11957E130F

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Article 130f

1 . The Community's aim shall be to strengthen the scientific and technological basis of European industry and to encourage it to become more competitive at international level .

2 . In order to achieve this , it shall encourage undertakings including small and medium-sized undertakings , research centres and universities in their research and technological development activities ; it shall support their efforts to co-operate with one another , aiming , notably , at enabling undertakings to exploit the Community's internal market potential to the full , in particular through the opening up of national public contracts , the definition of common standards and the removal of legal and fiscal barriers to that co-operation .

3 . In the achievement of these aims , special account shall be taken of the connection between the common research and technological development effort , the establishment of the internal market and the implementation of common policies , particularly as regard competition and trade .