WRITTEN QUESTION E-0661/01 by Philip Bushill-Matthews (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Lisbon European Council and investment.
Date: 2001-03-06
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: innovation, private investment, research and development, research programme, venture capital

C 318 E/96

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

13.11.2001

Answer given by Mr Byrne on behalf of the Commission

(16 May 2001)

Following preliminary action taken by the Commission, the Spanish authorities gave a formal undertaking
to amend the authorisations for the use, in the treatment of citrus fruits, of substances containing resins
transformed using maleic anhydride and esterified with pentaerythritol, in order to conform with current
Community legislation, particularly European Parliament and Council Directive No 95/2/EC of 20 February
1995 on food additives other than colours and sweeteners (1).

As a result, the Commission closed this infringement file on 21 March 2000.

If necessary, and in the case of any specific new information, the Commission will make the appropriate
overtures to the Spanish authorities and, if the need arises, will initiate the procedure provided for in
Article 226 (ex Article 169) of the EC Treaty.

(1) OJ L 16, 18.3.1995.

(2001/C 318 E/099)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0661/01

by Philip Bushill-Matthews (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Lisbon European Council and investment

(6 March 2001)

The 2000 Lisbon European Council called on the Council and the Commission, together with the Member
States where appropriate to (cid:145)improve the environment for private research investment, R & D partnerships
and high technology start-ups, by using tax policies, venture capital and EIB support.(cid:146) What progress,
particularly in terms of concrete examples, has been made since the Lisbon summit in this area?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(4 May 2001)

Since the Lisbon European Council, a series of measures have been taken at European level to stimulate
private investment in research and technological innovation.

The Community has stepped up its schemes on networking researchers and on venture capital to fund
innovation in order to boost start-ups and expansion of high-technology businesses. The framework
programme for research activities for 2002-2006 (1), as proposed by the Commission on 21 February
2001, stresses that the networks of excellence and integrated projects will necessarily entail activities
the knowledge produced. Designed as large-scale
relating to dissemination,
lead to
activities and conducted preferably as public/private partnerships,
substantial mobilisation of funds around precisely defined objectives.

transfer and take-up of

integrated projects will

To promote better use of tax measures for research and innovation, the Commission will soon be starting
an exercise to identify best practice in this field.

In its communication for the Stockholm European Council on 23/24 March 2001 entitled (cid:145)Realising the
European Union(cid:146)s potential: consolidating and extending the Lisbon Strategy(cid:146), the Commission announced
its plans to revise the rules on State aid for research and development by the end of 2001.

On a proposal from the Commission, on 20 December 2000 the Council adopted the multiannual
programme for enterprise and entrepreneurship, particularly SMEs (2001-2005), which gives high priority
to financial instruments, particularly in the form of venture capital to help to start up innovative new
businesses.

13.11.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 318 E/97

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has launched its (cid:145)Innovation 2000 Initiative(cid:146) with the objective of
strengthening research funding and venture capital. The EIB has doubled the reserve set aside to cover
capital investment to € 2 billion until 2003.

Finally, three potential fields for collaboration and joint action between the Commission and the EIB in the
fields of research and innovation have been identified: research infrastructure, near-market industrial
research and development, and venture capital to fund start-ups and business incubators. The objective is
to create a framework for collaboration to capitalise more fully on the complementary strengths and
synergies between these two institutions.

(1) COM(2001) 94 final.

(2001/C 318 E/100)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0667/01

by Philip Bushill-Matthews (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Lisbon European Council and agreed indicators

(6 March 2001)

invited (cid:145)the Council and the Commission to promote a better
The 2000 Lisbon European Council
understanding of social exclusion through continued dialogue and exchanges of information and best
practice, on the basis of commonly agreed indicators.(cid:146) Have these indicators been established, and if so
what are they?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2001)

The Lisbon European Council invited the Council and the Commission to promote a better understanding
of social exclusion through continued dialogue and exchanges of information and good practice, on the
basis of commonly agreed indicators, and agreed that the Social Protection Committee should be involved
in establishing these indicators. To this end, the Social Protection Committee has established a subgroup
on indicators to assist it in the selection and development of indicators. This subgroup, which met for the
first time on 20 February 2001, will prepare at technical level the deliberations of the Committee in this
area. The progress achieved in developing indicators in the field of social exclusion will be presented in
a report to the Laeken European Council at the end of 2001.

(2001/C 318 E/101)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0674/01

by Johan Van Hecke (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: Guidelines for land use planning around EU airports

(6 March 2001)

With reference to the Communication on Air Transport and Environment of 1 December 1999, in which
the European Commission affirmed its intention to draw up guidelines for land use planning around EU
airports and the Resolution on the Commission Communication on Air Transport and the Environment,
adopted by the European Parliament on 7 September 2000, the Commission is asked:

(cid:129) Will an initiative be taken on drawing up guidelines for land use planning around EU airports?

(cid:129) What is the timetable?

(cid:129) When will the consultation process start?

(cid:129) Is it already known who will be involved in this consultation process?