No C 174/48 Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 7. 90 
Proposal for a Council Decision adopting a specific of research and technological development 
programme in the field of marine science and technology (1990 to 1994) 
COM(90) 159 final — SYN 264 
(Submitted by the Commission on 3 May 1990) 
(90/C 174/07) 
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, especially in marine science 
and technology; 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 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; 
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 1 040 000, which 
(') OJ No L 117, 8. 5. 1990, p. 28. 
(2) OJ No L 185, 15. 7. 1988, p. 33. 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; 
16. 7. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 174/49 
Whereas it is necessary to acquire a good knowledge 
base and reliable forecasting techniques in order to 
work out long-term management and protection strat­
egies for the marine environment, as envisaged in Annex 
II to Decision 90/221 /Euratom, EEC; 
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 marine science and technology, 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 104 million. Of this amount ECU 
1 040 000 is drawn for the centralized dissemination 
and exploitation of results. The amount thus reduced 
to ECU 102 960 000 includes staff costs which may not 
exceed 5 %. An indicative breakdown of expenditure is 
set out in Annex II. 
2. 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. 
3. 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. 
Article 5 
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 a 
committee, hereinafter referred to as 'the Committee', 
composed of representatives of the Member States and 
chaired by a representative of the Commission. 
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. 
Article 7 
1. In the cases envisaged in Article 8 (1), the Com­
mission representative shall submit to the Committee a 
draft of the measures to be taken. The Committee shall 
deliver its opinion on the draft within a time limit 
which the chairman may set according to the urgency of 
the matter. The opinion shall be delivered by qualified 
majority as provided for in Article 148 (2) of the Treaty 
in the case of decisions which the Council is required 
to adopt on a proposal from the Commission. The 
votes of the Member States' representatives within the 
Committee shall be weighted in the manner set out in 
that Article. The chairman shall not vote. 
2. The Commission shall adopt the measures envis­
aged where they are in accordance with the Commit­
tee's opinion. 
3. If the measures envisaged are not in accordance with 
the Committee's opinion, or if no opinion is delivered, 
the Commission shall forthwith submit to the Council 
a proposal relating to the measures to be taken. The 
Council shall act by a qualified majority. 
4. If the Council has not acted within one month of 
submission of the proposal, the proposed measures 
shall be adopted by the Commission. 
No C 174/50 Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 7. 90 
Article 8 
1. The procedure laid down in Article 7 shall apply 
to: 
— the preparation and updating of the work pro­
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, 
— planned 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 
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. 
Decisions on the conclusion of such agreements shall 
be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred 
to in Article 130q (2) of the Treaty. 
Article 11 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 
ANNEX I 
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. 
Paragraph 3C of Annex II to the Framework Programme forms an integral part of the present specific 
programme. 
The intention is to develop certain activities begun under the MAST pilot programme (1989 to 1992), to 
introduce new topics and expand the geographical coverage. 
A number of these activities will build on the supporting initiatives undertaken in the MAST pilot programme 
and thus include the following areas: the establishment of a European ocean data and information system; 
the preparation of norms and standards for marine science and technology; a modelling coordination 
initiative; development of a pilot communication system for exchange of information on research cruises and 
research facilities; studies on the scientific and design requirements for new large scale facilities; and new 
approaches to mapping and bathymetric/hydrographic surveying. 
The following presents an analytical description of the content of the programme, based on and taking 
account of the above elements. 
16. 7. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 174/51 
Area 1: Marine science 
Multidisciplinary research will be carried out on processes and fluxes, using mathematical modelling where 
necessary. 
Detailed and expanded studies of ocean circulation systems and dynamics of water masses will be carried 
out in order to determine the water movement and physical processes in European seas and adjacent oceans. 
Special attention will be paid to the shelf edge. The influence of sea ice on deep water formation and on 
ocean circulation will be studied. 
Research will be continued and further work will be carried out on biogeochemical processes, in particular 
to understand and quantify the fluxes of carbon and other elements in the sea. Hydrothermal activity is also 
included as well as the global carbon cycle in coastal, continental, and deep seas. 
Studies will be undertaken to evaluate rates of exchange of substances at interactive sites (e.g. various 
interfaces: air/sea, sea floor/water column, etc.), particularly during bad weather conditions. 
