NoC19/106 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 25.1.93
OpinionontheproposalforaCouncilDecisionconcerningSupplementary Financingof
theThirdFrameworkProgrammeofCommunityActivitiesinthefieldofResearchand
Technologicaldevelopment (1990-1994)(l)
(93/C19/27)
On18August1992,theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee,
underArticle130Q(1)oftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity ,on
theabovementioned proposal.
InviewofthedeadlinesetbytheCouncil,theEconomicandSocialCommitteedecidedto
appointMrRoseingraveasRapporteur-General ,withthetaskofpreparingitsworkonthe
subject.
Atits301stPlenarySession(meetingof25November1992)theEconomicandSocial
CommitteeadoptedbyaunanimousvotethefollowingOpinion.
1.6.Inadditiontothesesixactivities,thereisa
furthercentralizedactivityrelatingtothedissemination
andexploitationofknowledgeresultingfromthespec­
ificprogrammesofresearchandtechnologicaldevelop­
mentoftheCommunity .Thisactivitywasthesubject
ofaCouncilDecisionof29April1992(4).
1.7.UndertheCouncilDecisionof23April1990the
amountdeemednecessaryfortheimplementation of
theThirdFrameworkProgrammewassetatECU5700
million,tobemetfromtheECbudget.Thesumof
ECU2500millionwasearmarkedfortheyears1990­
1992andECU3200millionfortheyears1993-1994 .
UnderArticle1(4)oftheCouncilDecisionthelatter
sumwastobeusedtofinanceactivitieswhichhadbeen
startedduringtheperiod1990-1992 .
1.8.InadoptinganewFrameworkProgrammefor
theperiod1990-1994,interlinkedwiththeSecond
FrameworkProgrammecoveringtheperiod1987-1991,
theCounciltookonboardtheconceptof'rolling'
programmesforCommunityR&TDactivities,acon­
ceptwhichtheCommitteehadendorsedinitsOpinion.
1.8.1.Theintroductionofthisconceptwastomake
itpossibletoensurethecontinuitywhichisessentialto
thecarryingoutofresearchworkandalsotoredirect
theprioritiesinthelightofexperienceandchanging
requirements .
1.9.Inaccordancewiththisconcept,thefundsallo­
catedtotheThirdFrameworkProgrammeweretobe
reducedintheperiod1993-1994asaFourthFramework
Programmewastobeadoptedandimplementedcover­
ingtheperiod1993-1997 .1.Introduction
1.1.TheThirdFrameworkProgrammeofCom­
munityactivitiesinthefieldofresearchandtechnologi­
caldevelopment (R&TD),coveringtheperiod1990­
1994,wasadoptedbyaDecisionoftheCouncilon23
April1990(2).TheCommitteehaddelivereditsOpinion
ontheCommission'sproposalon15November
1989(3).
1.2.InaccordancewithArticle130ioftheEEC
Treaty,theFrameworkprogrammeencompassesallthe
activitiesundertakenbytheCommunity ,asacomp­
lementtothoseundertakenbytheMemberStates,in
pursuingtheobjectivesassignedtoitinthefieldof
R&TD,andwhicharelistedinArticle130fofthesame
Treaty.
1.3.TheFrameworkProgrammelaysdownthe
scientificandtechnicalobjectivestobeachievedduring
thereferenceperiod,'define(s)theirrespectiveprioriti­
es,set(s)outthemainlinesoftheactivitiesenvisaged
andfix(es)theamountdeemednecessary,thedetailed
rulesforfinancialparticipationbytheCommunityin
theprogrammeasawholeandthebreakdownofthis
amountbetweenthevariousactivitiesenvisaged'
[Article130i(l)oftheEECTreaty].
1.4.TheThirdFrameworkProgrammeprovidesfor
thecarryingoutofsixCommunityR&TDactivities
whicharedefinedinAnnexesIandIIoftheCouncil
Decision.Withintheseactivitiesfifteenspecificpro­
grammesaredeveloped.
