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DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(80)342
Vol.1980/0123

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(80)342 final
Brussels.23June1980
/
4
Proposalfora
COUNCILDECISION
approvingtheconclusion bytheCommunityofaMemorandum
ofUnderstanding fortheimplementation ofaEuropeanre­
searchprojectonbenthiccoastalecology
(submittedtotheCouncilbytheCommission )
C0M(80)342finalAs;^
•ς-7

Expi.anaj_oryMémorandum
Proposalprepared.bytheCommission services
forao'ecisionof,theCouncilconcluding
adraftMemorandum ofUnderstanding forthe ■
implementation of"anEuropeanResearchProject '
onBenthicCoastalEcology
/N
1.ElevenEuropeanStatesincludingsevenMemberStatesofthe
Community andtheCommunityitself,'haveagreeduponaprogramme
forajointresearchprojecton"BenthicCoastalEcology"(COST
project47).-AdraftMemorandumofUnderstanding declaringtheir
commonintentiontoimplementthisprogramme hasbeensubmitted
forsignaturetothe19CostStatesandtotheCommunity (AnnexA),
andhasbeensignedon5April1979|pythefollowingcountries;
FederalRepublicofGermany,Denmark,France,Ireland,Norway,
SwedenandtheUnitedKingdom. .
2.Themainobjectiveoftheprogrammeistocoordinate andadvance
Europeanresearchonbenthiccoastalecologyviatheelaboration
ofbaselinestudiesofselectedecosystems withaviewtoachieving
4 ,
betterunderstanding andpredictionofnaturalfluctuations inspecies
population asopposedtoshorttermandlocalanthropogenic changes.
3.Theprogrammewillbedividedintothreedistinctbutrelatedresearch
projects.Thesewillstudythreebiological communities characteristic
ofthreebenthiccoastalhabitats.Thebiological communities are
widelydistributed onEuropeancoastsandaregenerallyregardedasof
majorimportance .

4.TheprogrammewillLastatLeastfiveyearsandmaybe
extendedbyjointagreementbetweentheparticipatingcountries.
5.Onthe9thOctober1979theCouncilhasadoptedarevisedsecond
multiannualresearch "anddevelopmentprogrammeintheenvironmental
field(1).Article7ofthisdecisionmakesprovisionforthe
conclusionofaninternational agreementbetweentheCommunityand
thenon-memberStatesparticipating inCOST.Thesame,article
authorisestheCommissiontoopennegotiationsforsuchanagreement
Thenegotiationsarenowcompletedinaccordancewithsection4para
graph2oftheJointMemorandumofUnderstanding .
6.TheCommunity'scontributiontothisprogrammewillinvolve:
-resultsofseveralIndirect"Actioncontracts
underthe2ndEnvironmental researchprogramme
inparticularundertopic18.MarinePollution
andresearcharea4Ecosystemsecology
-representation atmeetingsofthe-Management
Committeeandscientificandadministrative
secretarialsupportofitswork.
7-FundingTheprojectwillbeimplementedasaconcertedaction
withresearchbeingfinancednationally -Mosupplementary
Communityfundswillbeinvolved.
<"1)OJN°L25813October1979

Proposalfora \
COUNCILDECISION-.
approvingtheconclusion bytheCommunityofaMemorandumof
Understanding fortheimplementation ofaEuropeanresearch
projectonbenthiccoastalecology
THECOUNCILOFTHEEUROPEANCOMMUNITIES, x
HavingregardtotheTreatyestablishing theEuropeanEconomic
Community, *,.-
HavingregardtoCouncilDecision76/311/EECof15March1976
adoptingaresearchprogramme (1976to1980)fortheEuropean
1EconomicCommunityintheenvironmental field(indirectaction),
asamendedbyDecision79/841/EEC^,andinparticularArticle7
thereof, .-
HavingregardtothedraftproposalfromtheCommission,
Whereas .theaimofCOSTproject47istocoordinate andadvance
Europeanresearchonbenthiccoastalecology,andwhereasresearch
inthisfieldiscarriedoutwithintheframeworkoftheCommunity
secondmultiannual environmental researchprogramme,andinpai–
ticularundertheheadingofmarinepollutionandecosystems
ecology. ^
0JNoL74,20.3.1976,p.36
20JNoL258,13.10.1979,p.29

