Closing remarks

English Summary M. B. Delapalme, Elf‐Aquitaine, President de la Task Force 76', concluded that for industry to prepare the future rather than to have one thrust upon it, it was important to understand all the data, and detect the main currents before any solutions could be envisaged. Naturally, in this conference, it was never expected to resolve our outstanding queries, and the principal trend (apart from the universally high quality of the speeches) was the widening of a dialogue with outside bodies. The conference heard how IRI had invited company presidents to a meeting. Here ElRMA too has begun to develop contact with more ‘external forces’, economists, union leaders, consumers, members of governments. Sometimes our guests have shocked or surprised us, but that contact is vital. That the Director of the French National Institute of Consumers should declare his interest in establishing some sort of formal relationship with representatives of industrial research seems very desirable. From the germ of this idea may grow the basis of a future situation in which industry may no longer have to face unexpected attacks which in the end are destructive for all the parties involved. It seems fundamental to know what the principal powers that be in our countries expect of industrial research—even if as members one may not agree with them. It is certainly necessary that we are informed of their views. In particular, M. d'Ornano expressed an idea which seemed particularly interesting—that the research manager can and must play a part as intermediary or interpreter of research to production and vice versa—two different worlds of misunderstanding. For the things which remain to be done, it seems vital to get the proceedings of this conference published and put before a wide audience—many presentations being clearly destined to become reference papers for the future.