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COOPERATION AGREEMENT

between the European Economic Community and the Swiss Confederation on research and development in the field of wood as a renewable raw material

THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY,

hereinafter referred to as 'the Community', and

THE SWISS CONFEDERATION,

hereinafter referred to as 'Switzerland',

Whereas by its Decision of 17 May 1982, the Council of the European Communities, adopted a research and development programme (1982 to 1985) in the raw materials sector, including a sub-programme on wood as a renewable raw material, hereinafter referred to as 'the Community programme';

Whereas the Community and the Kingdom of Sweden concluded a Cooperation Agreement on a European research and development programme in the field of wood as a renewable raw material, hereinafter referred to as 'the European programme'; whereas this European programme includes the Community programme;

Whereas, by its Decision of 19 May 1982, the Swiss Federal Council adopted for the period ending in April 1988 a national programme on wood as an energy source and a renewable raw material, hereinafter referred to as 'the Swiss programme', which is being carried out and financed in Switzerland by the Swiss National Fund for Scientific Research;

Whereas cooperation between the European and Swiss programme would be in the interests of both parties by ensuring that the respective research undertaken is complementary and by avoiding unnecessary duplication of effort,

HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

The Community and Switzerland, hereinafter referred to as 'the Contracting Parties' shall cooperate for a period extending until 31 December 1985 in the European and Swiss programmes as described in Annexes A and B.

Article 2

The financial cost of carrying out the European programme amounts to 12,5 million ECU and that of carrying out the Swiss programme amounts to SwF 8 million.

The ECU is as defined in the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities and in the financial provisions adopted pursuant to that Regulation.

The cost arising from inter-programme cooperation activities shall be defrayed by the Contracting Parties, each Party being responsible for the amounts which concern it.

Article 3

The objective of the cooperation referred to in Article 1 is to coordinate the European programme and the Swiss programme and to provide a stimulus for carrying out the programmes with a view to deriving greater benefit from the respective research efforts.

The aims of this coordination are in particular:

- to select and define research projects,

- to monitor the implementation of projects,

- to evaluate the results and identify new research priorities.

It shall be carried out through:

- a detailed exchange of information on the respective programmes,

- participation of representatives of one Contracting Party at the seminars and symposia of the other Party,

- organization of visits by specialists from one Contracting Party to research institutes in the other Party, and

- regular, close contacts between those responsible for the European and Swiss programmes.

Article 4

The Commission of the European Communities, and the bodies designated by the Swiss Federal Council, shall ensure that cooperation takes place between the European programme and the Swiss programme. To this end, the Advisory Committee for the Community programme shall invite the person responsible for the Swiss programme to attend its meetings, as necessary, and the experts Working Party of the Swiss programme shall invite the person responsible for the European programme, as necessary.

These persons may be accompanied by experts at the meetings to which they are invited.

Article 5

Knowledge resulting from the carrying out of the European programme during the period of validity of this Agreement shall be communicated to Switzerland and to its bodies (organs, undertakings or persons) carrying out research or production work justifying access to this knowledge, under the same conditions as to the States participating in the European programme and to their relevant bodies. Knowledge resulting from the carrying out of the Swiss programme during the period of validity of this Agreement shall be communicated to the States participating in the European programme and to their relevant bodies under the same conditions as to the relevant Swiss bodies.

If in the carrying out of the respective programmes patentable inventions which will be protected by patent made or conceived, the Contracting Parties will encourage as far as possible the granting by the holders of these patents of non-exclusive licences to persons and undertakings established in the Community, Switzerland and Sweden. Any such licences shall be granted on non-discriminatory terms.

Article 6

This Agreement shall apply on the one hand to the territories in which the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community applies and under the conditions laid down in that Treaty and, on the other hand, to the territory of the Swiss Confederation.

Article 7

1. As soon as possible after signing this Agreement, each of the Contracting Parties shall notify the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities of the completion of the procedures necessary under its internal provisions for the entry into force of this Agreement.

2. This Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the month following that in which the second of the Contracting Parties makes the notification referred to in paragraph 1.

