No L 361/40 - Official Journal of the European Communities 31. 12. 94 COUNCIL DECISION of 15 December 1994 adopting a specific prograthe of research and technological development, including demonstration, in the field of biomedicine and health (1994 to 1998) (94/913/EC) THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 130i (4) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1), Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3), Whereas by its Decision No 1110/94/EC (4), the European Parliament and the Council adopted a fourth framework programme for Community activities in the field of research, demonstration (RTD) for the period 1994 to 1998 specifying inter alia the activities to be carried out in the field of biomedicine and health; whereas this Decision takes account of the grounds set out in the preamble to that Decision; Whereas Article 103i (3) of the Treaty stipulates that the framework programme shall be implemented through specific programmes developed within each activity under the framework programme and that each specific programme shall define the detailed rules for its implementation, fix its duration and provide for the means deemed necessary; Whereas the amount deemed necessary for carrying out this programme is ECU 336 million; whereas the appropriations for each financial year shall be laid down by the budgetary authority, subject to the availability of resources within the financial perspectives and the conditions set out in Article 1 (3) of Decision No - 1110/94/EC; Whereas RTD activities in biomedicine and health should be encouraged in order to improve public health within the Community; (1) O] No C 228, 17. 8. 1994, p. 119. (2) O] No C 341, 5. 12. 1994, 3 Oplmon delivered on 14 September 1994 (not yet pubhshed“ in the Official Journal). (4 OI No L 126, 18. 5. 1994, p. 1. technological .development and - Whereas this programme may make a significant contribution to the stimulation of growth, to the strengthening of competitiveness and to the development of employment in the Community, as indicated in the White Paper on ‘Growth, competitiveness and employment’; Whereas the content of the fourth framework programme for .Community RTD activities was established in accordance with the subsidiarity principle; whereas this specific programme specifies the content of the activities to be carried out in accordance with this principle in the field of biomedical and health reserach; Whereas Decision No 1110/94/EC lays down that a Community action is justified if, inter alia, research contributes to the strengthening of the economic and social cohesion of the Community and the promotion of its overall harmonious development, while being consistent with the pursuit of scientific and technical ~ quality; whereas this programme is intended to help meet these objectives; Whereas the Community should only support RTD -activities of high quality; Whereas basic research in biomedicine must be encouraged to reinforce the scientific and technological bases of European health undertakings and to promote medical advances with the aim of improving the health of the European citizen; Whereas the rules for the participation of undertakings, research centres ' (including the Joint Research Centre (JRC)) and universities and the rules governing the dissemination of research results specified in the measures provided for in Article 130j of the Treaty apply to this specific programme; Whereas provision should be made for measures to encourage the involvement of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in this programme, in particular through technology stimulation measures; Whereas the Commission’s efforts to simplify and accelerate the application and selection procedures and make them more transparent must be continued in order to promote the implementation of the programme and to