Busquin sets out new Framework programme proposals
Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin set out on 21 February the proposals, which will form the new Framework programme for the European Union, highlighting the benefits of the increased cooperation and focus that it will bring. An increased budget of 17.5 billion euro for the new Framework programme (running between 2003 and 2006) would represent a 17 per cent increase on the previous Framework programme, and Busquin emphasised that this type of rise was necessary if Europe is to attain its goals. 'Europe has set out to become the most successful and competitive knowledge-based economy in the world. Research and innovation are the keys to success in achieving this goal,' he said. Mr Busquin claimed that the new framework programme would benefit business, academia and research institutions. The research efforts of all of these encounter problems, which the new Framework programme will address. In particular, it will increase the mobility of researchers, attempt to establish Europe a home of world class research, help research teams work more closely together in teams and concentrate on a limited number of key priorities. Mr Busquin highlighted seven of these priorities. They are: - Information society technologies, aiming to develop key information technologies to strengthen Europe's industry and help Europeans benefit from the knowledge-based economy - Sustainable development, aiming to strengthen the scientific and technological capacity needed for Europe to be able to implement sustainable development and make a significant contribution to the international efforts to understand and control global change - Genomics and biotechnology for health, aiming to build on the recent breakthrough on decoding the human genome, especially in regard to tackling disease and galvanising Europe's biotechnology industry - Nanotechnologies, intelligent materials and new production methods, aiming to help European industry to benefit from these leading edge technologies - Aeronautics and space, aiming to maintain Europe's leading position in the aerospace sector and focus on safety and environmental protection - Food safety and health risks, aiming to establish a scientific base needed to produce safe and healthy food and control the risks related to food production - Citizens and governance in European society, aiming to mobilise research capacity in economic, political, social and human sciences which will give a greater understanding to the importance of knowledge-based society across Europe. A preliminary breakdown of the budget shows that the next Framework programme would account for 16.275 billion with Euratom accounting for the remainder. Of the former, just over 3 billion euro will be dedicated to setting up the proposed European Research Area. Of the seven research priorities outlined by Mr Busquin, information society technologies accounts for the largest individual budget, with 3.6 billion dedicated to it in the preliminary breakdown, unchanged from the Fifth Framework programme. European business, both large and small, should benefit from the results of the proposals. While there will be an emphasis on ensuring that research results are available to businesses and can help to foster new investments and jobs, SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) are also lined up to receive more attention. The projected level of their participation in the programme has been increased from 10 per cent to 15 per cent of all participants. They will also benefit from proposed improvements to risk capital access and partner searches. 'In this programme, I am putting forward proposals to help businesses develop the key technologies for the future, and for our universities and research centre to work closer together to strengthen Europe's science base,' said Mr Busquin. The European Commission is also looking to act in the spirit of cooperation, which embodies the new proposals. It will be acting more closely with international research centres and institutions, as well as putting forward two new important proposals. One will help national research authorities open up their programmes more to researchers from other Member States and pool their programmes together, helping to create the conditions for the European Research Area. The other will be the first use of an instrument of the Treaty (Article 169) which allows the participation of the Union in national programmes of Member States carried out jointly. Participants in these would be given flexibility in making proposals for subjects, as well as being able to adapt them according to research needs. This move, coupled with a Commission plan to streamline its administration and management of the programmes, should help to cut its costs in the implementation of these programmes. The proposals, which have still to be approved by the College, form one of the major parts of the strategy paper, which will be put to the forthcoming Stockholm summit, taking place on 23 and 24 March.