CELEX: 51986PC0785
Language: en
Date: 1987-01-22
Title: PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION CONCERNING A COMMUNITY PROGRAMME TO CREATE AND DEVELOP BUSINESS AND INNOVATION CENTRES AND THEIR NETWORK

11.2.87                                Official Journal of the European Communities                               No C 33/5
                                                              II
                                                      (Preparatory Acts)
                                                COMMISSION
             Proposal for a Council Decision concerning a Community programme to create and develop
                                     business and innovation centres and their network
                                                     COM(86) 78 5 final
                             (Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 23 January 1987)
                                                        (87/C 33/05)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,                          each business and innovation centre is a locally based
                                                                  and professionnally managed organization aimed at the
                                                                  deliberate creation of innovative new SMEs with growth
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
                                                                  potential as well as to the modernization and
Economic Community and in particular Article 235
                                                                  strengthening of existing SMEs;
thereof,
                                                                  Whereas business and innovation centres and their
Having regard to the opinion of the European Par-
                                                                  combination in a network are instruments for the
liament,                                                          implementation of the Community action programme for
                                                                  SMEs and of the related programmes for SMEs in the
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and                  fields of regional and industrial development, innovation
Social Committee,                                                 and advanced training as well as for the strengthening of
                                                                  innovation infrastructures; and whereas they sub-
                                                                  stantially facilitate the access of small and medium-sized
Whereas, in accordance with Article 2 of the EEC                  enterprises to Community technology and innovation
Treaty, the Community has as its task, inter alia, to             programmes;
promote a harmonious development of economic
activities and continuous and balanced expansion
throughout the Community;                                         Whereas the Treaty has not provided the necessary
                                                                  specific powers,
Whereas the Council has recently adopted an action
programme for SMEs which recognizes that the                      HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
development of a stable, innovative small and medium-
sized sector is an essential element in the strengthening
of the Community's economy and is of prime importance                                        Article 1
to the effective industrial development of declining or
stagnant industrial areas, as well as to the creation of          1.    The present programme is intended to contribute to
additional jobs;                                                  the strengthening and the exploitation of the potential
                                                                  for internally generated development of the regions, by
                                                                  promoting the creation and development of business and
Whereas Member States have recognized in Article                  innovation centres and by supporting their cooperation,
 130 C of the Single European Act, the need to contribute         in particular, through the European Business and
to the conversion of those areas;                                 Innovation Centre Network.
Whereas it has been recognized that an accelerated                2.    The Commission will promote the establishment of
development of small and medium-sized enterprises                 business and innovation centres in areas of industrial
requires the combined and organized use of the factors            development or redevelopment covered by Community
contributing to business creation;                                regional policy and in IMP and ECSC areas.
Whereas, to that effect, one of the essential objectives of                                   Article 2
Community regional policy is to strenghten and exploit
the potential for internally generated development of             Business and innovation centres are locally based, pro-
regions; whereas business and innovation centres are a            fessionally managed and cost-effective organizations,
major instrument for making the optimum use of the                whose object is to operate systems for the detection and
potential in areas of industrial development; whereas             selection of potential entrepreneurs and of innovative
 ---pagebreak--- No C 33/6                                  Official Journal of the European Communities                                     11. 2. 87
business opportunities and to provide a comprehensive                                                Article 4
programme of services for candidate entrepreneurs as
well as for existing firms, including, in particular, entre-             The Commission shall require centres which have been
preneurial training and tutoring as an auto-selective                    assisted to report on results achieved every second year,
process; technology search, assessment, development and                  for six years.
transfer; management; marketing; finance; preparation
of business plans and provision of premises with shared                                              Article 5
services. Business and innovation centres link with                      An initial period of four years (1987 to 1990) is
existing local and regional business development services.               envisaged for the present programme. The amount
                                                                         necessary to carry out this programme during this period
                            Article 3                                    is estimated at 17,5 million ECU, to be provided under
                                                                         the industrial redevelopment heading in the general
The Commission may grant financial contributions to the
                                                                         budget of the European Community.
following operations, described in Annex 1:
— the preparation and           launching    of  business    and                                     Article 6
    innovation centres,
                                                                        The Commission is responsible for the implementation of
— the development of methods, models and procedures                      the present Decision. It shall report to the Council on
    for their effective operations,                                     progress and results of the programme, every second
                                                                        year from the date of this Decision.
