Council resolution of 16 November 2000 on making a reality of the European area of research and innovation: guidelines for the European Union's research activities (2002-2006)
Date: 2000-11-16
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: Community body, research and development, research body, research policy, research programme

28.12.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 374/1

I

(Information)

COUNCIL

COUNCIL RESOLUTION

of 16 November 2000

on making a reality of the European area of research and innovation: guidelines for the European
Union’s research activities (2002-2006)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

(2000/C 374/01)

RECALLING the Research Council’s Resolution of 15 June 2000
establishing a European area of research and innovation (1) on
the implementation of the conclusions of the European Council
held in Lisbon on 23 and 24 March 2000 and in Santa Maria
da Feira on 19 and 20 June 2000 aimed, with a view to job
creation and economic growth, at the rapid establishment of a
European area of research and innovation (ERA),

for EU research activities

UNDERLINING the importance of the Commission communi-
cation on (cid:145)Making a reality of the European research area:
guidelines
for an
in-depth debate on the future of European science and tech-
nology policy and future framework programmes, and on their
coordination with other European research activities in the
context of the establishment of the ERA,

(2002-2006)(cid:146)

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the Commission communication on
(cid:145)Innovation in a knowledge-driven economy(cid:146) and RECALLING
the importance of the research/innovation interface,

CONSIDERING the importance of implementing the e-Europe
action plan and its close links with research,
in particular
information and communication technologies,

NOTING the five-yearly evaluation report on the framework
programmes, the annual report (1999) of the Joint Research
Centre (JRC), the report submitted to the Commission by the
high-level panel of experts, and the opinions on the latter two
reports delivered by the JRC Board of Governors,

joint and voluntary effort and partnership
product of
the
between the European Union,
applicant countries, the associated countries under the
fifth framework programme,
and
technical research stakeholders.

the Member States,

scientific

and all

(2) NOTES the importance of the framework programmes as
finally establishing the ERA and
in

for
effectiveness of

research activities

strategic tools
increasing the
Europe.

(3) NOTES,

in accordance with Article 165 of

the Treaty
establishing the European Community,
the importance
for Member States of coordinating their research and tech-
nological development activities to ensure that national
policies and Community policy on research and devel-
opment are mutually consistent, and the role that the
Commission can play in promoting that coordination, in
close cooperation with the Member States; RECALLS also
activities which
the
complement
in
accordance with Article 164 of the said Treaty, and the
need to carry through coordination efforts to achieve the
objectives of the ERA.

those undertaken in Member States

Community

importance

of

(4) WELCOMES in this context the activities already under way
to develop an open method of policy coordination, and
recalls the need to make active progress on networking
and the gradual voluntary opening-up by the competent
authorities of national research programmes and on the
exchange of information and TAKES NOTE of the progress
made on the benchmarking of policies (indicators).

(1) SUPPORTS the Commission’s overall approach as described
in its communication aimed at pursuing efforts to make a
this must be the
reality of

the ERA; CONSIDERS that

(1) OJ C 205, 19.7.2000, p. 1.

(5) RECOGNISES the positive achievements of

the current
framework programmes, while noting the need to
improve their operation and the advisability of making
use at Community level of new forms of activity in part-
nership with the Member States while observing the
criterion of scientific excellence.

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Official Journal of the European Communities

28.12.2000

(6) EMPHASISES, while taking account of

the importance of

the principle of
subsidiarity,
the key concepts of
(cid:145)scientific excellence(cid:146) and (cid:145)European added value(cid:146), which
must be used to prioritise the Union’s efforts on major
issues in future framework
research and development
programmes,
and
application of
through the
coherent criteria; AFFIRMS that Community support for
scientific and technical research should help towards the
construction of a Europe of knowledge, the implemen-
in accordance with
tation of Community policies and,
Article 163 of
the
scientific and technological base of Community industry,
by encouraging undertakings and others
involved in
research to carry out advanced or long-term research
to demonstration
support
projects
projects for innovative technologies.

the strengthening of

the Treaty,

and by

giving

strict

the

public

national

networking

(7) WELCOMES the importance given in the communication
to
research
of
programmes, RECALLS the importance of the experience
acquired in the framework of key actions and generic
activities of the framework programme and NOTES the
benefits of developing these concepts by considering, for
large-scale targeted projects,
example, the setting-up of
which could include
clusters of projects, without
prejudice to the importance of small and medium-scale
projects, and the establishment of networks of excellence.

(8) Also WELCOMES the importance that has been attached to
the question of human resources; ENCOURAGES pursuit of
the action already in hand to increase the role and
number of women in the European research effort, to
develop training,
to foster the mobility of researchers,
including hosting researchers from other continents, and
to encourage young researchers.

(9) EMPHASISES also the benefits of a European approach to
research infrastructures in order to maximise their effec-
tiveness in a coordinated manner.

