RECOMMENDATION on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Union and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan setting out the terms and conditions for the participation of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA)

14.11.2017 - (11966/2017 – C8‑0343/2017 – 2017/0200(NLE)) - ***

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy
Rapporteur: Sofia Sakorafa

DRAFT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION

on the draft Council decision on the conclusion of the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Union and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan setting out the terms and conditions for the participation of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA)

(11966/2017 – C8‑0343/2017 – 2017/0200(NLE))

(Consent)

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the draft Council decision (11966/2017),

–  having regard to the draft agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Union and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan setting out the terms and conditions for the participation of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) (11927/2017),

–  having regard to Decision (EU) 2017/1324 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2017 on the participation of the Union in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) jointly undertaken by several Member States[1],

–  having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 186 and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C8-0343/2017),

–  having regard to Rule 99(1) and (4) and Rule 108(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

–  having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A8-0355/2017),

1.  Gives its consent to conclusion of the agreement;

2.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

• [1]    OJ L 185, 18.7.2017, p. 1.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

In July 2017 the European Parliament adopted the new Partnership on Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) with a vast majority.

PRIMA is the first ever, Public-to-Public Partnership under Article 185 TFEU to target a specific geographical area, the Mediterranean Basin, including the participation of neighbouring EU countries.

For a period of 10 years and planned launching on 1-1-2018, the overall aim of PRIMA is the development and the adoption of innovative and integrated solutions for improving the efficiency, safety, security and sustainability of agro-food and water provision and management systems in the Mediterranean area.

PRIMA’s specific objective is to coordinate, strengthen, intensify, widen and align the currently fragmented research and innovation national programmes of these sectors within a multi-actor, multidimensional comprehensive and integrated approach.

I consider PRIMA to be one of the rare attempts of EU science diplomacy that could also help address the forced displacement of the Mediterranean residents, therefore to address some of the root causes of migration. It is so far, the largest Euro-Mediterranean research and innovation initiative in this field, a unique opportunity for EU member states and Mediterranean third countries to join forces and an excellent example of how EU research and innovation is open to the world.

19 countries are jointly undertaking PRIMA, 11 Member States, 3 associated countries to Horizon 2020 and 5 third countries with which the international agreements for scientific and technological cooperation need to be concluded as stipulated in Article 1(2) of the decision. Therefore, after the adoption of the new Partnership on Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) in July 2017, the European Commission has negotiated a series of international agreements with those third countries.

Given the fact that PRIMA will soon start to develop much-needed solutions for a more sustainable management of water and agro-food systems, the aim of these agreements is to enable these countries to participate as of January 2018.

In this context, I welcome the Commission proposal on the agreements already concluded with Algeria, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon and I call on all ITRE members to give their consent along the legislative procedure.

PROCEDURE – COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

Title	Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Union and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan setting out the terms and conditions for participation of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA)
References	11966/2017 – C8-0343/2017 – COM(2017)0434 – 2017/0200(NLE)
Date of consultation / request for consent	6.10.2017
Committee responsible        Date announced in plenary	ITRE 23.10.2017
Committees asked for opinions        Date announced in plenary	AFET 23.10.2017
Not delivering opinions        Date of decision	AFET 10.10.2017
Rapporteurs        Date appointed	Sofia Sakorafa 11.10.2017
Discussed in committee	12.10.2017
Date adopted	6.11.2017
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	43 1 0
Members present for the final vote	Bendt Bendtsen, Jonathan Bullock, Reinhard Bütikofer, Angelo Ciocca, Jakop Dalunde, Pilar del Castillo Vera, Christian Ehler, Fredrick Federley, Adam Gierek, Theresa Griffin, Kaja Kallas, Barbara Kappel, Peter Kouroumbashev, Zdzisław Krasnodębski, Christelle Lechevalier, Janusz Lewandowski, Edouard Martin, Miroslav Poche, Carolina Punset, Paul Rübig, Massimiliano Salini, Sven Schulze, Claude Turmes, Vladimir Urutchev, Henna Virkkunen, Martina Werner, Lieve Wierinck, Anna Záborská, Flavio Zanonato, Carlos Zorrinho
Substitutes present for the final vote	Eugen Freund, Françoise Grossetête, Benedek Jávor, Jude Kirton-Darling, Olle Ludvigsson, Vladimír Maňka, Răzvan Popa, Dennis Radtke, Sofia Sakorafa, Pavel Telička
Substitutes under Rule 200(2) present for the final vote	Inés Ayala Sender, Michael Gahler, György Hölvényi, Agnes Jongerius
Date tabled	14.11.2017

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

43	+
ALDE	Fredrick Federley, Kaja Kallas, Carolina Punset, Pavel Telicka, Lieve Wierinck
ECR	Zdzisław Krasnodębski
ENF	Angelo Ciocca, Barbara Kappel, Christelle Lechevalier
GUE	Sofia Sakorafa
PPE	Bendt Bendtsen, Christian Ehler, Michael Gahler, Françoise Grossetête, György Hölvényi, Janusz Lewandowski, Dennis Radtke,, Paul Rübig, Massimiliano Salini, Sven Schulze, Vladimir Urutchev, Henna Virkkunen, Anna Záborská, Pilar del Castillo Vera
S&D	Inés Ayala Sender, Eugen Freund, Adam Gierek, Theresa Griffin, Agnes Jongerius, Jude Kirton-Darling, Peter Kouroumbashev, Olle Ludvigsson, Vladimír Maňka, Edouard Martin, Miroslav Poche, Răzvan Popa, Martina Werner, Flavio Zanonato, Carlos Zorrinho
VERTS/ALE	Reinhard Bütikofer, Jakop Dalunde, Benedek Jávor, Claude Turmes

1	-
EFDD	Jonathan Bullock

0	0

Key to symbols:

+  :  in favour

-  :  against

0  :  abstention