WRITTEN QUESTION E-1174/00 by Malcolm Harbour (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Research in the automotive sector.
Date: 2000-04-12
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU financing, EU research policy, West Midlands, cessation of trading, motor vehicle industry, new technology

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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information society projects to the West Midlands region (cid:129) focusing on activities where jobs could be
created for the skilled workforce now facing unemployment?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(8 June 2000)

Support for economic development programmes under the European structural funds will be significant in
the West Midlands over the 2000-2006 period. The development of the information society is one of the
Commission(cid:146)s priorities following the e-Europe initiative launched at the Lisbon European Council and
permeates many of the European funding initiatives. The Commission will be seeking to ensure that in the
next generation of structural funds programmes for the region, the development of the information society
is properly taken on board, in line with the e-Europe initiative.

First, a large part of the West Midlands region is eligible for structural fund support under the headings of
Objective 2 and Objective 2 Phasing-out. With an allocation of over 850 M€, the West Midlands
programme will be the biggest in the United Kingdom under Objective 2 in the 2000-2006 period.

(2) creating a learning and skilful region;

The West Midlands Objective 2 development plan has recently been submitted by the authorities in the
Member State to the Commission and identifies the following four priorities: (1) developing a diverse and
dynamic business base;
(3) creating the infrastructure and
conditions for growth; (4) regenerating communities. Support for innovation and the development of the
information society will be one of the cross-cutting themes of the programme. Within these priorities, the
following activities may be envisaged: support for training in the use of and the promotion of information
and communications technology; support for high technology SMEs including specialist business support;
and start up capital through grants, loans or equity financing. The draft plan underlines the need to create
jobs and assesses each of the proposed priorities identified above in terms of the creation of new jobs.

Secondly, the West Midlands will receive a share of the Objective 3 programme worth € 4 500 million in
total
in the United Kingdom. Together with Objective 2, this funding can be used to support the
redeployment of the skilled personnel previously employed in the car industry.

In addition to these amounts, the West Midlands could also receive support for innovative projects
including more in the field of the information society. The Commission is currently developing a set of
guidelines in relation to these actions.

(2001/C 72 E/028)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1174/00

by Malcolm Harbour (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(12 April 2000)

Subject: Research in the automotive sector

In view of the restructuring taking place in the West Midlands car industry, as a result of the break up of
the Rover Group by BMW, could the Commission please indicate:

1. The status of current research projects into new automobile technologies?

2. The possibilities of advancing promising new technologies through a special programme of start-up

funding for new enterprises based in the West Midlands?

3. Whether it could make special funding available, in recognition of the severe unemployment problem

among skilled automotive technicians resulting from the Rover break-up?

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Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(8 June 2000)

1.
The Rover Group, since 1992, has participated in 79 European funded research and technological
development (RTD) projects. Their participation as a co-ordinator or partner spanned the whole range of
automotive research, development and demonstration in areas such as advanced design and manufacturing
information and telecommunication technologies, efficient and renewable energy techno-
technologies,
logies, skills enhancement and training activities. 30 of these projects are still running.

2.
The 5th framework programme for research encourages the exploitation of Community research
projects and has only limited means to support start-up funding for new enterprises, mainly through the
specific programme (cid:145)Promotion of innovation and encouragement of small and medium sized enterprises
(SME) participation(cid:146).

The same applies to the third multiannual programme (MAP) for SMEs. This basically involves responding
to invitations to tender and calls for expressions of interest which are published in the Official journal and
are also available on the Cordis web site.

A further possibility concerns access to certain funds such as the European technology facility (ETF), and
ETF Start-up (part of the growth and employment initiative) which are implemented in partnership with,
and administered by, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF). In this
case Community funds are disbursed via specialised venture capital firms, which function as qualified
intermediaries in vetting applicants for financing and then taking equity stakes in the successful candidates
on the basis of commercial criteria.

A large part of the West Midlands,
including much of Rover(cid:146)s Longbridge plant, has objective 2 or
objective 2 phasing-out status. Accordingly, Community structural funds amounting to some € 850 million
will be available to the West Midlands objective 2 area for the period 2000(cid:141)2006. The negotiations on the
objective 2 development plan are about to start and special attention will be paid to the decline in the
automotive sector and the need to diversify the economy and create new companies. Under structural
funds and in particular through the European regional development fund the following activities in
support to SMEs are possible: business support, financing of technology transfers, improvement of access
by enterprises to finance and loans, provision of
infrastructure and direct aid to investment. The
programme will be directed towards the creation of sustainable jobs and the support to the structural
adjustment of the region.

