Strengthening the European Research Area (consultation - proposal approved with amendments)

Strasbourg, 12 June 2002

W.G. VAN VELZEN (EPP-ED, NL)
Report on the amended proposal for a Council decision adopting a specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration: 'Integrating and strengthening the European Research Area' (2002-2006)
Doc.: A5-0211/2002 [may not be available yet]

Procedure: Consultation procedure

Debate: 11.06.2002

Vote: 12.06.2002

In approving this proposal on the first specific programme 'Integrating and strengthening the European Research Area' under the Sixth Framework Programme, Parliament adopted a number of non-binding amendments taking up the following points:

Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health: Parliament adopted a number of detailed adjustments. It stresses that the priority should be preventing and curing diseases. Diagnostic tools should be supported primarily if they are linked to therapeutic efforts. The House also adopted an amendment saying that control on disease-related conditions, for example the advancement of knowledge in the field of palliative medicine and care should be supported;

Information Society technologies: one of the amendments adopted stresses the need to develop mobile, wireless, optical and broadband communication infrastructures and computing technologies that are reliable, pervasive and can be adapted to accommodate new applications and services;

Nanotechnologies and nanosciences: according to Parliament the main objective should be to support research into the integration of biological and non-biological entities, opening new horizons in many applications, such as for processing and for medical, environmental and food analysis systems;

Aeronautics and space: in addition to the basic objective of enabling the aeronautics industry to increase its competitiveness, the competitiveness of European commercial aircraft should also be improved. Furthermore , emphasis should be placed on space science and study of the solar system, including research on the sun and the climate and geology of the earth;

Food quality and safety: Parliament thinks that the priority should be to protect human health and to ensure food safety by control and prevention of food-related risks, by developing food technologies more in keeping with the fundamental role that nutrition plays as regards health and disease prevention, and by control of health risks associated with environmental changes;

Sustainable development, global change and ecosystems: in addition to a greater understanding of marine and terrestrial ecosystems, this sector should also include research into the impact of climate change on fish stocks and into the effects of fishing activities;

Citizens and governance in a knowledge-based society: MEPs believe that priority should be given to understanding Europe's history, its peoples and its cultural heritage, the evolution of European social and political thought and institutions, the unity and diversity of European culture and the European contributions to world civilisation.

The proposals for specific programmes for implementing the Sixth Framework Programme are designed to present each of the thematic priorities in greater detail and to clearly set out their content.

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European Parliament Daily Notebook 2002-06-12

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