New research projects unveiled

Date: 23/10/1997

By Peter Chapman

THE European Commission's latest plans for EU research and development in the 21st century are set to be unveiled next week.

The Commission will outline the most detailed proposals so far for technology targets in specific tranches of the expected 16.3-billion-ecu Fifth Framework R&D Programme, scheduled to run from 1999 to 2003.

The move is seen as an attempt by the Commission to steer the final debate with member states over what technology targets the Union should aim for in its efforts to keep pace with leading researchers in the US and Japan.

Officials say the document, due to be approved by the Commission on 5 November, will give member states some detail of how the specific programmes will look. “This will ease the discussions on the framework,” explained one.

R&D ministers will get their first chance to scrutinise the Commission's plans at a 10 November meeting.

One major shake-up in the latest R&D framework is a plan to merge telecoms, telematics and information technology programmes in the fourth framework into one super-programme covering the 'user-friendly information society', allowing greater cooperation between researchers from different disciplines.

Two more 'thematic programmes' proposed by the Commission include plans for life sciences and the ecosystem, and 'competitive sustainable growth'.

The plan also foresees scope for work on nuclear fusion and fission, the EU's Joint Research Centre, innovation and small and medium-sized enterprises, and international cooperation.

The Commission announced its budget plans for the programme in June, calling for an increase of 3&percent; in the share of EU income to be spent on R&D, compared to the previous Fourth Framework Programme which runs out in 1998.

The three thematic programmes are each set to win 3.925 billion ecu (24x08&percent; of the total budget). Technology areas which stand to win a bigger share of cash than before include R&D in life sciences and ecosystems and a 350-million-ecu plan to boost 'human potential', which will include efforts to increase the mobility of young researchers.