1. 12. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 306/13 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Proposal for a Council Decision to adopt a multiannual research and development programme 
in food science and technology (1989 to mid-1993) — Food-linked agro-industrial research 
(Flair) 
(COM(88) 351 final — SYN 140) 
(Submitted by the Commission on 27 June 1988) 
(88/C 306/13) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular to Article 130Q 
(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 130K of the Treaty stipulates that the 
framework programme shall be implemented through 
specific programmes developed within each activity; 
Whereas, by its Decision of 28 September 1987 ('), the 
Council adopted a framework programme of 
Community research and technological development 
(1987 to 1991), providing for activities to be 
implemented to ensure the exploitation and optimum use 
of biological resources; 
Whereas the framework programme sets out criteria to 
evaluate each specific programme and to select 
Community actions, which include that of contributing 
to the strengthening of the economic and social cohesion 
of the Community, consistent with the pursuit of 
scientific and technical quality; 
Whereas a multiannual programme of research and 
development programme in the field of food science and 
technology (Flair) will assist in the combined progress in 
(') OJ No L 302, 24. 10. 1987, p. 1. public health and consumer protection with industrial 
and economic development within the Community; 
Whereas having regard to the fact that the specialized 
skills and capabilities relevant to food technology are 
numerous, and Europe's most internationally competitive 
capabilities are located in diverse Member States, mutual 
benefit shall be derived from collaboration in a 
Community programme; 
Whereas pursuant to Council Decision of . . . adopting a 
first multiannual programme for biotechnology-based 
agro-industrial research and technological development 
(Eclair), a Management and Coordination Advisory 
Committee (CGC) was created and whereas it is 
desirable that the same CGC assist the Commission in 
the implementation of this programme; 
Whereas four Community-COST concertation 
agreements on four concerted action projects in the field 
of food science and technology (2) have produced 
encouraging results, and further initiatives in the COST 
framework in this field, are underway; 
Whereas the participation of European non-Member 
States wholly or partially with projects in this 
programme is desirable; 
Whereas it is desirable to involve small- and 
medium-sized enterprises to the maximum extent 
possible in the food science and technology research and 
development programme; 
O OJ No L 54, 25. 2. 1978, p. 25; OJ No L 270, 27. 10. 1979, 
p. 53; OJ No L 39, 15.2. 1980, p. 30; OJ No L 350, 23. 12. 
1980, p. 54; OJ No L 353, 15. 12. 1982, p. 25; OJ No L 
151, 7. 6. 1984, p. 46. 
No C 306/14 Official Journal of the European Communities 1. 12. 88 
Whereas the Scientific and Technical Research 
Committee (Crest), was consulted on the following 
measures and has expressed its opinion on the 
Commission's proposal, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1 
A specific research and technological development 
programme for the European Economic Community in 
the field of food technology, as defined in the Technical 
Annex, is hereby adopted for a period of four and a half 
years, from 1 January 1989. 
Article 2 
The funds estimated as necessary for the execution of 
the programme amount to ECU 25 million, including 
expenditure on a staff of five. 
Article 3 
The programme shall consist of work carried out as 
concerted and cost-shared actions, and by training/ 
mobility grants. 
Detailed rules for implementing the programme are set 
out in the Technical Annex. 
Article 4 
In the third year of the programme implementation, the 
Commission shall undertake a review and report to the 
Council and the European Parliament on the results 
thereof, together, if necessary, with any proposals for 
modification or prolongation in the light of the interim 
results achieved. 
An evaluation of the results achieved shall be conducted 
by independent experts and published in the form of a 
communication to the Council and the European 
Parliament. The abovementioned reports shall be established having 
regard to the objectives set out in the Annex to this 
Decision, in particular for the improvement of food 
safety and quality for the consumer, and in conformity 
with the provisions of Article 2 (2) of the framework 
programme. 
Article 5 
The Commission shall be responsible for the execution 
of the programme and be assisted in its implementation 
by the Management and Coordination Advisory 
Committee (CGC), set up by Council Decision . . . 
The contracts entered into by the Commission shall 
regulate the rights and obligations of each party, in 
particular the methods of disseminating, protecting and 
exploiting the research results. 
Article 6 
The Commission is authorized to negotiate, in 
accordance with Article DON of the EEC Treaty, 
agreements with international organizations, with those 
non-Member States participating in European 
cooperation in the field of scientific and technogical 
research (COST) and with those European countries 
having concluded framework agreements in scientific 
and technological cooperation with the Community, with 
a view to associating them wholly or partially in 
concerted actions within this programme. 
Where framework agreements for scientific and technical 
cooperation between non-Community European 
countries and the European Community have been 
concluded, organizations and enterprises established in 
these countries may, under appropriate conditions to be 
defined by the Commission, become partners to a cost-
shared project within this programme. 
Article 7 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 
1. 12. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 306/15 
TECHNICAL ANNEX 
for a specific research and technological development programme in the field of food science and technology 
(1989 to mid-1993) 
Objectives 
The objectives of the programme are to contribute in the medium and longer terms to Europe's competi­
tiveness in the food industry, the improvement of food safety and quality for the consumer; the streng­
thening of the food science and technology infrastructures in Europe, in the context of the harmonious 
development of the internal market. The programme is targeted at complementing existing initiatives in 
Member States through the development of further collaborative linkages between different research 
groups and industries, and shall concentrate on the interface between food processing, food distribution 
and the consumer. The consumer demands for more natural and healthy foods, with greater diversity, shall 
be met by the combined efforts of researchers and the food industry. Conservation, enhancement of nature 
and environmental protection shall be systematically taken into consideration in the execution of the 
programme. 
