No C 29/4 Official Journal of the European Communities 4. 2. 89 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Decision concerning a Community programme in the field of strategic 
analysis, forecasting an evaluation in matters of research and technology (Monitor) 
(1988 to 1992) 
COM(88) 386 final — SYN 147 
(Submitted by the Commission on 29 July 1988) 
(89/C 29/04) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, an in particular Article 130 Q (2) 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
In cooperation with the European Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas Article 130 K of the Treaty states that the 
framework programme should be implemented through 
specific programmes developed within each activity; 
Whereas by its Decision of 28 September 1987 (') the 
Council has adopted a framework programme of 
Community research and technological development 
(1987 to 1991), providing for activities in the fields of 
forecasting and assessment in science and technology 
and in evaluation of programmes; 
Whereas, for the selection of Community actions, the 
framework programme sets out criteria among which is 
that of contributing to the strengthening of economic 
and social cohesion of the Community, consistent with 
the pursuit of scientific and technical quality; 
Whereas the Single European Act enters the European 
Communities into a phase of European construction — 
notably in scientific, technological and industrial 
cooperation — and therefore calls for a strengthening 
(') OJ No L 302, 24. 10. 1987, p. 1. and renewing of long term and strategic analysis and 
technological assessment: 
Whereas the growing impact of science and technology 
on social and economic life reinforces, as underlined by 
the Economic and Social Committee, the role and utility 
of long term analysis of the social and economic conse­
quences of developments in science and technology in 
the highlighting of choices in matters of RDT; 
Whereas in 1987 the European Parliament approved, on 
an experimental basis, the setting up of an assessment 
body of scientific and technological options (STOA: 
Scientific and Technological Options Assessment) and 
given the importance of cooperation between 
Community institutions at this level; 
Whereas several important initiatives have been taken in 
the Member States in matters of programme evaluation, 
forecasting and technology assessment; 
Whereas the Commission, in carrying out its duties 
regarding evaluation of R & D activities, must have the 
support of reliable methods, appropriate indicators and a 
network of experienced European specialists in order 
that the effectiveness of its evaluations and its capability 
to measure the impact of R & D activities are improved; 
Whereas the evaluation report of FAST II has been 
taken into account; 
Whereas the Scientific and Technical Research 
Committee (Crest) has been consulted on the following 
measures, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1 
A specific research, and technological development 
programme for the European Economic Community in 
the field of strategic analysis, forecasting and evaluation 
in matters of research and technology (Monitor), as 
defined in the Annex is hereby adopted for a period of 
five years from 1 January 1988. 
4. 2. 89 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 29/5 
Article 2 
The amount deemed necessary for the execution of the 
programme is ECU 22 million, including expenditure on 
a staff of 12 to 27 persons (six A, two B, four C for 
1988; 12 A, two B, eight C for 1989; 15 A, two B, 10 C 
for 1990 to 1992) and costs associated with researchers 
seconded from Member States to a maximum of 47 man 
years. 
Article 3 
Detailed rules for the implementation of the programme 
and the rate of the Community's financial participation 
are set out in the Annex. 
Article 4 
1. In the third year of the programme implementation, 
the Commission shall undertake a review of the 
programme and it shall report to the Council and the 
European Parliament on the results thereof, together, if 
necessary, with any proposals for modification or 
prolongation. 
2. An evaluation of the results achieved shall be 
conducted by the Commission, which shall report 
thereon to the Council and the Parliament. 
3. The abovementioned reports shall be established 
having regard to the objectives set out in the Annex to 
this Decision and in conformity with the provisions of 
Article 2 (2) of the framework programme. 
4. The Commission will regularly inform — but 
particularly in the first half of 1990 and the end of 1991 
— the Council and the Parliament of the state of its ac­
tivities. 
Article 5 
1. The Commission shall be responsible for the 
execution of the programme and shall be assisted in its implementation by a Management and Coordination 
Advisory Committee (CGC), which shall be set up in 
accordance with the provisions laid down in Council 
Decision 84/338/Euratom, ECSC, EEC ('). 
2. The contracts entered into by the Commission shall 
regulate the rights and obligations of each party, 
including the methods of disseminating, protecting and 
exploiting the research results. 
Article 6 
The Commission is authorized to negotiate, in 
accordance with Article 130 N of the EEC Treaty, 
agreements with international organizations, those 
non-member States participating in European 
cooperation in the field of scientific and technological 
research (COST) and those European countries having 
concluded framework agreements in scientific and 
technical cooperation with the Community, with a view 
to associating them wholly or partly with the 
programme. 
Where framework agreements for scientific and technical 
cooperation between non-Member States and the 
European Communities have been concluded, organiz­
ations and enterprises established in those countries may 
participate in a project undertaken within this 
programme. 
Article 7 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 
0) OJ No L 177, 4. 7. 1984, p. 25. 
ANNEX 
COMMUNITY PROGRAMME IN THE FIELD OF STRATEGIC ANALYSIS, FORECASTING AND 
EVALUATION IN MATTERS OF RESEARCH AN TECHNOLOGY (MONITOR) 
I. AIMS AND ACTIVITIES 
1. The purpose of the programme is to be instrumental in identifying new directions and priorities for the 
Community research and technological development policy and to help show more clearly the 
relationships between it and the other common policies. 
It involves factual and strategic analysis and forecasting relating to the scientific and technological 
environment and its interaction with economic and social developments. 
2. It comprises three activities: 
— Strategic and impact analysis (SAST), 
— FAST forecasting, 
— Research and studies to improve methodologies and effectiveness of evaluation of R & D activities 
(Spear). 
