Brussels, 14 February 2002
Decision of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, meeting within the CounciL on the financial consequences of the expiry of the ECSC Treaty and on the research fund for coal and steel. Brussels, 8 February 2002 (document 5650/02 SID 33 FIN 30 RECH 17 CHAR 5). Full text
Decision of the representatives of the governments of the member states, meeting within the Council of ... on the financial consequences of the expiry of the ECSC Treaty and on the research fund for coal and steel
.... (3) In order to ensure, temporarily and pending the transfer, an appropriate management of the assets and liabilities of the ECSC from 24 July 2002 the Commission should be given the task to manage these funds. A decrease of funds during this temporary management may not give rise to any additional liability for the Member States.
(4) The Commission has proposed in the context of the transfer of the funds to the EC that it should manage the ECSC funds in accordance with special rules. In substance these rules should be applied also in respect of this Decision, thereby ensuring necessary consistency without affecting the intergovernmental nature of this Decision.
(5) The European Parliament has been consulted on the special rules to be applied.
(6) Considering that the successful management of the assets of the ECSC require the confidence of economic operators derived inter alia from long term predictability in respect of the legal situation....
Article 1
1. All assets and liabilities of the ECSC, as they exist on 23 July 2002, shall, as from 24 July 2002, be managed by the Commission on behalf of the Member States.
2. The net worth of these assets and liabilities, as they appear in the balance sheet of the ECSC of 23 July 2002, subject to any increase or decrease which may occur as a result of the liquidation operations, shall be considered as assets intended for research in the sectors related to the coal and steel industry, referred to as the "ECSC in liquidation". On completion of the liquidation they shall be referred to as the "Assets of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel".
3. The revenue from these assets, referred to as the "Research Fund for Coal and Steel", shall be used exclusively for research in the sectors related to the coal and steel industry in accordance with the provisions of this Decision and of acts adopted on the basis hereof....
Schedule to ANNEX III - Technical guidelines for the research programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel
1. THE PROGRAMME
1.1. Objectives
As a continuation of the European Coal and Steel Community Coal and Steel Research and Technical Development Programmes and within the framework of sustainable development, a Research Programme of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel shall be established.
The objective of the programme is to support the competitiveness of the Community sectors related to the coal and steel industry. The programme shall be consistent with the scientific, technological and political objectives of the European Union, and shall complement the activities carried out in the Member States and within the existing Community research programmes, such as the framework programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities. Coordination, complementarity and synergy between these programmes shall be encouraged, as shall the exchange of information between projects financed under this programme and those that are financed under the Research Framework Programme....