91997E3576

WRITTEN QUESTION P-3576/97 by Franco Malerba (UPE) to the Commission (4 November 1997)

Subject: Energy, research and technology cooperation with the Third Mediterranean Countries: the enlargement Femirc network

Since their creation in 1992, the Innovation Relay Centres (IRC) have successfully developed into a strategic European organization for transfer of new technology and innovation between European firms.

This success has been acknowledged in the framework for cooperation with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEECs) and similar new centres - Fellow Member Innovation Relay Centres (Femirc) - have been created in the CEECs to assist locally their enterprises and twinning actions between Femircs and European IRCs have been instrumental to speed up the learning process of the new Femirc organization.

With regard to the Mediterranean Cooperation policy and the MEDA programme, the Commission will have to put in place cooperation and technology transfer actions in areas such as water quality and management, renewable energies, agriculture and environmental preservation, transport and telecommunications systems.

To this end it is apparent that the Commission needs to put in place a strong dedicated organization to support and manage the MEDA projects.

We ask the Commission:

1. If and how they will consider the enlargement of the IRC network to the TMC Mediterranean countries,

2. If they will consider implementing a joint Task Force between DG XII (Innovation) and DG IB in order to rapidly implement the new Femirc organization.

Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission (1 December 1997)

The IRC network is not open to the 12 Mediterranean partners and there are no plans at this stage to give them access.

The Commission might envisage extending the network to certain non-Community countries depending on the outcome of the evaluation of projects carried out in the pilot phase under way, and in the light of decisions on the future fifth framework research and technological development programme.

Under the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, technological innovation and technology transfer are covered by two types of scheme. Firstly, support for the development of the private sector as part of the MEDA national indicative programmes involves setting up business centres aimed at improving productivity and technologies in the countries concerned.

In addition, regional cooperation aimed at transferring know-how and experience is being developed, notably in the energy sector through the Euro-Mediterranean energy forum and in the water sector through know-how information systems.

A Euro-Mediterranean meeting on technological hubs is due to take place in the first quarter of 1998.