Council highlights enhanced research cooperation with Ukraine
The Council of Ministers submitted a report on the development of relations, including research cooperation with Ukraine to the European Council, meeting in Nice from 7 to 9 December. When adopting the Common Strategy on Ukraine in December 1999, the European Council asked the Council to examine and evaluate Union action in the framework of this Strategy and to report to the European Council at least once a year on the progress made in achieving its objectives. On 4 December, the Council approved this report on the implementation of the Common Strategy and invited the European Council to take note of this report. The Council noted that regional and cross-border cooperation programmes have been strengthened, particularly in the areas of science and technology, the environment and infrastructure networks. Science and technology cooperation has been expanded by strengthening support for university exchanges in the framework of the Tempus programme, and by preparing for negotiation of a cooperation agreement in these areas between the Union and Ukraine. The European Commission's Tempus programme is now in its third phase (2000-2006). It aims to promote, in line with the PHARE and TACIS programmes, the development of higher education systems in new independent states of the former Soviet Union and Mongolia through the most balanced cooperation possible with EU Member States. Also noted in the report is that projects concerned with renewable energy sources and energy efficiency are now under way in Ukraine, a project has been set up under the TACIS programme to assist in the elaboration of environmental standards for improving energy efficiency and the use of natural resources and limiting the adverse impact of industrial activity on the environment. Projects are also under way in the area of waste and waste water treatment.