1.5.Thesespecificprogrammesconstitutetheprinci­
palmeansofimplementingtheFrameworkProgramme :
eachofthem,inaccordancewithArticle130k,'defines
thedetailedrulesforimplementing it,fixesitsduration
andprovidesforthemeansdeemednecessary'.2.Commission'sjustificationoftheproposal
2.1.Forseveralreasons,thescenariodescribedabove
hasbeencalledintoquestion.Thesereasonsinclude
thelackofanewECfinancialframeworkfortheperiod
0)OJNoC225,1.9.1992,p.9.
(2)OJNoL117,8.5.1990,p.28.
(3)OJNoC56,7.3.1990,p.34. (4)OJNoL141,23.5.1992,p.1.

25.1.93 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC19/107
1993-1994,thecumbersomenatureofthedecision­
makingprocessinthefieldofresearch,andtheuncer­
taintiesasregardsthedecision-making processleading
totheadoptionoftheFourthFrameworkProgramme .—notedtheneedtoreflectasfaraspossiblethe
existingproportionalbalancebetweenactivities
establishedwithintheFrameworkProgramme
andagreedthatfurtherworkwasnecessary
beforetheDecemberCounciltoidentifythose
programmesofparticularvaluewhichface
specificfundingproblems.'
(SeePressrelease9036/92—Press173)2.2.Initscommunication entitled'Researchafter
Maastricht :anassessment,astrategy'[SEC(92)682
finalof9April1992]theCommissionconsidersthe
questionsofthereductionoftheresourcesavailablefor
financingCommunityR&TDactivitiesin1993and
1994anddrawsattentiontotherisksinherentinsuch
areductionandthedangerofdiscontinuity inresearch
work.3.Generalconsiderations
2.3.AfterexaminingtheprogressmadeintheThird
FrameworkProgrammeandmakinganappraisalofall
specificprogrammesimplementedundertheSecond
FrameworkProgramme1987-1991,theCommission
proposesanincreaseintheoverallfundingforthe
ThirdFrameworkProgrammeandare-distribution of
theadditionalresourcesbetweenthevariousspecific
programmes .3.1.Onseveraloccasions,theCommitteeexpressed
itsconcernovertheconsiderableamountoftimetaken
toadoptandeffectivelyimplementtheFramework
Programmeandstressedtheriskofdiscontinuity in
theimplementation ofthespecificR&TDprogrammes
whichwouldbedamagingtothewholeECresearch
effort.Italsounderlinedthatcertaintyandcontinuity
areinthisrespectvitalifresearchistoflourish.
3.2.InitsOpinionontheproposalforaCouncil
DecisionadaptingtheSecondFrameworkProgramme
ofCommunityactivitiesinthefieldofR&TD,of3July
1991(*),theCommitteewasoftheviewthatitwasnot
possibletoruleouttherecurrenceinfutureofasitu­
ationtotheonetheproposalunderconsiderationwas
atthattimedesignedtoresolve—i.e.delaysinthe
adoptionofthespecificprogrammesundertheThird
FrameworkProgrammeandaninsufficientfundingof
thesecondframeworkprogramme (1987-1991)—unless
appropriateprovisionwasmadefortheallocation
deemednecessaryeachyearfortheimplementation of
thespecificprogrammes .2.4.Atitsmeetingon29April1992,theCouncilof
ResearchMinistersdecided,aftertakingintoaccount
theabovementioned Communication fromtheCom­
mission,toinvitetheCommission'topresenttothe
Councilassoonaspossibleitsproposalsconcerning
theFourthFrameworkProgramme ,takingintoaccount
theevaluationoftheSecondFrameworkProgramme,
theneedtoensurecontinuityofresearchactivitiesand
inthelightofthediscussionsintheCouncil'.
