munich

The European Union's next five-year Framework programme of research (FP5) has cleared another hurdle in its problem-strewn path towards approval. Contrary to widespread fears, the council of research ministers reached a ‘common position’ on the European Commission's proposal last week, as Spain was persuaded at the last moment to lift its threatened veto.

This was an important step because of the tight timetable. Second readings in parliament and council are still required, but the programme must be adopted well before the end of the year to ensure that there is no gap in funding for researchers (see Nature 391, 519; 1998).

In its bid to avoid such a gap, the council has had to make a compromise that may cause problems later. Spain is refusing to approve any programme to be financed under the European Union's financial arrangements for the period beyond 2000, whose terms are being negotiated. It is using this weapon to try to force ministers to agree to maintain the union's generous subsidies to Spain after 2000. To sidestep the problem, the council's proposal approves Framework funding only for 1999; continuing funding will depend on the negotiations.

Assuming that funding is continued as planned, the budget of the council's common position is only ECU14 billion (US$15.2 billion). This figure drew immediate angry responses from both commission and parliament which had put forward ECU16.3 billion and ECU16.7 billion respectively.

Research commissioner Edith Cresson referred to the council's meeting as “black Thursday”. She said the funding proposed, which would be less in real terms than the funding for the current five-year programme, was a “negative signal” to industry. She contrasted the council's common position with recent promises of generous increases in US funding for research.

Parliament, which has co-decision rights with the council, will almost certainly reject such a low level of funding, and a conciliation procedure will be required after the second reading. Indeed, it is not yet clear whether parliament will be willing to vote on the council's common position, as it does not provide a definitive budget.

Under pressure from the French research minister, Claude Allègre, the council agreed to set up a ministerial meeting on the management and administration of FP5 at the end of April. Allègre's most radical suggestion — which has attracted little support — is that responsibility for management of the programme should be devolved from Brussels to national research organizations.