Commission's statement for the minutes, Council's information note and note on Parliament's approval of FP6 and Euratom Programme

Brussels, 22 May 2002

Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Sixth Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities, contributing to the creation of the European Research Area and to innovation (2002-2006) - Approval of the amendments adopted by the European Parliament at second reading. Addendum to the "I/A" item note from General Secretariat to COREPER/Council. Brussels, 17 May 2002 (document 8992/02 ADD 1 2001/0053 (COD) RECH 85 CODEC 612; No. Cion prop. 14565/01 RECH 162 ATO 102 CODEC 1263). Full text

Statements to the Council Minutes

1. Re: Amendments voted "en bloc" by the ITRE Committee of the European Parliament

The Commission considers that the content of the amendments voted "en bloc" by the ITRE Committee on 23 April 2002 in relation to the second reading of the 6th Framework Programme is broadly acceptable and can, subject to appropriate editorial changes, be incorporated into the specific programme decisions implementing the 6th Framework Programme and, as appropriate, into the Rules for Participation of Undertakings, research centres and universities for the implementation of the Framework Programme.

[Statements relating to the adoption of the Council's common position are recorded in the minutes of the meeting of the Council on 10 December 2001 (doc. 15133/01 PV/CONS 80 RECH 181). In the context of the approval of the European Parliament's amendments at second reading, the Commission reiterated its statement concerning Article 3 (Ethical issues).]

The Council takes note of the Commission's views and supports the Spanish Presidency's intention to include these amendments, to the maximum extent possible, in texts which it will submit for discussion to the Council in preparation for the decisions on the specific programmes.

2. Re: GEANT/GRID

The Commission states that the resources allocated to the activities on high speed electronic networks, notably GEANT and GRID - an amount of up to 300 million, comprising up to 100 million in Thematic Priority 2 "Information Society Technologies" and up to 200 million in "Research infrastructures" - will be managed in an integrated way.

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Proposal for a European Parliament and Council decision concerning the Sixth Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities, contributing towards the creation of the European Research Area and to innovation (2002-2006) ­ Outcome of the European Parliament's second reading (Strasbourg, 13 to 16 May 2002). Information note. Brussels, 16 May 2002 (document 8829/02 2001/0053 (COD) CODEC 583 RECH 82). Full text

I. INTRODUCTION

Under the new approach, which is based on a constructive dialogue between the Parliament and the Council and follows on from the joint declaration on practical arrangements for the new co-decision procedure, a number of informal contacts were made between those two institutions and the Commission with a view to a compromise agreement on second reading.

At the extraordinary meeting of the Committee on Industry, External Trade, Research and Energy (ITRE) on 13 May 2002, the Rapporteur, Mr Gérard CAUDRON (PSE ­ F), put forward the compromise package negotiated by the representatives of the three 3 Institutions and already approved by Coreper. This package consisted of:

1) 34 compromise amendments (amds 96 to 129) intended to replace the related amendments of the recommendation for 2nd reading (amds 1 to 88),

2) a series of draft statements by the Commission and by the Council regarding the amendments to be incorporated as appropriate into the specific programmes, the "ethical" issue and the management of the programmes "Géant" and GRID.

The ITRE Committee approved the compromise package and consequently the withdrawal of amds 1 to 88.

During the plenary debate, and in the light of the aforementioned informal contacts, the Rapporteur presented the compromise package and asked all political groups to support it, while he made clear that the ethical issue should not be dealt within the Framework Programme.

The political groups expressed their support to the compromise package. The substantial debate focused mainly on the ethical issue. All political groups except the Greens/ALE and the UEN shared the approach of the rapporteur on this issue, although the debate revealed internal divergencies within the political groups, especially as far as the PPE/DE and the Greens/ALE are concerned.

[The compromise package agreed by the representatives of the three Institutions included initially a redrafted version of the statement the Commission made at the time of the adoption of the common position as well as a statement by the Council, both of them related to the ethical issue. As the MEPs supporting the "ethical" amendments did not agree to withdraw them in the context of an overall agreement, these two declarations fell from the compromise package. At the plenary debate, the Commissioner BUSQUIN just recalled the Commission statement made at the time of the adoption of the common position.]

On behalf of the Commission Mr. BUSQUIN welcomed the efforts made by all three institutions in the search for a compromise that would make it possible to adopt the act at second reading and avoid conciliation. He said that the Commission could accept all the compromise amendments, as they were in line with the objectives of the Framework Programme.