3.
As regards the issue of severe unemployment among skilled automotive technicians no (cid:145)special or
additional funding(cid:146) is envisaged in the light of the Rover break-up. In addition to the role of objective 2
outlined above, a considerable amount of European social fund will be available to the West Midlands
through objective 3 and can be used to address, amongst other issues, the potential unemployment
problems resulting from BMW selling off Rover. The West Midlands will receive a considerable share out
of the United Kingdom objective 3 programme worth € 4 500 million. The objective 3 plan is structured
according to the five policy fields contained in Council Regulation (EEC) No 2084/93 of 20 July 1993
amending Regulation (EEC) No 4255/88 laying down provisions for implementing Regulation (EEC)
No 2052/88 as regards the European social fund (1). In relation to the Rover case, two policy fields are
particularly relevant: policy field a) active labour market policies (one of the strategic objectives of this
priority is precisely to reduce (long-term) unemployment through measures targeted at those recently
unemployed or threatened by unemployment) and policy field d) adaptability (one of
the strategic
objectives of this priority is to improve the skills base and adaptability of the employed work force).

Moreover, the Community vocational training action programme Leonardo da Vinci (2nd phase 2000-
2006), supports the lifelong training policies of the Member States. It may provide an opportunity in

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creating the proper training tools and mechanisms (pilot projects) for setting-up training schemes. These
may help enhance aptitudes and skills and facilitate a successful reintegration of workers into working life.

(1) OJ L 193, 31.7.1993.

(2001/C 72 E/029)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1197/00

by Margrietus van den Berg (PSE) to the Commission

Subject: The Consultative Group on International Research

(12 April 2000)

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), established in 1971,
is an
informal association of fifty-eight public and private sector members that supports a network of sixteen
international agricultural research centres. CGIAR(cid:146)s mission is to contribute to food security and poverty
eradication in developing countries through research, partnership, capacity building, and policy support.
The CGIAR promotes sustainable agricultural development based on the environmentally sound manage-
ment of natural resources. The European Commission has been an important long-term provider of
financial support to the CGIAR but that funding was suspended in 1999 and the Commission is at present
engaged in a review of its future funding support for the CGIAR.

Taking into account this review:

1. Does the Commission recognise the valuable contributions that the international research centres,
supported by the Consultative Group on International Research, have made to averting famine and
improving rural livelihoods in less developed countries?

2.

3.

4.

5.

Is the Commission aware of a recent review of the CGIAR by a distinguished international panel,
under the chairmanship of the President of the Earth Council, Maurice Strong, that concluded that the
CGIAR represented the (cid:145)best investment in development assistance bar none(cid:146)?

Is the Commission aware that CGIAR is in the process of redefining its programmes to focus more
directly on the agricultural and natural resource research needs of the poorest of the poor?

Is the Commission aware that the on-the-ground presence of CGIAR scientists in developing countries
working in partnership with local scientists gives the CGIAR a unique capacity to provide research
support to national research systems and the farmers who depend upon them?

Is the Commission aware of the increased commitment of the CGIAR to work on fisheries, livestock,
forestry and agroforestry, all of which are areas with great potential benefits for poor people and their
environments?

If the Commission is aware of all these facts is the Commission willing to:

6.

7.

8.

Fully recognise the unique and invaluable role of the CGIAR in addressing EU development assistance
priorities of poverty reduction, better food security and environmental protection in developing
countries?

Inform the European Parliament when and by what means funding of CGIAR Centres will be
resumed?

Examine the possibility of increasing the level of this support and ensuring that commitments are
made on a multi-year basis?

Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission

(3 July 2000)

The Commission is a long-standing partner and donor of
the Consultative group on international
agricultural research (CGIAR) and is actively involved in the development of the system. It is therefore
naturally aware of both the CGIAR(cid:146)s contribution to agricultural research and the recent developments to
which the Honourable Member refers.