Content 
The research activities in this programme have been divided into three sectors. New technologies and 
processing innovations, which enhance food quality, safety and nutritive values, shall also be supported in 
each sector. 
1. Assessment and Enhancement of food quality shall consist of research and development on: 
— quantitative measures of 'quality', 
— objective organoleptic and sensory criteria and their relationship to quality, 
— quantitative measures of 'freshness' of processed foods, 
— the quality aspect of raw materials as they affect processing and end products, and 
— new technologies and processing innovations which enhance food quality while also facilitating 
processing, and building consumer confidence. 
2. Food hygiene, safety and toxicological aspects shall concern research and development on: 
— improved rapid screening tests to predict potential toxicity factors, 
— the occurrence of natural plant toxins and their effects on food, 
— predicting micro-organism growth rates, accelerated methods for specific organisms and total 
counts, 
— improved understanding of the relationship between food constituents and food allergies, and 
— the application of these tests in food processing and new food product development to ensure the 
safety of both processes and products. 
3. Nutrition and wholesomeness aspects shall consist of research and development on: 
— new processing techniques, applications and natural ingredients which provide high nutritional and 
wholesomeness values, 
— methodologies for the nutritional evaluation of foods, 
— the bioavailability of the nutritional constituents (e.g. vitamins and minerals) and the effects of 
processing, distribution, catering, storage and home treatment, 
— the nutritional and wholesomeness value of foods designed for particular uses (e.g. slimming or 
athletics) or important to sub-groups in the population (e.g. infants and the elderly), 
those new processes and technologies which enhance the nutritional and wholesomeness of foods. 
No C 306/16 Official Journal of the European Communities 1. 12. 88 
Implementation 
The programme shall consist of work carried out as concerted and cost-shared actions, and by training/ 
mobility grants. All projects shall be carried out by participants from more than one Member State. 
Participation in a concerted action is open to all Member States, to non-member European States which 
have concluded framework agreements in scientific and technological cooperation with the Community 
and COST participating States. 
Participants in a project conducted as a cost-shared action, may be industrial enterprises, research 
institutions, universities or combinations of them, established in the Community or in those non-member 
European States which have concluded framework agreements in scientific and technological cooperation 
with the Community. 
As a general rule, research institutes and universities shall participate in a group together with one or more 
industrial organizations. Research institutes which are funded principally or exclusively by industrial organ­
izations shall be considered as industrial participants. 
For those actions which are conducted on a cost-shared basis, the Community contribution shall not 
normally exceed 50 % of the total expenditure, the remainder to be provided mainly from industrial 
sources. 
Training/mobility grants shall be included to facilitate the assembly of relevant skills at appropriate 
locations for the work of the projects, and to promote effective diffusion of the knowledge resulting from 
them. The programme shall also include coordination activities such as the organization of meetings, 
consultation with national experts, and diffusion of information on the progress and results of the projects. 
Evaluation criteria 
The Commission communication to the Council concerning a Community Plan of Action relating to the 
evaluation of Community research and development activities for the years 1987 to 1991 (COM(86) 660 
final) states that the objectives and milestones of each research programme have to be set out in a testable 
form, which are set out below. 
1. The long term objective of this programme is to contribute to the competitiveness of Europe's food 
industries, and to improved consumer protection and confidence, by strengthening the links between 
them through research and development. The Commission proposes to achieve this objective by 
launching a programme of concerted actions and cost-shared actions. The projects seek to promote 
the close collaboration between research and industrial groups, by their participation in research and 
technological development on food quality, hygiene, safety, toxicology, nutritional and whole-
someness values. 
2. The primary short term objective is that the programme should succeed in eliciting proposals, for 
concerted actions (with national agreement) and for R&D cost-shared projects (with commitments 
to co-finance from industry), on a scale commensurate with the Community resources proposed. This 
objective shall be testable in 1991 to 1992. 
At this time, the programme should also demonstrate its promotion and encouragement of inter-
sectoral collaboration, across the Member States and in Europe. 
3. Particular objectives to be attained within three years of the programme implementation are as 
follows: 
3.1. that improved food evaluation and assessment techniques have been developed, in particular sensory 
analysis, and that the results have given grounds to expect that they will find applications which will 
benefit industry and/or the consumer; 
3.2. that new, rapid tests for food hygiene, safety and toxicological aspects have been developed; that 
advantages in terms of precision, effectiveness, or the avoidance of possible adverse side-effects have 
been indicated; and that as a result of the tests the products, techniques or services have practical 
applications for industry and/or the consumer; 
1. 12. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 306/17 
3.3. that research and development has been conducted on the nutritional value of foods; that useful tests 
have been developed to measure the nutritional value of food constituents, including the effects of 
processing; and that as a result the nutritional and wholesomeness values of those foods are 
enhanced;and 
3.4. that studies and tests have been conducted for the development of new, novel processing technologies 
or innovations which enhance food quality, safety, and nutritional value and that as a result of such 
studies and projects new applications have been found. 
4. in addition, the programmes must ensure that the following general criteria are met: 
4.1. that the potential increase in market opportunities, in medium and long-term, as a result of the 
improvements or benefits demonstrated, is of a size to justify the Community expenditure committed; 
4.2. that the consumer confidence in food research and industry is encouraged and high standards for 
consumer protection are maintained; 
4.3. that throughout the execution of the programme the projects should have taken adequately into 
consideration the conservation, enhancement of nature and evironmental issues; 
4.4 taking account of the results of Community, national or private sector research activities in food 
science and technology, the evaluation panel shall consider whether the FLAIR programme has 
contributed to the application of the results of the said research activities in regions of the 
Community other than those in which the research was conducted, and has produced added value 
attributable to the Community character of the programme (i. e. not readily obtainable via Member 
State actions alone).