— specific action of          promotion     of  business     and
    innovation centres,                                                  On a proposal from the Commission, the Council shall
                                                                        review this Decision at the end of the fourth year of
Community financial contributions shall not exceed                      application.
50 % of the costs involved in carrying out the
abovementioned operations;                                                                           Article 7
— the Commission may also grant financial support to                    The present Decision shall take effect on the day of its
    the European Business and Innovation Centre                         publication in the Official Journal of the European
    Network asbl.                                                        Communities.
                                                               ANNEX
              A. Preparatory works for the organization and launching of business and innovation centres
                 The preparatory works include:
                 — the organization and the first trial of the relevant functions/services of a business and innovation
                     centre, in particular; detection, screening and training of candidates, entrepreneurs and SMEs
                     willing to diversify or modernize; preparation of business plans; technical assessment; local and
                     international technology search; advisory services in managerial, legal, fiscal, commercial, financial
                     matters; common premises,
                 — the hiring of consultants with expertise in the setting-up of business and innovation centres,
                  — the preparation of a business plan of the business and innovation centre,
                 — the setting-up and launching of the business and innovation centre.
              B. The development of methods, models and procedures for the effective operation of business and
                 innovation centres
                 This will include research and trials of methods, models and procedures related to the effective
                 operation business and innovation centres in particular: business-planning methods, procedures for
                 technology search and assessment, international marketing for SMEs and business and innovation
                 centres.
 ---pagebreak---  11.2.87                                   Official Journal of the European Communities                                 No C 33/7
               C. The promotion of business and innovation centres in specified areas
                  Activities would include the organization of technical seminars in areas of particular interest to
                   Community regional policy where business and innovation centres are to be promoted.
               D. European Business and Innovation Centres Network — EBN
                  Community financial support might be provided to the EBN in 1988 or 1989, should self-sufficiency
                  not be attained, under present forecasts.                                                     s
                  Financial support will be given in the form of grants to annual operating expenses, on the basis of a
                  convention with the Commission and after reception of a full yearly report on past activities and
                  progress.
               Proposal for a Council Regulation amending Regulation (EEC) No 804/68 on the common
                                      organization of the market in milk and milk products
                                                            COM(87) 38 final
                                 (Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 23 January 1987)
                                                             (87/C 33/06)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,                               Whereas Articles 6 and 7 of Regulation (EEC) No
                                                                       804/68 provided for the introduction of permanent
                                                                       intervention arrangements for butter and for skimmed-
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European                  milk powder;
Economic Community, and in particular Article 43
thereof,
                                                                       Whereas these arrangements no longer function as a
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
                                                                       mechanism for short-therm stabilization of the market
                                                                       during the period of heavy production but have come to
Having regard to the opinion of the European Par-                      provide a more attractive outlet for production than the
liament,                                                               normal market outlets;
Whereas experience has clearly shown that the
application of formula B as specified in Article 5c of                 Whereas during the period when skimmed-milk
Council Regulation (EEC) No 804/68 ('), as last                        production is low the utilization of milk protein can be
amended by Regulation (EEC) No 1335/86 (2), is not a                   secured by aid for the use of skimmed milk; whereas
sufficient deterrent to purchasers responsible for large               consequently the purchase of skimmed-milk powder by
excess quantities; whereas an allocation of the quantities             the intervention agencies should be restricted to the
not used by the purchaser in proportion to the individual              period 1 March to 31 August;
reference quantities of those producers responsible for
his reference quantity's being exceeded will make the
additional levy scheme more rigorous; whereas the rules
on the operation of formula B should be adjusted                       Whereas during the period of imposition of the
accordingly, provision being made however for dero-                    additional levy provided for in Article 5c of Regulation
gations under certain circumstances;                                   (EEC) No 804/68 the Commission should have the
                                                                       power to adjust the intervention arrangements for butter
                                                                       and for skimmed-milk powder by adopting other
Whereas the market situation for milk and milk products                measures applicable throughout the Community;
is such that it must be possible for these measures to be
applied from the beginning of the third additional levy
period on condition that interested parties have been
duly informed beforehand;                                              Whereas the Commission should have the power to
                                                                       adopt appropriate provisions should it happen that the
                                                                       measures adopted in this Regulation lead to under-
                                                                       supply of dairies that are important suppliers to the
0) OJ No L 148, 28. 6. 1968, p. 13.                                    market and to over-supply of dairies that have excessive
(2) O J N o L 119, 8.5. 1986, p. 19.                                   recourse to intervention,