Research Council to review first calls under FP5
The EU's Research Ministers will discuss a report from the Commission on the results of the first calls for proposals under the Fifth Framework Programme - including the participation of the Central and Eastern European countries and Cyprus now associated to the Programme - at their meeting in Brussels on 2 December 1999. The discussion will also look at an overview of the Fourth Framework Programme. Following this discussion the Council is then expected to have an exchange of views on the preparation of future Framework Programmes, with input both from the Commission and the Finnish Presidency on the early discussions already held. With the next Framework Programme the first not to require unanimous agreement in the Council, it is expected that the approach to its preparation will be somewhat different from previous Programmes. The Council is expected to adopt conclusions which will set out a broad strategy for the preparation of the next Programme. The Council is also expected to adopt a resolution on a European strategy for space, adopt conclusions on the decommissioning of obsolete nuclear installations belonging to the Joint Research Centre and discuss a proposal for the continuation of the High Flux Reactor research programme at the JRC in Petten. The Commission and Presidency will report on the results of the recent ASEM Ministerial Conference in Beijing, where Science Ministers from Asia and Europe came together. Finally, the Council is expected to conclude, for the EU's side, Science and Technology Cooperation Agreements with Argentina and China.