Industry Ministers approve successor to ECSC
Industry and energy ministers have agreed that the European Coal and Steel Community's (ECSC) research programme will be transferred to a new coal and steel research programme when the ECSC expires in July 2002. Meeting on 15 May, the Industry Council approved financial activities that will be carried out when the ECSC treaty, which laid the foundation for the EU, expires after 50 years. 'As a result of the decisions, the experience gained in the current research programme will be transferred to the new coal and steel research programme, which will begin in the summer of 2002. An estimated 1.6 billion euro will be transferred to the EC and the earnings are earmarked for further research,' said Lars Rekke, chair of the Industry Council. The Council cannot formally adopt the decisions before the Nice Treaty has been ratified by the member States and the European Parliament has been allowed to express its opinion. However, all outstanding issues have now been resolved, meaning that the Council can adopt the decisions as soon as the formal requirements have been met.
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