The Commission's proposal for the Fourth Framework Programme of Research and Technological Development (1994-1998) follows on directly from the communication entitled "Research after Maastricht". Consistent with the orientations of the communication, and therefore with the Treaty provisions, the Fourth Framework Programme will embrace all RTD activities carried out at a Community level. In addition to the conventional shared-cost programmes, the Framework Programme will also cover all the Community's RTD and demonstration activities connected with the implementation of common policies (e.g. environment, agriculture, fisheries, energy and transport). It will also cover international scientific cooperation, as well as preparatory, supporting and follow-up activities (e.g. studies, technology-watch, evaluation, feasibility studies and experimental projects) hitherto conducted outside the framework programme. In accordance with the provisions of the Maastricht Treaty (Article 130 G), the Fourth Framework Program

me will be implemented through four activities : -implementation of research, technological development and demonstration programmes, by promoting cooperation with and between undertakings, research centres and universities; -promotion of cooperation in the field of Community research, technological development and demonstration with third countries and international organizations; -dissemination and optimization of the results of activities in Community research, technological development and demonstration; -stimulation of training and mobility of researchers in the Community. With a view to concentration and selectivity, areas of priority research in each one of these activities will be grouped together in a number of core thematic areas. The technical details of the contents of the various activities will be given later in the specific programmes. The core thematic areas will in turn be grouped in relation to the specific programmes. In the establishment and definition of these core thematic areas (number

ing 35 for the first activity), the Commission stresses that the principle of subsidiarity has, for the first time, been explicitly taken into consideration. Here, the five cases of application of the principle of subsidiarity to RTD identified by the communication "Research after Maastricht" can serve as references : "Big Science" activities, technological priority projects, activities designed to organize the single market, pre-nominative research, and finally activities to assist the European's scientific community. Research areas which have been pinpointed by the Fourth Framework Programme can be divided into two major fields. The first of these is science and technology in the service of industrial innovation. The main aim here is to strengthen the scientific and technological bases of community industry and to encourage it to become more competitive at an international level. The core thematic areas related to this include basic information technology research, image technologies and advanced manufac

turing technologies. The Maastricht Treaty has formally conferred on RTD policy a mandate to provide scientific support for all Community policies. Accordingly, the second major field is science and technology for society and for Europe. It covers the vast spectrum of matters relating to the quality of individual and social life. The many and varied core thematic areas linked to this field include science and technology for a new type of urban environment, conservation of Europe's cultural heritage, the fight against social exclusion, change in the global climate, natural hazards, major public health problems in Europe, sources of renewable energy, and nuclear safety. The development of generic technologies - on which the competitiveness of European industry depends - should be given a prominent place in the implementation of the Fourth Framework Programme. Already covered by conventional programmes, generic technologies would also be at the centre of a number of "technological priority projects" proposed by

enterprises on their own initiative. Implementing these actions may lead to a reinforcement of cooperation between Community programmes and EUREKA projects, with the Community being responsible for the pre-competitive part of the work. In addition to conventional activities aimed at the dissemination and optimization of the results of activities in Community research, in particular via the development of networks of relay centers created in the context of the VALUE programme, a new financial engineering initiative specifically dedicated to SMEs would also be implemented. The use of a specific "valorisation" fund should provide SMEs participating in Community programmes with extra support to exploit the results of their research activities. As far as the budgetary aspect is concerned, the Commission has simply taken the amounts indicated in the COM(92) 2001 document on the Community's financial perspective 1993 to 1997. The envisaged resources cover all preparatory and accompanying actions which are to be ca

rried out as horizontal support measures.