The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Gérard CAUDRON (PES, France) on the European Research Area. (Please refer to the document dated 23/04/02.)
Parliament added that, in the medical field, the objective is to develop improved patient-oriented strategies for the prevention and management of disease and for living and ageing healthily. There is also a particular priority for Europe to mobilise its efforts in a coordinated way towards combating cancer and confronting the major communicable diseases linked to poverty. The research will concentrate on translating the new knowledge being created, which is not limited to genomics and other fields of basic research, into applications that improve clinical practice and public health. Parliament also went on to add that Specific Support Actions will also be implemented to encourage the participation of SMEs, small research teams, newly developed and remote research centres in the activities of the priority thematic areas, in particular via the Networks of Excellence and the Integrated Projects. The implementation of these actions will rely on the specific information and assistance structures, including the network of national contact points established by the Member States, and will aim at the smooth transition from the Fifth to the Sixth Framework Programme.