31. 12.83 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 358/1 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
Opinion on the proposals from the Commission for Council Decisions 
I. adopting a multiannual research and development programme of the European 
Economic Community in the field of basic technological research 
II. adopting a multiannual research and development programme of the European 
Economic Community in the field of the applications of new technologies 
The text referred to the Committee has been published in Official Journal of the Euro­
pean Communities No C 230 of 27 August 1983, page 3. 
A. LEGAL BASIS FOR THE OPINION 
On 11 July 1983 the Council referred the abovementioned proposals to the Economic 
and Social Committee in accordance with Article 198 of the Treaty establishing the 
European Economic Community. 
B. OPINION OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE 
The Economic and Social Committee prepared its opinion on the above matter at its 
21 lth plenary session held in Brussels on 26 and 27 October 1983. 
The full text of the opinion is as follows: 
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the Euro­
pean Economic Community, and in particular 
Article 198 thereof, 
Having regard to the request made by the Council 
of the European Communities on 11 July 1983 for 
an opinion on the Commission proposals for Coun­
cil Decisions adopting a multiannual research and 
development programme of the European Econo­
mic Community in the field of basic technological 
research and adopting a multiannual research and 
development programme of the European Econ­
omic Community in the field of the applications of 
new technologies, 
Having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau 
on 5 July 1983 instructing the Section for Industry, 
Commerce, Crafts and Services to draw up an opi­
nion on the matter, Having regard to the opinion adopted by the said 
Section at its meeting held on 5 October 1983, 
Having regard to the oral report made by the rap­
porteur, Mr Nierhaus, 
Having regard to the discussions at its 21 lth plenary 
session held on 26 and 27 October 1983 (meeting of 
26 October), 
HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING OPINION 
unanimously: 
1. Introduction 
The Commission proposals for a multiannual 
research and development programme of the Euro-
No C 358/2 Official Journal of the European Communities 31. 12. 83 
pean Economic Community in the field of basic 
technological research and for a multiannual 
research and development programme of the Euro­
pean Economic Community in the field of the 
applications of new technologies constitute further 
sub-programmes of the Research Action Programme 
on Industrial Technologies. The aims, content and 
significance of the proposals must therefore be seen 
against the background of, and in relation to, the 
Research Action Programme, which furthers the aim 
of improving industrial competitiveness, one of the 
major objectives of the Community R&D Frame­
work Programme (')• In the Committee's view, the 
funds proposed thus represent a minimum, given 
the importance of the problems to be tackled. 
2. Research Action Programme 
The Committee emphatically endorses the Commis­
sion's statement that — in addition to the industries 
producing high-technology products — the other 
sectors of industry will, for the foreseeable future, 
have a very important part to play in dealing with 
the economic and social problems of the Com­
munity. Their competitiveness must be streng­
thened (2). However, as the Commission points out, 
the Research Action Programme must take account 
not only of industrial applications but also of 'gen­
eral considerations of a social and economic nature 
(including those contributing to working conditions 
and health and safety)'. 
In line with the basic premise that industry itself 
must take prime responsibility for its applied 
research and development, it will be necessary to lay 
down a clear legal framework for cooperation both 
between the Commission and the parties concerned 
and between these parties themselves, as well as for 
exploitation of the results. The activities the Com­
mission has already started in this area should be 
continued as a matter of priority. In this connection 
the Committee thinks that the idea of the European 
Cooperation Grouping should be taken up afresh 
and promoted. 
The problem of how to prevent research findings 
from being used prematurely by non-participants 
both inside and outside the Community should also 
be viewed in this context. 
(') See Committee opinion of 1 June 1983 (OJ No C 211, 
8. 8. 1983). 
(2) The Committee has already stressed this aspect in its 
opinion of 1 June 1983 on the proposal for a frame­
work programme for Community scientific and tech­
nical activities (1984-1987) (OJ No C 211, 8. 8. 1983). This problem is also dealt with in the opinion on the 
communication from the Commission to the Coun­
cil and to the European Parliament on promoting 
the utilization of the results of Community-spon­
sored R&D (COM(83) 18 final), which the ESC is 
currently drawing up. 
The promotion of research by the Community is 
subject to two fundamental constraints: 
— on the one hand, the research promoted must 
not be purely basic research without any dis­
cernible applications, since this would not be 
industrial R&D but the promotion of science, 
— on the other hand, the promotion of research 
must not interfere directly in competition 
between individual firms by fostering appli­
cations that are too close to the marketing stage. 
