Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

No C 339/90 Official Journal of the European Communities 31. 12. 91

Opinion on the proposal for a Council Decision on the dissemination and exploitation of
knowledge resulting from the specific programmes of research and technological development

of the Community (*)

(91/C 339/17)

On 11 February 1991 the Council decided to consult the Economic and Social Committee,
under Article 130 Q (2) of the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, on
the abovementioned proposal.

The Section for Energy, Nuclear Questions and Research, which was responsible for preparing
the Committee's work on the subject, adopted its Opinion on 17 July 1991 in the light of
the Report by Mr von der Decken.

At its 289th plenary session (meeting of 25 September 1991) the Economic and Social
Committee unanimously adopted the following Opinion.

The Committee approves the proposal for a centralized
action in principle, and welcomes the Commission's
initiative in building on the foundations laid by the
Value Programme. The Committee has a number of
comments and suggestions concerning the practical
implementation of the action and its future development.

1. Introduction

1.1. Experience over the last few years underlines
the importance of mechanisms for disseminating the
results of Community research and technological development (R & TD) activities throughout society in the
broadest sense.

1.2. The importance of these mechanisms and the
EC's potential contribution to their development are
recognized in Article 130 G (c) of the Single Act, which
provides for 'activities complementing the activities carried out in the Member States' in the area of 'dissemination and optimization of the results of activities in
Community research, technological development and
demonstration'.

1.3. The second paragraph of Article 130 K stipulates
that the Council shall define the detailed arrangements
for the dissemination of knowledge resulting from the
specific programmes contained in the R & TD framework programmes.

1.4. The third paragraph of Article 4 of Council
Decision 90/221/Euratom, EEC concerning the third
framework programme^), states that 'The detailed
arrangements for the dissemination and exploitation of
the knowledge gained, in particular the definition and
implementation of the centralized action, shall be the
subject of a Council Decision'.

(!) OJ No C 53, 28. 2. 1991, p. 39.
( [2] ) OJ No L 117, 8. 5. 1990, p. 28.

1.5. The general aim of the centralized action is to
secure the necessary continuity for some of the measures
carried out under the specific programme for the dissemination and utilization of the results of scientific
and technological research (1989-1992) (Value) ( [3] ). It
also introduces new topics concerned particularly with
the repercussions of R &TD activities and their results
on society as a whole.

1.6. The amendments to the Value programme proposed by the Committee Opinion on the subject ( [4] ) are
to some extent reflected both in the final version of the
Value programme and in the present proposal; these
concern _inter alia:_ support for economic and social
cohesion, consideration of small firms, and the need to
preserve confidentiality in the dissemination of results
and coordination between the new programme and
existing ones dealing with similar activities.

2. Summary of the Commission Proposal

2.1. The proposed Decision deals with the definition
and implementation of centralized action for the dissemination and exploitation of findings of the specific
R & TD programmes provided for in the third framework programme. General arrangements for dissemination and exploitation of this knowledge are also
included (Art. 7).

2.2. The centralized action expands on the activities
contained in the Value programme (research/industry
interface), and introduces other new activities relating
to the interfaces between research and society, and
between research and the scientific community.

( [3] ) OJ No L 200, 13. 7. 1989, p. 23.
( [4] ) OJ No C 337, 31. 12. 1988, p. 12.

31. 12. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 339/91

2.3. Activities relating to the interface between
research and industry include the setting-up of a network of relay stations (*) to promote Community
research and development (R&D).

2.4. Activities relating to the interface between
research and the scientific community are designed to
apply the disciplines of law, political sciences, social,
human and economic sciences to research. Logic, semiotics, and epistemology will also be used to analyze the
communication of research.

2.5. The interface between research and society
covers measures designed to identify and study the
impact on society of the new scientific and technological
knowledge acquired as a result of Community activities.
The work will be in three parts: assessment of social
impact; communication with the public and analysis of
public demand and new requirements.

2.6. Community expenditure on centralized action is
estimated at ECU 57 million (1 % of the total budget
for the third Framework programme), broken down as
follows:

— Research/industry interface 70/75 %

— Research/scientific community interface 15/20 %

— Research/society interface 15/20 %

This sum includes staff costs, which have a 6 % ceiling.

