No C 174/40 Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 7. 90 
A favourable technical evaluation of such proposals shall not by itself be a sufficient justification for 
accepting a project; this exceptional procedure may only apply after verification that the nature of the 
project, as defined above, does not justify the use of the normal procedure for calls for proposals. 
The exceptional procedure must be completed before the ordinary procedure in such a way that the 
available amount for the Community's financial participation in projects retained by the ordinary 
procedure can be determined precisely. The closing date for the exceptional procedure shall be published 
each year in the Official Journal of the European Communities. 
The amount of the financial participation of the Community for all the projects retained by the exceptional 
procedure will be decided each year, in relation to the projects selected according to particularly strict 
criteria of excellence. In any case, this amount may not exceed 15%; it may be revised each year in the 
light of experience. 
The Commission shall draw up a vade mecum setting out all the rules applicable to this exceptional 
procedure in order to guarantee full transparency. 
5. The projects must involve at least two mutually independent partners established in different Member 
States. 
6. The Commission may encourage the participants to form a European Economic Interest Grouping (EEIG) 
or make other arrangements for carrying out projects, such as those on a large scale, permitting 
decentralized management adapted to the specific requirements of the project. 
7. The knowledge acquired during the course of the projects shall be disseminated on the one hand within 
the specific programme and on the other and by means of a centralized activity, pursuant to the Decision 
referred to in the third subparagraph of Article 4 of Decision 90/221/Euratom, EEC. 
Proposal for a Council Decision adopting a specific research and technological development 
programme in the field of environment (1990 to 1994) 
COM(90) 158 final — SYN 263 
(Submitted by the Commission on 3 May 1990) 
(90/C 174/06) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular 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 by Decision 90/221/Euratom, EEC(1), the 
Council adopted a third framework programme for 
Community activities in the field of research and tech­
nological development (1990 to 1994), specifying inter 
alia the activities to be pursued for developing the 
scientific knowledge and technical know-how needed 
by the Community, in particular to carry out its role 
relating to the environment according to Part Three, Title VII of the Treaty; whereas this decision should be 
taken in the light of the grounds set out in the preamble 
to that Decision; 
Whereas Article 130k of the Treaty stipulates that the 
framework programme is to be implemented through 
specific programmes developed within each activity; 
Whereas the Joint Research Centre shall contribute 
through its own programme to the implementation of 
the aforesaid activities; 
Whereas an estimate should be made of the amount of 
Community financial resources needed to carry out this 
specific programme; whereas the definitive amounts 
will be fixed by the budgetary authority in line with 
the financial perspectives covering the period 1988 to 
1992 included in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 
29 June 1988 (2) and with any future financial perspec­
tives covering the period 1993 to 1994; 
(!) OJ No L 117, 8. 5. 1990, p. 28. (2) OJ No L 185, 15. 7. 1988, p. 33. 