3. Other European States which took part in the Ministerial Conference held in Brussels on 22 and 23 November 1971 may be associated under fair and equitable conditions with the European programme by separate Agreements with the Community.

The Community shall keep Switzerland informed of the conclusion of such further Agreements.

4. The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities shall notify each of the Contracting Parties of the lodging of the notifications referred to in paragraph 1 and of the date of entry into force of this Agreement.

Article 8

This Agreement, drawn up in a single original in the Danish, Dutch, English French, German, Greek and Italian languages, each text being equally authentic, shall be deposited in the archives of the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Communities, which shall transmit a certified copy to each of the Contracting Parties.

ANNEX A

EUROPEAN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME ON WOOD AS A RENEWABLE RAW MATERIAL

1.2.3 // // // // Research topics // Indirect action // Coordinated action // // // // 1. Wood production // // // 1.1. Selection and improvement of forest reproductive material // × // × // 1.2. Improvement of growth (silviculture) // // // 1.2.1. Treatment of site and stands // × // × // 1.2.2. Establishment and management of fibre plantation // × // × // 1.2.3. Cultivation and management of trees outside the forest // × // × // 1.3. Prevention of losses // // // 1.3.1. Protection against damage from biotic agents // × // × // 1.3.2. Prevention of forest fires // × // × // 1.3.3. Protection against damage from other abiotic causes // × // × // 1.4. Forest inventory // - // × // 2. Wood harvesting, storage and transport // // // 2.1. Harvesting of biomass // × // × // 2.2. Processing and storage of chips for industrial use // × // × // 2.3. Harvesting systems for on-ground extraction // - // × // 2.4. Harvesting systems for off-ground extraction // - // × // 2.5. Safety and health aspects // - // × // 3. Wood as material // // // 3.1. Study of wood properties // × // × // 3.2. Improvement of performance and protection against deterioration // × // × // 3.3. Development of objective testing methodology // × // × // 4. Wood processing without modification of its basic structure // // // 4.1. Development of manufacturing processes and products // × // × // 4.2. Adhesives and joints // × // × // 4.3. Constructional use of wood // // // 4.3.1. More efficient use and re-use of wood in temporary works // × // × // 4.2.3. Greater economy in use through improved design // × // × // 4.3.3. Load duration effects // × // × // 5. Processing of wood and related organic materials into fibre products // // // 5.1. Process and product development in the pulp industry // × // × // 5.2. Better use of recycled waste paper, cereal straw and other fibres // × // × // 5.3. Improvement of paper and board manufacturing processes // × // × // 6. Wood as a source of chemicals // // // 6.1. Development of processes to separate chemically the main components of materials containing ligno-cellulose substances // × // × // 6.2. Utilization of lignin, hemi-cellulose and cellulose // × // × // 6.3. Recovery of by-products from chemical fibre processing // × // × // // //

ANNEX B

SWISS PROGRAMME ON WOOD AS AN ENERGY SOURCE AND A RENEWABLE RAW MATERIAL

1. National supply requirements

Forestry policy and forestry law in a situation of chronic scarcity

Increased production with the help of sylvicultural means

Claims and conflicts as regards utilization

Utilization for forestry purposes of forage areas released

Making mountain forests accessible

Basic data for the management of forestry undertakings

Optimizing the operation of forestry undertakings

The timber market

2. Vital wood products

Increased processing of wood in Switzerland

Optimum distribution of raw materials

Exports and imports

The properties of Swiss wood

Sorting facilities in small and medium-sized undertakings

Optimizing the internal operation of firms in the wood-working trade

Construction-timber joining techniques

Deformation and long-term resistance of construction parts and load-bearing structures

Processes for impregnating large sections

Exterior wood coverings

Wood in interior fittings

Organic compenents of sulphur-free waste solutions

Biodegradation of lignin

Process control systems in the timber industry

3. Wood as an energy source

Wood as energy source in times of crisis

The energy potential of the wood used as a material for civilising purposes

Transportation and distribution of wood used as an energy source