Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the "Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Towards a European Research Area"
Date: 2000-04-12
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: EU research policy, development policy, employment policy, research policy

C 226/18

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

8.8.2000

Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on the ‘Communication from the Commission to the
Council, the European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the
Regions: “Towards a European Research Area”’

(2000/C 226/07)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS,

having regard to the Communication from the Commission entitled Towards a European research area
(COM(2000) 6 final);

having regard to the decision taken by the European Commission on 24 January 2000 to consult the
Committee on this matter under the first paragraph of Article 265;

having regard to the decision taken by its Bureau on 11 February 2000 to instruct Commission 5 —
Social Policy, Public Health, Consumer Protection, Research and Tourism — to prepare its opinion on
the matter;

having regard to the Communication from the Commission on reinforcing cohesion and competitiveness
through research, technological development and innovation (COM(98) 275 final);

having regard to the Commission’s Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Decision concerning
the Fifth Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development
and demonstration activities (1998-2002) (COM(97) 142 final);

having regard to the Opinion of the Committee of the Regions (CdR 278/98 (1)) on the Commission’s
Communication on reinforcing cohesion and competitiveness through research, technological develop-
ment and innovation (COM(98) 275 final);

having regard to the Opinion of the Committee of the Regions (CdR 158/97) (2) on the Commission’s
proposal concerning the Fifth Framework Programme of the European Community for research,
technological development and demonstration activities (1998-2002) (COM(97) 142 final);

having regard to the draft opinion (CdR 33/2000 rev. 1) adopted by Commission 5 on 6 March 2000
(rapporteur: Mrs Blandin);

having regard to the draft Communication entitled ‘Women and science — mobilising women to enrich
European research’ which seeks to: define objectives as regards equality of opportunity between men and
women in the field of research; consolidate a network of women scientists; and to promote debate and
the exchange of experience between EU Member States, as part of a coherent approach under the Fifth
Framework Programme (COM 76(1999 — par. 1);

considering the major implications of research with regard to knowledge and development and the
possibilities for links between the dynamics of local and regional authorities, Member States and the EU,

adopted the opinion set out below at its 33rd plenary session held on 12 and 13 April 2000 (meeting of
12 April).

The Committee of the Regions:

1.

shares the Commission’s concern over research and wel-
comes its perspicacious analysis of the situation and its
clear commitment to a European research policy;

2. endorses the desire to optimise the instruments available,
to share knowledge and to encourage the transfer and

(1) OJ C 198, 14.7.1999, p. 41.
(2) OJ C 379, 15.12.1999, p. 26.

development of know-how which is seen as a source of
social, economic and cultural activity;

3. wishes to highlight the role to be played by the public,
particularly with regard to access to knowledge and
the establishment of goals, priorities and forums. While
respecting the principles of subsidiarity, partnership and
proximity, it proposes (a) that a European consultative
council for higher education and research be set up, which
would enable qualified representatives of civil society to
put forward their views alongside representatives of the
local and regional
scientific community, and (b) that
authorities be given a key role in drawing up and allocating
Community programmes;

8.8.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 226/19

4. points out that research is not limited to the physical and
biological sciences;
it fully recognises the value of the
human and social sciences. It proposes that basic research
and higher education devoted to the human sciences be
provided with support at Community level in a much
more significant and bolder way;

5.

joins the Commission in stressing the urgent need for a
real European strategy based on:

— shared values,

— an ambitious policy in respect of human resources

(training, status of research workers, mobility),

— the use of powerful

instruments (network of new
technologies,
reliable and accessible EU patents,
improving ‘bridges’ between research and industrial
applications);

6.

recognises the positive impact of innovation on employ-
ment; wishes to encourage those innovations which bring
about sustainable development. Community research aid
must be made conditional on the establishment of skilled,
long-term scientific posts;

7. affirms the need to ensure that research is not focused
exclusively on viable technological applications, i.e. that
there should also be a place for free, creative research; calls
upon the Commission to ensure this;

8. draws attention to the decisive role played by local and
regional authorities in training, assistance to laboratories,
support for researchers and links with the expectations of

Brussels, 12 April 2000.

local populations. With a view to the application of the
subsidiarity principle, Community programmes devoted to
research and regional policies must be coordinated to
promote projects for the development of research which
are as close as possible to the citizen;

9.

reiterates its demands for men and women to be given
equal access to careers in research and to research topics;

10. welcomes the Commission’s intention to support

the
funding and operation of European-level infrastructure,
networking and synergy between installations and the
personnel working in the various countries and strongly
urges that national research establishments and pro-
grammes be opened up. The Committee calls for the
introduction of a real science-promotion policy;

11. highlights the need for new forms of collaboration between
public-sector and private research centres. It is frequently
the case that the latter bodies have state-of-the-art equip-
ment at their disposal which public-sector bodies are not
in a position to acquire;

12. wishes to be involved in the forthcoming debates and in
the demarcation of priority areas; will closely monitor
the methods used to promote cooperation between key
installations. Will keep a watching brief on the proposed
stages for implementing the programme and the planned
measures;

13. urges that excellence be based more on knowledge,
cooperation and the use of intelligent instruments, rather
than on competition between geographical areas, exacer-
bated by globalisation and by liberalisation of
the
economy.

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Jos CHABERT