Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the production and development of Community statistics on science and technology
Date: 2001-08-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU statistics, European undertaking, applied sciences, innovation, statistical method, technology

C 332 E/238

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

27.11.2001

Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the production
and development of Community statistics on science and technology

(2001/C 332 E/04)

COM(2001) 490 final (cid:151) 2001/0197(COD)

(Submitted by the Commission on 27 August 2001)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE
EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 285 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

scientific and technological basis of the European busi-
nesses to be more innovative and competitive on the
international and regional
level, realising the benefits of
the information society and promoting the transfer of
technology,
improving activities in the domain of intel-
lectual property rights and the development of mobility
of human resources, and promoting equality between men
and women in science.

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article
251 of the Treaty,

(7) The principle of cost-effectiveness shall apply for the data
collection procedures for industry and administrations,
while still maintaining the necessary quality of the data.

Whereas:

(1) There is a need for comparable statistics on research and
innovation and science and
in order to support Community

technological

development,
technology in general
policies.

(2) Council Decision (94/78/EC, Euratom) of 24 January 1994
establishing a multiannual programme from 1994 to 1997
for the development of Community statistics on research,
development and innovation (1), highlighted the objectives
to set out a Community reference framework for statistics
and to establish a harmonised Community statistical
information system in this field.

(3) The final report for the programme period 1994 to 1997
emphasises that the work should be continued and that
the
data should be made available more rapidly,
that
the
regional coverage should be extended and that
comparability of the data must increase.

(4) In accordance with Council Decision 1999/126/EC of
22 December 1998 establishing the Community statistical
programme 1998-2002 (2),
information
system shall support the management of science and tech-
nology policies in the Community and assess R & D and
innovation capability of regions for administration of
structural funds.

statistical

the

(8) It is essential that developments in official statistics on
science and technology are coordinated to also meet the
essential needs of national, regional and local adminis-
trations, international organisations, economic operators,
professional associations and the general public.

(9) Council Decision 1999/173/EC of 25 January 1999
adopting a specific programme for research, technological
development and demonstration on improving the human
research potential and the socio-economic knowledge base
(1999 to 2002) (3) will be taken into account to avoid
overlap of work.

(10) Council Resolution 1999/C 201/01 of 20 May 1999 on
women and science underlines the need for information
on the participation of women in the development of
science and technology.

(11) The measures necessary for the implementation of this
Decision,
being management measures within the
meaning of Article 2 of Council Decision 1999/468/EC
of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the
conferred on the
exercise of
Commission (4),
the
management procedure provided for in Article 4 of that
Decision.

implementing powers

adopted by use of

should be

(5) In order to ensure their usefulness and comparability, the
details of data to be provided by the Member States
should be established by the Commission taking into
account work carried out by OECD and other inter-
national organisations.

(6) Community policy on science, technology and innovation
the

importance on strengthening

places particular

(12) The Statistical Programme Committee established by
Decision 89/382/EEC, Euratom (5) has been consulted in
accordance with Article 3 of the aforesaid Decision.

(13) The Scientific and Technological Research Committee

(Crest) has given its opinion,

(1) OJ L 38, 9.2.1994, p. 30.
(2) OJ L 42, 16.6.1999, p. 1.

(3) OJ L 64, 12.3.1999, p. 105.
(4) OJ L 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23.
(5) OJ L 181, 28.6.1989, p. 47.

27.11.2001

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Official Journal of the European Communities

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HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

The objective of this Decision is to establish a Community
statistical information system on science, technology and inno-
vation to support and monitor Community policies.

Article 2

The objective described in Article 1 shall be implemented by
individual statistical actions as follows:

(cid:151) Delivery of statistics by the Member States on a regular
basis and within specified deadlines, in particular statistics
on R & D activity in all sectors of performance, taking into
account the regional dimension, and on the funding of
R & D activity,
including the government budget appro-
priations for R & D.

(cid:151) Improvement to the dissemination, accessibility and docu-

mentation of statistical information.

Available
collection and processing will be taken into account.

capacities within the Member States

for data

Article 3

this
The measures necessary for
Decision shall be decided in accordance with the procedure
referred to in Article 4.

the implementation of

Article 4

1.
The Commission shall be assisted by the Statistical
Programme Committee instituted by Article 1 of Decision
89/382/EEC, Euratom.

and

technology

(cid:151) Development of new statistical variables to be produced on
a permanent basis for the measurement of the output of
science
diffusion of
knowledge and more generally the performance of inno-
the formulation and assessment of
vation needed for
increasingly
science
knowledge-based economies. Priority will be given,
in
particular, to the following domains:

and technology policies

activities,

in the

the

(cid:151) innovation (new and improved products and processes

introduced by enterprises in the market),

(cid:151) human resources devoted to science and technology,

(cid:151) patents

to be derived from the
databases of the national and European patent offices),

statistics

(patents

(cid:151) high-technology statistics

(identification and classifi-
cation of products and services, measurement of
economic performance and contribution to economic
growth),

reference

2. Where
the
management procedure laid down in Article 4 of Decision
1999/468/EC shall apply,
in compliance with Articles 7(3)
and 8 thereof.

to this paragraph,

is made

The period provided for in Article 4(3) of Decision

3.
1999/468/EC shall be three months.

Article 5

The Commission shall, within five years of the entry into force
of this Decision, and again every five years thereafter, present a
report to the European Parliament and the Council to evaluate
the implementation of the measures provided for in Article 2.

This report shall consider, inter alia, the costs of the actions and
the burden on the respondents in relation to the benefits of the
availability of the data and user satisfaction.

Following this
measures to improve the operation of this Decision.

the Commission may propose any

report,

(cid:151) gender statistics on science and technology.

Article 6

(cid:151) Improvement and updating of existing standards and
manuals on concepts and methods, with particular regard
to concepts in the service sector and coordinated methods
for measurement of R & D activity.

(cid:151) Improvement

to data quality, specifically comparability,

accuracy and timeliness.

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Article 7

This Decision shall enter into force on the 20th day following
its publication in the Official
the European
Communities.

Journal

of