WRITTEN QUESTION E-1174/00 by Malcolm Harbour (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Research in the automotive sector.
6. 3. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 72 E/25 information society projects to the West Midlands region ü focusing on activities where jobs could be created for the skilled workforce now facing unemployment? Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission (8 June 2000) Support for economic development programmes under the European structural funds will be significant in the West Midlands over the 2000-2006 period. The development of the information society is one of the Commissionís priorities following the e-Europe initiative launched at the Lisbon European Council and permeates many of the European funding initiatives. The Commission will be seeking to ensure that in the next generation of structural funds programmes for the region, the development of the information society is properly taken on board, in line with the e-Europe initiative. First, a large part of the West Midlands region is eligible for structural fund support under the headings of Objective 2 and Objective 2 Phasing-out. With an allocation of over 850 M€, the West Midlands programme will be the biggest in the United Kingdom under Objective 2 in the 2000-2006 period. (2) creating a learning and skilful region; The West Midlands Objective 2 development plan has recently been submitted by the authorities in the Member State to the Commission and identifies the following four priorities: (1) developing a diverse and dynamic business base; (3) creating the infrastructure and conditions for growth; (4) regenerating communities. Support for innovation and the development of the information society will be one of the cross-cutting themes of the programme. Within these priorities, the following activities may be envisaged: support for training in the use of and the promotion of information and communications technology; support for high technology SMEs including specialist business support; and start up capital through grants, loans or equity financing. The draft plan underlines the need to create jobs and assesses each of the proposed priorities identified above in terms of the creation of new jobs. Secondly, the West Midlands will receive a share of the Objective 3 programme worth € 4 500 million in total in the United Kingdom. Together with Objective 2, this funding can be used to support the redeployment of the skilled personnel previously employed in the car industry. In addition to these amounts, the West Midlands could also receive support for innovative projects including more in the field of the information society. The Commission is currently developing a set of guidelines in relation to these actions. (2001/C 72 E/028) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1174/00 by Malcolm Harbour (PPE-DE) to the Commission (12 April 2000) Subject: Research in the automotive sector In view of the restructuring taking place in the West Midlands car industry, as a result of the break up of the Rover Group by BMW, could the Commission please indicate: 1. The status of current research projects into new automobile technologies? 2. The possibilities of advancing promising new technologies through a special programme of start-up funding for new enterprises based in the West Midlands? 3. Whether it could make special funding available, in recognition of the severe unemployment problem among skilled automotive technicians resulting from the Rover break-up? C 72 E/26 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 6. 3. 2001 Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission (8 June 2000) 1. The Rover Group, since 1992, has participated in 79 European funded research and technological development (RTD) projects. Their participation as a co-ordinator or partner spanned the whole range of automotive research, development and demonstration in areas such as advanced design and manufacturing information and telecommunication technologies, efficient and renewable energy techno- technologies, logies, skills enhancement and training activities. 30 of these projects are still running. 2. The 5th framework programme for research encourages the exploitation of Community research projects and has only limited means to support start-up funding for new enterprises, mainly through the specific programme Promotion of innovation and encouragement of small and medium sized enterprises (SME) participationí. The same applies to the third multiannual programme (MAP) for SMEs. This basically involves responding to invitations to tender and calls for expressions of interest which are published in the Official journal and are also available on the Cordis web site. A further possibility concerns access to certain funds such as the European technology facility (ETF), and ETF Start-up (part of the growth and employment initiative) which are implemented in partnership with, and administered by, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF). In this case Community funds are disbursed via specialised venture capital firms, which function as qualified intermediaries in vetting applicants for financing and then taking equity stakes in the successful candidates on the basis of commercial criteria. A large part of the West Midlands, including much of Roverís Longbridge plant, has objective 2 or objective 2 phasing-out status. Accordingly, Community structural funds amounting to some € 850 million will be available to the West Midlands objective 2 area for the period 2000-2006. The negotiations on the objective 2 development plan are about to start and special attention will be paid to the decline in the automotive sector and the need to diversify the economy and create new companies. Under structural funds and in particular through the European regional development fund the following activities in support to SMEs are possible: business support, financing of technology transfers, improvement of access by enterprises to finance and loans, provision of infrastructure and direct aid to investment. The programme will be directed towards the creation of sustainable jobs and the support to the structural adjustment of the region. 