Brussels, 19/04/2005 (Agence Europe) - The future Research Council is now being eyed-up from a number of different angles, as borne out in the ministerial discussions of research ministers at the Competitiveness Council on Monday in Luxembourg (EUROPE 8930) and at their dinner the previous evening. Provided with EUR 12 billion and seen as a way by the scientific world and Commission to support essential research and the “scientific imitative” alongside political and industrial priorities, the European Research Council may, if the Commission does not pay attention, lose all autonomy. Although Sunday's dinner demonstrated that some ministers lacked familiarity with the content and objectives in the European Commission's 7th Research and Development Framework Programme, it confirmed the pertinence of the choice of the Commission to make the European Research Council an executive agency (like the one that currently exists for intelligent energy). This structure will be independent of the Commission and the other institutions. The appetite demonstrated by the Council will not be long in reappearing at the European Parliament and in the business community -UNICE and EUROCHAMBRES at their head, which had already launched hostile take-over bids the day after the Commission presented its proposals for the 7th Research and Development Framework Programme (EUROPE 8924). In order to safeguard this indispensable factor in the balance of the next framework programme, Commissioner Janez Potocnik will have to mobilise the scientific community.
Although many ministers welcomed the Commission's simplification attempts at the Monday session, this superficial discourse did not hide the blocking tactics very well, by several delegations when they had to undertake the simplification process, which unavoidably involved the getting rid of the fastidious passage in all the drafts by the programme committee representing all Member States. In other words, Member States only want simplification if they can continue to control everything. This debate saw the Portuguese minister, Mariano Gago going as far as accusing the Commission of wanting the Member States to pay for its own bureaucracy. This attitude cut with that of the Swedish delegation, which considered that the European Commission's proposal was a good starting point for redefining cooperation.
As reported earlier, the French minister, François D'Aubert, suggested slightly ahead of his colleagues a different structure for thematic priorities which, among other things, puts aeronautics among the top priorities alongside energy and space, with security in between. Some wish to see the proposed structure (EUROPE 8930) reflect the strengths and weaknesses of France, but the French delegation speaks out against this saying that it is a matter of taking the strategic needs of the Union into account, as well as European added value and Community political support, and the lessons learnt from the 6th FPRD. At this stage, France would not have a position when it comes to financial breakdown, a member of his delegation said. This argument is now far vaguer than that of Poland which calls for increased funding for biotechnology and for human sciences. Latvia went still further hoping for more funding for health and nanotechnologies and less for information and telecommunication technology or for transport.
The next vital step for the framework programme is that of adoption by the Commission of the proposed review of the financial rules of procedure, on 3 May. The text will largely condition the simplification of management procedures. While the debate will gradually take shape in the European Parliament, the meeting of the Competitiveness Council on 6 June will provide an opportunity for the policy debate that will allow confirmation of the general architecture of the framework programme. Commission proposals concerning specific programmes and rules of participation should follow in September and the first reading in Parliament could be concluded in December.
It should also be noted that, in Luxembourg, the research ministers adopted conclusions on strengthening human resources. They give a positive welcome to the Commission's recommendation of 11 March 2005 concerning the European Researcher Charter and the Code of Conduct for recruiting research workers. The Council also stressed researcher mobility as well as the participation of women. The conclusions set out the goal to be initially attained for an average of 25% of the posts held in the public sector. This phrase was added to the text at the request of Spain, which received the support of Portugal, Sweden, Slovenia and the Commission.