Science and technology: production and development of Community statistics

The committee adopted the report by Giuseppe NISTICO' (EPP-ED, I) broadly approving the proposal under the codecision procedure (1st reading), subject to just a few amendments. The committee wanted the Community to step up cooperation with the OECD and other international organisations, especially for the purposes of patents and high-technology statistics. As regards gender statistics on science and technology, it felt that these should be developed in collaboration with the Helsinki group (which was set up under the 'Women and Science' project by the Commission's DG for Research). Lastly, the committee felt that the five-year interval proposed by the Commission for reporting back to Parliament and Council on the implementation of the decision was too long. It accordingly proposed that the first report be prepared four years after the entry into force of the decision and that subsequent reports be submitted every three years.