promote 
interaction  between  technology, industry  and the  market at European 
level, so as to  ensure  that further economically viable innovations 
accrue from discoveries  and inventions  through  utilisation  of 
the advantages  of scale afforded  by the  European  dimension; 
(x) The modifications with respect  to the  original  proposai 
(OJ No C187,  22.7.82,  p. 4 are ùp.d^htined. 
(1) OJ No C 
(2) OJ No C33,  7.2.83,  p. 17. 

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Whereas  the Member  States  have developed  s pecia 1ised.services 
in the field of research exploitation,  technology  transfer, 
information,  consultancy  and financing; 
Whereas  these  infrastructures  are important  for  facilitating 
innovation, particularly  in small and medium-sized  undertakings; 
Whereas  the introduction  of transnational  mechanisms  for liaison, 
cooperation, training  and information  would  be crucial  in optimis­
ing these  national  efforts; 
Whereas  the said mechanisms  would  provide  wider  access  to such 
essential  elements  of industrial  innovation  as research,  technology, 
capital  and the  market; 
Whereas  the Treaty  does not provide  the powers  necessary  to this 
end , 
HAS DECIDED AS  FOLLOWS  : 
Article  1 
With a view to facilitating  innovation  in the  Community,  a package 
of measures  designed  to promote  the transnational  development  of 
liaison and cooperation infrastructures  and to  provide incentives 
to trade  and the  exploitation  of technologies  is hereby  drawn up, 
and is defined  in Annex I. 
Article  2 
On the  basis of continuous  exchange  and comparative  assessment 
of experiences,  Member  States  and the  Commission  shall endeavour  
to assure  compatibility  of the  measures  referred  to in  Article  1 
with national  and regional  measures  to promote  innovation,  in the 
manner  provided  for in  Annex I, Chapter  3. 
Article  3 
The activities  or projects described  in Annex I shall be undertaken 
on the responsibility  of the  Commission  or shall  qualify  for 
partial  Community  financing  under the appropriations provided  for 
in the budget  of the  European  Communities . 
The following  activities  or projects  may be  eligible  for con­
sideration  : 
- activities  or projects involving partners established  in various 
Member  States;  o_r 
- activities  or projects involving operations  on a Community 
scale or services  open to all Member  States;  o_r 
- programmes  for developing  innovation infrastructure,  where  
circumstances  so require,  so as to  enable  Member  States with  
weaker  infrastructure  to participate  fully in transnational  
projects. 

- 3 -
Article  4 
The Commission  shall  disseminate in the  Community,  by the  most 
appropriate  means,  the results  of the actions  undertaken  pursuant 
to this Decision. 
Article  5 
The appropriations required for  implementing  this Decision are 
estimated at 15  million  ECU over a period of three  years  from  
the date  this Decision  takes  effect,  and_are independent 
of additional  manpower  requirements.  This amount  constitutes 
an indication  of the  financial  appropriations  which  will be 
entered in the general  budget  of the  European  Communities. 
As regards  the *activities  described in  Annex  I, the  Commission 
shall endeavour  to share  the cost of the operations, to recover 
a part of its outlay  from any such revenue  as may  accrue  and 
to limit  its contributions to an  initial  launching period. 
Article  6 
The Commission  shall implement  this Decision and may  have  recourse  
to consultation in so doing. 
The Commission  shall submit  a report  each year to the Council, 
the European  Parliament and the  Economic  and Social  Committee. 
Article  7 
This Decision  shall  take effect  on the day of its publication 
in the Official  Journal of the  European Communities. 
Done at Brussels, 
For the Council 

ANNEX I 
TOWARDS  A EUROPEAN  INFRASTRUCTURE  FOR INNOVATION 
AND TECHNOLOGY  TRANSFER 
Scope and description of actions 
Scope 
The principal objective is to  promote  the rapid penetration of 
the Community's  economies  by new technologies as  they become 
available,  having  regard  especially to small and  medium-sized 
enterprises . 
The proposed  actions  will reinforce national structures  working 
towards  this end, in particular by  adding  the European  dimension 
to the operations  of existing national  research  exploitation, 
technology  transfer, advisory and specialised financial services. 
The aim is  thus to strengthen  the transnational innovation  infra­
structure  which  is essential for an  efficient  European  market  in 
innovât  ion. 
Three principal lines of actions are  envisaged  : 
(1) to render  existing and  developing  organisations and services 
in this  field more  effective by  facilitating  their  operations 
on, and their  access  to, the  Community  market;  this trans­
national  extension  of structures in the  Member  States  will 
be based  upon  flexible  and dynamic  mechanisms  of liaison 
and cooperation; 
(2) to the degree  necessary  for the objective, to  help meet the 
corresponding  basic  requirements  in the training of  people, 
in knowledge  and in technical and  communication  means; 
(3) to contribute to the  general  advance  of methods  used in this 
field by promoting,  where  beneficial,  concertation,  the 
exchange  of experience  and the introduction of new  methods 
in the Member  States. - 4 -

