TITLE III - INTERNAL POLICIES AND ACTION
CHAPTER III - POLICIES IN OTHER AREAS
SECTION 9 - RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND SPACE
ARTICLE III-248
1. The Union shall aim to strengthen its scientific and technological bases
by achieving a European research area in which researchers, scientific knowledge
and technology circulate freely, and encourage it to become more competitive,
including in its industry, while promoting all the research activities deemed
necessary by virtue of other Chapters of the Constitution.
2. For the purposes referred to in paragraph 1 the Union shall, throughout the
Union, encourage undertakings, including small and medium-sized undertakings,
research centres and universities in their research and technological development
activities of high quality. It shall support their efforts to cooperate with
one another, aiming, notably, at permitting researchers to cooperate freely
across borders and at enabling undertakings to exploit the internal market potential,
in particular through the opening-up of national public contracts, the definition
of common standards and the removal of legal and fiscal obstacles to that cooperation.
3. All the Union's activities in the area of research and technological development, including demonstration projects, shall be decided on and implemented in accordance with this Section.
ARTICLE III-249
In pursuing the objectives referred to in Article III-248, the Union shall carry
out the following activities, complementing the activities carried out in the
Member States:
(a) implementation of research, technological development and demonstration programmes, by promoting cooperation with and between undertakings, research centres and universities;
(b) promotion of cooperation in the field of the Union's research, technological development and demonstration with third countries and international organisations;
(c) dissemination and optimisation of the results of activities in the Union's
research, technological development and demonstration;
(d) stimulation of the training and mobility of researchers in the Union.
ARTICLE III-250
1. The Union and the Member States shall coordinate their research and technological
development activities so as to ensure that national policies and the Union's
policy are mutually consistent.
2. In close cooperation with the Member States, the Commission may take any useful initiative to promote the coordination referred to in paragraph 1, in particular initiatives aiming at the establishment of guidelines and indicators, the organisation of exchange of best practice, and the preparation of the necessary elements for periodic monitoring and evaluation. The European Parliament shall be kept fully informed.
ARTICLE III-251
1. European laws shall establish a multiannual framework programme, setting
out all the activities financed by the Union. Such laws shall be adopted after
consultation of the Economic and Social Committee.
The framework programme shall:
(a) establish the scientific and technological objectives to be achieved by the activities provided for in Article III-249 and lay down the relevant priorities;
(b) indicate the broad lines of such activities;
(c) lay down the maximum overall amount and the detailed rules for the Union's
financial participation in the framework programme and the respective shares
in each of the activities provided for.
2. The multiannual framework programme shall be adapted or supplemented as the situation changes.
3. A European law of the Council shall establish specific programmes to implement the multiannual framework programme within each activity. Each specific programme shall define the detailed rules for implementing it, fix its duration and provide for the means deemed necessary.
The sum of the amounts deemed necessary, fixed in the specific programmes, shall not exceed the overall maximum amount fixed for the framework programme and each activity. Such a law shall be adopted after consulting the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee.
4. As a complement to the activities planned in the multiannual framework programme, European laws shall establish the measures necessary for the implementation of the European research area. Such laws shall be adopted after consulting the Economic and Social Committee.
ARTICLE III-252
1. For the implementation of the multiannual framework programme, European laws
or framework laws shall establish:
(a) the rules for the participation of undertakings, research centres and universities;
(b) the rules governing the dissemination of research results.
Such European laws or framework laws shall be adopted after consultation of the Economic and Social Committee.
2. In implementing the multiannual framework programme, European laws may establish supplementary programmes involving the participation of certain Member States only, which shall finance them subject to possible participation by the Union.
Such European laws shall determine the rules applicable to supplementary programmes, particularly as regards the dissemination of knowledge as well as access by other Member States. They shall be adopted after consultation of the Economic and Social Committee and with the agreement of the Member States concerned.
3. In implementing the multiannual framework programme, European laws may make provision, in agreement with the Member States concerned, for participation in research and development programmes undertaken by several Member States, including participation in the structures created for the execution of those programmes.
Such European laws shall be adopted after consultation of the Economic and Social
Committee.
4. In implementing the multiannual framework programme the Union may make provision
for cooperation in the Union's research, technological development and demonstration
with third countries or international organisations.
The detailed arrangements for such cooperation may be the subject of agreements between the Union and the third parties concerned.
ARTICLE III-253
The Council, on a proposal from the Commission, may adopt European regulations
or decisions to set up joint undertakings or any other structure necessary for
the efficient execution of the Union's research, technological development and
demonstration programmes. It shall act after consulting the European Parliament
and the Economic and Social Committee.
ARTICLE III-254
1. To promote scientific and technical progress, industrial competitiveness
and the implementation of its policies, the Union shall draw up a European space
policy. To this end, it may promote joint initiatives, support research and
technological development and coordinate the efforts needed for the exploration
and exploitation of space.
2. To contribute to attaining the objectives referred to in paragraph 1, European laws or framework laws shall establish the necessary measures, which may take the form of a European space programme.
3. The Union shall establish any appropriate relations with the European Space Agency.
ARTICLE III-255
At the beginning of each year the Commission shall send a report to the European
Parliament and the Council. The report shall include information on activities
relating to research, technological development and the dissemination of results
during the previous year, and the work programme for the current year.