eunbil · GT0N1604 · 2006-07-14 00:00:00 — 2005/0043 (COD) 2005/0044 (CNS) 11249/06 from: the Presidency to: Coreper Subject: 1. Draft Decision of Parliament and the Council concerning the 7th Framework Programme of Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007-2013) Draft Council Decision concerning the 7th Framework programme of Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) for nuclear research and training activities (2007-2011) - Presidency compromise proposal 1. Delegations will find attached Presidency compromise texts relating to the above-mentioned Framework Programmes. These texts result from the examination by the Research and Questions Working Parties of Parliament"s amendments to the original Commission proposals voted on the 15 2006, and of the Commission"s amended proposals (see doc. 11142/06). Furthermore, the compromise texts are based on the General to the approved by 2006 (see doc. 10466/06), and the Partial General on the EURATOM Framework Programme approved by and (see doc. 15062/05). The outstanding questions together with the positions of delegations are set out in the footnotes to the compromise proposals. All delegations maintain a scrutiny reservation on both texts. Changes to the Commission"s original proposals are underlined. Suggested changes to the General (EC) and to the partial General (Euratom) in response to Parliament"s amendments are bold, underlined and in italics. Changes made following the meeting of the Research and /Atomic Questions Working Party on 3 2006 are highlighted. is invited to examine the outstanding questions in view of reaching a political agreement on both Framework Programme proposals (EC and EURATOM) at the scheduled for the 24 2006. DRAFT DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL ( concerning the Seventh Framework Programme of Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing Community, and in particular Article 166(1) thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission , Having regard to the opinion of Economic and , Having regard to the opinion of , Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty , (1) The Community has the objective, set out in the Treaty, of strengthening the scientific and technological bases of the Community industry, thereby ensuring a high level of competitiveness at international level. To this end, the Community shall promote all the research activities deemed necessary, in particular by encouraging undertakings, including small and medium sized enterprises ("SMEs"), research centres and universities in their research and technological development activities. In this context, priority should be given to those areas and projects where European funding and cooperation is of particular importance and gives an added value. Through its support for research at the frontiers of knowledge, applied research and innovation, the Community seeks to promote synergies in European research and thus provide a more stable foundation for Research Area. This will make a positive contribution to the social, cultural and economic progress of all Member States. (2) The central role of research was recognised by the 2000 in which set the Union a new strategic goal for the next decade: to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion. AM 3 The triangle of knowledge - education, research and innovation - is essential for achieving this goal AM 4 to which effect it is an aim of the Community to mobilize and strengthen the research and innovation capacities needed. AM 5 The Seventh Framework Programme is a central Community instrument in this respect, complementing the efforts of Member States and European industry. (3) In line with the strategy, the 2002 agreed that overall spending on R&D and innovation in the Union should be increased with the aim of approaching of GDP by 2010, two-thirds of which should come from the private sector. (4) The overriding aim of the Seventh Framework Programme is to contribute to Union becoming the world"s leading research area. This requires the Framework Programme to be strongly focused on promoting and investing in world-class state-of-the-art research, based primarily upon the principle of excellence in research. (5) Parliament has repeatedly stressed the importance of research, technological development and the increased role of knowledge for economic growth and social and environmental well-being AM 12, most recently in its guidelines for future EU policy to support research of 2005 . (6) Taking into account the research needs of all Community policies and upon widespread support from European industry, the scientific community, universities, and other interested circles, the Community should establish the scientific and technological objectives to be achieved under its Seventh Framework Programme in the period 2007 to 2013. (7) Platforms (ETPs) and the envisaged Initiatives (JTIs) are particularly relevant for industrial research. ETPs help the stakeholders establish long-term strategic research agendas and can further evolve to represent an important mechanism for fostering European competitiveness. (8) These objectives should build upon the achievements of the Sixth Framework Programme towards the creation of Research Area and carry them further towards the development of a knowledge-based economy and society in Europe which will meet the objectives of the strategy in Community policies AM 15. Among these objectives the following are particularly important: (9) Trans-national cooperation at every scale across the EU should be supported. (10) The dynamism, creativity and excellence of European research at the frontier of knowledge should be enhanced, recognising the responsibility and independence of scientists in the definition of broad lines of research in this area. AM 1 In view of this, investigator-driven basic research based on excellence