The Workplan 1999 of STOA - the Scientific and Technological Options Assessment Project of the European Parliament - has been approved by the Bureau of the European Parliament at a meeting in Straßburg in January this year. STOA's function is to provide expert scientific and technical advice to members of the European Parliament and Parliamentary Committees in order to help them assess political options. The twelve projects approved for 1999 bear on research topics relevant to the EU legislative programme 1999, or have important implications on the European level.
The Annual Workplan for STOA, the Scientific and Technological Options Assessment Programme of the European Parliament, Directorate General for Research (DG IV), is decided by the STOA Panel which has the political responsibility for STOA's work. It is composed of Members nominated to the Panel as representatives of Committees of the European Parliament. The Panel sets the annual workplan from proposals submitted by Committees or Members of the European Parliament. Priority is given to projects that are linked to the EP's legislative work. The operational responsibility for carrying out the research work laid down in the annual workplan rests with the STOA Team. At present, the STOA Team comprises one permanent project administrator, 9 visiting researchers, in addition to the scientific manager and director of STOA, Mr Dick Holdsworth. Typically, most of the assessment studies are commissioned to external experts. The budget for 1999 is 650 000 ECU (1.27 Mio DM).
The subject areas of STOA's technology assessment studies cover a broad range of issues, but focus on areas which have important implications on the European level. In the following, the titles of the 12 technology assessment projects to be carried out in 1999 and a brief summary are given. The Committee requesting the project and the relevance of the project for the work of the European Parliament are stated. The duration of the projects ranges from short-term (three to four months) to the full year 1999.
Cost-benefit analysis of EU research and technological development programmes: Methods for the assessment of the impact of such programmes
The Fifth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (1998-2002) has recently been adopted after a conciliation procedure. Excluding the Euratom portion, the budget for the five-year programme has been set at 13.7 billion ECU.
Along with Parliament's support for EU R&TD activities must go a concern to monitor the quality and effectiveness of the specific research programmes so as to ensure that the limited funds available are used to the best effect. The European Commission, which implements the programmes, is well aware of this and has introduced a number of measures which would help to meet the Parliament's concern, as well as the objectives of SEM 2000. As regards the implementation and management of programmes, the Commission has spoken of a "confidence pact" to be established between the Member States, Parliament and Commission [COM(97)553 final of 5 November 1997, p.7].
The purpose of the study is to investigate current best practice in the assessment of the impact of research and technical development programmes in general, and their cost- effectiveness in particular, not only in the case of the EU programmes financed under the Framework Programme, but also in that of other research programmes managed by public agencies in the Member States of the EU and elsewhere, including other international agencies. The aim will be to provide information and ideas which could assist the European Parliament in judging the impact of the Fifth Framework Programme and in the planning of targets and actions under the Sixth Framework Programme (2003-2007), bearing in mind that the planning for the Sixth Programme will take place wholly within the mandate of the European Parliament elected in 1999 [1999-2003].
The project was requested by the Committee on Budgets. The study is needed to assist the Committee in formulating its position on the planning and evaluation of EU expenditure on Research and Technological Development programmes under the EU Framework Programmes, notably in view of the mid-term review of the Fifth Framework Programme, all of which will be covered by the mandate of the European Parliament elected in June 1999. The study should be ready by 30 September 1999 so as to permit it to be taken into account by the newly-elected Parliament as it begins its budgetary work in this sector.
Duration of project: 9 months.
Economic aspects of the development of technologies for the waste processing industry
Waste processing is usually approached solely from the environmental point of view. This approach overlooks the economic implications of the industry which are essential. The STOA project on this subject will highlight the real economic importance of waste processing and allow the possibility of a European industrial strategy for the industry to be examined.
Main topics to be covered are:
The project was requested by the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy. The project is related to the Committee's current work on industrial policy.
Duration of project: 6 months.
Genetically modified food: Objectives for EU funded research and development
The aim of the project is to review the current state of research into genetically modified food both in the laboratory and in field trials. This must cover the objectives and results being obtained. The review should cover work in the European Union and the main developments taking place elsewhere in the world. Based on this survey the study should indicate priorities for the development of research at European level.
The project was requested by the Committee on Research, Technological Development and Energy and is of relevance for ongoing EU legislation.
Duration of project: 4 months.
