IRDAC Chairman supports Commission working paper on Fifth Framework Programme
Mr. Helmut List, the Chairman of IRDAC, the Commission's Industrial R&D Advisory Committee, recently spoke in support of the Commission's approach to the development of the Fifth RTD Framework Programme, as outlined in the working document published in February 1997. Mr. List was speaking at the conference organized by the Commission at the beginning of March as a final consultation exercise in the preparation of the formal proposal for the Programme. IRDAC welcomes the effort being made towards further concentration, he said, and supports the intention to focus research on a smaller number of themes. IRDAC also supports the thematic approach, which should focus a wide range of disciplines on priority subjects. IRDAC states that the strengthening of industrial competitiveness should remain one of the key objectives of the Framework Programme. It also fully supports the recommendations of the Davignon Report which called for a less cumbersome decision-making process.