European Parliament legislative resolution on the initiative by the Kingdom of the Netherlands with a view to the adoption of a Council Decision on strengthening cross-border police cooperation with regard to meetings attended by large numbers of people from more than one Member State, at which policing is primarily aimed at maintaining law and order and security and preventing and combating criminal offences (6930/2005 – C6-0117/2005 – 2005/0804(CNS) )

P6_TA-PROV(2006)0297 A6-0222/2006

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament ,

–   having regard to the initiative by the Kingdom of the Netherlands (6930/2005)(1) ,

–   having regard to Article 34(2)(c) of the EU Treaty,

–   having regard to Article 39(1) of the EU Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C6-0117/2005 ),

–   having regard to Rules 93 and 51 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (A6-0222/2006 ),

1.   Approves the initiative by the Kingdom of the Netherlands as amended;

2.   Calls on the Council to amend the text accordingly;

3.   Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

4.   Calls on the Council to consult Parliament again if it intends to amend the initiative by the Kingdom of the Netherlands substantially;

5.   Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission, and the government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Text proposed by the Kingdom of the Netherlands   Amendments by Parliament Amendment 1 Recital 3 a (new) (3a) The basis for this Decision is the Council Conclusions of 13 July 2001 on security at European Council meetings and other comparable events. Amendment 2 Recital 3 b (new) (3b) This Decision builds on the arrangements provided for in Joint Action 97/339/JHA of 26 May 1997 adopted by the Council on the basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union with regard to cooperation on law and order and security 1 and the Council Resolution of 29 April 2004 on security at European Council meetings and other comparable events 2 . _________________ 1 OJ L 147, 5.6.1997, p. 1. 2 OJ C 116, 30.4.2004, p. 18. Amendment 3 Recital 4 (4)   In the light of that trend, and following on from earlier initiatives1 , it is necessary to step up international police cooperation in this area. _________________ 1 Council Resolution of 29 April 2004 on security at European Council meetings and other comparable events (OJ C 116, 30.4.2004, p. 18). (4)   In the light of that trend, and following on from earlier initiatives, it is necessary to step up international police cooperation in this area, in accordance with the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity and in compliance with European rules on the protection of privacy . Amendment 4 Recital 5 (5)    The possibilities afforded by the Schengen acquis are insufficient to ensure effective cross border assistance, deleted Amendment 5 Article 3, paragraph 1 1.   In the last quarter of each calendar year the Presidency of the Council shall present an overview of the international assistance expected to be required in the following calendar year. 1.   In the last quarter of each calendar year the Presidency of the Council shall present an overview of the international assistance expected to be required in the following calendar year. If, following the expiry of that period, a Member State requests assistance in connection with an unanticipated event, the Presidency shall immediately add that event to the overview and notify the Council thereof in confidence. Amendment 6 Article 3, paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. This mechanism shall be complementary to the one established in Joint Action 97/339/JHA. Amendment 7 Article 4, paragraph 5 5.    The Presidency shall send the review referred to in paragraph 1 to the Council for confidential perusal. deleted Amendment 8 Article 5 1.   The General Secretariat of the Council shall assist the Member States by researching existing agreements on cross-border assistance. 1.   The General Secretariat of the Council shall assist the Member States by researching existing agreements on cross-border assistance. 2.   Member States shall forward the texts of such agreements to the General Secretariat of the Council no later than six months after the entry into force of this Decision . 2.   Member States shall forward the texts of existing agreements and of new initiatives or those in the process of being developed to the General Secretariat of the Council. 3.   Within one year at the latest, the Council shall discuss, on the basis of the results of the research referred to in the first paragraph, whether the main difficulties observed can be resolved by adapting the relevant European legislation, and in particular the Schengen Convention . 3.   On the basis of the information obtained, the Council shall discuss the bottlenecks and difficulties observed and whether it is necessary to adapt the relevant European legislation.

(1) OJ C 101, 27.4.2005, p. 36.

European Parliament legislative resolution on the Council common position for adopting a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down technical requirements for inland waterway vessels and repealing Council Directive 82/714/EEC (13274/1/2005 – C6-0091/2006 – 1997/0335(COD) )

P6_TA-PROV(2006)0298 A6-0208/2006

(Codecision procedure: Second reading)

The European Parliament ,

–   having regard to the Council common position (13274/1/2005 – C6-0091/2006 ),

–   having regard to its position at first reading(1) on the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(1997)0644 )(2) ,

–   having regard to the amended Commission proposal (COM(2000)0419 )(3) ,

–   having regard to Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty,

–   having regard to Rule 62 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the recommendation for second reading of the Committee on Transport and Tourism (A6-0208/2006 ),

1.   Approves the common position as amended;

2.   Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and the Commission.

Council common position   Amendments by Parliament Amendment 1 Recital 10 a (new) (10a) Given that some vessels fall within the scope of Directive 94/25/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 June 1994 on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to recreational craft* as well as of this directive, the annexes of the two directives should be adjusted by the committee procedure as soon as possible if there are any contradictions or inconsistencies between the provisions of those directives. _____________ *OJ L 164, 30.6.1994, p. 15. Directive as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1882/2003 (OJ L 284, 31.10.2003, p.1).

(1) OJ C 341, 9.11.1998, p. 34 and OJ C 54, 25.2.2000, p. 79. (2) OJ C 105, 6.4.1998, p. 1. (3) Not yet published in OJ.

European Parliament legislative resolution on the Council common position for adopting a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 3922/91 on the harmonisation of technical requirements and administrative procedures in the field of civil aviation (13376/1/2005 – C6-0090/2006 – 2000/0069 (COD))

P6_TA-PROV(2006)0299 A6-0212/2006

(Codecision procedure: second reading)

The European Parliament ,

–   having regard to the Council common position (13376/1/2005 – C6-0090/2006 ),

–   having regard to its positions at first reading(1) on the Commission proposal to Parliament and the Council (COM(2000)0121 )(2) and on the amended proposal (COM(2002)0030 )(3)

–   having regard to the amended Commission proposal (COM(2004)0073 )(4) ,

–   having regard to Article 251(2) of the EC Treaty,

–   having regard to Rule 62 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the recommendation for second reading of the Committee on Transport and Tourism (A6-0212/2006 ),

1.   Approves the common position as amended;

2.   Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission.