No C 29/6 Official Journal of the European Communities 4. 2. 89 
II. CONTENT AND WORKING METHODS 
Strategic and impact analysis (SAST) 
3. The SAST activities consist of carrying out 'targeted' analyses in, a scientific field, technology sector, or 
a challenging theme. The aim is to show the options available to the Commission's science and tech­
nology policy and interactions with other policies as well as the way in which the different concerned 
actors (industrialists, certain local public authorities, Member and non-member States, social groups, 
etc.) situate themselves with regard to the options. 
4. These activities consist of: 
(a) the preparation of reports on the prospects for development and the strengths and weaknesses of 
the European Community, a group of countries in the Community, particularly with respect to 
R&D structures, a high technology sector, a scientific field or in relation to important changes in 
other countries' science and technology policies, particularly those outside the Community; 
(b) the carrying out of technology assessments into the state of development of a technology and its 
future evolution, constraints to innovation, industrial and socio-economic impact within the 
Community (by sector, region, etc.), requirements in terms of R & D and investment financing etc; 
and 
(c) the preparation of reports of strategic analyses ('Strategic dossiers') shedding light, for a given 
problem, on alternatives open to the European Community and proposing precise orientations for 
action. 
5. The Commission will establish an annual calendar of priority activities which will be adopted after 
consultation with the CGC. 
FAST forecasting 
6. The FAST forecasting activities are a reoriented follow-up to previous FAST programmes: they include 
study of scientific and technological changes and their many interactions with economic and social 
changes. Their aim is to provide the Commission with global analyses and long term projections. The 
projections are to be useful in relation to the Community's major objectives for the 1990s, namely the 
creation of a single internal market and strengthening economic and soical cohesion within the 
Community, and in the light of worldwide economic and social developments. 
7. Forecasting includes: 
(a) the preparation of reports ('Forecasting dossiers') on major topics or phenomena of a global 
character. The choice of these topics will depend on their relevance and significance in relation to 
the objectives of the common RDT policy. They may extend beyond the strictly European 
framework; 
(b) the undertaking of studies of the implications and consequences of selected scientific and technical 
developments which present important challenges for society in the fucture; 
(c) the synthesis and critical analysis of the main forecasting studies published worldwide; 
(d) the preparation every two years of a report on the economic and social implications of tech­
nological change, particularly in Europe. 
8. These activities will be defined according to a biennial work programme established by the 
Commission in consultation with the CGC. 
9. These activities will involve the participation of experts and working groups from outside the 
Commission under the responsibility and guidance of the FAST team in consultation with other 
concerned Commission services (including, where necessary, officials from other Directorates-General 
seconded to the FAST team for limited periods) and visiting scientists on secondment from the 
Member States or even from non-member countries. 
In addition, the activities under (a) and (b) will be organized in such a way as to ensure the broadest 
and most efficient possible interaction between the actors involved. To that end the Council, the 
Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee will be regularly informed of the results of these 
activities. 
10. FAST forecasting activities are also intended to continue to stimulate the development of European 
forecasting efforts and expertise. To this end it will be necessary to reinforce the FAST '12 -I- 1' 
network (comprising the 12 national FAST units nominated by the Member States to ensure inter­
action between Community activities and similar work undertaken in their own countries) and to 
4. 2. 89 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 29/7 
encourage the setting up of an informal network of European 'prospectivists'. 
Activities in support of the evaluation of R & D Programmes (Spear) 
11. Research and studies in support of evaluation of R & D activities at the Community level are intended 
to improve the theoretical and methodological bases, as well as the methods of organization and 
management of Community, national and international R&D programmes. They will also analyse and 
improve the effectiveness and impact of R & D activities, and support the evaluation 'plan of action'. 
12. To this end, the Spear activities comprise: 
— the preparation, in conformity with the evaluation plan of action (') of four to five horizontal 
evaluations of certain activities common to Community, national or international research in order 
to analyse their impact and identify means to improve their effectiveness at Community level. This 
covers analyses of methods of support and of management of national and Community research, 
— research actions into methodologies of evaluation of R & D programmes in order to- increase their 
utility and make them more credible to their users. This will be in conformity with Articles 5, 6 and 
7 of the plan of action referenced above. 
In particular it must: 
— improve methods for evaluations which cover at the same time Community and related national 
R&D programmes, 
— stimulate research into the methodology of evaluation and its use in Member States, 
— develop quantitative indicators that can describe the quality and utility of research and its 
contribution to the Community's economic and social development, and 
— prepare guidelines for the carrying out of R & D programme evaluations in the light of the 
European experience. 
13. The Commission will establish an annual calendar of priority activities which will be adopted after 
consultation with the CGC. 
III. IMPLEMENTATION 
14. The preceding paragraphs define the aims of the various activities. They specify the products and 
services expected and the appropriate working methods. 
Given the different nature of these activities, and their specificity, implementation will include: 
— involving in the abovementioned activities, research centres or research teams from the Community 
countries specializing in strategic and impact analyses, forecasting and evaluation of R & D 
programmes, especially by setting up networks, organizing workshops, seminars, etc., 
— the setting up of two '12 + 1' networks, one linked to FAST forecasting, the other to Spear. Their 
objectives will be the exchange and diffusion of information, promotion within the Community of 
more effective means of forecasting and of evaluation of R&D, and also the exploitation of 
results, and 
— secondment of visiting scientists from national institutions and governments to take part in the 
various activities. 
The financial contribution of the Community towards these activities could be up to 100% of 
necessary expenditures. 
(') See action plan in OJ No C 14, 20. 1. 1987, pp. 5 to 8.