(10) REAFFIRMS the essential link between research and inno-
vation and the major role of enterprises and particularly
high technology or traditional SMEs in the innovation
process; RECALLS the need to have a Community patent
available by the end of 2001 as well as a utility model;
EMPHASISES the importance of promoting the scientific
and technological performance of all the regions of the
Member States and participating countries, including the
cross-border dimension, both within the ERA in future
framework
relevant
Community initiatives.

programmes

other

and

in

(11) SUPPORTS the need to make the debate on the role of
science in society more profound and to assist public
decision-making by strengthening links between research
including the ethical
policies and the needs of society,

dimensions of progress; REITERATES the importance of
the Commission setting up an independent advisory
body to boost
effectiveness of European RTD
policies; NOTES the essential contribution of the human
and social sciences and the need to improve tools for the
dissemination of scientific and technical information and
to enhance scientific and technical knowledge.

the

(12) EMPHASISES the importance of

the international and
global dimension in European research activities in the
interest of obtaining mutual benefits, and in order to
promote European scientific and technological interests.

it

(13) EMPHASISES that, for the achievement of the European
Research Area,
is advisable to develop in order to
implement the Union’s research framework programme
and according to the nature of the actions and priorities
involved new instruments and means of action;
these
must make it possible, in compliance with the principles
of transparency and equal access, to promote partnerships
between Member States and the Union and to improve the
efficiency of research activities, in particular through:

(cid:151) promotion of a broader, programme-based approach,

in which the Community is one of the players,

(cid:151) closer linkage with international structures and organi-
sations for scientific cooperation (e.g. COST, Eureka,
ESF, etc.),

(cid:151) development of
funding bodies,

synergies with national

research-

(cid:151) the possibility of action to structure research activities

in the longer term, around strategic subjects,

(cid:151) extension of the scope of some of the Union’s current
for example in the areas of training and

activities,
mobility, or optimising infrastructures,

(cid:151) recourse to Community participation in programmes
undertaken by several Member States,
for example
through the implementation of Articles 168 and 169
of the Treaty.

(14) RECALLS the role of nuclear research and of the activities
in the future Euratom framework
associated with it
programme, an integral part of the European research
area; POINTS TO the role of the JRC in this respect in
the
accordance with the provisions of Article 8 of
Energy
Treaty
Community and the role of the JRC in research and tech-
nological development, under
its specific programme;
CONFIRMS the importance of the JRC’s role as a centre
serving the common interests of the European Union by
providing independent advice.

European Atomic

establishing

the

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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(15) EMPHASISES the need to differentiate the means of
implementing Community
research framework pro-
grammes according to the nature of the activities and
the priorities, while complying with the principle of the
selection of projects on the basis of competitive public
calls
evaluation rules;
SUPPORTS the need for more efficient management, and
the Commission’s determination to refocus on its essential
tasks.

tender with transparent

for

(16) TO THAT END, THE COUNCIL INVITES THE COMMISSION:

(cid:151) to send the Council

soon as possible

its
as
contributions on the next stages in furtherance of
formal
the implementation of
proposal
sixth framework
programme during the first quarter of 2001, so that
those Decisions may be taken well before the end of

for Decisions on the

the ERA and its

the fifth framework programme (2002), and preferably
by the end of the first half of 2002,

(cid:151) to give details of new management methods in its
including as regards the possible

formal proposal,
outsourcing of certain tasks,

the

JRC’s mission,

(cid:151) to submit to the Council as soon as possible, so that it
can hold an in-depth discussion before the framework
programme is adopted, a communication on the
covering
implementation of
management
the
focusing of research efforts, the matching of human
resources to the task, the improvement of links with
other national research institutes, and the response
which the JRC might provide to the needs of users,
particularly the Commission’s Directorates-General,
and public authorities.

styles, methods and governance,

COUNCIL OPINION

of 27 November 2000

on the updated stability programme of Germany for the period 2000-2004

(2000/C 374/02)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1466/97 of 7 July
1997 on the strengthening of the surveillance of budgetary
positions and the surveillance and coordination of economic
policies (1), and in particular Article 5(3) thereof,

Having regard to the recommendation of the Commission,

After consulting the Economic and Financial Committee,

HAS DELIVERED THIS OPINION:

On 27 November 2000 the Council examined Germany’s
updated stability programme, which covers
the period
2000-2004. The Council welcomes the fact that this update
makes distinct progress in terms of compliance with the code
of conduct.

The Council notes with satisfaction that the budgetary target
for the current year is maintained in spite of a slightly worse

than expected outcome in 1999. However, the Council notes
that this is due also to higher than projected tax revenues. The
fact that the projected consolidation path depends heavily on
levels of government other
the budgetary developments of
than the federal one shows the importance of an improved
cooperation on government finances at the national
level as
already emphasised in the Council opinion of 28 February
2000 on the updated stability programme of Germany for
the period 1999 to 2003 (2).

The Council considers the macroeconomic scenario presented
in the programme, which assumes average annual output
growth of around 2,5 % between 2001 and 2004,
to be
realistic. However, the Council recommends that, with a view
to external shocks,
to making the economy more resilient
reforms be implemented which render
the labour market
more flexible. Furthermore, benefiting from the favourable
development of employment, the government should adhere
to its announced policy of a further clear reduction of social
security contribution rates. The Council notes
the
underlying growth scenario presupposes that wage moderation
will prevail throughout the programme period. A moderate
outcome of the wage negotiation round for the year 2002
will be crucial in this respect.

that

(1) OJ L 209, 2.8.1997, p. 1.

(2) OJ C 98, 6.4.2000, p. 1.