Council common position   Amendments by Parliament Amendment 19/rev RECITAL 6 A (new) (6a) The aim of this Regulation is to provide harmonised safety standards of a high level, including in the field of flight and duty time limitations and rest periods. In some Member States collective labour agreements and/or legislation exists which provides for better conditions as regards flight and duty time limitations and as regards working conditions for cabin crew. Nothing in this Regulation should be interpreted as limiting the possibility of concluding or retaining such agreements. Member States are allowed to maintain legislation which contains more favourable provisions than those laid down in this Regulation. Amendment 20/rev RECITAL 12 (12)   A scientific and medical evaluation of the provisions on flight and duty time limitations and rest requirements and, as appropriate, of the provisions on cabin crews should be made within a period of three years following the entry into force of this Regulation. (12)   A scientific and medical evaluation of the provisions on flight and duty time limitations and rest requirements and, where relevant , of the provisions on cabin crews should be made within a period of two years following the entry into force of this Regulation. Amendment 21/rev ARTICLE 1, POINT -1 (new) Recital 9 a (new) (Regulation (EEC) No 3922/91) -1.    The following recital shall be inserted after recital 9: "(9a) Whereas the application of provisions regarding flight and duty time limitations can result in significant disruption of rosters for undertakings the operating models of which are exclusively based on night-time operation; whereas, the Commission should, on the basis of evidence to be provided by the parties concerned, carry out an assessment and propose an adjustment of the provisions regarding flight and duty time limitations to take account of these special operating models;" Amendment 22/rev ARTICLE 1, POINT -1 A (new) Rectial 10 a (new) (Regulation (EEC) No 3922/91) -1a. The following recital shall be inserted after recital 10: "(10a) Whereas, by … *, the European Aviation Safety Agency should complete a scientific and medical evaluation of Subpart Q and, where relevant, of Subpart O of Annex III. On the basis of the results of this evaluation, and in accordance with the procedure referred to in this Regulation, the Commission should, if necessary, draw up and submit proposals without delay to amend the relevant technical provisions; ___________ * Two years following the date of entry into force of this Regulation." Amendment 23/rev ARTICLE 1, POINT -1 B (new) Recital 10 b (new) (Regulation EEC) No 3922/91) -1b. The following recital shall be inserted after recital 10: "(10b) Whereas, in the review of certain provisions referred to in Article 8a the course towards further harmonisation of cabin crew training requirements hitherto adopted should be maintained, in order to facilitate the free movement of cabin crew personnel within the Community; in this context, the possibility of further harmonisation of cabin crew qualifications should be re-examined;" Amendment 24/rev ARTICLE 1, POINT 9 Article 8 a, paragraph 1 (Regulation (EEC) No 3922/91)/Article> (1)   By....+ the European Aviation Safety Agency shall conclude a scientific and medical evaluation of the provisions of Subpart Q and, as appropriate , of Subpart O of Annex III. (1)   By...? + the European Aviation Safety Agency shall conclude a scientific and medical evaluation of the provisions of Subpart Q and, where relevant , of Subpart O of Annex III. _______ + Three years following the date of entry into force of this Regulation. _________ + Two years following the date of entry into force of this Regulation. Amendments 16 and 25/rev ARTICLE 1, POINT 9 Article 8 a, paragraph 2 (Regulation (EEC) No 3922/91) 2.   Without prejudice to Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 1592/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 July 2002 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Aviation Safety Agency, the European Aviation Safety Agency shall assist the Commission in the preparation of proposals for the modification of the applicable technical provisions of Subpart Q of Annex III. 2.   Without prejudice to Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 1592/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 July 2002 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Aviation Safety Agency, the European Aviation Safety Agency shall assist the Commission in the preparation of proposals for the modification of the applicable technical provisions of Subpart O and Subpart Q of Annex III.

(1) OJ C 262, 18.9.2001, p. 224 and OJ C 272 E, 13.11.2003, p. 103. (2) OJ C 311 E, 31.10.2000, p. 13. (3) OJ C 227 E, 24.9.2002, p. 1. (4) Not yet published in OJ.

European Parliament legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council directive on the supervision and control of shipments of radioactive waste and nuclear spent fuel (COM(2005)0673 – C6-0031/2006 – 2005/0272(CNS) )

P6_TA-PROV(2006)0300 A6-0174/2006

(Consultation procedure)

The European Parliament ,

–   having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council (COM(2005)0673 )(1) ,

–   having regard to Articles 31(2) and 32 of the Euratom Treaty, pursuant to which the Council consulted Parliament (C6-0031/2006 ),

–   having regard to Rule 51 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (A6-0174/2006 ),

1.   Approves the Commission proposal as amended;

2.   Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 119, second paragraph, of the Euratom Treaty;

3.   Calls on the Council to notify Parliament if it intends to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

4.   Asks the Council to consult Parliament again if it intends to amend the Commission proposal substantially;

5.   Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council and Commission.

