Prospects for European research and technology in the 21st century

The Research and Energy Committee (chairman: Umberto SCAPAGNINI (UFE, I)) is calling for the EU's research policy to be more flexible and responsive to the needs of the marketplace and challenges of today, such as improving competitiveness and tackling unemployment. An own initiative report by Claude DESAMA (PES, B), is recommending that the EU's Fifth Framework Programme should be more closely linked with regional and social fund programmes, including SME's and foster cooperation between universities, businesses, research institutes and other interested bodies. The report points out the problems associated with the financing of Community research and the often cumbersome procedures. Mr DESAMA emphasises the importance of research and technological development in order to strengthen competitiveness in order to remain at the forefront of research. He states that although Europe has a fairly strong fundamental research base it has difficulties in transforming this research into patentable technologies. �