Countries of the World/COUNTRYS.BIN/dp/0055/00558.txt

Text File | 1991-06-24 | 23KB | 408 lines

$Unique_ID{COW00558}
$Pretitle{405}
$Title{United Kingdom
Research and Development}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington DC}
$Affiliation{Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington DC}
$Subject{research
community
programme
european
development
member
projects
fund
industrial
states}
$Date{1990}
$Log{}
Country:     United Kingdom
Book:        Britain in the European Community
Author:      Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington DC
Affiliation: Embassy of the United Kingdom, Washington DC
Date:        1990

Research and Development

     Although each member state maintains its own national research and
development (R & D) effort, each state cannot on its own meet the challenge of
the large markets of Japan and the United States in science and technology.
Collaborative research at the European level is therefore increasingly
important. Community programmes are designed to improve Europe's technology
base and to assist firms in exploiting the internal market. Programmes, whose
size, scope and resources are approved by ministers, are either shared with
industry or carried out in the Community's Joint Research Centre, comprising
four separate laboratories staffed by scientists from member states.

     The British Government actively encourages British companies and
organisations to participate in collaborative R & D with European partners in
order to maximise economies of scale and to provide access to new technologies
and skills which are necessary if British industry is to maintain its
competitiveness in European and world markets. British organisations have
secured just over 20 per cent of the total funding available under the
industrial framework programmes and participate in between 50 per cent and 80
per cent of the projects.

Framework Programme

     Community R & D is governed by framework programmes setting out
objectives, defining priorities and fixing the overall levels of funding.
Under the 1987-91 programme, the most important activity is industrial
technology covering information technology (IT), telecommunications, and
manufacturing and materials. Other subjects covered are energy, health, the
environment and agriculture. All Community projects focus on long-term
pre-competitive collaborative R & D and complement other European programmes
such as Eureka.

     A new framework programme for 1990-94 has recently been agreed. The focus
of the industrial programmes is on research to develop common standards,
including more work on information and communications technologies. Specific
areas covered will include microelectronics and information processing
systems, the application of information technology to industrial engineering,
the development of reliable and secure communications networks, and
strengthening of the scientific technological base of European manufacturing
industry.

     Of particular importance is the management of natural resources. Research
activities will be directed towards identifying pollution sources and their
effects on the environment and will contribute to the preparation of quality,
safety and technical standards. Research will also be undertaken on the
prevention of natural and technological hazards. The long-term objective of
the parts of the Community programme is to contribute to the development of
Europe's potential for understanding and using the properties and structures
of living matter.

     The main aim of the energy programme is to concentrate on conservation,
renewable resources and reduction of adverse effects on the environment, for
example, the reduction of gases responsible for the greenhouse effect.
Research will continue on nuclear reactor safety with greater emphasis on
radioactive waste management, decommissioning operations and control of
fissile materials. Radiation protection research will cover radiation from
natural and medical sources and new technologies to assess quickly the
radiological consequences of nuclear accidents. Research will be maintained
on the Joint European Torus (JET) nuclear fusion project at Culham
(Oxfordshire)(see p 34).

     An important part of the 1990-94 programme will concentrate on the
training and exchange between member states of research staff in order to pave
the way for a genuinely European scientific and technical community. The
planned increase in the mobility of research staff will enable more of them
to spend time working in high-level scientific and technical establishments
in other member states; emphasis will be placed on training young people
embarking on careers in research and technological development. In addition,
public and private sector laboratories and research teams will be brought
together in collaborative projects.

Information Technology

     The Community's ESPRIT (European Strategic Programme for Research and
Development in Information Technology) programme aims to strengthen the
development, manufacture and use of information technology products.
Community support is available for up to 50 per cent of project costs.

     ESPRIT I (1984-88) received Community funding of some 460 million Pounds.
The second phase, ESPRIT II (1988-92) has been allocated just over 1,000
million Pounds which, with matching contributions from industrial partners and
other contractors, is intended to support projects in microelectronics,
information processing systems and other applied technology.

     Some 145 British firms participated in 204 projects in the first phase of
ESPRIT and British organisations are involved in 134 of the 181 projects
approved so far for the second phase.

Telecommunications

     In 1987 the Council of Ministers adopted the programme for Research and
Development in Advanced Communications Technologies in Europe (RACE), which
is scheduled to run until 1992. The aims to establish a Community-wide
integrated broadband communications system able to transmit all types of
telecommunications signals, and to establish a strong Community manufacturing
industry in these systems. The development of common standards is a key
element in this programme.

     Work is carried out by industry, academic institutions and
telecommunications operators, and some 367 million Pounds has been allocated.
The Community and participating countries finance projects jointly, usually on
a 50:50 basis. Britain is participating in 81 of the 91 contracts established
under the programme.

BRITE/EURAM

     Research and development in industrial and materials technologies is
supported by the BRITE/EURAM (Basic Research in Industrial Technologies for
Europe/European Research in Advanced Materials) programme. Running from 1989
to 1992, it has a budget of about 333 million Pounds. Industrial companies,
higher education establishments and research and technology organisations
are eligible to participate. Community support is available for up to 50 per
cent of project costs. British firms are participating in 96 of the 163
projects selected in 1989.

SPRINT

     SPRINT (Strategic Programme for Innovation and Technology Transfer) is a
five-year (1989-93) technology transfer programme aimed at improving the
competitiveness of European industry, particularly small- and medium-sized
enterprises. The aim is to ensure that technology and aids to innovation can
be shared across national boundaries. Rather than provide support to firms
directly, it operates through intermediaries or organizations which help
industry to innovate. SPRINT is not part of the Community framework programme.

Other Programmes

     Other Community schemes include the Biotechnology Research for
Innovation, Development and Growth in Europe (BRIDGE) programme, which has a
budget of 62 million Pounds. The Community has allocated about 40 million
Pounds to the next phase of its research programme in biotechnology running
from 1990 to 1993, and aims to promote the development of modern biotechnology
to improve European competitiveness in agriculture and industry.

     Two complementary programmes - Food