- 5 -
Description  o£ actions 
t 
! Initiallvi  the following  priority  actions  are envisaged  : 
1. Start-up  support  for the establishment and  initial  activities 
of liaison  mechanisms  : 
- Standing Technologial  Conference  of European  Local Authorities 
C STCELA) : 
- association of  financial  organisations specialized in the 
financing  of innovation: 
- associations of technology and  management  advisory services, 
including  technology  awareness  agencies  . 
2. Actions to  promote  the supply and dissemination of information 
at Community  level  on : 
- supply and  demand  in respect of national and transnational 
cooperation of small and  medium-sized  enterprises,  market 
analyses and  market  studies, technological  surveys  and trend 
analyses and R&D findings: 
- public  invitations  to tender; 
- norms,  standards, rules and regulations applying to exports 
(and impor  t s). 
3. Support  for better  utilization  of Community-wide  protection of 
industrial  and commercial  property  rights. 
4. Consultation on action  taken  or to be  taken  at national and 
Community  level,  notably with a  view to evaluating and securing 
the actual imp  1emenation  of new or not yet  Community-wide 
applied  methods  of promoting  innovation, for the benefit in 
particular  of small and  medium-sized  enterprises. 
Subsequent  to the  availability  of initial  experiences, the following 
actions are  envisaged  : 
Chapter  1 : European  cohesion  between  existing  innovation  promotion 
organisations 
1.1. The industry/research interface, in  particular  : 
a) start-up  support  for the establishment of  liaison 
mechanisms  ; 
b) support  for promotional actions for exploitation of 
new technology or  market  prospection  inside and outside 
the Community. 

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1.2. Technology  and management  advisory services,  in particular  : 
a) start-up  support  for associations  in order to establish 
"human"  networks  of relations  between  the services 
concerned,  and also for the  necessary  back-up  activities; 
b) support  for exchange  of personnel  of such services  as the 
most efficient  way to  gain experience  on other markets 
as well  as to  establish  networks  of mutual  assistance; 
c) support  for their joint  technological  market  exploration 
inside and outside  the Community. 
1.3. Venture  finance operations,  in particular  : 
a) start-up  support  for an  association  of financial  organis­
ations specialised  in the  financing  of innovation; 
b) support  for professional publications  of such an associa­
tion; 
c) support  for the  build-up  of reference  networks  of experts 
and consultants. 
1.4. Interface  between  public  users and innovative industries, 
in particular  : 
a) support,  as long as necessary,  for the  basic structure 
of Community  local  authority cooperation  in new  technol­
ogies ; 
b) support  for orienting  local  authority purchasing  towards 
innova  t ion; 
c) support  for technology  exchange  between  participants. 
Chapter  2 : Strengthening  the  foundations  : people,  knowledge, 
communicat  ion 
2.1. Training  in management of  innovation  and technology  transfer, 
in particular  : 
a) encouraging  suitable  European  higher educational  instit­
utions and organisations  to offer special  courses  in 
this field; 
b) support  for the  development  of teaching tools  for this 
purpose  on a European  basis. 

- 7 -
2.2. Joint  support  functions for the  awareness  and assessment 
of new technologies and  potential  markets, in  particular  : 
a) support for  joint assessment  of technology and markets; 
b) support for  increasing  technology  awareness,  by means 
such as cooperation  between  "technology  awareness  agen­
cies" or giving  a European  scope  to technology confer­
ences normally organised on a  national  or regional  basis; 
c) support for the  acquisition,  analysis  and dissemination 
of information on technologies and  markets  to which 
access is  difficult; 
d) support for the establishment of an information  exchange 
on-available  expertise regarding technology, markets, 
finance  and public  aids for innovation throughout the 
Community . 
2.3. Access to patents and  licensing  markets, in  particular  : 
a) support for the  intensification  of consultation  and 
contacts  with the  parties  concerned, in  particular  as 
regards the patent  cost,  the use of patent information 
and the  criteria  of industrial  property  protection; 
b) support for  complementing  what is already  done in some 
Member  States to  promote  the use of  industrial  property 
rights by inventors; 
c) support the  creation  of an  efficient  common  market  for 
the licensing  of technology, by promoting the  concertation 
of intermediary  services  and by providing  start-up  support 
for transnational  forms  of cooperation. 
2.4. Opening  new channels of communication to accelerate  market 
introduction  of new products, in  particular  : 
a) to  promote  the timely  and Community-wide  diffusion  of 
calls for proposals for new products, and in  particular  of 
public tenders, by developing new  efficient  media  or by 
promoting a  more intensive  use of  existing  communication 
channe1 s ; 
b) establishing  an up-to-date  awareness  system on  regul­
ations,  norms  and standards. 
Chapter  3 : Concertation  of Member  States and  Community  action 
a) intensification  of the  concertation  and the  exchange  of inform­
ation and experience  within working groups; 
b) comparisons and evaluations of  programmes  and measures; 
c) Community  support for the  advancement  of programme  methods, 
and for the  advancement  of the  transnational  innovation  infra­
structure  in particular.