WRITTEN QUESTION E-0943/04 by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission. Research programme and multiple sclerosis.
Date: 2004-03-26
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU research policy, disease of the nervous system, medical research, research programme

C 88 E/254

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

The First Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological
Diversity, held in Kuala Lumpur in February 2004, agreed to launch a process with respect to the
elaboration of appropriate international rules and procedures in the field of liability and redress. For this
purpose the Meeting of the Parties established an Ad Hoc Working Group of Legal and Technical Experts
on Liability and Redress (cid:1) open to all Parties (cid:1) which will meet five times between 2005 and 2007, and
adopted broad terms of reference for this Group. In addition, the Meeting of the Parties decided that later
in 2004 a technical group of experts will meet to undertake the necessary preparatory work for this
process.

The terms of reference adopted by the Meeting of the Parties are rather broad and leave all options open
for discussion by Parties. It is therefore impossible at this early stage to predict the scope and nature of the
rules and procedures to be adopted at the end of the negotiation process.

The Honourable Member can rest assured that the Commission will do its utmost in the forthcoming
negotiations to achieve workable and effective rules and procedures which will contribute to the
achievement of the objectives of the Cartagena Protocol.

(2004/C 88 E/0259)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0943/04

by Cristiana Muscardini (UEN) to the Commission

(26 March 2004)

Subject: Research programme and multiple sclerosis

The causes of multiple sclerosis are still largely unknown, although it is thought that the disease stems
from a combination of genetic, environmental and immunological factors. Correlating those various factors
could be a way of studying the causes of the disease, 400 000 cases of which have (according to the
European Multiple Sclerosis Platform) been diagnosed in the EU.

In view of the fact that (as stated in Parliament’s resolution A5-0451/2003 (cid:1) P5_TA(2003) 0601 of
18 December 2003) ‘it is essential to enhance the financial resources available for research into multiple
sclerosis within the European Union and to improve the complementarity of research projects given the
combination of factors that are said to trigger the disease’, does the Commission not consider:

1.

2.

that the next Research Framework Programme should include a specific reference in the field of
neuro-degenerative pathologies to diseases of the brain and, in particular, to multiple sclerosis?

that such a commitment should be made a priority under the Seventh Framework Programme, since
the Sixth Framework Programme failed to incorporate disability issues into Community policies and
the amount of research being carried out in the EU into disability and diseases such as multiple
sclerosis has been drastically cut back?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(28 April 2004)

The Commission would like to comment that basic and clinical research on brain diseases and disorders
including multiple sclerosis (MS), are areas of major
and in particular on neurodegenerative diseases,
support in the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). Specifically, the first two out of four Calls foreseen for
the sub-priorities ‘Major diseases’ and ‘Application of knowledge and technologies of genomics and
biotechnology for health’ within Priority 1 ‘Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health’ already
offered several topics for Integrated Projects (IP) or Networks of Excellence (NOE) on neurodegenerative
brain diseases and novel therapies (‘Role and mechanisms of protein aggregation in neurodegenerative

8.4.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

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diseases (cid:1) IP’, ‘Molecular mechanisms of neuronal degeneration (cid:1) NOE,’ ‘Stem cells and nervous system (cid:1)
NOE’, ‘Novel therapeutic substances for neurodegenerative diseases in CNS and PNS (cid:1) IP’. The third Call
for proposals, currently under discussion, may also include topics highly relevant for MS.

In addition, the Commission (Directorate General Health and Consumer Protection) is exploring within the
frame of its 2004 Call for proposals in the Public Health Programme the possibility of receiving proposals
for a European study about the situation of neurodegenerative diseases,
including MS, to assess the
epidemiological and health systems impact of those diseases. A Call for Tender in 2005 for this subject
could be launched if no proposal is received in 2004.

Further information on Calls, Programmes and selected projects can be found at the following web sites:

(cid:1) http://fp6.cordis.lu/fp6/home.cfm

(cid:1) http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/fp6/firstcallresult_en.html

(cid:1) http://europa.eu.int/comm/health/ph_programme/howtoapply/how_to_apply_en.htm

The Commission considers these FP6 activities as a significant contribution to health research directed
towards a better understanding and improved treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as MS. With
regard to the Seventh FP, the Commission is currently in the process of defining the main pillars on which
this programme will be built in the context of its communication on the financial perspectives 2006-2013.
For the discussions to follow on the content of FP7, the Commission will duly take into consideration
relevant aspects of health research arising from FP6 as well as major public health issues.

(2004/C 88 E/0260)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0950/04

by Paul Rübig (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(29 March 2004)

Subject: Hindrances to traffic on the River Danube

Because of the low water level in 2003, Austrian transport undertakings using the River Danube were
faced with massive additional costs, since, for example, in the Komarno, Dunaujvaros, region, barges, albeit
reduced to carrying half-loads, were prevented by the Inland Waterway Police from continuing their
journeys.

Furthermore, there were times when it was not possible for the pontoon bridge in Novisad to be opened,
with the result that one journey from Linz to Ismael took two and a half months. In some instances, the
transport of heavy steel plate had to be transferred to HGVs, and that resulted in significant additional
costs for the transport undertakings.

With regard to transport westwards (to Duisburg, Antwerp and Rotterdam, etc.), from June 2003 until
mid-January 2004, as happens almost every year, the barges could be loaded to no more than half or even
one quarter of their capacity, with the undertakings having to pay low-water supplements which, in some
cases, amounted to as much as the initial charge.

The development of the sections of the Danube between Regensburg and Passau and in Hungary and the
construction of a bridge at Novisad would significantly increase the attractiveness of the Danube as the
most important waterway in Europe. (It is currently carrying no more than about 10 % of its capacity).

What measures is the Commission thinking of taking in order to eliminate the hindrances to traffic on the
Danube referred to above and to help bring about the urgently required reduction in transit traffic using
the roads?