Each project must be considered on its merits since 
the dividing line is often difficult to draw and the 
aim and scope of the project are decisive. The Com­
mittee endorses the Commission's criteria for selec­
ting projects, namely: 
— support for longer-term technological research 
of a precompetitive character, which firms are 
unable to finance themselves because of the 
high risk involved, 
— research projects covering more than one sector 
and country in order to ensure that cooperation 
in the Community bears fruit, 
— measures to involve small and medium-sized 
enterprises, particularly where the projects are in 
keeping with the specific features of SMEs, 
— concentration of resources on selected projects 
which have a large multiplier effect, so as to 
make the promotion effective, 
— definite interest in the projects on the part of the 
industries concerned as an indicator of their 
importance. 
The Committee also expressly welcomes the 
declared aim of the Commission to bring together 
research by academic institutions and industrial 
research within the EC, regardless of national fron­
tiers. Steps must, however, be taken here to ensure 
that the research projects to be promoted are prop­
erly coordinated with the national programmes of 
individual Member States. 
3. Basic technological research 
Basic technological research is an area that is par­
ticularly suitable for Community action, in view inter 
31. 12. 83 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 358/3 
alia of the degree to which Europe has fallen behind 
and the fact that the necessary skills are scattered 
throughout the Community. 
The proposed programme for basic technological 
research covers a wide range of industrial technol­
ogy research activities which — taken individually 
— undoubtedly contribute directly to the further 
development of products and processes in Com­
munity industries. In the Committee's view, how­
ever, there could be a risk of resources being scat­
tered too thinly if the priorities are not completely 
clear. This is very important, given the relatively 
small amount of money available. The industrial 
associations and trade unions, with their experts, 
must therefore be involved at the earliest possible 
stage in the decision-making on priorities. This will 
also improve the flow of information to SMEs. To 
the extent that the expressions of interest by under­
takings and research organizations reveal particu­
larly worthwhile fields on which to concentrate, some 
of the research projects should, if necessary, be 
given precedence, or the promotion of othei 
research subjects of lower priority should be initially 
deferred. At all events flexibility in the allocation of 
funds will be necessary so that resources can be con­
centrated on any new problems arising. The funds 
for the promotion of individual projects must be 
sufficient to constitute the necessary 'critical mass' 
for significant technological progress. 
In the development of new techniques, their effects 
on the health of the workers involved and their com­
patibility with the environment must always be 
investigated in addition to their application poten­
tial and the preconditions for their industrial use. 
This applies particularly to the development of new 
materials. These measures are important not merely 
on social grounds but also in order to prevent misin-
vestments. Overlapping between the Basic Techno­
logical Research Programme and the Environment 
Programme is therefore not only possible, but also 
desirable, in order to ensure economic exploitation 
of research results subject to the constraints of en-
Done at Brussels, 26 October 1983. vironment policy. This applies particularly to the 
research and development programmes on catalysis. 
The Committee draws attention to the problem of 
the temporary engagement of research staff by the 
Commission. Experience has shown that the quality 
of the research findings depends on the qualifi­
cations of the research staff. Even if the posts are only 
temporary, it is necessary to secure the services of 
highly qualified and experienced personnel. 
4. Application of new technologies (clothing manu­
facture) 
The Committee particularly welcomes the Commis­
sion proposal on the application of new technol­
ogies, since two aims could be achieved simulta­
neously. Firstly, experience could be gleaned in the 
industrial application of new technologies from 
other fields. The bringing together of technologies 
from various sectors to the advantage of a single 
branch of industry is a process that has so far been 
hardly developed in Europe, particularly in cross-
frontier cooperation. Secondly, a large and import­
ant industrial sector in the Community, with a con­
siderable number of workers employed in it or 
dependent upon it, could be given the fresh techno­
logical impetus it urgently needs in order to become 
competitive with the countries of the Far East and 
to prevent firms from switching production to 'low 
wage' countries. 
Since advanced technology has so far been little 
used in the clothing industry, the preconditions for 
an appreciable leap forward in technological 
development are particularly good here. However, 
the success of the programme will depend on the 
cooperation of small and medium-sized enterprises. 
Since SMEs in the clothing sector generally have 
low capital resources, an assessment should there­
fore be made in individual cases of whether aid over 
and above the 50 % limit is possible and likely to be 
worthwhile. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Francis CEYRAC