WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3609/97 by Esko SEPPÄNEN to the Commission. Improving the position of general linguistic research in EU research funding
Date: 1997-11-13
Institutions: European Parliament, SEPPAENEN
Subjects: EU programme, computer applications, information system, linguistics, new technology, research and development, research programme

C 174/86

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

8. 6. 98

(98/C 174/136)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3609/97

by Esko Seppa¤nen (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(13 November 1997)

Subject: Improving the position of general linguistic research in EU research funding

In the future, a growing proportion of the funds spent on European linguistic research will come direct from the
EU. In the EU(cid:146)s research programmes, linguistic research is divided into four main categories:

› 

information-gathering systems and programmes which develop and exploit computerized language analysis,

›  general cultural research programmes,

›  programmes  focusing  on  research  and  technological  development  in  the  former  Soviet  Union,  former

socialist countries and developing countries,

›  programmes to promote cooperation between researchers and training.

At  present,  however,  the  EU(cid:146)s  language  research  programmes  comprise  very  few  sectors  concerned  with
fundamental or theoretical research.

The problems associated with the funding of fundamental linguistic research arise primarily from the fact that it
is generally a long time before the findings can be exploited. Nonetheless, in two individual Member States for
example › the Netherlands and Germany › funding of theoretical linguistic research has been regarded as an
economic investment. In both countries, theoretical research into language is being pursued at a very advanced
level.

What  possible  measures  has  the  Commission  considered  with  a  view  to  improving  the  position  of  general
linguistic research? Would it be possible, for instance, to link linguistic research to the work of the JRC (Joint
Research Centre) or to institute a special fundamental linguistic research programme?

Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission

(23 January 1998)

The Commission(cid:146)s proposed 5th Framework Programme for research (1) does not include a specific programme
concerning  basic  linguistic  research.  However,  within  the  specific  programme  entitled  (cid:145)Developing  a
user-friendly information society(cid:146) there is a plan to conduct activities on new language technologies in order to
make information and communication systems more user friendly, more particularly as part of key-activity III
(cid:145)Content and multimedia tools(cid:146). These activities will, inter alia, be aimed at certain aspects of basic research.

The activities of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) do not at the moment include any linguistic research.

Moreover, at least in the short term, the JRC would be in no position to begin work in this area.

(1)  COM(97) 142 final.

(98/C 174/137)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3610/97

by Pervenche Bere‘s (PSE) to the Commission

(13 November 1997)

Subject: Invalidity card

On 1 September 1997 I asked the Commission about the possibility of adopting a harmonized invalidity card
throughout the Member States (Written Question E-2815/97) (1).

In its reply of 3 October the Commission surprisingly stated that (cid:145)on the basis of the powers and responsibilities
conferred on it by the Treaties, the Commission currently has no plans to harmonise the invalidity cards issued in
the various Member States(cid:146).