EC rubberstamps F5 research amendments

The European Commission this week approved final amendments to the Fifth Framework Programme for research put forward by the European Parliament. The commission, which drew up the initial proposals for the Europewide research programme, has agreed to increase the number of thematic programmes from three to four. But it has kept the proposed budget at Ecu16.3 billion, as opposed to the Parliament's proposed increase to Ecu16.7 billion.