11.2.87 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 33/5 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Decision concerning a Community programme to create and develop 
business and innovation centres and their network 
COM(86) 78 5 final 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 23 January 1987) 
(87/C 33/05) 
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 opinion of the European Par­
liament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas, in accordance with Article 2 of the EEC 
Treaty, the Community has as its task, inter alia, to 
promote a harmonious development of economic 
activities and continuous and balanced expansion 
throughout the Community; 
Whereas the Council has recently adopted an action 
programme for SMEs which recognizes that the 
development of a stable, innovative small and medium-
sized sector is an essential element in the strengthening 
of the Community's economy and is of prime importance 
to the effective industrial development of declining or 
stagnant industrial areas, as well as to the creation of 
additional jobs; 
Whereas Member States have recognized in Article 
130 C of the Single European Act, the need to contribute 
to the conversion of those areas; 
Whereas it has been recognized that an accelerated 
development of small and medium-sized enterprises 
requires the combined and organized use of the factors 
contributing to business creation; 
Whereas, to that effect, one of the essential objectives of 
Community regional policy is to strenghten and exploit 
the potential for internally generated development of 
regions; whereas business and innovation centres are a 
major instrument for making the optimum use of the 
potential in areas of industrial development; whereas each business and innovation centre is a locally based 
and professionnally managed organization aimed at the 
deliberate creation of innovative new SMEs with growth 
potential as well as to the modernization and 
strengthening of existing SMEs; 
Whereas business and innovation centres and their 
combination in a network are instruments for the 
implementation of the Community action programme for 
SMEs and of the related programmes for SMEs in the 
fields of regional and industrial development, innovation 
and advanced training as well as for the strengthening of 
innovation infrastructures; and whereas they sub­
stantially facilitate the access of small and medium-sized 
enterprises to Community technology and innovation 
programmes; 
Whereas the Treaty has not provided the necessary 
specific powers, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1 
1. The present programme is intended to contribute to 
the strengthening and the exploitation of the potential 
for internally generated development of the regions, by 
promoting the creation and development of business and 
innovation centres and by supporting their cooperation, 
in particular, through the European Business and 
Innovation Centre Network. 
2. The Commission will promote the establishment of 
business and innovation centres in areas of industrial 
development or redevelopment covered by Community 
regional policy and in IMP and ECSC areas. 
Article 2 
Business and innovation centres are locally based, pro­
fessionally managed and cost-effective organizations, 
whose object is to operate systems for the detection and 
selection of potential entrepreneurs and of innovative 
No C 33/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 11. 2. 87 
business opportunities and to provide a comprehensive 
programme of services for candidate entrepreneurs as 
well as for existing firms, including, in particular, entre­
preneurial training and tutoring as an auto-selective 
process; technology search, assessment, development and 
transfer; management; marketing; finance; preparation 
of business plans and provision of premises with shared 
services. Business and innovation centres link with 
existing local and regional business development services. 
Article 3 
The Commission may grant financial contributions to the 
following operations, described in Annex 1: 
— the preparation and launching of business and 
innovation centres, 
— the development of methods, models and procedures 
for their effective operations, 
— specific action of promotion of business and 
innovation centres, 
Community financial contributions shall not exceed 
50 % of the costs involved in carrying out the 
abovementioned operations; 
— the Commission may also grant financial support to 
the European Business and Innovation Centre 
Network asbl. Article 4 
The Commission shall require centres which have been 
assisted to report on results achieved every second year, 
for six years. 
Article 5 
An initial period of four years (1987 to 1990) is 
envisaged for the present programme. The amount 
necessary to carry out this programme during this period 
is estimated at 17,5 million ECU, to be provided under 
the industrial redevelopment heading in the general 
budget of the European Community. 
Article 6 
The Commission is responsible for the implementation of 
the present Decision. It shall report to the Council on 
progress and results of the programme, every second 
year from the date of this Decision. 
On a proposal from the Commission, the Council shall 
review this Decision at the end of the fourth year of 
application. 
Article 7 
The present Decision shall take effect on the day of its 
publication in the Official Journal of the European 
Communities. 
ANNEX 
A. Preparatory works for the organization and launching of business and innovation centres 
The preparatory works include: 
— the organization and the first trial of the relevant functions/services of a business and innovation 
centre, in particular; detection, screening and training of candidates, entrepreneurs and SMEs 
willing to diversify or modernize; preparation of business plans; technical assessment; local and 
international technology search; advisory services in managerial, legal, fiscal, commercial, financial 
matters; common premises, 
— the hiring of consultants with expertise in the setting-up of business and innovation centres, 
— the preparation of a business plan of the business and innovation centre, 
— the setting-up and launching of the business and innovation centre. 
B. The development of methods, models and procedures for the effective operation of business and 
innovation centres 
This will include research and trials of methods, models and procedures related to the effective 
operation business and innovation centres in particular: business-planning methods, procedures for 
technology search and assessment, international marketing for SMEs and business and innovation 
centres. 
11.2.87 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 33/7 
C. The promotion of business and innovation centres in specified areas 
Activities would include the organization of technical seminars in areas of particular interest to 
Community regional policy where business and innovation centres are to be promoted. 
D. European Business and Innovation Centres Network — EBN 
Community financial support might be provided to the EBN in 1988 or 1989, should self-sufficiency 
not be attained, under present forecasts. s 
Financial support will be given in the form of grants to annual operating expenses, on the basis of a 
convention with the Commission and after reception of a full yearly report on past activities and 
progress. 
Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 804/68 on the common 
organization of the market in milk and milk products 
COM(87) 38 final 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 23 January 1987) 
(87/C 33/06) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 43 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Par­
liament, 
Whereas experience has clearly shown that the 
application of formula B as specified in Article 5c of 
Council Regulation (EEC) No 804/68 ('), as last 
amended by Regulation (EEC) No 1335/86 (2), is not a 
sufficient deterrent to purchasers responsible for large 
excess quantities; whereas an allocation of the quantities 
not used by the purchaser in proportion to the individual 
reference quantities of those producers responsible for 
his reference quantity's being exceeded will make the 
additional levy scheme more rigorous; whereas the rules 
on the operation of formula B should be adjusted 
accordingly, provision being made however for dero­
gations under certain circumstances; 
Whereas the market situation for milk and milk products 
is such that it must be possible for these measures to be 
applied from the beginning of the third additional levy 
period on condition that interested parties have been 
duly informed beforehand; 
0) OJ No L 148, 28. 6. 1968, p. 13. 
(2) OJNoL 119, 8.5. 1986, p. 19. Whereas Articles 6 and 7 of Regulation (EEC) No 
804/68 provided for the introduction of permanent 
intervention arrangements for butter and for skimmed-
milk powder; 
Whereas these arrangements no longer function as a 
mechanism for short-therm stabilization of the market 
during the period of heavy production but have come to 
provide a more attractive outlet for production than the 
normal market outlets; 
Whereas during the period when skimmed-milk 
production is low the utilization of milk protein can be 
secured by aid for the use of skimmed milk; whereas 
consequently the purchase of skimmed-milk powder by 
the intervention agencies should be restricted to the 
period 1 March to 31 August; 
Whereas during the period of imposition of the 
additional levy provided for in Article 5c of Regulation 
(EEC) No 804/68 the Commission should have the 
power to adjust the intervention arrangements for butter 
and for skimmed-milk powder by adopting other 
measures applicable throughout the Community; 
Whereas the Commission should have the power to 
adopt appropriate provisions should it happen that the 
measures adopted in this Regulation lead to under-
supply of dairies that are important suppliers to the 
market and to over-supply of dairies that have excessive 
recourse to intervention,