2.5.IntheProposalforaCouncilDecisionunder
reviewtheCommission invokesforthefirsttimethe
provisionsofArticle130i(2)oftheEECTreatywhich
stipulatethat'theFrameworkProgrammemaybe
adaptedorsupplemented ,asthesituationchanges'.In
thesoleArticleoftheProposalforaCouncilDecision,
theCommissionproposesthatthefundingfortheThird
FrameworkProgrammebeincreasedbyECU1600
millionandthatthissumbeallocatedtothedifferent
researchactivitiesasindicatesintheAnnextothe
Proposal.3.3.ThedelayintheadoptionoftheThirdFrame­
workProgrammeandthespecificprogrammeswasa
majorfactorinbringingaboutthesituationinwhich
theneedforsupplementary financinghasariseninthe
formpresented.TheThirdFrameworkProgrammewas
notadopteduntilApril1990,andthespecificpro­
grammeswereadoptedslowlythereafter,withtheone
inthefieldofhumancapitalandmobilityadoptedas
lateasMarch1992.
3.4.Itisunfortunatelyprobablethatthenewlegislat­
iveprocessinthefieldofR&TDprovidedforbythe
TreatyonPoliticalUnion,onceenteredintoforce,
willleadtocomparabledelaysintheadoptionand
implementation oftheFourthFrameworkProgramme .2.6.Atitsmeetingof12October1992,theResearch
Council
'—agreed(...)that,inprinciple,somefinancial
supplementtothethirdFrameworkProgramme
couldbeappropriateinordertoensureconti­
nuityofCommunityR&Dactivities,subjectto
thedefinitionofthefinancialperspectivesfor
1993-1997 : 3.5.TheCommitteewouldhavehopedthatthe
adoptionoftheconceptof'rolling'frameworkpro­
—stressedtheimportanceofmaintainingconti­
nuitywithintheestablishedobjectivesofthe
thirdFrameworkProgrammeanditsspecific
programmes ; (')OJCNo269,14.10.1991,p.24.

NoC19/108 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 25.1.93
grammeswouldhavehelpedtoprovideessentialconti­
nuityofworkandtoreducethetimerequiredtoagree
andimplementthespecificresearchprogrammes .
3.6.Itnoteswithregretthatthisconcepthas
developedveryslowlyalthoughitispleasedwiththe
Commission'sstatementthatithasresulted'insome
majorbenefits'.TheCommitteelooksforwardtobeing
informedaboutthesemajorbenefits.
3.7.TheCommitteestressesthattheneedforsup­
plementaryfinancingnowproposedisalsoattributable
toalargeextenttotheDecisiontakenbyCouncilwhen
adoptingtheThirdFrameworkProgrammetofixthe
aggregateappropriation atECU5700millioninstead
ofECU7700million,asproposedbytheCommission .
ThisproposalwasendorsedbytheCommittee .4.2.3.1.TheECU45millionperyearwhichthe
Commissionsayscouldbeaddedinthecontextofthe
'promotion,supportandmonitoringactivities'(APAS)
andconsideredasprovidingotherpossibilitiesofaction
inthatfieldofresearchmay,becauseoftheirtermsof
reference,incompletelymatchtheneeds.
4.2.3.2.TheCommitteerecommends consideration
ofsupplementary financingwhichmightproportion­
atelybeverysmall,butcouldbevitaltomaintaining
themomentumandcontinuityofagrowingpro­
gramme,andwhichotherwisemaybeseriouslyaffected
byashortfallbeforetheFourthFrameworkProgramme
isadoptedandimplemented .
4.2.3.3.Theimpactofthisshortfallwouldhavepar­
ticularlyseriousconsequencesforthescientistsofthe
developingcountries.
4.2.4.Asimilarrecommendation ismadeinregard
totheMarineScienceandTechnologyProgrammefor
whichtheCommissiondoesnotforeseeanyincreasein
funding.ThisisnotconsistentwiththeCommission's
statementthat'only37%ofthegoodandexcellent
proposalscouldbefunded'(paragraph19ofthe
explanatorymemorandum )afterthetwopreviouscalls
forproposals.
4.2.5.Theproportionately highsupplementary fin­
ancingproposedforresearchactivitiesinthefieldof
Energy,andinparticularthenon-nuclearenergiespro­
gramme,isconsistentwiththeviewsexpressedbythe
CommitteeinanumberofitsOpinions.
