Public expenditure on research is increasingly declining throughout the EC Member States. For example, in the larger Federal Republic of Germany, the per capita expenditure on research is currently less than in the old federal republic, even though it is obvious that industrial reconstruction in the five new Federal states is only possible if underpinned by a strong scientific foundation. Germany is not an exception: France and other EC Member states are also cutting back on investment in the future. As far as EC research is concerned, there is presently concern that the Council will reduce the amount of funding recommended by the Commission. It cannot be excluded that in 1993, nominally less money will be available than in 1992. Furthermore some of the ventures declared as research projects are quite plainly industrial ventures. If the improvement of television studios is carried out as part of the HDTV Project and the experiment labelled research, this amounts to a fraudulent use of resources. The value of

research policy has diminished since the 1980s. Moreover, the problem is not only getting worse within the European Community. We must also increasingly take into account our responsibilities to Eastern Europe or the Third World. Nonetheless, everything began well. In the 1980s, the EC's research policy had a good press. Whether it concerned microelectronics or telecommunications, EC research policy made cross-border cooperation a routine occurrence. Should we now be concerned that following the good 1980s, the "lean 90s' " have arrived? We should perhaps be thinking about new forms of financing. The innovation cycle is getting shorter and investment - even for larger firms - is getting more and more risky. That Toshiba, IBM and Siemens are obliged to join together to develop the technology for the 256 megabyte-chip demonstrates that even the largest companies are no longer in the position to take such a risk alone. There is a need for new forms of risk financing, in which the EIB can play a new role. As it

is, the "strategic alliances" such as the above-mentioned raise the question of what remains of Europe's industrial autonomy. Should we not be striving for an international division of labour, governed less by competition and more cooperation? One should not disregard the fact that a country is only of value as a partner if its scientific standard is a high one. The finance ministers advise us to be frugal. But is it not as important to spend money in a sensible manner? In the end, knowledge will be needed in order to enable a growing world population to live in harmony with nature. Technology must today be understood as a social process that has not only a national, but also a European and an international dimension. Europe invests too little in these future tasks. The improvement of the nutritional situation of the world population, climate policy and the production and supply of clean energy are global problems. New agreements with third countries must contain the possibility for cooperation with the EC

in the areas of science and technology, with particular application to third worlds countries. Other possible areas of relevance are traffic, education, telecommunications, biotechnology and environment. Research and technology must take on a global dimension in order also to become an element of development aid policy.

Dr. Rolf Linkohr, MEP