Text proposed by the Commission   Amendments by Parliament Amendment 1 Recital 1 a (new) (1a) By Council Decision 2005/84/Euratom of 24 January 2005 1 , the European Atomic Energy Community acceded to the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management. ___________ 1 OJ L 30, 3.2.2005, p. 10. Amendment 2 Recital 6 (6)   Lack of a Community common fuel cycle policy , each Member State remains responsible for the choice of its own policy on the management of the nuclear waste and spent fuel that are under its jurisdiction; the provisions of this Directive should therefore be without prejudice to the right of Member States to export their spent fuel for reprocessing and to their right to refuse the entry into their territory of radioactive waste for final treatment or disposal , except in the case of reshipment. (6)   Each Member State remains responsible for the choice of its own policy on the management of the nuclear waste and spent fuel that are under its jurisdiction, s ome considering spent fuel as a usable resource that can be reprocessed, others electing to dispose of it ; the provisions of this Directive should therefore be without prejudice to the right of Member States of origin to export their spent fuel for reprocessing and to the right of Member States of destination to refuse the entry into their territory of (i) radioactive waste for final treatment, except in the case of reshipment, and (ii) spent fuel for final disposal . Amendment 3 Recital 8 (8)   Simplification of the existing procedure should not hamper the existing rights of the Member States to object to or set conditions to a shipment of radioactive waste which require their approval . Objections should not be arbitrary and should be founded on relevant national or international provisions that can be easily identified . Relevant legislation is not limited to sectoral transport legislation. This Directive should be without prejudice to the rights and obligations of Member States under international law, and in particular to the exercise, by ships and aircraft of maritime, river and air navigation rights and freedoms, as provided for in international law. (8)   Simplification of the existing procedure should not hamper the existing rights of the Member States to object to or set conditions to a shipment of radioactive waste which require their consent . Objections should not be arbitrary and should be founded on relevant national, Community or international provisions as set out in this Directive . Relevant legislation is not limited to sectoral transport legislation. This Directive should be without prejudice to the rights and obligations of Member States under international law, and in particular to the exercise, by ships and aircraft of maritime, river and air navigation rights and freedoms, as provided for in international law. Amendment 4 Recital 8 a (new) (8a) Each Member State remains fully responsible for the management of radioactive waste and spent fuel under its jurisdiction; nothing in this Directive should imply that a Member State of destination must accept shipments of radioactive waste and spent fuel for final treatment or disposal except where the waste or fuel is for reshipment. Any refusal of such shipments should be justified on the basis of the criteria set out in this Directive. Amendment 5 Article 1, paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. This Directive is without prejudice to rights and obligations under international law, including, but not limited to, the right of innocent passage and right of transit passage enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Amendment 6 Article 3, point 1 (1) "radioactive waste " means radioactive material in gaseous, liquid or solid form for which no further use is foreseen by the countries of origin and destination, or by a natural or legal person whose decision is accepted by these countries, and/or which is controlled as radioactive waste by a regulatory body under the legislative and regulatory framework of the countries of origin, transit and destination; (1) "radioactive waste " means radioactive material in gaseous, liquid or solid form for which no further use is foreseen by the countries of origin and destination, or by a natural or legal person whose decision is accepted by these countries, and which is controlled as radioactive waste by a regulatory body under the legislative and regulatory framework of the countries of origin and destination; Amendment 7 Article 3, point 2 (2) "spent fuel " means nuclear fuel that has been irradiated in and permanently removed from a reactor core; (2) "spent fuel " means nuclear fuel that has been irradiated in and permanently removed from a reactor core; spent fuel may either be considered as a usable resource that can be reprocessed or be destined for final disposal with no further use foreseen and treated as radioactive waste. Amendment 8 Article 5, paragraph 1 a (new) The competent authorities of the Member States involved shall take the necessary measures to ensure that all information regarding shipments covered by this Directive is handled with due care and protected against any misuse. Amendment 9 Article 5 a (new) Article 5a Acknowledgment of receipt of the application by the competent authorities Not later than 15 calendar days from the date of the receipt of the application by the competent authorities of the Member State of destination and of any Member State of transit, those authorities shall: (a) send an acknowledgement of receipt of the application to the competent authorities of the Member State of origin, provided that the application is duly completed in compliance with the provisions of Article 14; or (b) where the application is not duly completed as set out in point (a), request the missing information from the competent authorities of the Member State of origin and inform the competent authorities of the Member State of destination and other Member States of transit, if any, of such request. A copy of that request shall be transmitted to the holder. The sending of such a request shall have the effect of suspending the time-limit for issuing an acknowledgement of receipt. The missing information shall be sent by the competent authorities of the Member State of origin to the competent authorities of the Member States concerned without undue delay. Not later than seven calendar days after the date of receipt of the missing information, the competent authorities of the Member State of destination or transit by which it had been requested shall send an acknowledgement of receipt of the duly completed application to the competent authorities of the Member State of origin. Amendment 10 Article 6, paragraph 1 1.   Not later than one month from the date of receipt of the duly completed application by the competent authorities of the Member State of destination and of any Member State of transit, they shall issue an acknowledgement of receipt. Not later than three months from the date of receipt of the duly completed application the competent authorities of the Member State of destination and of any Member State of transit shall notify the competent authorities of the country of origin of their consent or of the conditions which they consider necessary or of their refusal to grant consent. 1.   Not later than two months from the date of the acknowledgement of receipt the competent authorities of the Member State of destination and of any Member State of transit shall notify the competent authorities of the Member State of origin of their consent or of the conditions which they consider necessary for granting consent or of their refusal to grant consent. However, the competent authorities of the Member State of destination or of any Member State of transit may request a further period of not more than one month in addition to the period referred to in the second subparagraph to make their position known. However, the competent authorities of the Member State of destination or of any Member State of transit may request a further period of not more than one month in addition to the period referred to in the first subparagraph to make their position known. Amendment 11 Article 6, paragraph 2 2.   If upon expiry of the periods referred to in the second and third subparagraphs of paragraph 1 no reply has been received from the competent authorities of the Member State of destination and/or the intended Member States of transit, those countries shall be deemed to have given their consent for the shipment requested provided that the acknowledgement of receipt referred to in paragraph 1 has been received from those countries. 2.   If upon expiry of the periods referred to in the first or second subparagraph of paragraph 1 no reply has been received from the competent authorities of the Member State of destination and/or the intended Member States of transit, those countries shall be deemed to have given their consent for the shipment requested. Amendment 12 Article 6, paragraph 3, point (b) b) for the Member State of destination, on relevant legislation applicable to the management of radioactive waste or spent fuel and on relevant national, Community or international legislation applicable to transport of radioactive material. b) for the Member State of destination, on relevant legislation applicable to the management of radioactive waste or spent fuel or on relevant national, Community or international legislation applicable to transport of radioactive material. Amendment 13 Article 6, paragraph 3, subparagraph 2 a (new) The same consent and refusal procedure shall be applied for both shipments of radioactive waste and shipments of spent fuel for disposal. Amendment 14 Article 9, paragraph 2 2.   Where a shipment cannot be completed or if the conditions for shipment are not complied with in accordance with the provisions of this Directive, the competent authorities of the Member State of origin shall ensure that the radioactive waste or the spent fuel in question is taken back by the holder, unless an alternative safe arrangement can be made. They shall ensure that the person responsible for the shipment takes corrective safety measures where necessary. 2.   Where a shipment cannot be completed or if the conditions for shipment are not complied with in accordance with the provisions of this Directive, the competent authorities of the Member State of origin shall ensure that the radioactive waste or the spent fuel in question is taken back by the holder, unless an alternative safe arrangement can be made on the basis of the applicable legislation on the management of spent fuel and radioactive waste . They shall ensure that the person responsible for the shipment takes corrective safety measures where necessary. Amendment 15 Article 9, paragraph 3 3.   The holder shall be liable for costs arising in cases where the shipment cannot or may not be completed. 3.   Where the shipment cannot or may not be completed for the reasons referred to in paragraph 1, the holder shall be primarily liable for costs arising, unless otherwise provided for either in any applicable legislation or in any contractual arrangement between the holder and any other person involved in the shipment. Amendment 16 Article 10, paragraph 1, subparagraph 3 The consignee shall be liable for costs arising in cases where the shipment cannot or may not be completed. deleted Amendment 17 Article 10, paragraph 5 5.   The Member State of destination or any Member State of transit may decide that the shipment may not be completed if the conditions for shipment are no longer complied with in accordance with the provisions of this Directive, or are not in accordance with the authorisations or consents issued pursuant to this Directive. Such Member State shall forthwith inform the competent authorities of the country of origin of this decision. The consignee will be liable for costs arising in cases where the shipment cannot or may not be completed . 5.   The Member State of destination or any Member State of transit may decide that the shipment may not be completed if the conditions for shipment are no longer complied with in accordance with the provisions of this Directive, or are not in accordance with the authorisations or consents issued pursuant to this Directive. Such Member State shall forthwith inform the competent authorities of the country of origin of this decision. Where the shipment cannot or may not be completed for the reasons referred to in the first subparagraph, the consignee shall be primarily liable for costs arising, unless otherwise provided for either in any applicable legislation or in any contractual arrangement between the consignee and any other person involved in the shipment. Amendment 18 Article 11, paragraph 5 5.   A Member State of transit may decide that the shipment may not be completed if the conditions for shipment are no longer complied with in accordance with the provisions of this Directive, or are not in accordance with the authorisations or consents issued pursuant to this Directive. Such Member State shall forthwith inform the competent authorities of the country of origin of this decision. The responsible person referred to in paragraph 1 shall be liable for costs arising in cases where the shipment cannot or may not be completed. 5.   A Member State of transit may decide that the shipment may not be completed if the conditions for shipment are no longer complied with in accordance with the provisions of this Directive, or are not in accordance with the authorisations or consents issued pursuant to this Directive. Such Member State shall forthwith inform the competent authorities of the country of origin of this decision. Where the shipment cannot or may not be completed for the reasons referred to in the first subparagraph, the responsible person referred to in paragraph 1 shall be primarily liable for costs arising, unless otherwise provided for either in any applicable legislation or in any contractual arrangement between that person and any other person involved in the shipment. Amendment 19 Article 12, paragraph 5 5.   The Member State of origin or any Member State of transit may decide that the shipment may not be completed if the conditions for shipment are no longer complied with in accordance with the provisions of this Directive, or are not in accordance with the authorisations or consents issued pursuant to this Directive. Such Member State of transit shall forthwith inform the competent authorities of the Member State of origin of this decision. Article 9, paragraph 2, applies. The holder will be liable for costs arising in cases where the shipment cannot or may not be completed. 5.   The Member State of origin or any Member State of transit may decide that the shipment may not be completed if the conditions for shipment are no longer complied with in accordance with the provisions of this Directive, or are not in accordance with the authorisations or consents issued pursuant to this Directive. Such Member State of transit shall forthwith inform the competent authorities of the Member State of origin of this decision. Article 9, paragraph 2, applies. Where the shipment cannot or may not be completed for the reasons referred to in the first subparagraph, the holder shall be primarily liable for costs arising, unless otherwise provided for either in any applicable legislation or in any contractual arrangement between the holder and any other person involved in the shipment. Amendment 20 Article 16, paragraph 1 1.   Member States shall promote agreements in order to facilitate the safe management, including the final disposal, of radioactive waste from countries that produce it in small quantities and where the establishment of appropriate facilities would not be justified from the radiological point of view. 1.   Member States shall promote agreements in order to facilitate the safe management, including the final disposal, of radioactive waste from countries that produce it in small quantities and where the establishment of appropriate facilities would not be justified from the radiological, economic, environmental and safety points of view. Such agreements shall be concluded subject to the condition that each Member State retains the right to refuse entry into its territory of spent fuel or radioactive waste for final processing or disposal, with the exception of reshipments.