Research will be aimed at deriving mathematical expressions and reliable models for biological processes. 
Particular attention will be given to projects which examine the link between physico-chemical influences 
and the corresponding biological responses at all trophic levels. 
Research in marine geosciences will be expanded to include stratigraphy and geophysics as well as addressing 
specific problems relating to the behaviour of sediments in various marine situations, (e.g. shelf, slope and 
deep sea). Investigations of the geological record and geophysical properties of deep-sea sediments are 
required to contribute to global change research and to assess the appropriate use of the sea floor. 
Modelling will be used in the study of marine processes and will include validation, calibration, and 
assessment of boundary conditions at various time scales. Development and improvement of models of 
ecosystems will be a particular priority. 
These activities will involve the Community in on-going international programmes (e.g. World ocean 
circulation experiment, Joint global ocean flux studies, etc.), and will contribute to their long term objectives. 
Work in this area will be carried out in cooperation with related Community programmes on the marine 
environment (e.g. STEP, Epoch, FAR, and JRC actions). In marine geosciences, complementarity with the 
ocean drilling programme will be sought where necessary in order to avoid any overlap of work. 
Area 2: Coastal engineering 
The objectives, which build on projects in the MAST 1989 to 1992 pilot phase, are: to gain an increased 
level of understanding of marine processes affecting the behaviour of coastal structures, and of their 
interactions; to develop numerical modelling of coastal processes and the integration of process models for 
purposes of coastal management in Europe; and furthermore to harmonize on a European scale, design 
concepts of coastal engineering works. 
Research will therefore concentrate on the study of currents, waves, the behaviour of sediments (mobilization, 
transport, deposition, geotechnical properties), as well as changes in sea floor and coastline morphology. 
Coastal engineering research will further develop work on the impact of waves and other coastal processes 
on the stability of breakwaters and other structures. A particular aim is to maintain and promulgate Europe's 
lead in these fields by formulating European guidelines for coastal engineering. Research to improve beach 
nourishment schemes will also be undertaken. Synergy with climatology and natural hazards research will 
be assured. 
Area 3: Marine technology 
The objective is to encourage the development of existing and new instruments and enabling technologies, 
particularly with a view to speeding up the introduction of automated long-term measuring systems, as well 
as contributing to the development of operational observation systems. 
The research will concern the development of new sensors, (quasi) real-time data transmission and two-way 
communication links. Further work will be aimed at instruments for measuring and sampling in the water 
column and on and below the sea floor. Research in underwater acoustics will be aimed at self-navigation of 
vehicles, determination of sea floor properties, acoustic communication, sub-bottom profiling and innovative 
No C 174/52 Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 7. 90 
acoustic measurements in particular. Selective actions in the development of new or improved enabling 
technologies, e.g. acoustic imaging and optics, will be undertaken. Studies on the identification and exploi­
tation of natural chemical substances in the marine environment, and impact studies on the exploitation of 
marine mineral resources will also be implemented. 
This research will be coordinated with the Eureka initiatives in marine science and technology and will 
supplement work in Brite/Euram and Esprit in the materials testing, robotics and informatics aspects of 
instrument development. 
ANNEX // 
Indicative breakdown of expenditures for the period 1990 to 1994 
(%) 
Area 1: Marine science, including integrated projects 45-50 
Area 2: Coastal engineering 15-20 
Area 3: Marine technology 30-35 
The breakdown between different areas does not exclude the possibility that projects could cover several 
ANNEX III 
Rules for implementing the programme 
and activities for dissemination and exploitation of the results 
The Commission shall implement the programme on the basis of the scientific and technical content 
described in Annex I. 
The rules for implementing the programme, referred to in Article 3, comprise research and technological 
development projects, accompanying measures and concerted actions. 
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. 
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. 
16. 7. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 174/53 
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 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 biotechnology (1990 to 1994) 
COM(90) 160 final — SYN 265 
(Submitted by the Commission on 3 May 1990) 
(90/C 174/08) 
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 contributing to the 
development of the European potential for understand­
ing and exploiting the properties and structures of living 
matter; whereas this Decision should be taken in the 
light of the grounds set out in the preamble to that 
Decision; 
(') OJNoL117,8. 5. 1990, p. 28.