should play an essential role within the Framework Programme. AM 16, 20 (11) The human potential in research and technology in Europe should be strengthened quantitatively and qualitatively; better education and research training, easier access to research opportunities as well as the recognition of the researcher"s "profession", are principal tools for achieving this goal, not least through a significant increase in the presence of women in research, encouraging researchers" mobility and career development. The general principles reflected in Charter for Researchers and in the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers could help to establish a genuine European labour market for researchers, while respecting their voluntary nature. In addition, the excellence of European research institutions and universities should be developed and enhanced. (12) The dialogue between science and society in Europe should be deepened in order to develop a science and research agenda that meets citizens" concerns, including by fostering critical reflection, and aimed at reinforcing public confidence in science. (13) Special attention should be paid to facilitating the scientific career of researchers in the most productive period of life. -stage and early-career researchers can be a driving force of science in Europe. (14) The research and innovation capacities throughout Europe should be strengthened quantitatively and qualitatively. (15) A wide use and dissemination of the knowledge generated by publicly funded research activity should be supported. (16) In order to realise these objectives it is necessary to promote four types of activities: trans-national cooperation on policy-defined themes ("Ideas"), support of individual researchers ("People"), and support of research capacities ("Capacities"). (17) Under "Cooperation", support should be provided to trans-national cooperation at appropriate scale across Union and beyond, in a number of thematic areas corresponding to major fields of the progress of knowledge and technology, where research should be supported and strengthened to address European social, economic, environmental, public health and industrial challenges, serve the public good and support developing countries. Where possible, this programme will allow flexibility for mission orientated schemes which cut across the thematic priorities. (18) Under "Ideas", activities should be implemented by a ("ERC"), which should enjoy a high degree of autonomy to develop very high-level frontier research at European level, on excellence in Europe and raising its profile at international level. The ERC should maintain regular contact with the scientific community and European Institutions. (19) Under "People", individuals should be stimulated to enter into the researcher"s profession, European researchers should be encouraged to stay in Europe, researchers from the entire world should be attracted to Europe and Europe should be made more attractive to the best researchers. on the positive experiences with the "" under previous Framework Programmes, the "People" programme should encourage individuals to enter the profession of researcher; structure the research training offer and options; encourage that European researchers stay in or return to Europe; encourage intersectoral mobility; and attract researchers from all over the world to Europe. The mobility of researchers is not only key to the career development of researchers but also to share and transfer knowledge between countries and sectors and to ensure that innovative frontier research in various disciplines benefits from dedicated and competent researchers, as well as increased financial resources. (20) Under "Capacities", the use and development of research infrastructures should be optimised; innovative capacities of SMEs and their ability to benefit from research should be strengthened; the development of regional research-driven clusters should be supported; the research potential in the EU"s convergence and outermost regions should be unlocked; science and society should be brought closer together in European society; support should be given to the coherent development of research policies at national and Community level and horizontal actions and measures in support of international cooperation should be undertaken. (21) has an important role in providing customer-driven scientific and technological support for the , development, implementation and monitoring of Community policies. In this regard, it is useful that the JRC continues to function as an independent reference centre of science and technology in the EU in the areas of its specific competence. (22) The regions have an important part to play in implementing Research Area . AM 32, 42 Unlocking the development potential of regions and wide dissemination of the results of research and technological development help bridging the technological divide and contribute to European competitiveness. (23) The Seventh Framework Programme complements the activities carried out in the Member States as well as other Community actions that are necessary for the overall strategic effort for the implementation of the objectives, alongside in particular those on structural funds, agriculture, education, training, competitiveness and innovation, industry, employment and environment. (24) Mutual synergies and complementarity should be assured with Community policies and programmes, thereby addressing also the need for a strengthened and simplified approach to research funding, which is particularly important for SMEs. AM 33, 35 (25) The Seventh Framework Programme should aim, in particular, to secure the appropriate involvement of SMEs AM 34. Innovation and SME-related activities supported under this Framework Programme should be complementary to those undertaken under the Framework programme