Brussels, 27/11/2002 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday the Competitiveness council finished its work with an examination of "research aspects" and subsequently focused discussion on the follow-up to the Commission's communication on the need to give the European Research Area (ERA) a new dimension. The Commission is calling for more use of the "open co-ordination method", which is based on the following principles: setting up of the general guidelines at an EU level, translating these objectives into specific measures for each Member State, establishing quantitative and qualitative indicators, benchmarking of performances and policies at national and regional level, information, experience and best practices exchange. This method established at the Lisbon Summit has not been fully used until now in the ERA. The Commission also envisages: the development of a formal co-ordination research method in a more comprehensive form, together with the determination of common objectives and their translation into specific objectives for each country. As the operation involves the sensitive issue of opening up national research programmes, discussions touched on the question of whether the mechanism ought to be voluntary or binding. After lengthy deliberation, the Council adopted conclusions that were extremely cautious in which it explains that the open co-ordination method should be on a voluntary basis and subsequently developed. It is calling on Coreper (at the European Summit in spring) to "examine the concrete use of the open method of co-ordination…based on joint efforts and in full respect of the principle of subsidiarity and the independent role of national policies".
In the follow-up, Ministers held an initial exchange of views on the Commission communication, "More Research for Europe- Objective: 3% of GDP", which examines what means can be used to accomplish the objective set out a the European Summit of Barcelona in increasing spending on research and development in the EU to close to 3% of GDP by 2010. The Council took note of the Commission's intention to join the other institutions, Member States, regions and industry in identifying actions to take for encouraging R&D investment in the EU.
Ministers also had an exchange of views of the Community's participation in the R&D programme aiming to develop new clinical interventions in the fight against malaria and tuberculosis, in a long-term partnership with developing countries. They also called on Coreper to continue examining the case in close collaboration with the EP.