16. 7. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 174/41 
Whereas, pursuant to Article 4 of and Annex I to 
Decision 90/221/Euratom, EEC, the amount deemed 
necessary for the whole framework programme includes 
an amount of ECU 57 million for the centralized dis­
semination and exploitation of results, to be divided up 
in proportion to the amount envisaged for each activity; 
whereas in view of the importance of this specific 
programme within the 'Environment' action the esti­
mate of the financial resources needed by this pro­
gramme is to be reduced by ECU 2 600 000, which 
amount is to be allocated to the centralized activities, 
in order to comply with the second sentence of Article 
130p (2) of the Treaty; 
Whereas this programme must be implemented by the 
Commission; whereas, to help accomplish this, the 
Member States are bound, pursuant to Article 5 of the 
Treaty, to facilitate the achievement of its tasks, where 
necessary, notably within a committee; 
Whereas this programme must be implemented essen­
tially by the selection of research and development 
projects to enable them to benefit from Community 
participation; whereas the Commission should encour­
age the submission of such projects by the usual means 
of publishing calls for proposals in the Official Journal 
of the European Communities; whereas a special pro­
cedure should also be devised so as to maintain a degree 
of flexibility enabling the Commission, in the face of 
the continuous evolution and gradual acceleration of 
technological progress, also to take into consideration 
spontaneous proposals consistent with the objectives of 
the programme; 
Whereas the projects to be carried out under the pro­
gramme must be selected with special attention to the 
principle of economic and social cohesion in the Com­
munity, the transnational nature of the projects and 
the support to be given to small and medium-sized 
enterprises; 
Whereas it is only in the light of experience gathered 
in the course of this programme that the Commission 
will be able to propose and the Council to adopt sup­
plementary programmes by having recourse to the 
means provided for in Articles 1301, 130m or 130o of 
the Treaty, if they contribute to the achievement of the 
programme's objectives, in accordance with the option 
made available by Article 2 (2) of Decision 90/221/ 
Euratom, EEC; 
Whereas, in accordance with Article 130g of the Treaty, 
the Community's activities aimed at strengthening the 
scientific and technological basis of European industry 
and encouraging it to become more competitive include 
promoting cooperation on research and technological 
development with third countries and international 
organizations; whereas such cooperation may prove 
particularly beneficial for the development of this pro­
gramme; 
Whereas it is necessary, as Annex II to Decision 
90/221/Euratom, EEC, provides, to take protection of 
the environment and the quality of life into account by directing research activities towards an understanding 
of the fundamental mechanisms of the environment, 
while contributing to the preparation of quality and 
safety standards; 
Whereas the Scientific and Technical Research Com­
mittee (Crest) has been consulted, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1 
A specific research and technological development pro­
gramme for the European Economic Community in the 
field of environment, as defined in Annex I, is hereby 
adopted for a period of five years as from 1 January 
1990. 
Article 2 
1. The Community funds estimated as necessary for 
the execution of the programme under this Decision 
amount to ECU 414 million. This amount includes ECU 
260 million for the execution of the activities approved 
by the present Decision, and ECU 154 million for the 
activities which the JRC will contribute to the pro­
gramme and which will be subject of a separate decision 
of the Council. 
2. From the above sum of ECU 260 million, an 
amount of ECU 2 600 000 is drawn for the centralized 
action of dissemination and exploitation. The funds 
thus reduced to ECU 257 400 000 include staff cost, 
which may amount to a maximum of 4 %. 
3. An indicative allocation of funds is set out in 
Annex II. 
4. Should the Council take a decision in implemen­
tation of Article 1 (4) of Decision 90/221/Euratom, 
EEC, this decision shall be adapted to take account of 
the abovementioned Decision. 
5. The budgetary authority shall decide on the appro­
priations available for each financial year. 
Article 3 
Rules for the implementation of the programme are set 
out in Annex III. 
Article 4 
The rate of the Community financial contribution shall 
be laid down in accordance with Annex IV to Decision 
90/221/Euratom, EEC. 
No C 174/42 Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 7. 90 
Article 5 Article 8 
1. During 1992 the Commission shall review the pro­
gramme and address a report on the results of the 
review to the Council and the European Parliament, 
together with proposals for any necessary changes. 
2. At the end of the programme the Commission shall 
assess the results obtained. It shall address a report 
thereon to the Council and the European Parliament. 
3. The reports shall be drawn up having regard to the 
objectives set out in Annex I to this Decision and 
in accordance with Article 2 (4) of Decision 90/221/ 
Euratom, EEC. 
Article 6 
1. The Commission shall be responsible for the 
execution of the programme. It shall be assisted by 
an advisory committee, hereinafter referred to as 'the 
Committee', composed of representatives of the Mem­
ber States and chaired by a representative of the Com­
mission. 
2. The contracts concluded by the Commission shall 
govern the rights and obligations of each party, includ­
ing the procedures for disseminating, protecting and 
exploiting the research results, in accordance with the 
arrangements adopted pursuant to the second para­
graph of Article 130k of the Treaty. 
