6. 2. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 31/39 
Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision concerning the conclusion of a cooperation 
agreement between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Iceland on a 
programme plan to stimulate the international cooperation and interchange needed by 
European research scientists (SCIENCE) (*) 
(91/C 31/12) 
On 27 July 1990, the Council of the European Communities decided to consult the Economic 
and Social Committee, under Article 130Q (2) of the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, on the abovementioned proposal. 
The Economic and Social Committee decided to appoint Mr Moreland as Rapporteur-
General with the task of preparing its work on the subject. 
At its 280th plenary session (meeting of 18 October 1990) the Economic and Social Committee 
unanimously adopted the following Opinion. 
1. Purpose and content of the proposal 
1.1. The purpose of the proposal is to associate 
Iceland with the implementation of the SCIENCE pro­
gramme, decided by Council on 29 June 1988 (2). 
1.2. The aim of the SCIENCE programme is the 
establishment of a network of scientific and technical 
cooperation and interchange, which will gradually be 
extended, in the fields of exact and natural sciences. It 
is one of a range of measures to enhance the scientific 
and technological capacity of the Community to the 
benefit of all Member States and ultimately to establish 
a research-worker community in a frontier-free Euro­
pean area. The specific objectives of the SCIENCE 
programme are set out in Annex A to the cooperation 
agreement. 
1.3. Since five member countries of the European 
Free Trade Association (EFTA) have already concluded 
similar agreements (3), this proposal, once adopted by 
Council, means that the SCIENCE programme will 
cover the twelve Member States of the Community and 
all the EFTA member countries (although the latter on 
an individual State basis). 
1.4. Any additional expenditure resulting from the 
implementation of this cooperation Agreement will be 
covered by Iceland. 
1.5. The Agreement also provides for the enlarge­
ment of the Committee for the European Development 
of Science and Technology (CODEST) which assists 
the Commission in the implementation of the SCIENCE 
programme to include a representative from Iceland. 
2. General comments 
2.1. Article 5 of the SCIENCE programme authorizes 
the Commission to negotiate agreements with third 
countries and in particular with those European countries having concluded framework agreements for-
scientific and technical cooperation with the Com­
munity. This is the case for Iceland, the last of the 
EFTA member countries to conclude such an agreement 
with the Community. This agreement was approved by 
Council Decision of 29 September 1989 (4) and endorsed 
by the Committee on 22 February 1989 (5). 
2.2. As in the case of the other EFTA member 
countries, the Committee supports the present Com­
mission proposal subject to the specific comments 
below. 
3. Specific comments 
3.1. In its Opinion of 27 September 1989 concerning 
the conclusion of cooperation agreements with the five 
other EFTA member countries on the SCIENCE pro­
gramme (6), the Committee made several specific com­
ments. It is clear from the final Council Decisions, 
referred to above, that these comments were not fully 
accepted. Yet the Committee believes that they are still 
relevant and also apply to the cooperation agreement 
with Iceland, in particular the following points: 
3.2. Article 1: date of implementation of the agreement 
3.2.1. The Committee notes that Article 1 of the 
agreement provides that Iceland is associated with the 
implementation of the SCIENCE programme as from 
1 January 1990. It must conclude either that this is an 
error or that there is an inconsistency with Article 11 
which states that the agreement 'shall enter into force 
on the date on which the contracting parties have 
notified each other of the completion of the procedures 
necessary for this purpose'. 
3.3. Article 5: transmission of the progress report to 
the Economic and Social Committee 
3.3.1. Once again, the Committee sees no reason 
why it is excluded from receiving the report on the 
(!) OJ No C 181, 21. 7. 1990, p. 15. 
(2) OJ No L 206, 30. 6. 1988, p. 34. 
(3) OJ No L 50, 26. 2. 1990. (4) OJ No L 14,18. 1. 1990, p. 18. 
(5) OJ No C 102, 24. 4. 1989, p. 15. 
(6) OJ No C 298, 27. 11. 1989, p. 30. 
No C 31/40 Official Journal of the European Communities 6. 2. 91 
implementation of the programme. As this report may 
include proposals for changes in the SCIENCE pro­
gramme on which ultimately the Committee must be 
consulted under Article 130Q (2) of the EEC Treaty, the 
Committee asks that Article 5 be modified accordingly. 
3.4. Article 7: implementation of the programme 
3.4.1. The Committee notes that the Ministry of 
Culture and Education of Iceland, with the Com­
mission, shall ensure the implementation of the agree­
ment. The Committee stresses, as it did in its Opinion 
on the SCIENCE programme and on the agreements 
with the other EFTA member countries, the importance 
of including scientific research in the commercial and 
industrial world in the programme. 
Done at Brussels, 18 October 1990. 3.5. Annex A—point 5 
3.5.1. The Committee would re-emphasize the com­
ment made in its previous Opinion in relation to point 
5 of Annex A which refers to 'stimulation incentive 
measures'. 
3.5.2. The Committee would draw the attention of 
the two budgetary authorities (Council and the Euro­
pean Parliament) to the need to ensure that these meas­
ures are clearly specified. Otherwise it will be unclear 
as to the financial implications of implementing these 
measures and the financial control to be used. 
3.6. Other consideration 
3.6.1. Yet again the Committee notes that constant 
reference is made to the 'stimulation plan'. As the 
programme is now officially called 'SCIENCE', it is 
most desirable, to avoid confusion, to refer throughout 
the text to the 'SCIENCE programme'. 
The Chairman 
of the Economic and Social Committee 
Francois STAEDELIN