Brussels, 02/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - François-Xavier de Donnea, who is president of the European Union Research Council for the Belgian Presidency, begins a capital tour at the beginning of the Belgian Presidency in order to become familiar with the concerns and expectations of each of his colleagues, it is stated in a press release, concerning the 6th framework programme on research (on the subject of the last Research Council under Swedish Presidency, see EUROPE of 27 June, p.9, and 28 June, p.12). Thus, on Tuesday 3 July, Mr de Donnea is to visit Madrid and Lisbon. Next week he will be in The Hague and Paris, then in Berlin, Vienna, Rome and Athens from 16 to 18 July, before going on to Copenhagen, Helsinki, London, Dublin and Luxembourg from 23 to 25 July.