3. A work programme for each year shall be drawn 
up and updated where necessary. It shall set out the 
detailed objectives and types of projects to be under­
taken, and the financial arrangements to be made for 
them. The Commission shall make calls for proposals 
for projects on the basis of the annual work pro­
grammes. 1. The procedure laid down in Article 7 shall apply 
to: 
pro- the preparation and updating of the work 
grammes referred to in Article 6 (3), 
evaluation of the projects referred to in point 2 of 
Annex III, as well as the estimated amount of the 
Community's financial contribution when these 
projects are submitted through the ordinary pro­
cedure referred to in point 4 of Annex III and the 
abovementioned amount is more than ECU 
5 million, 
evaluation of all projects submitted through the 
exceptional procedure referred to in point 4 of 
Annex III, as well as the estimated amount of the 
Community's financial contribution, 
measures for evaluating the programme. 
2. The Commission may consult the Committee on 
any matter falling within the scope of the programme. 
3. The Commission shall inform the Committee with 
regard to: 
— the progress of the programme, 
— draft calls for proposals, referred to in Article 6 (3), 
— projects, referred to in point 2 of Annex III, submit­
ted through the ordinary procedure, for which the 
Community contribution is less than ECU 5 million, 
and the results of their evaluation, 
— accompanying measures, referred to in point 2 of 
Annex III, 
— concerted actions, referred to in point 2 of Annex III. 
Article 9 
Article 7 
1. In the cases referred to in Article 8 (1), the represen­
tative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee 
a draft of the measures to be taken. The Committee 
shall deliver its opinion on this within a time limit 
which the chairman may set in accordance with the 
urgency of the matter, if necessary by holding a vote. 
2. The opinion shall be entered in the minutes; in 
addition, each Member State shall have the right to ask 
for its position to appear in the minutes. 
3. The Commission shall take the fullest account of 
the opinion delivered by the Committee. It shall inform 
the Committee of the way in which it has taken account 
of the opinion. In implementing this programme, supplementary pro­
grammes within the meaning of Article 1301, partici­
pation within the meaning of Article 130m and joint 
undertakings or any other structures within the mean­
ing of Article 130o of the Treaty may also be decided 
on as the need arises. 
Article 10 
Where cooperation with third countries and inter­
national organizations aiming at achieving the objec­
tives of this programme requires legal undertakings 
between the Community and the third parties con­
cerned, the Commission shall be authorized to nego­
tiate, in accordance with Article 130n of the Treaty, 
international agreements laying down the terms of such 
cooperation. 
16. 7. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 174/43 
Decisions on the conclusion of such agreements shall Article 11 
be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred 
to in Article 130q (2) of the Treaty. This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 
ANNEX 1 
Scientific and technical objectives and content 
This specific programme fully reflects the approach embodied in the third Framework Programme in terms 
of the scientific and technical goals and the underlying aims which it pursues. 
Paragraphs 3A, 3B, 3D and 3E of Annex II to the Framework Programme form an integral part of the present 
specific programme. 
The actions envisaged will enable large projects to be undertaken to complement and strengthen the activities 
of the ongoing environment research programmes, the aim being to respond rapidly to the scientific challenges 
which arise from global change and to provide continuity in the scientific support to the environmental 
policy of the Community. 
The following presents an analytical description of the content of the programme, based on and taking 
account of the above elements. 
Area 1: Participation in global change programmes 
The goal is to contribute to understanding the processes governing environmental change and to assess the 
impact of human activities. Community participation will be concentrated on problems which will have an 
impact on environment policy and in areas where the Community is best placed to ensure European 
coordination in the framework of large international programmes while taking account of national pro­
grammes. 
Natural climatic change 
The objective is to reconstruct and model the evolution of the climate system in the past in order to 
understand better how the system may evolve subject to forcing factors of human origin. 
Taking advantage of deep ice cores to be recovered in the next years, research will aim at the reconstruction 
and modelling of the quaternary climatic cycles. In particular, the last climatic cycle should be accurately 
reconstructed, in order to understand and model the onset of the most recent glaciation. 