(1) Not yet published in OJ.

European Parliament resolution on implementing the Community Lisbon Programme: more research and innovation - investing for growth and employment: A common approach (2006/2005(INI) )

P6_TA-PROV(2006)0301 A6-0204/2006

The European Parliament ,

–   having regard to the Commission Communication entitled "Implementing the Community Lisbon Programme: More Research and Innovation - Investing for growth and employment: A common approach" (COM(2005)0488 ) and the accompanying Commission Staff Working Documents (SEC(2005)1253 and SEC(2005)1289 ),

–   having regard to the Presidency Conclusions of the Lisbon European Council of 23 and 24 March 2000, which resolved to make the Union the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world,

–   having regard to the Presidency Conclusions of the Brussels European Council of 22 and 23 March 2005,

–   having regard to the Presidency Conclusions of the Brussels European Council of 23 and 24 March 2006,

–   having regard to the Council Recommendation 2005/601/EC of 12 July 2005 on the broad guidelines for the economic policies of the Member States and the Community (2005 to 2008)(1) ,

–   having regard to the Commission Communication entitled "Investing in research: an action plan for Europe" (COM(2003)0226 ),

–   having regard to the Commission Communication to the Spring European Council entitled "Working together for growth and jobs - A new start for the Lisbon Strategy" (COM(2005)0024 ),

–   having regard to the Commission Communication entitled "Common Actions for Growth and Employment: The Community Lisbon Programme" (COM(2005)0330 ),

–   having regard to the Commission's annual report on research and technological development activities of the European Union in 2004 (COM(2005)0517 ),

–   having regard to the Commission proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the seventh framework programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) (COM(2005)0119 ), as amended by the European Parliament in its position of 15 June 2006(2) ,

–   having regard to the Commission proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (2007-2013) (COM(2005)0121 ), as amended by the European Parliament in its position of 1 June 2006(3) ,

–   having regard to the Commission Communication entitled "Implementing the renewed partnership for growth and jobs - Developing a knowledge flagship: the European Institute of Technology" (COM(2006)0077 ),

–   having regard to the Commission Staff Working Document entitled "European Competitiveness Report 2004" (SEC(2004)1397 ),

–   having regard to the Commission Staff Working Document entitled "Benchmarking Enterprise Policy: Results from the 2004 Scoreboard" (SEC(2004)1427 ),

–   having regard to the European Innovation Scoreboard 2005 - Comparative Analysis of Innovation Performance which clearly shows that the United States and Japan are leaders in terms of innovation,

–   having regard to the Expert Group Report of July 2004 entitled "Improving institutions for the transfer of technology from science to enterprises",

–   having regard to the Expert Group Report of 2004 entitled "Management of intellectual property in publicly-funded research organisations: Towards European Guidelines",

–   having regard to the Commission report of September 2005 entitled "Employment in Europe 2005 - Recent Trends and Prospects",

–   having regard to the report of January 2006, drawn up by the Independent Expert Group on R&D and Innovation appointed following the Hampton Court Summit, entitled "Creating an Innovative Europe" ("the Aho-report"),