for Competitiveness and Innovation. (26) Participation in the activities of this Framework Programme should be facilitated through the publication of all relevant information, to be made available in a timely and user-friendly to all potential participants. (27) Taking into account the mid-term review of the use of new instruments under the Sixth Framework Programme and the Five Year Assessment of the Framework Programme, a new approach has been defined which should allow the political objectives of Community research policy to be reached more easily, more efficiently and in a more flexible way. To this end, a smaller set of simpler "funding schemes" should be used, alone or in combination, with more flexibility and freedom, to support the different actions, and stronger management autonomy should be granted to participants. (28) Given the broad interest in the Framework Programme actions, the leverage effect of funding in national and private investments, the need to enable the Community to meet new science and technology challenges and to make full use of its researchers" potential without discrimination, the vital role the Community intervention plays in making research system more efficient and effective, as well as the possible contribution of the Framework Programme to the efforts of, inter alia, finding solutions to climate change and sustainability, the health of Europe"s population and the reinvigoration of the strategy, there is a need for Community research activities. (29) Since the objective of the actions to be taken in accordance with Article 163 of the Treaty in contributing towards the creation of a knowledge-based society and economy in Europe cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States and can therefore be better achieved at Community level, the Community may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Seventh Framework Programme does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those objectives. (31) Implementation of the Seventh Framework Programme may give rise to supplementary programmes involving the participation of certain Member States only, the participation of the Community in programmes undertaken by several Member States, or the setting up of joint undertakings or other arrangements within the meaning of Articles 168, 169 and 171 of the Treaty. (32) The Community has concluded a number of international agreements in the field in research and efforts should be made to strengthen international research cooperation with a view to reaping the full benefits of internationalisation of R&D, to contributing to the production of global public goods and to further integrating the Community into the world-wide research community. (33) There is already a significant body of scientific knowledge capable of drastically improving the lives of those who live in developing countries; where possible, the Framework Programme will - within the types of activities described above - contribute to meeting the Millennium Development Goals by 2010.AM 44 (34) The Seventh Framework Programme should contribute towards promoting growth, sustainable development and environmental protection, including addressing the problem of climate change. (35) Research activities supported by this Framework Programme should respect fundamental ethical principles, including those reflected in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of Union. The opinions of Group on Ethics in Science and are and will be taken into account. Research activities should also take into account the Protocol on the Protection and Welfare of Animals, and reduce the use of animals in research and testing, with a view to ultimately replacing animal use. (36) Under the Seventh Framework Programme the role of women in science and research will be actively promoted by appropriate measures with a view to encouraging greater numbers to become involved in this domain and further enhancing their role in research. (37) This act establishes a financial framework for the entire duration of the programme which is to be the principal point of reference for the budgetary authority, within the meaning of point 37 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of between Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound financial management. (38) Appropriate measures - proportionate to Communities" financial interests - should also be taken to monitor both the effectiveness of the subsidies granted and the effectiveness of the utilisation of these funds AM 52 to prevent irregularities and fraud and the necessary steps should be taken to recover funds lost, wrongly paid or incorrectly used in accordance with Council Regulations (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 of on the protection of Communities financial interests , (EC, Euratom) No 2185/96 of concerning on-the-spot checks and inspections carried out by the Commission in order to protect Communities" financial interests against fraud and other irregularities and Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of Parliament and of the Council concerning investigations conducted by Anti-Fraud Office () . (39) It is important to ensure sound financial management of the Seventh Framework Programme and its implementation in the most effective and user-friendly possible, while ensuring legal certainty and the accessibility of the programme AM 53 for all participants. It is necessary to ensure compliance with Council Regulation (EC, EURATOM) No 1605/2002 of 25 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of Communities; and with the requirements of simplification and better regulation. Adoption of the Framework Programme The Framework Programme for Community activities in the area of research and technological development, including demonstration activities, hereinafter the "Seventh Framework Programme" is hereby adopted