Amended proposal for a Council Decision adopting a specific research, technological development and demonstration programme in the field of cooperation with third countries and international organizations (1994 to 1998) (94/C 262/10) (Text with EEA relevance) COM(94) 243 final - 94/0092(CNS)

(Submitted by the Commission pursuant to Article 189 A (2) of the EC Treaty on 6 June 1994)

The proposal for a Council Decision adopting a specific research, technological development and demonstration programme in the field of cooperation with third countries and international organizations (1994 to 1998) (COM(94)68 final - 94/0092(CNS)) is amended as follows:

Recital 4

Whereas, in accordance with Article 130i (3), an estimate should be made of the financial resources needed to carry out this specific programme; whereas the definitive amounts will be decided by the budgetary authority according to the resources available under the financial perspective and in accordance with the breakdown fixed by the framework programme;

Recital 5a

Whereas any increase in the overall maximum amount of the framework programme will depend in particular on the evaluation of the progress made in implementing the programme; whereas the progress made in this programme will be deemed satisfactory only if the first commitments of appropriations are effected within a reasonable period following the adoption of the programme; whereas that period may not exceed 12 months;

Recital 5b

Whereas science forms part of the common heritage of mankind; whereas action by the Community in the field of cooperation with third countries and international organizations can, with the support of other Community instruments such as Phare, Tacis and the European Development Fund, help improve the living conditions of the inhabitants of the countries concerned in the context of development which respects natural equilibria; whereas greater cooperation in the field of science and technology can help to meet major international challenges such as health, nutrition and environmental protection;

Recital 6

Whereas the strengthening of the S & T base of the European Union also depends on an adequate level of cooperation with third countries and international organizations, based on the principle of mutual interest; whereas such cooperation may contribute to the implementation of the Union's foreign and development policies; whereas cooperation should be improved with other fora for cooperation in the field of science and technology; whereas a contribution should be made to safeguarding the scientific potential of the countries of central and eastern Europe and the new independent States of the former Soviet Union and thus to enhancing their economic and social development; whereas collaboration with non-European industrialized countries should be promoted where appropriate; whereas it is necessary to contribute to the development of the scientific and technological potential of the developing countries; whereas the European Union can contribute to solving regional and global problems calling for international cooperation; whereas a contribution should also be made to strengthening S & T cooperation between third countries, in particular countries of the same region;

Recital 6a

Whereas the European Union could influence the direction of international research if scientific and technological efforts were more closely coordinated at national and Community levels;

Recital 11a

Whereas the Commission's efforts to simplify and accelerate the candidature and selection procedures and make them more transparent must be continued in order to support the implementation of the programme and to facilitate the action which firms, and particularly SMEs, research centres and universities have to undertake in order to participate in a Community RTD activity;

Recital 15a

Whereas scientific cooperation with scientists from central and eastern European countries will mean improving their access to European computer networks;

Recital 15b

Whereas cooperation with the developing countries in the advanced technology sphere paves the way for industrial cooperation with those countries and enhances the competitiveness of European industry;

Article 2 (1)

1. The amount deemed necessary for carrying out the programme is ECU 540 million, including a maximum of 10,1 % for staff and administrative expenditure.

The first commitments of appropriations shall be effected within a period of not more than 12 months following the adoption of the programme unless good reason is given for exceeding this period.

Article 2 (4)

4. The budgetary authority shall determine the appropriations available for each financial year in accordance with the availability of resources under the financial perspective and with the breakdown set in the fourth framework programme.

ANNEX I

Section C, second paragraph, second indent

- improvement of agricultural production within this framework of preserving biodiversity and sustainable management of renewable natural resources. This concerns the areas of plant breeding and protection in order to adapt them better to environmental conditions, thus permitting better utilization of the available land; livestock farming, with a special emphasis on better health protection of animals, breed improvements and sustainable production of animal feed; aquaculture, in order to facilitate the development of this activity and its environmental integration; improvements in the conditions of product storage and processing, areas in which loses are considerable in the DCs; anlaysis of production systems and the scope for optimizing rural systems.

Section C, sixth paragraph

Another aim of this activity is to make it easier for DCs to participate in the major Community research actions on topics of global importance. Some of the topics are highly relevant to the DCs (desertification, demographic growth, very substantial increase in demand for energy, uncontrolled urban growth, economic and social imbalances), while others that also affect the future of the planet as a whole are common to the DCs and the industrialized countries (greenhouse effect, pollution, communicable diseases, pandemics). It is therefore important that the scientific community in the DCs and in Europe should work together to solve these problems, using to best effect the resources available in both (human resources, skills technologies, natural resources etc.).