Brussels, 12/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - During a meeting in camera lasting nearly one and a half hours, the representatives of EU Member States agreed on Wednesday to leave the Danish Presidency a certain margin of manoeuvre to allow it to mediate with the European Parliament in order to defuse the conflict that has arisen over specific programmes under the 6th Framework Programme for Research (see EUROPE of 9 September, p.8). To this end, the Presidency is next week to meet the members concerned of the parliamentary committee on industry with Commissioner Philippe Busquin.
On Tuesday, another meeting behind closed doors between Parliament rapporteurs and Commissioner Busquin had confirmed the need for an explanatory discussion between the two institutions whose actors now seem ready to seek a friendly solution. EUROPE has reason to believe that the MEPs plan, however, to obtain at least: (1) modification of the compromise between the Member States on specific programmes in order to include certain aspects of their amendments which were not taken on board by the Council, and (2) a formula allowing the European Parliament to be involved in discussions that must lead to adoption of an ethical framework for research on human embryonic stem cells.