Written question asked by Lord Brady of Altrincham (Conservative) on Monday, 10 January 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 27 January 2005. It was answered by Patricia Hewitt (Labour) on Thursday, 27 January 2005 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Dept of Trade and Industry

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what constraints apply to the requirement to promote scientific and technological advance as set out in Article 1-3(3) of the proposed EU Constitution.

Answer: Mr. Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what constraints apply to the requirement to promote scientific and technological advance as set out in Article 1-3(3) of the proposed EU Constitution. [208252] Ms Hewitt: The detailed provisions relating to this objective are contained in Articles III-248-255 of the Treaty. These largely reflect the existing EC competence in this area, with the addition of an explicit reference to space policy. The Article's set out the European Union's aim to achieve a European Research Area, improve the EU's competitiveness in science and technology and ensure EU policies are properly supported by research. They also outline a list of activities to support these aims. As with the rest of the Treaty, any action in this area is also subject to the application of the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity. In addition, any action would be subject to the constraints of the EU budget.

Secondary information