Quality of life and management of living resources . Budget: 2.413 million euros.    
Objective: to improve health, develop agro-industry and promote sustainable use of natural resources.   
   
2) User-friendly information society . Budget: 3.6 billion euros.    
Objective: to develop information technology services for the citizen.   
   
3) Competitive and sustainable growth . Budget: 2.705 million euros.    
Objective: to contribute to creating competitive European industry and sustainable transport systems and to support efficient, high-quality production. 
  
   
4) Energy, environment and sustainable development . Budget: 2.125 million euros (of which 975 million for nuclear energy).    
Objective: to help to meet the environmental challenges and strike a balance between economic development and environmental sustainability. 
         

For 15 years the European Union has been conducting a research and technological development policy based on multi-annual framework programmes. Today the 
fifth such framework programme, like its predecessors, is having a marked impact on research activities in the Member States. However, to harness its full 
potential, a broader-based approach is needed, including establishment of a true European Research Area to put Europe in a stronger position to emerge as one 
of the driving forces for research on the world scene.    
    
The fifth framework programme ('the programme') is geared to the challenges facing the European Union today and to its citizens' aspirations. Unlike its 
predecessors, this new framework for research focuses on solving current social and economic problems more than on pure research, with a view to improving 
the standard of living and working conditions in Europe.    
    
Nevertheless, the programme also provides continuity with the previous programmes, by encouraging transnational cooperation, support for infrastructure, 
dissemination of results and participation by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).    
    
The programme consists of two parts, one covering nuclear, the other non-nuclear research. The former is run by the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC 
or EURATOM) and the latter by the European Community (EC). The EC programme, with a budget of 13.981 million euros, is divided into four thematic programmes, 
three horizontal programmes and one specific programme for the Joint Research Centre. The EURATOM programme, with a budget of 979 million euros, covers nuclear 
energy, particularly fusion and fission. To give a sharper focus to the research objectives, the two programmes are complementary. A combined total of 14.960 
million is therefore available for this programme, spread over five years from 1 January 1998 to 31 December 2002.