5 EC and Euratom research and development
programmes from 2007
| (a)
(26581)
8087/05
COM(05) 119
+ ADD 1 and 2
(b)
(26995)
| (a)
(i) Draft Decision on the 7th Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007-13)
(ii) Draft Decision on the 7th framework Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community for nuclear research and training activities (2007-11)
Commission staff working papers
(b)
UK Presidency documents: revised texts of the EC and Euratom draft Decisions
|
| Legal base | (a)(i) Article 166 EC; co-decision; QMV
(a)(ii) Article 7 Euratom; —; unanimity
|
| Department | Trade and Industry
|
| Basis of consideration | (b) EM of 15 November 2005
|
| Previous Committee Report | (a) HC 34-v (2005-06), para 18 (12 October 2005)
(b) None
|
| To be discussed in Council | 28 November 2005
|
| Committee's assessment | Politically important
|
| Committee's decision | (a) Not cleared; further information requested
(b) Cleared
|
Background
5.1 In July, we considered the Commission's proposal for a Decision
to create the EC's 7th Framework Programme (FP) for
research and technological development (R&D); we also considered
the Commission's draft of a Decision on the 7th FP
for Euratom. Our report of 4 July includes a summary of both documents.[9]
We kept the draft Decisions under scrutiny both on that occasion
and when we considered them again in October.[10]
Revised texts
5.2 The UK Presidency has revised the texts of both draft Decisions
in the light of negotiations in the Council.
5.3 The revised text of the draft Decision on the
European Community's FP contains a large number of amendments.
Nearly all of them are minor and clarify the drafting or add an
emphasis. A few are more substantial. For example, the revised
text adds to Article 7 a requirement for the Commission to monitor
the FP continually and systematically and to disseminate the results
of the monitoring regularly. None of the amendments significantly
changes the proposal.
5.4 The revised text of the draft Decision about
Euratom's FP contains few amendments. None of them changes the
substance of the proposal.
The Government's view
5.5 The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for
Science and Innovation at the Department of Trade and Industry
(Lord Sainsbury of Turville) tells us that the UK Presidency is
content with the revised texts. There are a few issues about which
some Member States have reservations. For example, some Member
States argue that a target for the participation of small and
medium-sized enterprises should be written into the European Community's
7th FP; others consider this unnecessary.
5.6 The UK Presidency hopes that a Partial General
Approach on the draft Decisions will be agreed at the Competitiveness
Council on 28 November. The Minister describes a General Approach
as "a non-binding political agreement which allows ministers
to agree in principle a text that has yet to be considered by
the European Parliament". The Partial General Approach on
these draft Decisions would exclude the financial provisions and
would allow the texts to be re-opened in the light of new facts,
the settlement of the total EU budget for 2007-13 and the opinion
of the European Parliament.
Conclusion
5.7 We see no need to object to the amendments
included in the UK Presidency's revised texts of the draft Decisions
and we are content to clear the revised texts from scrutiny.
5.8 We should be grateful if the Minister would
tell us about the Council's discussions of the proposals on 28
November.
5.9 We shall keep document (a) under scrutiny
pending the Minister's reply, the opinion of the Science and Technology
Committee on the proposed Framework Programmes and the settlement
of the EU's overall budget for 2007-13.
9 See (26581) 8087/05: HC 34-i (05-06), para 21 (4
July 2005). Back
10
See headnote. Back
| 