–   having regard to its resolution of 10 March 2005 on science and technology - Guidelines for future European Union policy to support research(4) ,

–   having regard to its resolution of 19 January 2006 on implementing the European Charter for Small Enterprises(5) ,

–   having regard to its resolution of 14 March 2006 on a European information society for growth and employment(6) ,

–   having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the opinions of the Committee on Culture and Education and the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (A6-0204/2006 ),

A.   whereas Europe lags behind the United States and Japan in terms of growth, research and productivity, failing to capitalise on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) application or to attract R&D investment into Europe,

B.   whereas increasing the resources available for R&D is a prerequisite for the successful innovation needed for economic growth and the creation of jobs,

C.   whereas reports from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) show that R&D grants help firms with strategic change and organisational routines, and improve attitudes towards technology,

D.   whereas while Europe's best companies invest at world class levels, the private sector must make a greater effort in the area of R&D,

E.   whereas the contributions of small and middle-sized enterprises (SMEs) to the development of new technology-based products and services and markets are dependent upon their capacities to innovate, increase their research efforts, outsource research, extend their networks, better exploit research results and acquire technological know-how,

F.   whereas market innovation could benefit those European sectors which directly affect Member States' citizens and account for the highest levels of GDP,

G.   whereas support organisations such as training and research centres, financial institutions, innovation and intellectual property consultants and local and regional development agencies can help to maximise firms' creative business potential,

H.   whereas Europe's weak labour market performance, inefficient use of human resources, market fragmentation and reduced labour mobility largely explain the poor progress made towards the Lisbon and Stockholm objectives,

I.   whereas structural barriers and insufficient incentives prevent greater mobility of established researchers,

J.   whereas European Technology Transfer Institutions and Innovation Relay Centres, allow faster commercialisation, a better dissemination of new technologies, the improved management of intellectual property, a better implementation of research results and better coordination with existing national and regional schemes,

K.   whereas adoption of the "Open Innovation" approach would boost R&D capacity in the EU,

L.   whereas the Commission's proposed research budget should not be back-loaded within the Financial Framework,

M.   whereas a critical mass of EU budget resources for financial instruments is necessary, to enhance SME financing, tackle market failures and optimise Community resources, leveraging public and private capital,

N.   whereas researchers need pre-seed finance in order to conduct market assessments, develop pilot and demonstration projects and working prototypes, for company start-ups and to commercialise new research products, and whereas venture capital is needed for subsequent company growth,

O.   whereas State aid provisions should be simple, transparent and effective, used only as a last resort where the market fails, and granted on a temporary basis,

1.   Urges Member States to promote entrepreneurship from the early stages of education onwards and to strengthen their support for life-long learning by actively encouraging ICT training amongst both employed and unemployed persons;

2.   Notes the Union's delays in implementing the Lisbon Strategy in the area of education and training; appeals to the Member States to take it on themselves to relaunch the Lisbon Strategy;

3.   Stresses the need to raise the profile of scientific career paths and to promote existing incentives and awards such as the Descartes, Aristotle and young scientist's awards;

4.   Calls for greater support to be given to the best European researchers, especially early-stage researchers, in the form of more attractive working conditions, the reduction of legal, administrative and geographical barriers and the equal treatment of European researchers with their foreign counterparts;

5.   Firmly supports the necessary objective of a single market for researchers, as set out by the Commission in its abovementioned communication on "Implementing the Community Lisbon Programme: More Research and Innovation - Investing for growth and employment: A common approach";

6.   Acknowledges that incentives to improve employment conditions for scientists and researchers and the ongoing training of the workforce are essential to encourage the sharing of scientific knowledge;

7.   Believes that training establishments can make a major contribution in this respect and is convinced that, firstly, contact with science and research should commence at school, and secondly, it is necessary to promote creative collaboration between university research staff and the business sector; further considers that obstacles to researchers" mobility should be eliminated by improving their status and career development, objectives which cannot be achieved without improving cooperation between Member States on taxation and the transfer of certain social benefits;

8.   Supports the European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, since these initiatives may encourage more European students to take up research at university while serving as an incentive to the best foreign researchers, who should be encouraged to pursue their research careers in Europe, either permanently, or temporarily as part of a cooperation agreement through a specific policy of granting short term visas;

9.   Calls on the EU to combat effectively its brain drain and to put in place all appropriate measures to attract excellence to its territory, among other things by promoting exchange programmes with third countries – Erasmus Mundus, for example – aimed at students, researchers, and teachers; takes the view that a European qualifications framework would be important for helping to establish a European labour market open to researchers, and supports efforts to reduce obstacles to the latter's mobility;

10.   Notes the importance of fostering a culture which celebrates innovation; urges Member States to allow innovation policy to penetrate all areas of research;

11.   Stresses the fundamental role of universities in creating and spreading knowledge and strongly recommends that their importance be enhanced by developing synergies between higher education, research, lifelong learning and the productive sectors within the economy; will therefore pay attention to the Commission report on higher education;

12.   Urges the Commission and the Member States to institute and promote European prizes for innovation;

13.   Stresses the importance of promoting the integration of products, processes and knowledge-based services and the introduction of different support systems into non-technological sectors; draws attention in this connection to the fact that non-technological innovation also encompasses social innovation and institutional innovation;

14.   Proposes offering selected SMEs which show a particular flair for innovation and business creation limited additional research support for their ventures;

15.   Recommends paying particular attention to ensuring the adequate participation of SMEs in R&D by taking concrete measures such as earmarking a portion of research funding for SMEs;

16.   Points to the need to support SMEs with regard to their research capacity;

17.   Urges Member States to create an innovation-friendly market for citizens and businesses, ensuring better regulation, standards, public procurement and intellectual property rights; urges the Commission to provide information on the protection of the intellectual property rights;

18.   Takes note of the Commissions' view that the EU must acquire a cost-effective, legally watertight and user-friendly system of intellectual property protection so as to attract technologically advanced companies; considers that the protection of intellectual property must not interfere with open access to public goods and public knowledge; urges the Commission to promote a socially inclusive knowledge-based society by supporting, for example, free and open source software and licensing concepts like the General Public License (GPL) and the Public Documentation Licence (PDL);

19.   Notes the need for regional info-points for the coordination of relevant information regarding research and innovation;

20.   Proposes the revised use of standard-setting powers to demand high technical performance levels and quickly reach agreement on new standards;

21.   Proposes the Europeanization of national clusters, conglomerates, co-operatives and consortia to increase competitive power and critical mass, including multidisciplinary research, mature industries and start-ups;

22.   Recognises the importance of creating poles and zones of innovation at regional level and of their networking with corresponding structures in other regions and Member States or third countries;