3. General comments

3.1. _Relationship with the Value programme_

3.1.1. In Special Report No 2/91 the Court of Auditors of the European Communities investigated in detail
the use of Community research results. The Report
refers to the period before the entry into force of the
Value programme in September 1989.

3.1.2. The Report takes a very critical look at the
activities of the Commission in relation to the following
objectives: dissemination of knowledge, protection of
intellectual property and exploitation of findings, and
makes a large number of suggestions.

3.1.3. The Commission's replies are appended to the
Report. It emerges from these detailed answers that the
Commission intends to take the Court of Auditors'

(*) 'Relay stations' here means a system of local or regional
clearing houses for the dissemination of information on Community R & D .

criticisms and suggestions into consideration to a great
extent in implementing the Value programme and
drawing up the new proposal for the implementation
of the centralized action.

3.1.4. Unfortunately no report on the Value programme and the experience gleaned from it is yet available; such experience cannot therefore be brought into
play in assessing the current draft Decision on the new
centralized action programme. The Committee attaches
high importance to a programme of this kind, however,
and feels that it should be launched as soon as possible,
in particular to prevent any interruption of the individual actions initiated under the Value programme.

3.1.5. The Committee calls on the Commission however to apply the experience gained from the Value
programme as it becomes available and to provide
details of the learning process in the report scheduled
for the end of 1992.

3.2. _Scope_

3.2.1. The centralized action applies exclusively to
the dissemination and exploitation of the results of EC
R & TD programmes. To this end, data compilation,
archiving and information systems (Cordis) are to be
established. In addition, a network of relay stations
disseminating information on the results of joint
R & TD is to be set up.

3.2.2. The Committee suggests that thought be given
to the following question: Is it sensible to confine the
scope of such a dissemination and exploitation system
to the results of EC research, i.e. EC programmes
part-financed by the Community? In this context the
following aspects should be taken into consideration.

3.2.3. Expenditure on joint EC research totals only
some 2-3 % of the Member States aggregate research
spending. Accordingly, with certain exceptions, EC
research programmes cannot and are not intended to
cover specific research areas exhaustively. Rather, the
main aim of Community R & TD is, by precise targeting of resources, to integrate overall R & TD activities in the Community and to act, as it were, as a
catalyst.

3.2.4. The Committee therefore feels that a centralized EC action for the dissemination and exploitation of knowledge derived from R & TD should also
play a general integrating and stimulating role, not just
with regard to specific Community programmes, but

No C 339/92 Official Journal of the European Communities 31. 12. 91

rather in respect of all R & TD activities in the Community. The dissemination and exploitation of
R & TD results across national frontiers should have
tremendous potential for improving the international
competitiveness of Community industry.

3.2.5. Ways need to be found of enabling the proposed centralized action to exert its integrating and
stimulating effect, and opportunities should be sought
for co-operation with similar national bodies as well as
ways of extending this centralized action to R & TD
results not deriving from specific EC programmes.

3.3. _Guiding principles_

3.3.1. The formulation of the three principles of
horizontality, internal complementarity and subsidiarity is to be welcomed. The real challenge however will
be to apply these principles in practice.

3.3.2. Particularly in the case of internal complementarity a highly specific approach will be necessary
in order to avoid either duplication or gaps. This can
only be achieved by real co-operation between centralized actions and the specific programmes.

3.3.3. It should be stated clearly that subsidiarity
does not just mean demarcating responsibilities of the
various levels, but also involves calling for co-operation
between them. Co-operation with local bodies will be
particularly important in establishing the relay stations.

3.4. _Research-industry interface_

3.4.1. It is important that actions launched under the
Value programme should be usefully continued and
appropriately developed. Whatever the degree of flexibility, continuity is particularly important in an area
like this one.

3.4.2. The plan to set up a network of relay stations
must in principle be welcomed. In view of the complex
structure of the EC in general and EC R & TD in
particular, it is extremely important that information
on the results and knowledge derived from EC research
should be made directly available to the user or 'consumer'. The main target group for information and
assistance in technical and economic application should
undoubtedly be the small and medium-sized enterprises
(SME).

3.4.3. The success of the plan to set up the relay
stations network will however depend largely on how
the idea is put into practice. The Commission proposal
does not provide any hard information on this.

