EU set to approve Euro 50 bn spend on scientific research

The European Parliament looks set to approve a budget for funding research of more than Euro 50 bn, following a compromise between the Industry Committee and Parliament on a framework for the spend.

"The EU's main programme for funding scientific research .. with a budget of more than €50 billion, should therefore be able to enter into force soon, if the next plenary session follows the committee's line," the Parliament's press service said in a statement on Tuesday.

The statement came after the Industry Committee for the European Parliament approved compromise amendments concerning the Seventh Framework Research Programme (FP7) 2007-2013. These could enter into force after it has been examined at the next plenary session.

When the European Parliament has given its final endorsement, it will be up to the Finnish Presidency to get the FP7 adopted by the 25 Member States, so the programme can begin on January 1 next year.

The total budget for the FP7 is €54.6 bn for the period between 2007 and 2013, including a little more than €50.2 bn for the European community programme and about €2.7 bn for Euratom.

The EU's activities linked to research and inno-vation have been grouped together since 1984 under the framework programme, which extends over several years.

The members of the parliamentary committee insisted on Monday on the transfer of spending towards priorities set by Parliament, for example concerning the possibility of financing paediatric medical research and research in the area of respiratory diseases, in particular those linked to allergies.

In addition, a compromise was reached for the European Research Council (ERC). The latter is a new European body designed to support certain types of research. It was decided that the administrative costs of the ERC should not exceed 5% of its total budget.

For the Risk Sharing Finance Facility (RSFF), aimed at encouraging bank loans for research projects, the Members" compromise provides for a contribution from the FP7 of €500 m up to 2010, although Member States had planned to allocate €1 bn (the European investment bank is to add an identical amount). The Parliament however has provided for the possibility of an allocation of an additional €500 m after an evaluation procedure.

The MEPs also insisted that the proposed European Institute of Technology (EIT) should not receive funds from the FP7 relating to its establishment. Only administrative costs directly linked to the research projects will potentially be covered.

The EIT is a virtual institute project led by the president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso. This project had met with the reticence of some Member States.