A3-0318/93

Resolution on the exploitation of the results of technological research and innovation in the European Community

The European Parliament,

-having regard to the motion for a resolution by Mr Seligman on the dissemination, valorisation and exploitation of the results of Community scientific research (B3-1545/92),

-having regard to the report of the Committee on Energy, Research and Technology (A3-0318/93),

A.whereas, although the level of basic and applied research in Europe is very high, European enterprises often prove less efficient than their competitors at converting and integrating the results of this research into innovative processes which would ultimately lead to new processes, products and services, this being a decisive factor in the loss of competitiveness,

B.whereas pre-competitive research carried out in the context of Community R&D policy does not in itself guarantee any technological innovation to make European enterprises more competitive,

C.whereas the innovation and transfer of technology are an obligatory complement to pre-competitive R&D programmes in order to pass the results of research on to the market in the form of new processes, products or services,

D.whereas technology is not an end in itself but rather a means of solving problems; whereas those holding political responsibility should take account of the demand for technology and not only its supply, and of its dissemination throughout the economy rather than just its development,

E.whereas the Community is less successful than its competitors in exploiting the benefits of research and development, innovation and transfer of technology being the weak point of Community policy on science and technology,

F.whereas competitors such as Japan allocate 60% of their R&D expenditure to innovation and transfer of technology whilst the provision for the dissemination and optimization of R&D results and innovation and transfer of technology represents less than 4.5% of the current Third Framework Programme and the proposed Fourth Framework Programme,

G.whereas the usefulness of contributing to the dissemination and exploitation of the results of research concerns not only research carried out with Community funding but also national research; whereas there is an analogous need to promote the transfer of available technology whatever its origin,

H.whereas many small and medium-sized enterprises have a greater need for available proven technologies than for new technologies resulting from recent Community or national research and development; whereas these available technologies should be made widely known and adapted to new uses, often through a transfer between different sectors of industry, requiring centralization and the ability to operate across the boundaries of different disciplines,

I.whereas special account should be taken of industrial and service SMEs whose competitiveness depends on the assimilation of new technologies but which lack the ability or means to carry out research or to exploit its results,

J.whereas an effective policy for innovation and transfer of technology would above all benefit regions which possess a well-established business infrastructure, and for this reason measures targeting peripheral regions with a low level of industrial development will have to be adopted jointly with the national and regional authorities,

K.whereas, by their very nature and due to their business interests, contract research associations and other similar organizations are highly interested in achieving the transfer of technology and the exploitation and dissemination of the results of research,

1.Considers that, in order to promote the generation of new processes, products and services in European enterprises, there is a need for an ambitious and well-funded programme, complementing the pre-competitive R&D Framework Programme, aimed at promoting the innovation and transfer of technology in Community enterprises, and targeting SMEs in particular;

2.Considers that until the necessary financial means are available to launch this major Community Programme for Innovation and Transfer of Technology and for the duration of the Fourth Framework Programme for R&D, at least 10% of total R&D expenditure should be allocated to the dissemination and exploitation of R&D results and to promote innovation and transfer of technology;

3.Emphasizes the need for a centralized means of effecting interdisciplinary transfers, to create common infrastructures (liaison centres, CORDIS etc.) and to make specialized staff available for the specific programmes;

4.Advocates that a contractual obligation to exploit and disseminate the results of research be included in the planning and execution of each specific programme and that adequate funding for this be provided by the specific programmes themselves;

5.Feels that the machinery for the dissemination and exploitation of the results of research should be included at the project planning stage as a means of helping to ensure that the companies involved with a product make the results available to the market;

6.Calls on the Commission to submit jointly with the European Investment Bank a new concept of venture capital in the field of research, taking particular account of the private and public sources of venture capital for the transfer of technology, dissemination and exploitation by small and medium-sized enterprises (fund for the integration of technology for SMEs);

7.Considers that contract research organizations should play a key role as agents for technology transfer, particularly within the context of specific programmes;

8.Considers that the major research projects should include, in addition to the enterprises and laboratories involved in R&D, a series of small and medium-sized enterprises interested in the possible application of the results, who would be the future users of the resultant technology;

9.Calls on the Commission to promote the establishment at Community level of a strong infrastructure for the transfer of technology, building on the existing structures at a local, regional and national level, establishing transnational networks to develop a technology transfer culture, and considers that the activities developed through these networks should be particularly targeted at small and medium sized enterprises and regions with a low level of economic development;

10.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, Council and governments of the Member States.