A4-0066/97

Resolution on the communication from the Commission 'Promoting RTD cooperation with the world's emerging economies' (COM(96)0344 - C4-0494/96)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission communication, COM(96)0344 - C4-0494/96,

- having regard to its resolution of 6 June 1996 on the Commission communication on perspectives for international cooperation in research and technological development ((OJ C 181, 24.6.1996, p. 42.)),

- having regard to its resolution of 6 June 1996 on the Green Paper on innovation ((OJ C 181, 24.6.1996, p. 35.)),

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Research, Technological Development and Energy and the opinions of the Committee on Budgets, the Committee on External Economic Relations and the Committee on Development and Cooperation (A4-0066/97),

A. whereas the Commission's new communication 'Promoting RTD cooperation with the world's emerging economies' is the first in a series of documents in which various geographical and economic groups of third countries are to be considered,

B. whereas it would not seem appropriate to define the term 'emerging economy' solely by reference to traditional macro-economic instruments,

C. whereas, in certain geographical regions, there is at present a continuum of economies in transition rather than a clear dividing line between industrialized and developing areas,

D. whereas the emerging economies are countries in which vast areas of underdevelopment exist side by side with technologically very advanced, or even already heavily industrialized areas,

E. whereas these countries, being subject to rapid population growth, have no choice but to adopt intensive production methods and highly competitive commercial practices, though often without taking account of the harmful effects of such methods and allowing coercive working conditions and human rights violations,

F. whereas they are also the target of major foreign investment and are now capable of cooperating with the European institutions with a view to exchanging researchers and technological know-how,

G. whereas it is important to consider the cooperation agreements with such countries on a case-by-case basis and pinpoint their areas of scientific and technological excellence,

1. Calls on the Commission to envisage mechanisms for cooperation in the fields of advanced scientific and technological research that characterize the emerging economies, while maintaining the mechanisms intended specifically for assisting the developing countries;

2. Calls for this cooperation to be based on a partnership between research teams in the European Union and the third countries concerned with a view to the implementation of joint projects with a high value added;

3. Calls for such partnership arrangements to be developed on the basis of equal rights and obligations, strictly applying in particular the concept of mutual and reciprocal interest;

4. Calls on the Commission in this context to forgo all partial financing, even as an incentive, of isolated bilateral research projects with its partners from emerging economies in order to concentrate funding on the research cooperation agreements between the EU and those countries; the initial stages of projects should give rise to cost-sharing, with scientific knowledge and technological know-how similarly shared;

5. Calls, in accordance with the principle of reciprocity, for this programme not only to enable the emerging economies' researchers and engineers to come to the European Union but also to ensure that the Union's researchers and engineers have access to the emerging economies' academic and industrial research laboratories and their installations;

6. Calls on the Commission to negotiate, with due regard for the circumstances in each country, bilateral agreements establishing a legal framework for the promotion of RTD cooperation with the emerging economies on the basis of respect for trade union rights and human rights;

7. Calls for the defence of the principle of mutual interest and reciprocity to make it possible to meet concerns for maintaining employment in the countries of the European Union and economic development in the emerging economies;

8. Calls for such agreements based on mutual benefit to seek to safeguard the European Union's interests in particular, given the emerging economies' highly competitive production capacities;

9. Urges that such bilateral agreements be concluded in observance of the provisions on intellectual and industrial property applying under Community and international law and in international conventions; considers that reference to the provisions on intellectual and industrial property applying as a whole in the European Union and in other cooperation agreements between the Union and third countries must be expressly set out in the preamble to each agreement and that the contracting country must undertake to implement those provisions in order to conclude an agreement;

10. Calls for such agreements to be concluded by the Commission's departments in direct cooperation with those responsible for the scientific and/or technological projects of the two parties, with account taken of the requirements of and opportunities presented by the European Union's framework programme for research and development (FPRD) and for the subjects of the agreements to be such that their industrial applications will subsequently be developed jointly;

11. Calls on the Commission to promote codes of conduct based on solidarity with a view to establishing a model for sustainable development as a legacy to future generations;

12. Calls on the Commission to support a programme for setting up and operating databases of scientific and technological publications and research, accompanied by a distribution and notification system;

13. Calls on the Commission to launch a first programme of exchanges of researchers and engineers under the targeted cooperation agreements;

14. Calls for the scientists and engineers of the two parties to be involved in the research projects implemented by European consortia under the specific programmes of the FPRD; the establishment of such cooperation will require specific agreements with research and technological development laboratories located in the emerging economies' centres of excellence;

15. Sees in this an additional cooperation arrangement aimed at increasing knowledge and know-how and enlarging the market to the mutual benefit of the two parties through the optimum use of their capabilities;

16. Takes the view that countries having association agreements to the fourth FPRD should also have a share, including a financial one, in any new action plans specially designed for the emerging economies;

17. Recognizes the important role played by emerging economy countries in world trade;

18. Endorses the idea that specific measures should be taken by the EU in relation to these countries to ensure effective cooperation with them in the parties' mutual interest;

19. Considers that the dual nature of the economies of these third countries - developed in certain sectors and backward in others - is a crucial aspect which must be taken into consideration when organizing cooperation with these countries;

20. Stresses that the EU should not be overtaken on those countries' markets by Japan and the United States, which are already firmly established there;

21. Considers that the EU must therefore show great determination in this area and take rapid action;

22. Approves therefore the guidelines laid down in the Commission's communication;

23. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and Commission.