3.4.4. The density of the network, i.e. the number
of relay stations, should be an important consideration.
On the one hand the system must be user-friendly, i.e.
the relevant relay stations must be accessible to the
user. This will require a relatively dense network which
must also be affordable and organizationally manageable.

3.4.5. It is important that the relay stations should
tailor information to regional and local needs. This
means that the network must be extremely flexible in
terms of the tasks, working methods and structure of
individual stations. Experience in the field of communications technology should be exploited. Co-operation
with, and where appropriate, use of, regional and local
bodies and organizations in the Member States will be
decisive. Financial considerations alone require this.
There should, if appropriate, be co-operation with EC
information offices.

3.4.6. The Commission proposal says nothing about
the organizational structure of the relay stations. The
Committee feels that before the setting up of a whole
network of relay stations can be contemplated, experience should be gathered via pilot projects in the various
Member States under various regional and local conditions. However, the funds earmarked for this purpose
over the whole life of the action will only be enough
for a limited number of pilot projects.

_3.5. Research-scientific community interface_

3.5.1. This is a completely new conceptual departure. The idea is to bring scientific disciplines other than
the natural sciences/technology to bear on Community
research.

3.5.2. This does not however mean that the action
will cover independent EC-level research in these various scientific disciplines. The Committee feels that the
integrating and stimulating effect of a Community
action will be extremely important in an area dealing
with the difficult question of communication not only
across national frontiers but also across inter-disciplinary boundaries.

3.5.3. The Committee will follow this new initiative
with interest and eagerly awaits its results.

31. 12. 91 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 339/93

3.6. _Research-society interface_

3.6.1. The ESC has on many and varied occasions
called for the interface between research and society in
the EC to be made a focus of attention. This innovation

is therefore all the more welcome.

3.6.2. The impact of R & TD on society figure more
and more in political discussions. This involves not only
the direct effects on health, safety and environment, but
also social, ethical and legal factors.

3.6.3. Providing the public with information on
R & TD is another extremely important aspect. Unfortunately the function, tasks and achievements of Community research do not appear to have been made
clear to the public. Thus Community research is either
completely unknown to them or else, with a few exceptions, does not enjoy a high reputation. The public is
almost entirely in the dark about the integrating and
stimulating function of EC R & TD, although, apart
from some important individual results, this is the main
pillar of Community research. It is to be hoped that
the new programme will do something about this. This
would also help to interest more people in exploiting
the findings of EC research.

3.6.4. Successful long-term planning of R & TD
programmes will require analysis of society's demands
and changed needs. Here too the Committee welcomes
the initial outline of an initiative. This question has to
be tackled from the ground up. The Committee doubts
whether users of the results of past R & TD programmes are a suitable source of information.

Done at Brussels, 25 September 1991.

4. Specific comments

4.1. _Budget_

The Committee considers the draft budget appropriate.
It will enable the actions for continuing and further
developing the work of the Value programme to be
financed. There should also be sufficient resources to
fund the relay station network pilot projects, as well as
the initial results of the new parts II and III of the
programme, i.e. the research-scientific community and
the research-society interfaces. Careful analysis of the
results of the Value programme and the initial results
of this programme in the 1992 interim report will determine how the future development of this centralized
action is assessed.

4.2. _Article 3_

Unfortunately, we have to point out yet again, that, as
well as the Council and the Parliament, the ESC must
also be sent the reports (see Art. 3). The subjects
involved make it particularly important that the Committee be kept fully briefed and that it be actively
involved in the discussions.

4.3. _Articles 4, 5 and 6_

As the centralized action is now to have a Management
Committee (Art. 2, Procedure III (a), Council Decision
of 13 October 1987 (*), Articles 4, 5 and 6 should be
reworded accordingly. The Committee calls on the
Commission to ensure that the reworded text gives
social groupings a say in the decision-making process.

4.4. _Article 7_

Paragraph 1(c) should make specific reference to the
objectives of Articles 130 A and 130 F of the EEC
Treaty, i.e. strengthening the scientific and technological basis of European industry and encouraging it to
become more competitive at international level.

(!) Council Decision 87/373/EEC laying down the procedures
for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the

Commission, OJ No L 197, 18. 7. 1987.

_The Chairman_

_of the Economic and Social Committee_

Francois STAEDELIN