Brussels, 14/11/2002 (Agence Europe) - On the occasion of the presentation (see EUROPE of 14 November, p.17) of the "Strategic Research Timetable" of the Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE), Commissioner Philippe Busquin returned to the strategic importance of dual character research (civilian and military) and the gap that today separated the European Union from the United States, where industry and research centres receive crossed-subsidies. Having recalled that dual research cannot actually benefit from funding under the Research and Development Framework-Programme, the Commissioner considered that it could be useful to create a European agency to support research into the defence sector. Such an agency, that would bring together researchers from EU Member states, would allow for better co-ordination of research and cost-reduction. Several representatives of the defence sector and industry have already spoken along these lines (see EUROPE of 31 October, p.7 and 9 November, p.8).
This stance comes within the strategy that Mr. Busquin has constantly defended since he took office in view of developing a genuine European area of research, capable of rivalling the United States. It may also be perceived as a useful suggestion at a time when the European Convention is preparing to examine the content of the future European security and defence policy. Regarding the work of the Convention, EUROPE has reason to believe that Commissioner Busquin especially recommends including in the future constitutional treaty a Union competency in the field of space, and that this suggestion may already be in the contribution the European Commission is to adopt on 5 December.