The committee adopted the report by Jerzy BUZEK (EPP-ED, PL) on the Council's common position on the 7th Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007-2013). It adopted - under the 2nd reading of the codecision procedure - a number of compromise amendments agreed in informal meetings with the Council with a view to ensuring that the programme can enter into force in the near future. The key amendments related to the following areas:
- Parliament's priorities: the committee insisted on shifting some of the spending towards the EP's own priorities, including research on renewable energy and energy efficiency, as well as including the possibility of funding research into the promotion of child health, respiratory diseases (including those induced by allergies) and neglected diseases. The compromise stated inter alia that renewables and end-use energy efficiency will account for the "major part" of the budget of FP7's energy theme - rather than the two-thirds of the budget proposed in Parliament's 1st reading. Another amendment stipulated that special attention would be devoted to "coordination of aspects linked to rational and efficient use of energy within the Framework Programme and with other Community policies and programmes";
- European Research Council: it was agreed that the administration costs of the ERC should not exceed 5% of its total budget "in order to maximise funding for frontier research" (at 1st reading, Parliament had asked for a limit of 3%). As regards the extent to which the Parliament should be involved in an interim evaluation of the ERC's structure, it was agreed that the codecision procedure would be used if changes in the structure of the ERC become necessary;
- Risk Sharing Finance Facility (RSFF): whereas the Council had planned to allocate EUR 1 billion from FP7 to finance the RSFF (which is to be matched by an equal amount from the European Investment Bank), the compromise provided for a lower contribution - EUR 500 million - from FP7 until 2010, with the possibility of releasing up to an additional EUR 500 million for the period 2010-2013 after an evaluation process;
- European Institute of Technology: the committee added a statement to the Annex stressing Parliament's "strong conviction" that no funds under the FP7 programme should contribute to the establishment and/or administrative costs of the proposed European Institute of Technology and that only administrative costs directly associated with research projects may be covered;
- Confidentiality: a new clause was added to the 'Security' theme stating that "the special requirements concerning confidentiality are to be enforced but the transparency of research findings is not to be unnecessarily restricted. In addition, areas are to be identified that permit the present transparency of research findings";
- Joint Research Centre (JRC): the JRC should aim to facilitate access to its facilities by European and non-European researchers, thereby increasing its cooperation with other public and private research organisations and contributing more scientifically to training, "which will remain a high priority for the JRC".