Anthropogenic climate change 
Research will be carried out to understand, describe and forecast climatic change resulting from the enhanced 
greenhouse effect due to human activities, in order to provide the scientific basis for preventive or adaptive 
measures. 
A major project will be launched on the development, testing and intercomparison of integrated high-
resolution global change models coupling the atmosphere (including clouds), the ocean, the biosphere and 
the cryosphere, taking advantage of modern supercomputer and computer-linking techniques. 
Climate change impacts 
The aim is to forecast the physical and human impacts of the foreseen climate change in the European 
Community. 
The emphasis will be on the quantitative assessment and modelling of the impacts of the foreseen climate 
change, especially the sea level rise and its consequences for European towns and low-lying coastal areas, 
and the impacts on European agriculture, water resources and other sectors of the European economy 
(tourism, land use, energy, transport, etc.). 
No C 174/44 Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 7. 90 
Stratospheric ozone 
Work will aim at understanding and forecasting processes which lead to the depletion of stratospheric ozone 
and the consequences of this depletion and the provision of the scientific basis for preventive measures. 
New activities will include arctic campaigns in 1991 to 1992 and 1992 to 1993 to identify possible ozone 
depletion. In parallel, data collection from a network of ground measurement stations will be coordinated, 
complemented by measurements from mobile stations and by laboratory research on pertinent chemical 
reactions. These activities will be accompanied by the modelling of stratospheric processes, including the 
consequences of emission scenarios, and by the assessment of the ecological and health effects of increased 
UV-B radiation. 
Tropospheric physics and chemistry 
Research will be carried out to elucidate important physico-chemical processes in the troposphere as a basis 
for the definition of preventive measures. New approaches to the understanding of tropospheric ozone, OH 
and NOy chemistry will include coordinated clean-air measurement campaigns as well as modelling work 
combining meteorological and chemical models. These activities will be extended to natural emissions such 
as terpenes and other hydrocarbons and sulphur and halogen containing compounds. 
Biogeochemical cycles 
Work will aim at deepening the understanding of biogeochemical cycles and their disturbances by human 
activities and providing the scientific basis for preventive and remedial actions. 
The material balance for chemical elements will be established in a network of inland catchment areas. The 
study of the sources and pathways of natural and anthropogenic compounds in the European estuarine/ 
coastal environment will be extended from the Mediterranean to other coastal areas. Emphasis will be given 
to regional projects of global importance, where appropriate in close cooperation with the marine sciences 
and technologies programme. 
Ecosystem dynamics 
The aim is to understand and forecast the interaction of global change and the dynamics of continental 
ecosystems and to provide a scientific basis for preventive and adaptive policies. The new element is the 
holistic approach to the investigation of important types of ecosystems such as wetlands and seminatural 
ecosystems. The global impact of exploitation and clearing of tropical forests and grassland and the loss of 
biological and genetic diversity will receive particular attention, in close coordination with the biotechnology 
programme. 
Area 2: Technologies and engineering for the environment 
The objective is to promote better environmental quality standards by encouraging technological innovation 
at the pre-competitive level. The two main lines of research in this field will be environmental monitoring, 
including remote sensing applications, and the development of techniques and systems to protect and 
rehabilitate the environment. Support to the activities of the future European environment agency will be an 
important consideration in this research area. 
Assessment of environmental quality and monitoring 
Research will contribute to the development of advanced equipment and analytical methods for high 
performance environmental monitoring systems. 
Research will aim at the development of both airborne and ground-based methods and instruments for 
measuring atmospheric constituents and the design of advanced methods for the assessment of environmental 
quality. The analysis of emissions, of waste, of water and of liquid effluents will receive particular attention. 
The development and testing of monitoring and alert systems for natural hazards such as seismic and volcanic 
phenomena, landslides, storms and floods, and forest fires will also be covered. 
Technologies for protecting and rehabilitating the environment 
Work will be carried out to contribute to the development of technologies for protecting and rehabilitating 
the environment including all the main aspects of urban environment. Research concerned with the treatment 
16. 7. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 174/45 
and disposal of toxic waste and of liquid effluents and the recycling of urban and industrial wastes will be 
complemented by the development of low-emission and low-waste technologies for selected industrial sectors. 
