Brussels, 15/09/2000 (Agence Europe) - The Commissioner Philippe Busquin confirmed, on Thursday before the European Parliament's Industry Committee, that the reform of the Joint Research Centre, which he intends to carry out, should not affect its status of European Commission Directorate General nor its method of financing in the framework of the Research and Development Framework-Programme (see EUROPE of 4 August, p.5). Mr Busquin raised in succession:
Mr Busquin also gave his assent to the proposal from the Majo report aiming to remove the programme committees. While recognising that this suggestion will probably face strong reticence, notably from the Heads of State, which will be represented, the Commissioner underlined that it could be a good way to reduce the number of "bureaucratic filters" that block the proper running of the Framework-Programme and lead many SMEs to give up.
In the research sector, the timetable for this end of year is especially heavy. The Commission should adopt at the end of September (probably the 27th), a Communication on the strategy in terms of space research (in collaboration with the European Space Agency). Also expected for the end of October: (1) a report by the Commission on the rationalisation of resources within the JRC, which should also take a stance over the closure or not of the high flux reactor in Petten; (2) a Communication on Science and Citizens, concerning human resources, the mobility of researchers, women, young scientists and the ethical aspects of research. December should see three other Communications on (a) the methodology to follow for the mapping of centres of excellence, (b) the progress achieved in terms of networking and (c) the aspects linked to private investments, intellectual property and venture capital.
In the context of the works that aim to establish the future European Research Area, a conference will raise, next Tuesday and Wednesday in Strasbourg, the role and needs for infrastructure. Commissioner Busquin, the President of the "research" Council, Roger-Gerard Schwartzenberg, as well as Mr Gago and Maystadt will take part. The methodology and the indicators for the exercise in benchmarking of the tools of European research should be defined during October. All of these issues will be raised during the next "Research" Council, on 16 November 2000.
Mr Busquin denounces attitude of Member States in case of European Patent and feels that Europe cannot abandon nuclear energy for time being
During a meeting with the press, Commissioner Busquin notably raised:
- The European Research Area: Mr Busquin insisted on the need for true coherence with all the research policies carried out in Europe. This requires from all the politicians responsible, including the Member States, an awareness for the implications of research for the future of the European economy as well as the allocation of clearer competence to the European Union. Presently, it is "necessary to fight even for the establishing of a European Patent. Each acts in his own interest. No one sees that the absence of a Community Patent lead to a true economic crisis". He recalled that these last years have seen a considerable growth in the number of European inventions patented in the United States, where the procedures are shorter and less costly, with as result a deficit above BEF 500 billion in terms of royalties paid by European companies to companies set up in the United States. He explained that within the IGC, some countries such as Spain, are against the creation of a Community Patent because it would not be translated into Spanish while 80% of the patents are drafted in English and there exists a technical justification (the European Patent Office works in three languages: Ed). Others, inline with Germany, do not want their courts to be taken out of the loop. Other still, including Belgium, which until recently, was against it simply because it would loose out on receipts linked to the delivering of national patents. Faced with this wall, Mr Busquin indicated that he would call upon UNICE for companies to make governments understand the economic importance of a Community Patent.
- Energy: Mr Busquin noted that the crisis affecting Europe since the start of the month cast light on the problem of energy dependence and the need for a diversification of energy sources. He insisted on the significant contribution (more than EUR 1 billion between 1990 and 2000), by the European Commission to the development of new and renewable energy sources. "Today, Europe has a know-how that is among the best in the world, be it for wind energy, the use of biomass or the use of solar energy", he noted before insisting on the special importance of, in his eyes, the development of combustion batteries which should enable to progressively move on from the use of fossil resources to the "economy of hydrogen". Mr Busquin also qualified as interesting the use of bioethanol, produced from colza and sunflowers, as an alternative source of fuel for vehicles. Questioned over nuclear energy, Mr Busquin noted, as Mrs de Palacio has already done, that the abandoning of nuclear energy is not feasible in the short-term due to the share filled it represents in the energy supply and the effects on the environment of an increase in the use of fossil fuels (CO2 emissions would not allow for the respect of the Kyoto undertakings). Mr Busquin also indicated that during his recent trip to Moscow, the Russian Minister for Energy Evhueni Adamov told him that the Russian Federation is presently negotiating with EU companies the construction of new nuclear power stations in the hope of providing electricity to the rest of Europe. Underlining that the Russian Federation also intends to join the OPEC countries, Mr Busquin noted that such a formula was not of a nature to reduce the EU's energy dependency.