No L 361/56 Official Journal of the European Communities 31.12. 94 COUNCIL DECISION ovf' 15 December 1994 adopting a specific programme for research and technological development, including demonstration in the field of transport (1994 to 1998) (94/914/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 ), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee. (3), Whereas, by 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, technological development and demonstration (RTD) for the period 1994 to 1998 specifying inter alia the activities to be carried out in the area of transport; whereas this Decision takes account of the grounds set out in the preamble to that Decision; Whereas Article 130i (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 240 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 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, employment’; (1) O] No C 228, 17. 8. 1994, p. 164 {2) O] No C 341, 5. 12. 1994. (3) Oplmon dehvered on 14 September 1994 (not yet published in the Official Journal). (4) O] No L 126, 18. 5. 1994, p. 1 competitivness  and Whereas the development of trans-European transport networks facilitating network access, interconnection and interoperability will have a predominant role in creating ~an open, competitive market; whereas the research activities must be concentrated on the conditions necessary to network interoperability and interconnection, particularly as regards intermodality and access possibilities; Whereas this programme should contribute to the development, integration and management of a more efficient and safer transport system that respects the environment and the quality of life, in order to promote sustainable mobility of people and goods; Whereas, to ensure that an improved transport system is compatible with the aim of enhancing the quality of life, research into this sector may include reflexions on regional, housing and urban planning policies; Whereas the research activities for a common transport policy must be focused at the strategic European level on modelling and transport scenarios with a view to gaining a better understanding of transport demand and of the impact of transport systems in Europe; Whereas the RTD activities must be system-oriented and integrated, and take account of the strategic goals of common European transport policy and the results of research conducted within the other themes of the first activity, which will be disseminated for this purpose, in order to devise specific solutions applicable' to the transport sector; Whereas the research activities in this field will primarily concern the identification of needs calling for new - technologies, and the evaluation, integration and global validation of technological innovations; Whereas this research must also attach particular importance to ergonomics and human factors in an operational framework and to defining a new, harmonized set of methods for evaluating the global impact of European transport systems;