23.   Urges clear target setting in the creation of centres of excellence, all of which should have creativity labs;

24.   Notes the need for a Community patent and trademark, and for improved reciprocity between the European, United States' and Japanese patent systems; stresses that an integrated Community patent system based on democratic legal standards must be part of an innovation strategy, in which it is essential to ensure a balance between protection of industrial property, dissemination of technical knowledge and free and unrestricted competition; underlines that the purpose of the protection provided by a patent is the safeguarding of an invention and not the controlling of market sectors;

25.   Asks the Council to end the stalemate over the proposed Community patent as far as the language regime is concerned;

26.   Draws the attention of the Commission and the Member States to the recent changes concerning the protection and dissemination of scientific know-how, to the success of scientific reviews published with free access and to the "Science Commons" licence;

27.   Urges the Commission to create a general reporting system to monitor indicators such as revenues from contract research, patents filed and granted, licences and revenues from licensing, the number of active contracts, the number of client enterprises (including SMEs) and the number and development of spin-offs, with qualitative interpretation;

28.   Urges Member States to help put institutes for applied research in closer contact with industry, incubators and neighbouring science or industrial parks, enabling them to achieve critical mass;

29.   Notes that key European sectors continue to suffer from poor coordination and integration, bottlenecks, and poor knowledge management; notes that more SME involvement in European technology platforms would help address these issues;

30.   Stresses the need to support researchers in accessing pre-seed financing which would enable them to fund activities aimed at proving to investors that a new technology has a certain level of commercial and technical viability;

31.   Expresses its concern that, even if the vital importance of promoting technological research and innovation is recognised at European level, results obtained within the EU will be limited in terms of funding, performance and capacity utilisation;

32.   Notes the importance of creating spin-offs as a means to commercialise research results, and, in particular, the importance of providing credit facilities for this purpose;

33.   Stresses the need for a more developed system of public-private partnerships to improve the quality of research by providing up-to-date equipment, infrastructure and services;

34.   Welcomes the important role of business angels in providing otherwise unavailable investment to innovative firms, especially SMEs;

35.   Notes that eco-innovation, in particular methods of boosting energy efficiency, offers competitive advantages to European companies;

36.   Notes that individually negotiated loans and grants, where the precise form of the instrument is determined in close contact with customers, will lead to the effective use of funds in terms of volume and time-to-market, focused on real needs;

37.   Notes that adequate venture capital is necessary for the creation, growth, boosting and bringing together of research and innovation amongst new entrepreneurial firms;

38.   Urges the Commission, in cooperation with the Member States, to provide SMEs with a framework of structural assistance to upgrade their knowledge management and technological resources, enabling them to play an active role in a demand-led innovation market and become actively involved in technological research and development;

39.   Observes that it is necessary to provide SMEs with improved access to funding;

40.   Supports the idea, endorsed by the March 2006 Brussels European Council, of easier and wider access to loans from the European Investment Bank for businesses, particularly SMEs which are most in need of encouragement in the field of innovation and research;

41.   Proposes that structural funds should be seen as a key means of supporting research and innovation capacity, especially in the pursuit of cohesion; proposes a trebling of the amount of structural funds to be spent on research and innovation;

42.   Notes that using public procurement to foster research and innovation is key but that it should not distort competition or favour major market players;

43.   Considers that public procurement should not be limited to providing private investment inducements but should play a strategic role, inspiring companies to promote innovation and acquire fresh know-how;

44.   Recognises, that networking between SMEs and large contractors from both the private and the public sector can play an important role in reinforcing innovation; emphasises that public provision of innovative products at both national and Community level can help to fill gaps in the market and promote innovative products and services in general;

45.   Commends the sweeping reform of the EU's State aid rules, shifting subsidies from big, ailing companies to small and innovative businesses;

46.   Notes that flexibility and transparency are prerequisites for innovation;

47.   Considers it necessary to find a wider range of ways to secure investment in research equipment;

48.   Proposes the implementation of a tax credit system to encourage the service sector to take an interest in research findings and their implementation;

49.   Proposes a "single fund structure" to avoid the double taxation of investors located in one Member State investing through a fund in another;

50.   Emphasises the need to examine whether the current structures and mechanisms with particular expertise in innovation are adequate to ensure a broad approach to innovation and able to promote it by contributing to a better coordination of action and policies;

51.   Asks the Council to report annually to the European Parliament on the trends in investment from national budgets in public research (the objective being 1% of GDP);

52.   Notes that the objective of investing 3% of EU GDP in research by 2010 will probably not be achieved; regrets that at the March 2006 Brussels European Council the Member States did not make firmer commitments in favour of research and innovation; regrets that they did not fix a minimum target for increasing public aid in 2010;

53.   Believes that Community instruments such as the i2010 strategy, the seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities and the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme can contribute to bridging the gap between research findings and financial gain;

54.   Stresses that improved research and innovation policies must contribute to new employment opportunities through sustainable development, with a focus on eco-innovation and sustainable production (e.g. solar-hydrogen technologies, wind energy, fuel cells, biomass, plant based chemical industry), eco-efficient services (energy conservation, mobility services, re-use and recycling) and sustainable engineering and management methods (e.g. bionics, Integrated Product Policy);

55.   Welcomes the Commission's recommendation that within the framework of the "Better Regulation" initiative, the impact assessment should include assessments of the effects of recommendations in the field of research and innovation;

56.   Calls on the Member States to make better use of the European funds allocated to them and draws attention to those Member States which have put job creation at the heart of their plans by investing more than 35% of the appropriations from the European Social Fund in the modernisation of their education and training systems;

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

(1) OJ L 205, 6.8.2005, p. 28. (2) Text Adopted , P6_TA(2006)0265 . (3) Texts Adopted, P6_TA(2006)0230 . (4) OJ C 320 E, 15.12.2005, p. 259. (5) Texts Adopted , P6_TA(2006)0022 . (6) Texts Adopted , P6_TA(2006)0079 .