4.2.6.TheCommitteealsoregardsasacceptablethe
proposedincreasefortheEnvironmentprogramme .4.ResponsetotheCommission'sproposal
4.1.TheCommitteeapprovesthereinforcingofthe
existingresearchandtechnologicaldevelopmentactivi­
tiesundertheThirdFrameworkProgrammeandit
recommendsthattheCounciladoptstheCommission's
proposalconcerningsupplementary financing.
5.Additionalcomments4.2.Thisapprovalisconsistentwiththeviews
expressedbytheCommittee,notablyinitsOpinion
ontheCommission'sproposalconcerningtheThird
FrameworkProgramme (seefootnote3,page106),and
isalsosubjecttothecommentshereafterrelatingto
thechoicemadebytheCommissiontoincreasethe
resourcesallocatedtothespecificprogrammes ina
modular,ratherthanalinearmannerinordertoachieve
theacceptedobjectivesofeachindividualprogramme
(seeAppendixI).
4.2.1.TheCommitteeacceptsthereasongivennot
toprovideforasupplementary financingofthespecific
programmeson(1)MeasurementandTestingand(2)
HumanCapitalandMobility—i.e.thefactthat
implementation isjustbeginning.
4.2.2.Similarly,theCommitteeacceptsthatsup­
plementaryfinancingisnotproposedforthespecific
programmeinthefieldofbiomedicalandhealth
research,sincetheselectionprocess,followingthefirst
callforproposalsofOctober1991,hasnotyetfinalised.
4.2.3.Thespecificprogrammeinthefieldofthelife
sciencesandtechnologiesforthedevelopingcountries
appearstobeatanearlystage,buttheCommission
anticipates'pressure'duetothesubstantialincrease
inproposalsoriginatingfromscientistsindeveloping
countries .5.1.InputtingforwarditsproposalstheCommission
statesthatitistakingaccountnotonlyoftheprogress
madeinimplementing thevariousresearchactivities,
butalsoofanumberofstrategicguidelineswhichare
toprovidethebasisforitsfutureactioninthefieldof
R&TD.Thesestrategicguidelineswillunderliethe
Commission'sProposalforaFourthFrameworkPro­
gramme,coveringtheperiod1994-1998,whichit
intendstosubmitatthebeginningof1993.
5.2.TheCommissionappearstobegivingtoits
Communication 'ResearchafterMaastricht :anassess­
ment,astrategy',referredtounderparagraph2.2
above,thestatusofacceptedCommunitypolicy,which
theCommitteeconsiderstobepremature .
5.3.TheCommitteewouldstressthatthepresent
proposalshouldnotleadtosubstantialchangesinthe

25.1.93 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC19/109
particularneed'.(SeePressrelease9036/92—Press
173)
5.4.InadditiontheCommittee'sendorsement ofthe
Commission'sproposalconcerningsupplementary fin­
ancingoughtnottobeconstruedasanapprovalof
guidelinesfororcontentofthenextFrameworkPro­
grammewhichhasnotyetbeenconsideredbythe
Committee .balancebetweenthevariouslinesofactioncoveredby
theThirdFrameworkProgrammeandasapprovedby
theCommittee .
5.3.1.TheCommitteewouldthereforeapprovethe
conclusionreachedbytheResearchCouncilatitsmeet­
ingof12October1992toinvite'thePresidencytoseek
agreementtoadistributionwhichrespectsthisbalance
morecloselywhilsttakingdueaccountofareasof
DoneatBrussels,25November1992.
