WRITTEN QUESTION E-2806/99 by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Innovation and technology at ministry level.
Date: 2000-01-18
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU research policy, innovation

28.12.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 374 E/17

ECHO operates through the intermediary of non-governmental and international organisations. As regards
purchases, Article 16.4 of the framework partnership contract requires humanitarian organisations to give
preference to the country of the operation or countries in that region when placing their orders. This way
of doing things allows food aid to be supplied at lower prices and also allows better correspondence
between the products provided and the dietary habits of the beneficiaries. Article 16.2 of the framework
contract also specifies that the humanitarian organisation must take all the necessary steps to ensure that
the products are those which best meet local needs and habits.

The food products supplied are often cereals (wheat, maize), oil, rice and pulses. Canned fish is entirely
marginal to the food aid supplied by ECHO.

(1) OJ L 166, 5.7.1996.

(2000/C 374 E/020)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2806/99

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Innovation and technology at ministry level

(18 January 2000)

One of the great challenges for the European Union is to succeed in combining its development with
technological innovation, which is essential in view of the advances being made in the sector by world
powers such as the United States, Japan and south-east Asia.

More than ever, public opinion in general and businessmen in particular need to be made aware that
innovation and technology are the most demanding issues to be tackled by society at national and regional
level in the spheres of industry and research.

In view of this, does the Commission consider that it should encourage the Member States of the European
Union to raise to ministerial level the various agencies dealing with innovation and technology, in order to
emphasise publicly and officially the important role they have to play in all Member States(cid:146) governmental
activities?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(21 February 2000)

The Commission agrees the innovation perspective deserves a more central role in public policies
promoted at national and regional level. Since enterprises(cid:146) ability to innovate is the first step towards
competitiveness in advanced economies, the promotion of innovation is a challenge to public action. The
complexity of the innovation process means that strategies and policies affecting innovation are often
handled by several different government departments, some of which may have conflicting objectives. It is
therefore essential to encourage dialogue and to organise the co-ordination of the policies which depend
on it.

(starting with the (cid:145)Green paper on
The policy debate on innovation launched by the Commission,
innovation(cid:146) (1) and subsequently the (cid:145)Action plan on innovation(cid:146) (2)) already recommends that Member
States take the necessary steps for effective co-ordination of the measures deriving from various policies to
ensure their coherence in boosting innovation in our societies. These questions, naturally, are primarily
matters for Member States. However, it is desirable to identify and promote good practices in this field.

The Commission intends to facilitate the design and implementation of initiatives in this area setting up a
joint reference framework on innovation. That will help Member States in the exchange and adoption of
good practices, including appropriate internal co-ordination mechanisms of innovation-oriented enterprise
policies.

C 374 E/18

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

28.12.2000

To this end the Commission has launched a benchmarking initiative of innovation performances and
policies in the Community. Innovation will also be discussed at the informal meeting of industry ministers
on 10 March 2000 in Nordwijk in the Netherlands. The Commission hopes the discussions will give a
significant input into the Lisbon European Council of 23-24 March 2000.

(1) COM(95) 688 final.
(2) COM(96) 589 final.

(2000/C 374 E/021)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0021/00

by Paulo Casaca (PSE) to the Commission

(19 January 2000)

Subject: The outermost regions and the allocation of structural funds

The programming of structural funds in the Autonomous Region of the Azores for the period 1994 to
1999 envisaged structural support worth PTE 149 200 075 million or EUR 744,207 million, equivalent to
EUR 124,034 million per year, according to the latest rescheduling in 1999.

Although it already reflects the upward adjustment resulting from the relevant deflator, the amount is still
quoted at current prices, since it is difficult to update it to 1999 prices.

In a letter to the Portuguese authorities dated 1 July 1999 the Commission proposed an indicative
allocation of EUR 757 million for the Autonomous Region of the Azores for the period 2000 to 2006,
equivalent to EUR 108 million per year.

This represents a substantial reduction, much more than the apparent reduction of EUR 16 million, in that
the value for 1994-1999 has not been updated for 1999 and does not take account of the rise in revenue
in both the Azores and the Community.

This Commission proposal blatantly contradicts all the promises and statements made by the Commission
with regard to the outermost regions, in particular:

1.

2.

3.

that the resources would be concentrated in the poorest regions;

that these regions would receive more amounts per year;

that the outermost regions in particular would benefit.

Apparently insensitive to the reality of numbers, the Commission continues to claim that the reform of the
structural funds has brought more resources to all the outermost regions.

Does the Commission not consider it necessary to carry out a thorough review of the impact of the reform
of Community policies in the poorest and most isolated regions, such as the Autonomous Region of the
Azores, in particular in the context of the application of Article 299(2) of the Treaty?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(15 March 2000)

The Commission(cid:146)s letter to the Portuguese Government of 1 July 1999 to which the Honourable Member
refers did no more than set out the consequence of the mathematical application of the general criteria
that it had laid down for distributing structural aid to the various regions. Accordingly, this letter
contained a purely hypothetical allocation of these amounts and did not seek to replace an analysis
based on other considerations that might be taken into account when preparing the Community Support
Framework.