Decision No 2535/97/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 1 December 1997 adapting for the second time Decision No 1110/94/EC concerning the fourth framework programme of the European Community activities in the field of research and technological development and demonstration (1994 to 1998)

DECISION No 2535/97/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 1 December 1997 adapting for the second time Decision No 1110/94/EC concerning the fourth framework programme of the European Community activities in the field of research and technological development and demonstration (1994 to 1998)
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 130i (1) and (2) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (2),
Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (3),
Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 189b of the Treaty (4), in the light of the joint text approved by the Conciliation Committee on 23 September 1997,
Whereas Article 1 (3) of Decision No 1110/94/EC (5) stipulates that not later than 30 June 1996 the European Parliament and the Council shall review the maximum overall amount for Community financial participation in the fourth framework programme with the possibility of increasing it;
Whereas the 1996 annual report on the research and technology development activities of the European Union considers the state of implementation of the fourth framework programme during its first year, demonstrating that available funds in 1995 have been fully committed and that a very high level of interest has been expressed by the research community and industry; whereas this has made it impossible to support some high quality projects;
Whereas the financial perspective of the European Union allows for only limited supplementary funding of the research framework programme;
Whereas assurances have been given by the Commission that the financial supplement, as decided upon, will in any case be limited by the ceiling of heading 3 of the current financial perspective set out in the interinstitutional agreement of 29 October 1993 on budgetary discipline and improvement of the budgetary procedure (6), without prejudice to the other priorities in that heading, such as, for example, trans European networks;
Whereas, in order to ensure that research efforts should continue to contribute to the competitiveness of European industry at international level, to the quality of life and to sustainable development, it is appropriate to decide upon further funding for certain specific programmes,