-2-
WhereasitisthereforeappropriatethattheCommunityshould
participateinthe^executionofCOSTproject47,
WhereastheCommission ,has,pursuanttoArticle7(2)ofDecision
76/311/EEC,negotiatedwithnon-memberStatesparticipating in
COSTproject47,
HASDECIDEDASFOLLOWS:,
Article!
TheMemorandumofUnderstanding fortheimplementation ofa
Europeanresearchprojectonbenthiccoastalecology(COST
project47)isherebyapprovedonbehalfoftheEuropean
EconomicCommunity.
TheMemorandumofUnderstanding isannexedtothisDecision.-,
Article2
ThePresidentoftheCouncilisherebyauthorizedtodesignate
thepersonempoweredtosigntheMemorandumofUnderstanding.

Artiele3
TheCommission shallrepresenttheCommunity ontheManagement
Committeefortheproject.
DoneatBrussels,
FortheCouncil
ThePresident

- 1 .FÆLLES HENSIGTSERKLÆRING
OMGENNEMFØRELSE AFENEUROPÆISK FORSKNINGS AKTION
.VEDRØRENDE BENTISK KYSTØKOLOGI
(COST-AKTION Nr.47)
GEMEINSAME ABSICHTSERKLAERUNG -
ZURDURCHFUEHRUNG EINER EUROPAEISCHEN FORSCHUNGSAKTION
'BETREFFEND KUESTENNAHE -BENTHONISCHE 0EK03YSTEME .
(COST-AKTIQN 47)
MEMORANDUM OFUNDERSTANDING
FORTHEIMPLEMENTATION OFAEUROPEAN
RESEARCH PROJECT ONBENTHIC COASTAL ECOLOGY
(COST PROJECT 47)
DECLARATION COMMUNE D'INTENTION
POUR LAMISE ENOEUVRE D'UNE'ACTION EUROPEENNE
DERECHERCHE CONCERNANT LESECOSYSTEMES BENTHIQUES COTIERS
(ACTION COST 47) -
DICHIARAZIONE COMUNE D'INTENZIONE
PER L'ATTUAZIONE DIUN'AZIONE EUROPEA
DIRICERCA NELSETTORE DEGLI ECOSISTEMI BENTQNICI COSTIERI
■ (AZIONE COST 47)
GEMEENSCHAPPELIJKE VERKLARING VANINTENTIE
VOOR HETVOEREN VANEENEUROPESE ONDERZOEKACTIE
OPHET -GEBIED VANBENTHONISCHE ECOSYSTEMEN LANGS DEKUST
(ACTIE COST 47)

MEMORANDUM OFUNDERSTANDING
FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OFAEUROPEAN
RESEARCH PROJECT ONBENTHIC COASTAL ECOLOGY
(COST PROJECT 47)

The Signateriii to'this Memorandum ofUnderstanding ,
declaring their common intention totake part ,inaEuropean
research project onbenthic coastal ecology reached the
following understandings :
Section 1
1. TheSignatories intend .toco-operate inaproject to
promote research inthefield ofbenthic coastal ecology
(hereinafter referred toas"theproject ").
2. Themain objective oftheproject istoco-ordinate
andadvance European research onbenthic coastal ecology
via the elaboration ofbaseline studies ofselected
ecosystems ,with aview toachieving better understanding'
andprediction ofnatural fluctuations inspecies
population asopposed toshort term andlocal anthropogenic
changes .
3. TheSignatories hereby declare .their intention to
carry outtheproject jointly ,in'accordanc'e with the
general description andindicative pattern Ofpotential
participation given inAnnex IX.
-The'project will becarried out through .concerted
action ,inaccordance with theprovisions pfAnnex I.
The overall .value oftheactivities oftheSignatories
under theproject isestimated atapproximately 3million
European units ofaccount at1978 prices .
TheSignatories will make ."every effort toensure that
thenecessary funds aremade available under their'' internal
financing procedures . ' ' ■

Ssetion 2
Signatories intend totake part intheproject :
(a)bycarrying outdirectly studies andresearch inpuhli
research establishments (hereinafter referred toas
"public research establishments "); or
(b)byconcluding contracts for studies and research with
organisations (hereinafter referred toas "research
contractors ");
(c)bysupplying services ;
(d)inseveral ofthe above ways . .
Section 3
This Memorandum ofUnderstanding will take effect ,
asbetween theSignatories ,for 5years upon signature by
atleast four Signatories .Itmay beextended byarrange­
ment between the Signatories .
This Memorandum ofUnderstanding may .beamended in
writing atany time byarrangement between the Signatories
inparticular with aview toenlarging research into the
field ofMediterranean coastal benthic ecosystems .