TheChairman
oftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
SusanneTIEMANN

NoC19/110 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 25.1.93
APPENDX
FrameworkProgrammeofCommunityactivitiesinthefield
oftheresearchandtechnologicaldevelopment (1990-1994)
Breakdownoftheamountdeemednecessarybetween
thevariousactivitiesenvisaged
(inmillionsofECU)
1 2 Total 3
I.ENABLING TECHNOLOGIES
1.Informationand
communications technologies 2221 625 2846 28
—Informationtechnologies 1352 430 1782 32
—Communications technologies 489 77 566 16
—Developmentof
telematicssystemsof
generalinterest 380 118 498 31
2.Industrialandmaterialstechnologies 888 281 1169 32
—Industrialand
materialstechnologies 748 281 1029 38
—Measurementandtesting 140 0 140 0
II.MANAGEMENT OFNATURAL
RESOURCES
3.Environment 518 136 654 26
—Environment 414 136 550 33
—Marinesciencesand
technologies 104 0 104 0
4.Lifesciencesandtechnologies 741 148 889 20
—Biotechnology 164 55 219 33
—Agriculturaland
agro-industrial research 333 93 426 30
—Biomedicaland
healthresearch 133 0 133 0
—Lifesciencesand
technologiesfordeveloping
countries 111 0 111 0
5.Energy 814 410 1224 50
—Non-nuclearenergies 157 180 337 115
—Nuclearfissionsafety 199 60 259 30
—Controllednuclearfusion 458 170 628 37
III.MANAGEMENT OFINTELLECTUAL
RESOURCES
6.Humancapitalandmobility 518 0 518 0
—Humancapitalandmobility
Total 5700 1600 7300 28
(1)Decision90/221/Euratom,EEC,23.04.1990,OJNoL117,18.05.1990,p.28
(2)Supplementary financingproposed
(3)Increasein%

25.1.93 OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities NoC19/111
APPENDIX 11
totheOpinionoftheEconomicandSocialCommittee
ThefollowingamendmenttotheDraftOpinion,tabledinaccordancewiththeRulesofProcedure,was
defeatedinthecourseofthedebate:
Page5
Insertthefollowingparagraph :
'4.2.7.TheESCcallsontheCommissiontomakethegrantingoffinancialaidmorelinearandlessselective,
withamaximumdeviationdownwardsfromtheaverageideallineardistributionoftheorderof15%,except
whereanactivityofthe3rdFrameworkProgrammehasbegunsorecentlythatexpenditurehasbeensmall:
thatis«MeasurementandTesting"and«HumanCapitalandMobility».'
Reasons
ThedistributionproposedbytheCommissionisextremelyselective,andthiswillgiverisetolegalproblems
duringtheprocedurefortheapprovaloftheappropriations ,particularlyincaseswherethereisnounanimity
amongtheMemberStates.
Voting
For:26;against:29;abstentions :8.
OpinionontheproposalforaCouncilDirectiveontheprotectionofconsumersinrespect
ofcontractsnegotiatedatadistance(distanceselling)(j)
(93/C19/28)
On10June1992theCouncildecidedtoconsulttheEconomicandSocialCommittee,
underArticle100aoftheTreatyestablishingtheEuropeanEconomicCommunity,onthe
abovementioned proposal.
TheSectionforProtectionoftheEnvironment ,PublicHealthandConsumerAffairs,which
wasresponsibleforpreparingtheCommittee'sworkonthesubject,adopteditsOpinionon
4November1992.TheRapporteurwasMrBonvicini.
Atits301stPlenarySession(meetingof24November1992),theEconomicandSocial
CommitteeadoptedthefollowingOpinionbyalargemajoritywithfiveabstentions .
upcodesofpracticesupplementing theminimumrules
onspecificpoints.1.Background
1.1.Theproposalformspartofconsumerprotection
policy,andistheresultoflengthyconsultationswith
consumerassociationsandsectoralorganizations (Con­
sumers'ConsultativeCouncil,CommitteeonCom­
merceandDistribution).
1.2.Followingthesediscussions,theCommission
haspresentedaframeworkdirectivelayingdownmini­
mumprotectionrules,accompaniedbyaRecommen­
dation(2)whichcallsonthetradeorganizationstodraw1.3.TheCommissionhasthuschosenamiddlepath,
leavingasavoluntarymattertheregulationofsensitive
points(solicitationtobuy,protectionofconsumerpriv­
acy,salespromotionmethods,financialguarantee,
rightofwithdrawalandreimbursement ofanyadvance
payments),butguaranteeing aregulatoryreference
frameworktoprotecttheconsumer.(!)OJNoC156,23.6.1992,p.14.
(2)OJNoL156,10.6.1992.