Dr. ThomasTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on progress made with the European Communities European rivers and oceans system programme; and what benefits have accrued to the United Kingdom from this programme.
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§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryI have been asked to reply.
The European river ocean system programme (EROS 2000) is an interdisciplinary research project on biogeochemical processes in the European coastal environment. Most effort has focused to date on the Gulf de Lions area of the Mediterranean. I understand that progress has been good, and the results are beneficial to United Kingdom and European science. The Commission's water pollution research report 13 describes the first EROS 2000 workshop held in March 1989. The report of a second workshop in February 1990 is in press. These reports can be obtained direct from Directorate General XII in Brussels.