Potocnik urges quick adoption of FP7

Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik has urged the MEPs to adopt their report on FP7 to ensure the adoption of the programme by October 2006 and its kick-off in early 2007.

“The calendar for the adoption of FP7 is now extremely tight compared with the previous Framework Programmes. If we are to deliver a Framework Programme in time for 2007, we need an agreement in October and we must all ensure that there are no delays in the procedure on any side. This is an absolute pre-condition for a successful transition from the existing programme to the new one,” said Commissioner Potocnik to the European Parliament’s Committee on industry, research and energy on 26 January 2006.

As to the content of FP7, subject to a revision due to a smaller budget than initially proposed by the Commission, Potocnik does not expect any major changes of substance. However, “the timing for the introduction of new initiatives deserves careful thought,” he said.

Commenting on the ITRE Committee’s draft report on FP7, Potocnik expressed his disagreement with the proposed amendment on the status of the European Research Council (ERC). The draft report proposes establishing the ERC as a legal entity entirely separate from the Commission, instead of setting up the ERC as an executive agency, a legal body ultimately answerable to the Commission. 

Some scientists fear that, if the ERC were to be an agency, this could lead to political criteria determining scientific priorities and the Commission ignoring advice from the ERC’s Scientific Council, whereas if it were to be independent, the ERC could be vulnerable to the principle of “juste retour”, meaning a structure ignoring scientific merit and distributing grants according to national quotas or contributions to the budget.

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