To expedite an agreement on the framework programmes, the Commission is now bringing forward revised proposals on both framework programmes, enriched with Parliament’s amendments and Council’s views. As the opinion of the Parliament and the approach taken by the Council reflect the key principles of the original Commission proposals, these revised proposals take a large proportion the position taken by the other institutions.
The main issues raised concern the proposal for the EC framework programme. As regards the Commission’s position, the following items can be highlighted:
- nuclear fission and radioprotection with the objective of enhancing in particular the safety performance, resource efficiency and cost-effectiveness of promoting the safe use and exploitation of nuclear fission and other uses of radiation in industry and medicine;
- within the amount foreseen for Fusion energy research (EUR 1 947 million), not less than EUR 900 million will be reserved to activities other than the construction of ITER;
- the Commission shall continually and systematically monitor the implementation of the Framework Programme and its Specific Programmes and regularly report and disseminate the results of this monitoring. It shall communicate the conclusions to the European Parliament, the Council, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.
As regards the budget : the Commission maintains the amounts proposed in its adapted proposals of 24 May 2006 (please refer to the financial statement for more details).