European Union research ministers and the European Parliament failed to agree on exactly how much money to pump into the next generation of the much-criticised research programme, but made history by convening the first conciliation committee under procedures introduced by the Maastricht Treaty, to reach a compromise: a budget of some $14,000m for the 1994-98 Fourth Framework Programme was agreed in December with an additional $1,100m that could be added in 1996, but in February the parliament voted for a higher budget; Britain, France and Germany were unwilling to move from the original decision; the committee must agree a joint text within six weeks which must be formally endorsed by the ministers and the parliament: if it fails, ministers can reaffirm the original decision.