Research aiming at the prevention of major industrial and transport accidents through a greater understanding 
of hazard phenomena will be widened to include the validation of methodologies of assessing risk and the 
development of low risk alternative technologies and sophisticated process control and detection systems. 
For the monuments and objects which are components of European cultural heritage, research will quantify 
the causes and mechanisms of deterioration; new methods of condition assessment will be developed, and 
the scientific basis for treatments and materials for conservation will be strengthened. 
Activities in this area will be coordinated with the Eureka project Euro-Environ and research teams funded 
by the programme will participate in the Eureka project Eurocare. 
Area 3: Research on economic and social aspects of environmental issues 
The general objective is to improve the understanding of the legal, economic, ethical and health aspects of 
environmental policy and management. 
Research will address critical areas of environmental social science and environmental economics research, 
ranging from basic development of methods and concepts and their application to environmental issues, to 
their incorporation into specific Community sectoral policies and environmental research programmes. 
Socioeconomic assessment of the changing environment 
The objective is to develop the concepts of environmental social science and environmental economics 
and their application to environmental change. Account will be taken of the rapidly increasing scientific 
understanding of the human and natural environment. Particular attention will be given to the integration 
of R&D efforts in Member States and to the establishment of cooperative links with relevant international 
programmes. 
Topics to be covered include inter alia: incorporating environmental parameters into economic methodology; 
cost/risk/benefit analysis; sustainable development; scientific indicators of environmental quality; risk percep­
tion; environmental ethics; early warning of environmental change including demographic, population and 
technological change. 
Socioeconomic impact of environmental policies and research 
The objective is to incorporate environmental socioeconomic factors into Community policies and to provide 
a socioeconomic dimension for Community environmental R&D. 
Work within this theme is intended to ensure that, in line with the provisions of the Single Act, environmental 
factors are sufficiently taken into account in Community sectoral policies and supporting R&D. 
Furthermore, as scientific and socioeconomic parameters are closely interdependent in a number of research 
topics of the present programme, work under this theme will ensure that socioeconomic considerations and 
parameters are properly incorporated into relevant coordinated research projects. 
Illustrative examples include: integrated waste recycling systems within the internal market; ecological 
consequences of demographic and population changes (e.g. Alps and other mountain regions); environmental 
impacts of tourism. 
Area 4: Integrated research projects 
The objective is to help solve broad problems of transnational interest through a systems approach and 
interdisciplinary research. Integrated projects will address regional issues or issues of immediate relevance to 
the Community policy. Examples are: 
Natural risks 
Work will aim at understanding the causes, mechanisms and consequences of hazardous environmental 
phenomena, and providing the scientific basis for disaster management (preparedness, prediction, alert, 
mitigation or prevention, recovery and redevelopment). 
Integrated research in this area will provide a European contribution to the international decade for natural 
hazard reduction. It will cover telluric, meteorological and hydrogeological hazards, including research on 
forest fires, floods and slope instability and the phenomenology of extreme hazardous meteorological events. 
No C 174/46 Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 7. 90 
Research on telluric hazards (earthquakes and volcanic eruptions) will consist mainly of theoretical studies 
of telluric phenomena and of the behaviour of structures during these phenomena and will aim at the setting-
up of field measurement sites and of rapid intervention networks in selected active zones in the Community. 
Technological risks 
The aim is to understand the consequences of human activities, technologies and products on human health 
and on the environment as a basis for preventive Community policies and legislation. 
Research in this area will cover the development and validation of systems for testing and assessment of 
chemicals for health and ecological effects. It will be complemented by studies of the effect of environmental 
pollution on human health. Furthermore, the risks from agricultural technologies and land-use practices to 
soil and groundwater quality will be investigated. This work will extend to regional aspects of ecosystem 
protection including the eutrophication of coastal seas (in liaison with the specific programme on marine 
science and technology), the protection and conservation of habitats, forest dieback and the acidification of 
water bodies. 