for the period from 1 January 2007 to . The Seventh Framework Programme shall support the activities set out in paragraphs 2 to 5. The objectives and the broad lines of those activities are set out in . Cooperation: supporting the whole range of research actions carried out in trans-national cooperation in the following thematic areas: Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology; Nano-sciences, Nano-technologies, Materials and new ; Environment (including Climate Change); Transport (including Aeronautics); Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities; Space; AM 59 Ideas: supporting "investigator-driven" research carried out across all fields by individual national or transnational teams in competition at level. People: strengthening, quantitatively and qualitatively, the human potential in research and technological development AM 60 in Europe, as well as encouraging mobility. Capacities: supporting key aspects of European research and innovation capacities such as research infrastructures; regional research driven clusters; the development of a full research potential in the Community"s convergence and outermost regions; research for the benefit of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs); "Science in Society" issues; support to coherent development of policies; horizontal activities of international cooperation. The Seventh Framework Programme shall also support the non-nuclear direct scientific and technical actions carried out by the () as defined in . The Seventh Framework Programme shall be implemented through specific programmes. These programmes shall establish precise objectives and the detailed rules for implementation. Maximum overall amount and shares assigned to each programme The maximum overall amount for Community financial participation in this Seventh Framework Programme shall be million. That amount shall be distributed among the activities and actions referred to in paragraphs 2 to 6 of Article 2 as follows (in EUR million): Cooperation 32365 Ideas 7460 People 4728 Capacities 4217 Non-nuclear actions of the 1751 2. The indicative breakdown among the thematic areas of each activity referred to in paragraph 1 is set out in . The detailed rules for Community financial participation in this Framework Programme are set out in . Protection of the Communities" financial interests For the Community actions financed under this Decision, Regulation (EC, Euratom) No. 2988/95 and Regulation (EC, Euratom) No. 2185/96 shall apply to any infringement of a provision of Community law, including infringements of a contractual obligation stipulated on the basis of the programme, resulting from an act or omission by an economic operator, which has, or would have, the effect of prejudicing the general budget of Communities or budgets managed by them, by an unjustified item of expenditure. All the research activities carried out under the Seventh Framework Programme shall be carried out in compliance with fundamental ethical principles. The following fields of research shall not be financed under this Framework Programme: - research activity aiming at human cloning for reproductive purposes, - research activity intended to modify the genetic heritage of human beings which could make such changes heritable, - research activities intended to create human embryos solely for the purpose of research or for the purpose of stem cell procurement, including by means of somatic cell nuclear transfer. Research on human stem cells, both adult and embryonic, may be financed, depending both on the contents of the scientific proposal and the legal framework of the Member State(s) involved. application for financing research on human embryonic stem cells must include, as appropriate, details of licensing and control measures that will be taken by the competent authorities of the Member States as well as details of the ethical approval(s) that will be provided. As regards the derivation of human embryonic stem cells, institutions, organisations and researchers must be subject to strict licensing and control in accordance with the legal framework of the Member State(s) involved. The fields of research set out in paragraph 2 shall be reviewed for the second phase of this programme (2010-2013) in the light of scientific advances. Monitoring, evaluation AM 67 and review The Commission shall continually and systematically monitor the implementation of the Framework Programme and its Specific Programmes and regularly report and disseminate the results of this monitoring. Not later than , the Commission shall carry out, with the assistance of external experts, an evidence-based interim evaluation of this Framework Programme and its specific programmes upon the ex-post evaluation of the Sixth Framework Programme. This evaluation shall cover the quality of the research activities under way, as well as the quality of implementation and management, and progress towards the objectives set. The Commission shall communicate the conclusions thereof, accompanied by its observations and, where appropriate, proposals for the adaptation of this Framework Programme, to Parliament, the Council, Economic and and . The interim evaluation will be preceded by a progress report as soon as enough data becomes available, giving initial findings on the effectiveness of the new actions initiated under FP7 and of the efforts made on simplification. Two years following the completion of this Framework Programme, the Commission shall carry out an external evaluation by independent experts of its rationale, implementation and achievements. The Commission shall communicate the conclusions thereof, accompanied by its observations, to Parliament, the Council, Economic and and . For Parliament For the Council SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL OBJECTIVES, BROAD LINES OF THE THEMES AND ACTIVITIES