3. As regards the issue of severe unemployment among skilled automotive technicians no áspecial or additional fundingí is envisaged in the light of the Rover break-up. In addition to the role of objective 2 outlined above, a considerable amount of European social fund will be available to the West Midlands through objective 3 and can be used to address, amongst other issues, the potential unemployment problems resulting from BMW selling off Rover. The West Midlands will receive a considerable share out of the United Kingdom objective 3 programme worth € 4 500 million. The objective 3 plan is structured according to the five policy fields contained in Council Regulation (EEC) No 2084/93 of 20 July 1993 amending Regulation (EEC) No 4255/88 laying down provisions for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 2052/88 as regards the European social fund (1). In relation to the Rover case, two policy fields are particularly relevant: policy field a) active labour market policies (one of the strategic objectives of this priority is precisely to reduce (long-term) unemployment through measures targeted at those recently unemployed or threatened by unemployment) and policy field d) adaptability (one of the strategic objectives of this priority is to improve the skills base and adaptability of the employed work force). Moreover, the Community vocational training action programme Leonardo da Vinci (2nd phase 2000- 2006), supports the lifelong training policies of the Member States. It may provide an opportunity in 6. 3. 2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 72 E/27 creating the proper training tools and mechanisms (pilot projects) for setting-up training schemes. These may help enhance aptitudes and skills and facilitate a successful reintegration of workers into working life. (1) OJ L 193, 31. 7. 1993. (2001/C 72 E/029) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1197/00 by Margrietus van den Berg (PSE) to the Commission Subject: The Consultative Group on International Research (12 April 2000) The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), established in 1971, is an informal association of fifty-eight public and private sector members that supports a network of sixteen international agricultural research centres. CGIARís mission is to contribute to food security and poverty eradication in developing countries through research, partnership, capacity building, and policy support. The CGIAR promotes sustainable agricultural development based on the environmentally sound manage- ment of natural resources. The European Commission has been an important long-term provider of financial support to the CGIAR but that funding was suspended in 1999 and the Commission is at present engaged in a review of its future funding support for the CGIAR. Taking into account this review: 1. Does the Commission recognise the valuable contributions that the international research centres, supported by the Consultative Group on International Research, have made to averting famine and improving rural livelihoods in less developed countries? 2. 3. 4. 5. Is the Commission aware of a recent review of the CGIAR by a distinguished international panel, under the chairmanship of the President of the Earth Council, Maurice Strong, that concluded that the CGIAR represented the ábest investment in development assistance bar noneí? Is the Commission aware that CGIAR is in the process of redefining its programmes to focus more directly on the agricultural and natural resource research needs of the poorest of the poor? Is the Commission aware that the on-the-ground presence of CGIAR scientists in developing countries working in partnership with local scientists gives the CGIAR a unique capacity to provide research support to national research systems and the farmers who depend upon them? Is the Commission aware of the increased commitment of the CGIAR to work on fisheries, livestock, forestry and agroforestry, all of which are areas with great potential benefits for poor people and their environments? If the Commission is aware of all these facts is the Commission willing to: 6. 7. 8. Fully recognise the unique and invaluable role of the CGIAR in addressing EU development assistance priorities of poverty reduction, better food security and environmental protection in developing countries? Inform the European Parliament when and by what means funding of CGIAR Centres will be resumed? Examine the possibility of increasing the level of this support and ensuring that commitments are made on a multi-year basis? Answer given by Mr Nielson on behalf of the Commission (3 July 2000) The Commission is a long-standing partner and donor of the Consultative group on international agricultural research (CGIAR) and is actively involved in the development of the system. It is therefore naturally aware of both the CGIARís contribution to agricultural research and the recent developments to which the Honourable Member refers