Expiry of the ECSC treaty: research programme of the coal and steel research fund, technical guidelines

The committee adopted the report by Rolf LINKOHR (PSE, D) amending the proposal under the consultation procedure. It insisted that Parliament should have a say in the financial management of the Fund, given that Parliament was required to grant the Fund its budgetary discharge. The committee accordingly called for the proposal to be brought under the codecision procedure, so that Parliament would decide on the multiannual guidelines on equal terms with the Council. It also wanted the Fund's revenues to be fully integrated into the EU budget by creating a specific line on both the revenue and expenditure sides of the budget. Other points raised in the report included a call for the proposal to contain a special 'opening up' clause to enable the Fund to be augmented by public and private funds at a later stage and research to be carried out in other fields in addition to coal and steel. The Commission should set up an expert group, with the participation of Parliament, to draw up proposals for a European research foundation. Lastly, the committee wanted the Fund to give priority to the development of cleaner technologies and the reduction of pollutant emissions.