European Parliament resolution on a policy framework to strengthen EU manufacturing - towards a more integrated approach for industrial policy (2006/2003(INI) )

P6_TA-PROV(2006)0302 A6-0206/2006

The European Parliament ,

–   having regard to the communication from the Commission entitled 'Implementing the Community Lisbon Programme: A policy framework to strengthen EU manufacturing - towards a more integrated approach for industrial policy' (COM(2005)0474 ),

–   having regard to the Commission Staff Working Documents accompanying that communication (SEC(2005)1215 , SEC(2005)1216 and SEC(2005)1217 ),

–   having regard to the conclusions of the Competitiveness Council of 28 November 2005,

–   having regard to the Presidency conclusions of the Brussels European Council of 23 and 24 March 2006,

–   having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee to the aforementioned Commission communication (INT/288 – CESE 595/2006),

–   having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

–   having regard to the report of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy and the opinion of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (A6-0206/2006 ),

A.   whereas the abovementioned Commission communication outlines, on the basis of a detailed screening of the competitiveness of 27 individual sectors, a work programme for industrial policy in manufacturing industries for the coming years,

B.   whereas a dynamic and highly competitive industrial sector and high social and environmental standards are the ingredients of the European model of economic development,

C.   whereas the EU manufacturing industry provides around 20% of EU output and employs some 34 million people more than half of which work in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs),

D.   whereas the Council recognises the importance of the manufacturing industry as a generator of new and innovative products,

1.   Welcomes the Commission communication, which sets out a policy framework and an enhanced work programme for the manufacturing industries for the coming years; considers this communication a major building-block for shaping a sound and balanced industrial policy by combining concrete sectoral actions with cross-sectoral policy initiatives;

2.   Recognises the important role of the manufacturing industries in the EU; points out that manufacturing, services and trade are strongly and increasingly interlinked in the modern business environment; strongly supports, therefore, the development of a coherent industrial policy at European level to tackle the challenges of globalisation;

3.   Recalls that the EU must aspire to remain a major industrial power, and not merely confine itself to developing its services sector;

4.   Considers that the EU should take care to ensure the joint development of competitiveness strategies in the industrial and service sectors and promote good practice as regards the entrepreneurial environment and entrepreneurship, including corporate social responsibility and equal opportunities for men and women;

5.   Recalls that the objectives of the Lisbon strategy are minimum objectives which the Member States should commit themselves to upholding; notes that, recently, several Member States adopted national policies to strengthen manufacturing industries; believes that isolated national policies could hamper the development of a European industrial policy and that better coordination between actions taken by the Member States and Community actions could strengthen both; therefore urges the Commission and the Member States to devise mechanisms to effectively coordinate actions in this field, involving governments, industry and stakeholders at European, national and regional level;

6.   Notes that, without government action, it will be impossible to establish a framework for industry which is stable and attractive and affords legal certainty; points out that the work of a modern public sector is vital for dealing with infrastructure and fostering both education and innovation;

7.   Considers that the Community policy of aid and support for national industrial policies must aim to develop European Flagships for Excellence, creating synergies between the skills of local labour markets and research centres, without neglecting a political and macroeconomic environment which is geared to development, and as a means of promoting greater investment and creating wealth and high-quality jobs with rights; welcomes the fact that the Commission communication gives a definition of a European industrial policy; stresses, however, that this approach must not be purely horizontal but that there is also a need to think in sector-specific terms;

8.   Reminds the Commission of the need to mainstream energy -saving and efficiency measures in all policy areas; notes that energy costs are a major factor in many industries and calls, therefore, on the Commission to propose specific measures and programmes in this respect as part of its industrial policy;

9.   Supports the initiatives set out in the Commission communication; welcomes the detailed analysis of the 27 sectors and the clear focus in the recommendations; sees, however, the concrete implementation of the initiatives as the current challenge; believes that, to guarantee coherent implementation in the long term, the initiatives proposed will need to be coordinated within one directorate-general, the Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry, and one Council configuration, the "Competitiveness" configuration; in this respect, calls on the Commission to inform the European Parliament of the progress achieved in relation to the initiatives before the end of 2006; calls on the Commission also to consider the possibility of a systematic evaluation and regular assessment of the benefits and added value of initiatives such as high-level groups, innovation panels and working parties in those sectors in which they operate;

10.   Encourages the Commission to pay adequate attention to all sectors of the manufacturing industries and, where necessary, to fill in the gaps, both with regard to the analysis of certain sectors and to the actions to be taken, bearing in mind the high degree of regional concentration existing in some industries;

11.   Recognises the need for increased competitiveness in manufacturing industries; welcomes the fact that the Commission stresses the social responsibility of business and the need for sustainable development; calls on the Commission to accord the same weight to the working environment and to the health and safety of workers as to ensuring the creation of more and better jobs;

12.   Recognises that, to pursue a European industrial policy in sectors of strategic interest to Member States" economies, it is essential to strengthen existing industries, to keep the internal market open, to regulate as and where necessary, and to allow for factors related to competitiveness which could affect employment levels in many Member States, as well as supporting the modernisation of all European industry that is already competitive or could become competitive;

13.   Is convinced that the future of Europe's manufacturing industries lies in increased added value and better quality; is therefore concerned that overall EU trade is still concentrated in sectors with medium-high technologies and low to intermediate labour skills; believes that education and training at all levels are key issues, both in terms of improving labour force qualifications and facilitating structural change; regrets the fact that the Commission communication does not pay enough attention to education, lifelong learning and training; urges the Member States to increase their efforts to attract more young students into technical and scientific studies;

14.   Welcomes the Commission's recognition of the fact that a well-trained and flexible labour force is the EU's most important resource and competitiveness factor; calls on the EU to concentrate on enhancing skills development for workers at all levels, particularly unskilled workers;

15.   Takes a positive view, furthermore, of the Commission's proposals to address the shortage of special skills facing industry through policies to promote transparency and the transfer and recognition of qualifications and to identify current needs for skills per sector and where skills shortages lie;

16.   Points out that more clear-cut investment is needed to improve the skill levels of the work force, for instance by way of training-related operational programmes for science and technology aimed at guaranteeing the quality of, and diversifying, training opportunities in the various Member States;

17.   Calls on undertakings to ensure the best possible training conditions for workers by providing ongoing training for their employees, with undertakings drawing up skills plans and taking responsibility in a general way for lifelong learning and the continuing training of their workers;

18.   Considers that the transfer of knowledge and the application of research results in new products and processes is still too weak in the manufacturing industries, and especially in SMEs; in this respect, sees a clear need to bridge the current gap between the research community and the market sector; is convinced that special attention must be given to jointly tackling this problem and urges the Commission and the Member States to swiftly come forward with concrete measures to solve it; to this end stresses that the possibilities offered by the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme should be utilised rationally and as effectively as possible;

19.   Believes that consideration should be given to the specific needs of micro and small businesses, since the problems they face cannot be compared with those facing large enterprises;

20.   Recognises that schemes need to be devised to provide direct support for research activities carried out in consortia, involving companies and research units or university teams, thus enabling skills and technologies to be transferred more rapidly;