Desertification in the Mediterranean area 
Research will be carried out to assess the natural and human causes, the mechanisms and the impacts of the 
spread of desertification in the Mediterranean area. Research will deal with the history, causes (human and 
climatic) and consequences of desertification. Strategies to combat desertification will be developed and their 
application to selected test zones will be envisaged. 
ANNEX 11 
Indicative breakdown of expenditures for the period 1990 to 1994 
(%) 
Area 1: Participation in global change programmes 35-45 
Area 2: Technologies and engineering for the environment 20-25 
Area 3: Research on economic and social aspects of environmental issues 5-10 
Area 4: Integrated research projects 25-35 
The breakdown between different areas does not exclude the possibility that projects could cover several 
areas. 
ANNEX /// 
Rules for implementing the programme 
and activities for dissemination and exploitation of the results 
1. The Commission shall implement the programme on the basis of the scientific and technical content 
described in Annex I. 
2. The rules for implementing the programme, referred to in Article 3, comprise research and technological 
development projects, accompanying measures and concerted actions. 
16. 7. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 174/47 
The direct research activities carried out by the JRC will be the subject of a separate Council Decision. 
The projects shall be the subject of shared-cost research and technological development contracts. 
The accompanying measures consist of applying the means to ensure proper technical execution, manage­
ment and evaluation of the programme, as well as adequate dissemination and accessibility of the results, 
and coordination, training and consciousness-raising of the participants in the programme. 
The concerted actions are those defined in the Financial Regulation. 
3. The participants in the projects must be natural or legal persons established in the Community, such as 
universities, research organizations and industrial firms, including small and medium-sized enterprises, 
or associations thereof, in particular European economic interest groupings (EEIGs). 
Natural or legal persons established in countries which have concluded agreements with the Community 
foreseeing scientific and technical research, may, based on the criterion of mutual advantage, take part 
in the projects undertaken in the context of this programme. The contracting parties under such 
arrangements shall not benefit from Community funding. They shall contribute to the general administrat­
ive costs. 
4. The choice of projects shall be carried out according to the following order of priority, the first method 
being the rule, the second the exception. 
The participants in the projects shall be selected on the basis of the ordinary procedure of calls for 
proposals referred to in Article 6 (3) and published in the Official journal of the European Communities. 
The Commission may also accept proposals according to an exceptional procedure and under the 
conditions mentioned below, when they make a particularly promising and significant contribution as 
regards the originality of the theme proposed, the novelty of the scientific and technical approach and 
the methodology of execution, also taking into account the particular nature of the proposers. 
A favourable technical evaluation of such proposals shall not by itself be a sufficient justification for 
accepting a project; this exceptional procedure may only apply after verification that the nature of the 
project, as defined above, does not justify the use of the normal procedure for calls for proposals. 
The exceptional procedure must be completed before the ordinary procedure in such a way that the 
available amount for the Community's financial participation in projects retained by the ordinary 
procedure can be determined precisely. The closing date for the exceptional procedure shall be published 
each year in the Official Journal of the European Communities. 
The amount of the financial participation of the Community for all the projects retained by the exceptional 
procedure will be decided each year, in relation to the projects selected according to particularly strict 
criteria of excellence. In any case, this amount may not exceed 15%; it may be revised each year in the 
light of experience. 
The Commission shall draw up a vade mecum setting out all the rules applicable to this exceptional 
procedure in order to guarantee full transparency. 
5. The projects must provide for participation by at least two mutually independent partners established in 
different Member States. 
6. The Commission may encourage the participants to form a European Economic Interest Grouping (EEIG) 
or make other arrangements for carrying out projects, such as those on a large scale, permitting 
decentralized management adapted to the specific requirements of the project. 
7. The knowledge acquired during the course of the projects shall be disseminated on the one hand within 
the specific programme and on the other and by means of a centralized activity, pursuant to the Decision 
referred to in the third subparagraph of Article 4 of Decision 90/221/Euratom, EEC.