ASignatory which intends foranyreason whatsoever
toterminate itsparticipation intheproject maydoso
^fter having given written notification ofsuch intention
totheSecretary-General oftheCouncil oftheEuropean
Communities atleast three months beforehand .
Ifatanytime thenumber ofSignatories falls
below four ,theCommittee referred toin'Annex Iwill
examine thesituation which hasarisen andconsider
whether ornotthis Memorandum ofUnderstanding should
beterminated bydecision oftheSignatories .
Section 4
This Memorandum ofUnderstanding will beopen for
signature foraperiod ofsixmonths from thedate ofthe
first signature jbytheGovernments which took part in
,theMinisterial Conference held .inBrussels on -22and
'23November 1971 andalso bytheEuropean Economic
Community .
Anyoftheabove Governments orthe .European Economic
Community may take part ona'provisional basis mthe
project during theabovementioned period even though it
maynothave signed this Memorandum ofUnderstanding.'
After this period ofsixmonths has elapsed , .
applications from theGovernments referred toin
paragraph 1orfrom theEuropean Economic Community .to
sign thepresent Memorandum will beconsidered bythe
Committee referred toinAnnex I,which mayattach special
conditions thereto .

Any Signatory may-designate one ormore competent
public authorities orcorporations toact onitsbehalf
inrespect oftheimplementation oftheproject and in
respect ofanyensuing rights andobligations .Theterm
"competent public authorities orcorporations "does not
include industrial undertakings .
Section 5
The Secretary-General ofthe Council ofthe European
Comrrftinities will inform 'all Signatories ofthe date of
the signatures tothis Memorandum ofUnderstanding ,and
the date ofits entry into effect ,andwill forward all
other notices which hehas received under the Memorandum
ofUnderstanding .
This Memorandum ofUnderstanding will bedeposited
with the General Secretariat ofthe Council ofthe
European Communities .The Secretary-General will transmit
acertified copy toeach ofthe Signatories .

^.a -
Udfærdiget iBruxelles ,denfemte april nitten hundrede og
nioghalvf jerds
Geschehen zuBrüssel amfünften April neunzehnhundert -
neunundsiebzig ' "
Done atBrussels onthe fifth day ofApril mthe year one
thousand nine hundred and seventy-nine
Fait àBruxelles ,lecinq avril milneuf cent soixante -dix-neuf
Fatto aBruxelles ,addi' cinque aprile millenovecento­
settantanove
Gedaan teBrussel ,devijfde april negentienhoderd .
negenenzeventig \

For Danmarks Regering
Gunnar RIBERHOLDT ,
Overordentlig ogbefuldmægtiget ambassadør ,
Fast repræsentant ved Deeuropæiske Fællesskaber
Für die Regierung der Bundesrepublik De-utschländ
hij '/I^K
Helmut SlGRIST ,
Ausserordentlicher und bevollmächtigter Botschafter .,
Ständiger Vertreter beidenEuropäischen uemeinschaften
Pour leGouvernement delaRépublique française
Luc deLaBARRE deNANTEUIL ,
Ambassadeur deFrance , ,
Représentant Permanent auprès des Communautés européennes
For the Government ofIreland
Brendan DILLON ,
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary ,
Permanent Representative tothe European Communities
For theGovernment oftheKingdom ofNo Tay
Tor.'j eJOKANNESSEN ,
Counsellor ofEmbassy ,
Norwegian Mission totheEuropean Co -imu ■>ties

,For the Government of
and Northern Irelandth«Unitad Kingdom ofGreat Britain
Sir Donald MAITLAND ,C.M.G. ,O.B.E. ,
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary ,
Permanent Representative tothe European Communities
For the Government ofSweden
'Bengt RABAEUS , -
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary ,
Head ofMission ofthe Kingdom ofSweden tothe
European Communities

