WRITTEN QUESTION E-2323/99 by Daniela Raschhofer (NI) to the Commission. Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the EC and the People's Republic of China.
Date: 1999-12-13
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Argentina, China, Community budget, EU financing, Russia, biotechnology, cooperation agreement (EU), cost-effectiveness analysis, military research, operation of the Institutions, scientific cooperation, technical cooperation

C 225 E/100

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

8.8.2000

The Commission has recently launched a comparative analysis and description of all civil service schemes
(cid:129) including those that are an alternative to military service (cid:129) in the Member States. The results (cid:129) which
should be available in the second half of the year (cid:129) should identify possibilities for building up synergies
between national civil service schemes and European voluntary service.

(1) OJ L 214, 31.7.1998.
(2) OJ C 210, 22.7.1999.

(2000/C 225 E/100)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2322/99

by Daniela Raschhofer (NI) to the Commission

(13 December 1999)

Subject: Agreement

for scientific and technological cooperation between the EC and the Argentine

Republic

The Commission is proposing that a scientific and technological agreement should be concluded with the
Argentine Republic. It would provide for an increase in cooperation and exchanges of views on research
and development.

As the Committee on Budgets has already stated, further and more precise information is needed from the
Commission in this regard.

Without answers to the following questions it will be impossible to give this matter appropriate
consideration:

1. What financial contribution will the Argentine partners be making to the research activities?

2. Are there any analyses of the benefits and cost efficiency of international cooperation agreements of

this kind? If so, what do they say?

3. To what extent are scientists, research workers, officials and other public employees involved under

this cooperation agreement?

4. Does this agreement also extend to research in the area of biotechnology or military biotechnology?

(2000/C 225 E/101)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2323/99

by Daniela Raschhofer (NI) to the Commission

(13 December 1999)

Subject: Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the EC and the People(cid:146)s Republic

of China

The Commission is proposing that a scientific and technological agreement should be concluded with the
People(cid:146)s Republic of China. It would provide for an increase in cooperation and exchanges of views on
research and development.

As the Committee on Budgets has already stated, further and more precise information is needed from the
Commission in this regard.

Without answers to the following questions it will be impossible to give this matter appropriate
consideration:

1. What financial contribution will the Chinese partners be making to the research activities?

2. Are there any analyses of the benefits and cost efficiency of international cooperation agreements of

this kind? If so, what do they say?

8.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 225 E/101

3. To what extent are scientists, research workers, officials and other public employees involved under

this cooperation agreement?

4. Does this agreement also extend to research in the area of biotechnology or military biotechnology?

(2000/C 225 E/102)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2324/99

by Daniela Raschhofer (NI) to the Commission

(13 December 1999)

Subject: Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the EC and the Russian Federation

The Commission is proposing that a scientific and technological agreement should be concluded with the
Russian Federation. It would provide for an increase in cooperation and exchanges of views on research
and development.

As the Committee on Budgets has already stated, further and more precise information is needed from the
Commission in this regard.

Without answers to the following questions it will be impossible to give this matter appropriate
consideration:

1. What financial contribution will the Russian partners be making to the research activities?

2. Are there any analyses of the benefits and cost efficiency of international cooperation agreements of

this kind? If so, what do they say?

3. To what extent are scientists, research workers, officials and other public employees involved under

this cooperation agreement?

4. Does this agreement also extend to research in the area of biotechnology or military biotechnology?

Joint answer
to Written Questions E-2322/99, E-2323/99 and E-2324/99
given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(11 January 2000)

Partners from non-member countries in all scientific and technical cooperation projects entered into under
these various agreements must ensure that their own research costs are covered.

Under those agreements, no Community funding is thus granted to partners from such countries.
Nevertheless,
in accordance with Council and Parliament Decisions, and as was the case before the
agreements took effect, China and Argentina continue to remain eligible for Community funding under
the specific (cid:145)research for development(cid:146) programme. As for Russia, even after the agreement takes effect it
will continue to benefit from Community funding of its INCO-Copernicus and INTAS activities.

The scientific and technical cooperation agreements between the Community and Argentina, the Commun-
ity and China and the Community and Russia will not, in themselves, generate any additional costs to the
Community budget apart from the management costs arising from said agreements. There has so far been
no genuine cost-benefit analysis of the other agreements on scientific and technological cooperation.

However, assessments are being, and will also be, carried out at cooperation-instrument and/or project
level with Argentina, China and Russia, the same applying to the other agreements in force.

The agreements with Argentina and China make specific provision for such assessments at regular
intervals, any extension of agreements being subject to the outcome of those assessments.