NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARD 



WASHINGTON, D.C. 20550 



November 7, 1990 



MEMORANDUM TO: Mary L. Good, Chairman 



National Science Board 



FROM: James B. Holderman, Chairman 



NSB Committee on Europe in 1992 



SUBJECT: Final Conmuttee Report 



The Committee on Europe in 1992 have completed their work on a final report, reflecting the charge to the 

 Committee "to consider the issues associated w^ith Europe in 1992: ImpUcations for U.S. Science and Technology," 

 given in your memorandum of May 10, 1989. I ask that you present the report to the Board at its November meeting, 

 with a request that it be adopted by the Board. I and the rest of the Committee will be pleased to discuss any questions 

 or concerns of Board members. The report has been mailed to all NSB members for their review prior to the November 

 Board meeting. 



The report is composed of two sections: a descriptive assessement of the evolving nature of multilateral, primarily 

 EC Commission-funded, science and technology cooperation within the European Community; and a review of 

 challenges for US poUcymakers, along with current or potential US-EC issues and relevant recommendations for US 

 actions. It is accompanied by a considerably more detailed study prepared by the National Science Foundation staff 

 member who serves the Committee as its Executive Secretary. 



Since the report is prefaced by a short Executive Summary, I will not review here its findings. I will note, however, 

 that the Committee are convinced that a serious appreciation of changes taking place in the European S&T 

 environment is of paramount importance to the future of US science and technology. Correspondingly, we strongly 

 support not only the specific recommendations included in the report, but also the view that the National Science 

 Board should continue to address its chartered role of advising on a wide range of policy matters in international S&T 

 relations that directly affect the health of American scientific and engineering research. Particularly, the NSB and the 

 NSF have a critical and essential role to play in encouraging 1) increased efforts devoted to the strategic assessment of 

 European Community (and other foreign) S&T activities and their influence on U.S. S&T; and 2) greater coherence in 

 government, academic and private sector poUcymaking relating to international S&T cooperation and competition. 



On behalf of the Committee, I extend our thanks for your continuing support throughout the past year for our work. 

 We hope the attached documents meet the challenge presented to us in the Committee's charge and that you will find 

 them useful as a guide to issues and opportunities relating to European S&T that the Board will consider in the future. 



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