Innovation Θ Technology co co Ζ o ω The Environment: Opportunity,,; Threat? fl "' ^^àçP^f^ I , , ν, ' » '· ■. ι ". ' · t * « · Suit? * nu Γ. ' " 4&.ΛΪ 't 1 .■'■ΒΠ/ ¿J * « '''^ET^ «s t v ' fl ^^^^ T^^B . i ' J^H β ^ al^ïüpi flH9 I ;# European Research Into, the Next Century ■' ' \ [·+;Μ^*θΓΓΠ|Γ^Γνβ||ΐ|ι]ίι\'/4·ΒΐΊηΜΐίίΗΐηΙΐΓ·ί: and Better Robots for SiyiEs ' ' ' |tòi Information Society and Global Development / ESPRIT: Supporting Users, Technology Transfer, Electronic Commerce Conference Managing Intellectual Property ' / · ι ·" ! • * • i • • Γ PUBLISHED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION INNOVATION PROGRAMME · SEPTEMBER 1996 • * 1 ■■■■■HHHHHH^HH ** * CONTENTS Sights set on 1999 The European Commission has published its initial discussion paper on the shape of the next research Framework Programme, due to start in 1999 when the current Fourth Framework Programme ends (see page 5). The Commission stresses, however, that the Fifth Framework Programme should not be a straightforward continuation of the Fourth. Among other things, the new proImproving Europe's environment gramme should be more selective about topics to be supand industry page 14. ported, so as to ensure a greater concentration of resources, and procedures for implementing the programme should be POLICY NEWS 37 simplified and speeded up. As yet, the Commission has not SMEs: Rising Involvement and New proposed any figure for the programme's budget.