21.   Emphasises, in line with the 2006 Report of the Independent Expert Group on R&D and Innovation, entitled "Creating an Innovative Europe", that State aid to companies other than SMEs is appropriate when it is granted for the purpose of encouraging cooperation with other companies, SMEs, academic institutions in 'open innovation clusters', poles of excellence, and collaborative R&D programmes;

22.   Points out that the EU's prosperity depends on developing world-class innovative European industries;

23.   Welcomes the concept of Technology Platforms which will provide a boost to developing lines of research which will meet the requirements of the market; believes, however, that more funding is needed for applied research leading to innovative products; in this respect, welcomes the European Investment Bank's (EIB) intention to increase substantially the financing available for growth-enhancing investments in R&D and SMEs; recalls the conclusions of the abovementioned Brussels' European Council, expecting up to EUR 30 billion in venture capital and guaranteed bank loans to support innovation and to reinforce action in R&D; encourages the Commission and the EIB, together with the private sector, to give follow-up to these conclusions in practical terms;

24.   Stresses the major potential of nano-sciences and nano-technologies and urges the manufacturing industry to keep up to date with technological progress and the provisions of the 2005 to 2009 European programme of action in this field so as to be in a position to take advantages of the opportunities and new perspectives opening up for each of its sectors;

25.   Stresses the problem of access to finance and venture capital, especially for innovative start-ups and SMEs; therefore, asks the Commission to closely involve the EIB and the European Investment Fund in the work of the sectoral initiatives;

26.   Considers that it might be very useful to set up a high-level group to ensure that legislation concerning industry, energy, and the environment is consistent with the aim of improving sustainability and competitiveness; points out that, as well as the electricity market, the market in natural gas likewise needs to be analysed, bearing in mind that both entail far-reaching implications for some manufacturing industries;

27.   Points out that the manufacturing industries are often marked by regional concentration; therefore urges regional and national authorities, working in close collaboration with economic and social players, to draw up local strategy plans for areas which are, or have the potential to become, centres of innovative manufacturing clusters; to this end, calls for local strategy plans to be targeted at making the best possible use of the primary wealth producing sector, research potential and any comparative benefits offered by each region; calls on Member States to make full use of the possibilities in the Structural Funds in this respect;

28.   Points out that future European industrial policy measures must allow not just for the sectoral dimension, but also for the territorial dimension; notes that areas with a high concentration of manufacturing industry have to have industrial and economic policies geared to their specific needs; calls on the Commission, therefore, to follow up the proposals announced in its communication by bringing further consideration to bear on the questions whether cooperation should be intensified among regions facing similar problems and challenges and how manufacturing companies in those regions might be encouraged to set up networks within which to pursue and coordinate the necessary industrial and economic policies;

29.   Welcomes the Commission proposal to integrate and coordinate industrial policy with other policies, including cohesion, environmental, R&D, and energy policies; notes that cohesion policy and industrial policy are interrelated, given that infrastructure and human resources are needed to enable industrial policy to succeed and to enhance the significant role of the European Works Councils, and hence that it is essential to bring policies into a coherent relationship and secure a high degree of involvement within society;

30.   Believes that sectors facing fierce international competition should jointly adopt measures to facilitate their restructuring and modernization; in this respect, cites a number of initiatives, such as LeaderSHIP 2015, CARS21 and the High-Level Group on textiles and clothing, as good examples; in view of the urgent need for action in those sectors, calls on the Commission to submit concrete proposals by Autumn 2006 with a view to their adoption by the Council, following an opinion from the European Parliament, before the end of 2006; welcomes the intention of the Commission to set up such sector-specific initiatives for the pharmaceutical, chemical, defence, space and mechanical engineering industries;

31.   Is of the opinion that, as far as individual sectors are concerned, workers" trade unions, consumer associations, and employers" organisations must be involved in the debate so as to help ensure that industrial policy solutions will be better suited to their purpose and more comprehensive;

32.   Stresses the importance of establishing a dialogue with all the parties concerned, and welcomes the creation of the High-Level Group on Competitiveness, Energy and the Environment;

33.   Welcomes the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund; insists that it focus on helping workers made redundant due to globalisation to find new jobs, mainly by improving and adapting their qualifications;

34.   Maintains that no Community aid should be granted to companies which, after receiving such support in a Member State, transfer their manufacturing operations to another country without completely fulfilling the agreements entered into with the Member State concerned;

35.   Calls for the rights of workers to be protected when manufacturing companies are restructured and hence for information to be made fully available to workers' representative bodies;

36.   Points out that dialogue between management and workers has a key role to play in matters related to modernisation and in coming up with ways to anticipate and to implement the changes needed for sectors to remain or become competitive;

37.   Calls on the Commission to make an in-depth analysis of the current situation of the manufacturing industries in the new Member States and the challenges ahead and to ensure that Community legislation is properly enforced; this will make it possible to obtain aggregated data for the 25 Member States and, on the basis of those data, to analyse the various sectors and draw up recommendations to guide industrial policy;

38.   Calls on the Commission to take further measures in support of exporting companies and those which invest on the largest scale in research and innovation projects;

39.   Urges the Commission to focus on the area of market surveillance and the fight against unfair competition and counterfeiting; invites the Commission to come forward before the end of 2006 with concrete proposals in the area of protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights; in this regard, considers that efforts need to be intensified with a view to hunting out imported counterfeit products from non-member countries and that, to unearth practices of this kind, Member States should exchange information and employ more advanced technology applications at the points where goods enter the EU;

40.   Calls on the Commission to monitor and record the extent to which imported products comply with European environmental and consumer health protection legislation and affect the competitiveness of European products;

41.   Stresses the importance of market access for the manufacturing industries; urges the Commission to continue its efforts, working in tandem with the sectors affected, to identify international practices which can adversely affect the competitiveness of European undertakings, particularly regulations and subsidies, and tackle barriers to trade and investment that are in breach of international rules; sees in bilateral agreements a good opportunity to overcome these challenges in a fair, transparent and forward-thinking manner and hence to make the principle of reciprocity the general rule in the Union's trading relations;

42.   Stresses that legislation seeking to include environmental matters in economic policies and strategies should allow the Member States scope for flexibility in the choice of economic and financial instruments;

43.   Believes that, as regards the measures to be taken, especially in the WTO, it is necessary to allow for the context obtaining in, and the specific characteristics of, each sector, the opportunities and challenges that may arise, and the difficulties posed for individual Member States;

44.   Calls on the Member States and the Commission to pursue sustainable development objectives by bringing economic, social, and environmental aspects into an even balance;

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