Use of new technologies and cost of water management in view of the new water directive of the EU
The main objectives of the project are the evaluation of new technologies in use and their costs, and the evaluation of costs and benefits by the implementation of a new water directive.
Main topics to be covered by the project are:
The project was requested by the Committee on Research, Technological Development and Energy within the framework of monitoring of the specific programme on preserving the ecosystem.
Duration of project: 5 months.
The impact of rapid technological change in information technology on the stability of world trade and international capital flows
The yearly total of the world merchandise and commercial service exports in 1997 was 6.500 billion USD (source: WTO), and the total of everyday currency transactions was 1.500 billion USD (source: BIS). Thus the everyday circulation of currencies is almost 70 times bigger than needed for the trade purposes. The difference is all the time growing due to the rapid development of bank and stock exchange technology and creation of new products of the financial industries.
Main topics to be covered by the project are:
The project was requested by the Committee on External Economic Relations. The findings of the study will be of great importance for the preparation of a new round of multilateral negotiations in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on further liberalisation of trade services.
Duration of project: 8 - 10 months.
New technologies for the marketing and sale of medicines on the Internet and television networks: An assessment of the implications for health and consumer rights taking into account the regulatory and legal situation
The increasing trend towards the marketing and sale of medicines on the Internet raises some serious questions. There is a risk that the safeguards which have been carefully constructed in Europe to guarantee that medicines are safe and are distributed responsibly may be circumvented. This could apply, for example, to EU controls on quality, safety, advertising, labelling, classification and prescription.
The argument that Internet marketing may offer advantages to the customer in terms of convenience and perhaps cost and confidentiality deserve to be considered. At the same time, the economic interest of the pharmaceutical industry also needs to be taken into account, since it is generally recognised that there is a relation between the price of a pharmaceutical product and the money which has been invested in its research and development.
Main topics to be covered by the project are:
The project was requested by the Committee on Legal Affairs and Citizens' Rights. The subject was considered to be of topical urgency.
Duration of project: 10 months.
Technological options for a community strategy for a system of navigation by satellite (GNSSI)
In view of the up-grading and up-dating of the global positioning system (GPS), a world-wide standard originated in the USA, the EU institutions will have to define their views and proposals. In order to be able to respond to the proposal by the European Commission, the European Parliament needs to obtain its own assessment on the issues at stake and the technological, economic, industrial and strategic implications.
The main issue to be considered is the definition of priorities: a) Cooperation with the USA; b) Cooperation with Russia, or c) Creation of an EU satellite navigation system.
The project was requested by the Committee on Transport and Tourism. This study is designed as a follow-up to a previous STOA report entitled "Towards a Trans-European Positioning and Navigation Network: including a European Strategy for Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)", which will prepare the Committee's action in this area in the new Parliament. It is anticipated that the subject will remain of relevance for a significant period during the new mandate.
Duration of project: To be synchronized with Commission's proposal expected by the end of 1999.
Linguistic diversity on the Internet: Assessment of the contribution of machine translation
It is widely recognised that the new electronic media, and in particular the Internet and the World-Wide Web, entail certain risks for linguistic diversity. Recently, for example, there was a controversy between Iceland and Microsoft over the US company's reported unwillingness to translate the Windows software into Icelandic.
These risks affect a number of languages of the Member States of the European Union. At the same time, the new media can be helpful to linguistic diversity, for example by making texts of major cultural importance in various languages easily accessible at Web-sites or on CD-ROM.
In the debate on an issue of such cultural and political significance it is important to have an objective survey of the current situation and developing trends, as well as to envisage ways of reducing the risks to linguistic diversity, in the interests of the rights of citizens of the European Union to express themselves.
For this reason, the study will also examine the actual and potential role of machine translation (automatic translation by computer) in facilitating multilingual access to the Internet and its associated services and benefits.
The study was requested by the Committee on Culture, Youth, Education and Media. The study will help to prepare the European Parliament's work in this important area in the new mandate.
Although the question of linguistic diversity does not only affect regional and minority languages, the initial output (Interim Study) from the project will be of assistance in the Committee's work on the HOPPENSTEDT Report on the Proposal for multiannual programme of action - regional and minority languages and cultures.
Duration of project: 11 months.
