WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3454/98 by Undine-Uta BLOCH von BLOTTNITZ Standing Working Group on the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material
C 320/50 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 6. 11. 1999 (1999/C 320/065) WRITTEN QUESTION E-3445/98 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (24 November 1998) Subject: Rules for participation in research and the dissemination of results With reference to the proposal for a Council decision concerning the rules for the participation of undertakings, research centres and universities and for the dissemination of research results pursuant to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and to the proposal for a Council decision concerning the rules for the participation of undertakings, research centres and universities pursuant to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (COM(97) 587 final/2-97/0309 SYN / 97/0310 CNS) (1), and whereas SMEs have difficulty in defining their actual needs as regards technology, could the Commission provide them with additional measures to enable them to take part in the research and technological development framework programme, particularly in the form of rules which will enable intermediaries to have access to the programme as ‘technological mediators’ and a strengthening of the advisory and back-up role of the information networks in the area? (1) OJ C 40, 7. 2. 1998. Answer given by Ms Cresson on behalf of the Commission (28 January 1999) The 5th Framework Programme of research and technological development takes special account of the needs of small businesses (SMEs), by introducing measures (such as exploratory awards and CRAFT cooperative research schemes) specifically designed to help them. The Member States and Associated States have also been asked to designate CRAFT ‘national contact points’, whose job it is to inform SMEs and help them take part in the Framework Programme and the ‘thematic’ programmes. This assistance network will be coordinated by the Commission, which is responsible for training and informing the network members. The Commission will thus be able to finance the trans-national activities, with the coordinated assistance of the network members appointed by the different countries. In particular, the ‘horizontal’ theme entitled ‘Innovation and encouragement of SME participation’ provides for economic and technological information schemes under which the national contact points will co-operate together and with other intermediaries to target information and assistance at SMEs in certain sectors of industry or certain regions of Europe. They will thus be able to play the role of ‘technological mediator’ to which the Honourable Member refers. (1999/C 320/066) WRITTEN QUESTION P-3454/98 by Undine-Uta Bloch von Blottnitz (V) to the Commission (9 November 1998) Subject: Standing Working Group on the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material In 1982, at the request of the European Parliament (1), the Commission set up a standing working group to deal with the transport of radioactive material. The Commission regularly publishes communications on the reports of that working group, the most recent of which appeared in April 1998. These communications do not, however, provide sufficient information about the matters discussed in the working group. Following the scandal concerning the transport of such material in the spring of 1998, the European Parliament repeatedly requested the Commission to forward to it the minutes of the standing working group’s meetings. 1. Where are the minutes of the standing working group’s meetings kept? 2. When and how will the Commission at last meet the European Parliament’s demand to be allowed to see those minutes? (1) OJ C 40, 15. 2. 1982, p. 42