WRITTEN QUESTION E-3858/97 by Carlos Robles Piquer (PPE) to the Commission (5 December 1997)

Subject: Further Community efforts to regenerate science in Russia

Frequent reports have appeared on the shortcomings and disorganization affecting science in Russia (see Science in Russia: the diamonds in the rubble, The Economist, 8 November 1997). Nevertheless, there appears to be a willingness to increase not only the budget but also government spending, which is crucial for setting up a private sector where support can be given to measures similar to those used to encourage innovation in the United States, Japan or Europe.

Bearing in mind the closer ties between the EU and Russia provided for in the Commission's work programme for 1998, is the Commission planning to take measures to support Russian centres seeking international cooperation to pursue programmes which would otherwise not be viable? What amounts are envisaged for this aid?

In addition, an important role has been played by the International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC), which was set up to prevent the departure of Russian scientists working on technologies with military applications, the work of which was assessed in 1996 by the United States National Research Council (NRC). Has the Commission made its own assessment of this work or does it intend to undertake one?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (22 January 1998)

Community co-operation and aid activities with Russia in science and technology increased gradually between 1993 and 1997 in different ways. The overall financial contribution from the Community was, over the four years, in the region of ECU 100 million, and will be around ECU 25 million in 1998. The activities involve more than 28 000 Russian researchers in the following programmes: INTAS, whose budget is 95% funded by the Community, Inco-Copernicus, which enables Russian researchers to participate in scientific co-operation activities and specific programmes in the Fourth Framework Programme in the field of research and development, and the International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC), jointly launched in 1994 by the Community, the United States, Japan and the Russian Federation, to which the Community contributes about ECU 17 million per annum from the TACIS aid programme, more than 80% of which goes to Russian researchers.

In order to promote Russian participation in these activities more, the Russian Science and Technology and Education Ministers have set up three regional information and consultation centres (in St Petersburg, Moscow and Novosibirsk), supported by the Commission which has trained managers, supplied documentation and given practical advice. This network and other projects relating to scientific and technical development will be broadened and strengthened in 1998 with the help of TACIS. A future science and technology (S& T) co-operation agreement, for which the Commission received a negotiating brief on 10 November 1997, should help to consolidate the co-operation activities better and also define other ones of mutual interest.

With regard to assessing the International Science and Technology Centre (ISTC), the Parties to the Agreement (the United States, Japan, the Russian Federation and the Community) are carrying out an assessment of the centre every two years. This assessment is in addition to those carried out by the parties on their own initiative (e.g. the contribution by the National Research Council), the centre's annual audit and the case-by-case assessment of projects. The projects are assessed either by European audit offices, within the framework of the general audit of the Centre at the instigation of the Governing Board, or specifically through the follow-up of TACIS programme projects.