Evaluation of agricultural or other technologies fighting against hunger and poverty
In view of the objectives laid down by the Treaty of the European Union (TEU) for Community development policy, the new priorities laid down by the Council in recent years and the quantitative and qualitative objectives fixed by the main donors in the OECD, the Union will refocus Community policy on the alleviation of poverty. The connections between reducing poverty, combatting discrimination and protecting the environment have been highlighted. The aim of the study is to identify the various technologies needed by poor people, especially in rural areas, in the fight against poverty and the ways in which the technologies can be transferred and used. Attention should be paid to the need of making decisive progress in the areas of primary education, basic health care and other essential services. The fact that many countries are heavily dependent, particularly through agriculture, on natural resources, combined with current climatic instability means that environmental issues must be given due priority. The study will focus on applied technologies, that is to say technologies suited to the local environment and which make use of indigenous skills.
The project was requested by the Committee on Development and Cooperation. The project is of relevance in the framework of the 1999 ACP-EU Joint Assembly General Report, the title of which is "The fight against poverty in ACP countries and in the European Union". A first exchange of views has taken place in March 1999 at the Joint Assembly session in Strasbourg.
Duration of project: 6 months.
Crowd control and prison control systems
(Appraisal of technologies of political control)
Under its 1998 Workplan, STOA was asked by the Committee on Civil Liberties and Internal Affairs to do a project on "An appraisal of technologies of political control", as a follow-up to an earlier Interim Study on the same subject.
The aim of the new project was the following: on the basis of the Interim Study of January 1998, to provide a further and possibly, final evaluation on recent advances in the technology of political control and the need for an adequate political response by the European Union, to face the risk of a threat to civil liberties in Europe. In particular, the new study would deepen the analysis in three areas mentioned by the Interim Study. These were:
The execution of the project was the subject of a meeting of the Project Steering Group, held in Brussels in September 1998. At that meeting, it was decided to prioritise the preparation of a study on the first of the three topics mentioned above (under the title "Development in surveillance technology and risk of abuse of economic information", while postponing until 1999 the completion of studies on the other two aspects of the project.
This 1999 follow-up study will therefore deal with the other two areas mentioned: "Innovations in crowd control weapons", and "New prison control systems".
The project was requested by the Committee on Civil Liberties and Internal Affairs. It is relevant for, and connected with problems of human rights and civil liberties in the European Union.
Duration of project: 12 months.
Women professionals in the media: An assessment of the new information and communications technologies, and convergence between them, as challenge and opportunity for developing the role of women in the media
There is a risk that the numerous examples of successful careers of women in the media may mask continuing problems concerning equality of opportunities and wrong perceptions of the role of women professionals in this sector. At the same time the media are undergoing a technological revolution, marked by developments such as digital television, expansion of the Internet and the World Wide Web and the phenomenon of convergence, whereby different media can function together on common technological platforms. The subject for this assessment is the question whether these new technological developments promise to work in favour of women in the media, or against them?
The project was requested by the Committee on Women's Rights. The Committee plans to examine this topic especially within the context of European Community policy on the convergence of the new electronic media.
Duration of project: 12 months.
Personal protective equipment at work - Directive 89/656/EEC
The question of the wearing of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the head and whether alternatives may safely be used has been the subject of a significant amount of research. At issue is the safety of the head and eyes, and the possible use of respiratory equipment in certain circumstances, as well as other matters. The question has arisen in connection with a variety of occupations and work environments, including the construction industry and the steel industry, but also professional situations such as the architect required to wear a helmet on a visit to a building site.
The study should concisely survey the literature, and present an assessment of the issues taking into account the points of view of the various parties involved, including employers and communities having religious rules concerning turbans and comparable headwear. The study should take into account experience gained in more than one Member State of the European Union and should examine the provisions of Community law.
The project was requested by the Committee on Petitions. The main questions posed by the Committee are:
Duration of project: 3 months.
Most of the information on the projects is drawn from the official STOA Workplan document PE 167.857/rev.3. Enquiries for publications on the mentioned projects (Interim Reports, Final Documents) should be addressed to the STOA library:
Frans Schaerlaeken
Fax: 00 35 2 4300 22418
E-mail: FSchaerlaeken@europarl.eu.int
Further information is available on STOAs Internet site at:
http://www.europarl.eu.int/dg4/stoa/en/default.htm
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