Strasbourg, 24/10/2001 (Agence Europe) - The rapporteur was quite pleased as he left Strasbourg on Monday evening after the parliamentary committee on industry had concluded its vote on the draft 6th Research and Development Framework Programme (RDFP). French Socialist Gérard Caudron explained his contentment by the fact that the vote allowed the "architecture" and the budget proposed by Commissioner Philippe Busquin to be safeguarded. He also said, however, that there were also "very broad votes on the broad guidelines" for the future Framework Programme for Research, and the favourable welcome given to the three new instruments envisaged by the European Commission (integrated projects, excellence networks and joint programmes under Article 169) as well as to the fourth that he himself had proposed: the staircase of excellency. Another source of satisfaction is: respect of the timetable that will allow next Tuesday's Research Council to examine the project in the light of the amendments adopted by the industry committee, pending a plenary vote that should take place in November in Strasbourg. While recognising that one cannot prevent MEPs from presenting individual amendments, Mr Caudron believes that the main political groups of the Parliament should keep the tacit commitment not to submit new amendments to plenary if such amendments compromise the guidelines defined in committee following the vote on over 700 amendments. The report, adopted by 36 votes to 11 and 2 abstentions, will be forwarded to the Commission and to the Council at the end of the week. It is, however, highly likely that the ministers will reach a concrete result from next week on, noted Mr Caudron, who sees this meeting more as a "circuit of the ring when each comes along with requests".
We give below an overview of the guidelines approved by the industry committee, which did not amend the budgetary allocation proposed by the European Commission: EUR 16.270 billion outside Euratom. Following an amendment of compromise from the PES, EPP-ED and ELDR groups, the EP committee proposes to break down this amount as follows:
Integrated research: The report proposes to attribute 13.195 billion (instead of 12.770 as the Commission recommends) to this sector which comprises thematic priorities and would be broken down as follows: (1) life sciences for health and safety: 2.5 billion (the Commission proposed 2 billion for genomics and biotechnology for health) including 1.3 for genomics and biotechnologies for health and 1.2 for the major diseases (400 million for cancer and 400 million for AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria); (2) information society: 3.95° billion (3.6 + 350 for GEANT) instead of 3.6 billion in the Commission proposal; (3) nanotechnology and intelligent materials: 1.3 billion (without change); (4) aeronautics and space: 1 billion (no change); (5) food and health risks: 650 million instead of 600 in the initial proposal; (6) sustainable development and climate change: the Commission had proposed 1.7 billion; the Caudon report 1.975 billion shared between energy (700 million), sustainable development (675 million) and transport (600 million); (7) citizens and democracy: 270 million (against 225 according to the Commission); (8) anticipation of scientific needs of the Union: the Commission had proposed 2.345 billion, that the report brings down to 1.550 billion by attributing 400 million to CRAFT, 725 to the Joint Research Centre (715 in the initial proposal) and only 425 to the budget for "anticipated needs" strictly speaking, while the Commission had wanted to give itself a margin of manoeuvre of around twice as much (see EUROPE of 17/10, p.12).
Structured European research area: The report recommends a budget of 2.725 billion (instead of 3.050) broken down as follows: (1) research and innovation: 250 million (as opposed to 300); (2) human resources (and international cooperation): 1.9 billion (1.8); (3) research infrastructures: the report operates a clear cut in the amount from EUR 900 to 475 million; (4) science and society: the amount is doubled, from EUR 50 to 100 million.
Strengthened bases of the European research area: The budget is brought down from EUR 450 million to 350 million, of which the sum of 300 million is for coordination activities, mainly through COST.
The Committee on Industry also expressed the hope that a detailed article on ethical principles would be included, to respect all research activities carried out from the 6th framework programme. The latter rules out Community funding for research into human cloning for reproductive purposes, the creation of embryos for research purposes and research to modify the germline. It does not rule out research activity on unused surplus embryos, as long as such activity is authorised in the Member State concerned. The report also proposes that 15% of the budget should be allocated to SMEs, which should provide at least 15% of the participants of the integrated projects.
In terms of health and biotechnology, the report mentions the following priority areas: cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimers, Parkinsons and Creutzfeldt-Jakob), diabetes, hepatitis C, allergies and rare diseases. It recommends research into cell therapy (including using adult stem cells and "reprogrammed" adult somatic cells). Research should also be carried out into fundamental biological processes (built-in cell death, cell lifecycles, oxidative death, resistance to disease, epigenetics, polyploidy, and development plasticity) and sequencing of small genomes, non-traditional therapies, the impact on human health of the accumulation of different chemicals in the food chain and the environment (this is particularly urgent given the explosion of rules authorising emissions below a certain threshold that focus on the source rather than the cumulative effects on the person at the other end of the chain, Ed) and developing new agriculture and fish farming methods and breeds (together with risk assessment). The Industry Committee also called for research into the use of cannabis for treating illnesses (by 30 to 22 with 2 abstentions).
On the information society, the report stresses software that can help supply complex services provided by several players; miniaturisation; new communication networks (including visual networks); speeding up the development of the pan-European GEANT network; and a network with a capacity of over 100 Gb/sec.
In terms of food and health risks, the report concentrates on the character of molecular organisms that cause illnesses caused by food poisoning, including prions, viruses, bacteria, protozoans, parasites, and the development of new disease prevention instruments and cures; methods for analysing and detecting contamination; developing methods that cause little or no damage to the environment for combating plant disease; and methods for analysing, detecting doping, along with ways of weaning the athletes off drugs.
In terms of energy, the report calls for renewable energies to be promoted and the cleanliness and performance of fossil fuels to be improved. Research into transport must focus on intermodality, interoperability, cutting pollution, and new mobility management schemes. Other amendments want research to be carried out into mine-clearance; desertification; seismic activity and preventing earthquakes; the atmosphere; the oceans and marine ecosystems; and cultural heritage and urban life.