On behalf of the Council, the Secretary of State Mr. Ramón MARIMON SUÑOL confirmed the support of the Council to the overall compromise agreement and underlined the good cooperation between the three Institutions throughout the negotiation process.

II. VOTE

Following the withdrawal of amds 1 to 88 of the recommendation for a second reading, the plenary adopted the 34 compromise amendments (amds 96 to 129) and rejected the remaining amendments (amds 89 to 95).

These amendments correspond exactly to what was agreed between the three institutions and they should therefore be acceptable to the Council.

The text of the amendments adopted and the European Parliament's legislative Resolution are set out in Annex hereto.

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Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Sixth Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities, contributing to the creation of the European Research Area and to innovation (2002-2006) - Approval of the amendments adopted by the European Parliament at second reading. "I/A" item note from General Secretariat to COREPER/Council. Brussels, 17 May 2002 (document 8992/02 2001/0053 (COD) RECH 85 CODEC 612; No. Cion prop. 14565/01 RECH 162 ATO 102 CODEC 1263). Full text

1. The Commission submitted the above proposal to the Council on 5 March 2001. The European Parliament delivered its Opinion at first reading on 14 November 2001. The Economic and Social Committee delivered its Opinion on 11 July 2001. The Committee of the Regions delivered its Opinion on 15 November 2001.

2. The Commission subsequently submitted a modified proposal to the Council on 23 November 2001.

3. The Council adopted its Common Position on 28 January 2002 and forwarded it to the European Parliament. At the same time, the Council also reached a political agreement on the Sixth Euratom Framework Programme (doc. 5609/02 RECH 16 ATO 7), it being understood that the final adoption of the two Framework Programmes would take place simultaneously.

4. At its plenary session of 15 May 2002, the European Parliament adopted, at second reading, 34 amendments reflecting the outcome of the trialogue on 7 May 2002 and the Council's response given to the European Parliament following the examination by Coreper on 8 May 2002 of the results of this trialogue.

5. The amendments adopted by the European Parliament have been verified as reflecting the results of the trialogue and the Council's response in their entirety.

6. It is suggested, therefore, that Coreper recommends that the Council should, as an "A" item and at the same time as deciding on the Sixth Euratom Framework Programme:

- approve the amendments of the European Parliament to the Council's Common Position, taking account of the fact that the Commission has not opposed these amendments;

- enter the statements set out in the Addendum to this note in the Council minutes3;

7. The Decision concerning the Sixth Framework Programme will be deemed to have been adopted in the form of the common position thus amended in accordance with Article 251(3) of the Treaty. [Document to be finalised by the Legal/Linguistic experts for publication and information purposes.] After the legislative act has been signed by the President of the European Parliament, the President of the Council and the Secretary-General of each of the two institutions, it will be published in the Official Journal of the European Communities

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Adoption of a Council Decision concerning the Sixth Framework Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) for nuclear research and training activities, also contributing to the creation of the European Research Area (2002-2006). "I/A" item note from General Secretariat to COREPER/Council. Brussels, 17 May 2002 (document 8991/02 2001/0054 (CNS) RECH 84 ATO 59; No. Cion prop. 14565/01 RECH 162 ATO 102 CODEC 1263). Full text

1. The Commission submitted the above proposal to the Council on 5 March 2001.

The European Parliament delivered its Opinion at first reading on 14 November 2001. The Economic and Social Committee delivered its Opinion on 11 July 2001.

2. The Commission subsequently submitted a modified proposal to the Council on 23 November 2001.

3. The Council, at its meeting on 10 December 2001, reached a political agreement on the Euratom Framework Programme with the German delegation abstaining. At the same time, the Council also reached a political agreement on the Council's common position on the Sixth EC Framework Programme, it being understood that the final adoption of the two Framework Programmes would take place simultaneously. Statements to the Council Minutes at the time of the political agreement being reached on the Euratom Framework Programme are set out in doc. 15133/01 PV/CONS 80 RECH 181.

4. As regards the Sixth EC Framework Programme, the European Parliament, on 15 May 2002, adopted of a set of amendments at second reading which, after approval by the Council will result in the adoption by the Council and the European Parliament of the 6th Framework Programme.

5. It is suggested, therefore, that Coreper recommends that the Council, under the "A" items of a forthcoming meeting and at the same time as deciding on the European Parliament's amendments concerning the Sixth EC Framework Programme:

- adopt the decision concerning the Sixth Euratom Framework Programme contained in document 5609/02 RECH 16 ATO 7 as revised by the legal/linguist experts;

- publish the decision in the Official Journal at the same time as the decision on the 6th EC Framework Programme.

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