Research Policy (Extract from press release on Preparation of the Competitiveness Council of 29/30 May 2006)

Brussels, 24 May 2006

Tuesday 30th May

The Council is expected to adopt a General Approach on the FP7, i.e. on the budget and the content of the programme.

This General Approach will take into account the revised budgetary figures, adopted by the Commission on 24 May. The revised budgetary figures received overwhelming support at the informal Competitiveness Council on 21 April.

The General Approach should follow very closely the Partial General Approach (PGA) that the Council reached on 28 November 2005. In the PGA, the initial Commission proposal of April 2005 ( MEMO/05/114 ) received a very large degree of support.

Other issues under discussion at this Council include: Joint Technology Initiatives, Art 169 initiatives, energy research and funding of activities currently undertaken by INTAS.

Instead the Presidency will give a progress report on the Specific Programmes ( IP/05/1171 ).

The Presidency also intends to reach a General Approach on the Rules of Participation.

Over lunch, the President of the Scientific Council of the ERC will speak on the funding of young researchers.

The Commission will present the Communication on Universities, adopted on 10 May.

Finally the Commission will make an oral report on the progress on the ITER fusion energy project ( IP/06/676 and MEMO/06/216 ).

Item source: MEMO/06/215 Date: 24/05/2006