–£-
s
CO-ORDINATION OFTHE PROJECT
I
1. AManagement Committee (hereinafter referred toas
"theCommittee "),will beset up,composed ofnotmore -
than two "representatives for each Signatory .Each -
representative may beaccompanied by "such experts or
advisers ashemay need . • -
The Participants inthe Ministerial Conference held in
Brussels on22-and2$November 1971 andalso theEuropean
Economic Community may participate inthe work of'the
Committee before becoming Signatories tothis Memorandum
ofUnderstanding inaccordance with the second subparagraph
ofSection 4(1 )without ,however ,having theright tovote .
2. The Committee will beresponsible for co-ordinating
"theproject and inparticular formaking thenecessary
arrangements for :
(a)the choice ofresearch topics onthebasis ofthose
provided for inAnnex IIincluding anymodifications
submitted bythe competent public authorities or
agencies oftheSignatories ; ' . ,
(b)advising onthedirection that work should take ;
(c)drawing updetailed plans anddefining methods for the
different phases ofexecution oftheproject ;

sH-
(d)keeping abreast ofthe research being done inthe
territory oftheSignatories and inother countries ;
(e)liaising with appropriate international bodies ;
(f)exchanging research results amongst the Signatories to
the extent compatible with adequate safeguards for the
interests ofSignatories ,their competent public
C
authorities oragencies ,and research contractors in
respect ofindustrial property rights and commercially
confidential material ;
(g)drawing upthe'annual interim reports and the final
report tobesubmitted tothe Signatories and
circulated asappropriate ;,tothis end ,Signatories
will require their public research establishments or
research contractors tosubmit periodic reports and a
final report ,asmay bedeemed necessary ;
(h)dealing with any problems that may arise out ofthe
execution oftheproject ,including ,ifnecessary ,
special conditions tobeattached toapplications to
sign this Memorandum ofUnderstanding submitted more
than sixmonths ,after the date ofthe first signature .
The secretariat ofthe Committee will beprovided by
the Commission oftheEuropean Communities atthe
invitation ofthe Signatories .

/%>~
II
1. Subject to .national law ,Signatories will ensure that
.the owners ofindustrial property rights and technical
information resulting from work carried OUT;in
implementation ofthat part oftheproject assigned to
them under Annex II (hereinafter referred toas "the
research results ")will' beunder anobligation ,ifso
requested byanother Signatory (hereinafter referred to
as"theapplicant Signatory "),tosupply theresearch
results and togrant totheapplicant Signatory ora
third party nominated .bytheapplicant Signatory a
licence touse the research results and such technical
know-how incorporated therein asis "neeessary for such
use ifthe applicant Signatory ,requires the granting '-\
ofalicence for the carrying out of :
-work inrespect ofthis project :or
-the applicant Signatory 'sprojects relating to ,benthic
/ ... . .
coastal ecology ; - . *
t •■ .
-anyassociated European project undertaken subsequently
and inwhich all the Signatories ,orseveral ofthem may
beprepared totake part . *
Such licences will begranted onfair and .reasonable
terms having regard tocommercial usage .
2. . '..Signatories will accordingly insert clauses -requiring
thegranting ofthe licences referred !oinparagraph 1in
any contract which they place with res'^.rch contractors for
'fatudy .research anddevelopment work to carried out !n
the .8>'-c . ofthis project .

Signatories will make every effort ,inparticular by -
including clauses incontracts placed with research
contractors toprovide for the licence referred toabove to
beextended onfair andreasonable terms ,having regard to
commercial usage ,toprevious industrial property rights
and toprior technical know-how acquired bytheresearch
contractor insofar asuse ofthe research results for the
purpose referred toinparagraph 1would not otherwise be
possible.' Where the -research contractor isunable or
unwilling toagree tosuch extension the Signatory will ,
before the contract isconcluded ,give the Committee the
opportunity tostate itsposition .
Signatories will take any steps necessary toensure
that the fulfilment ofthe conditions ofthe present
Chapter will not beaffected byany subsequent transfer of
rights toownership oftheresearch results .-Any such
transfer will benotified tothe Committee .
IfaSignatory terminates itsparticipation inthe
project ,rights ofuse which ithas granted orisobliged to
grant toorhas obtained from other Signatories in
application ofthe present Memorandum ofUnderstanding and
concerning work carried 1out uptothe date onwhich the said
Signatory terminates itsparticipation will continue
thereafter .

-
6. The conditions ofparagraphs 1to5will continue to
apply after theperiod ofoperation ofthis Memorandum of
I
Understanding has expired andwill apply toindustrial
property rights aslong asthese reraain valid ,and to
unprotected inventions and technical know-how until such
<time asthey pass into the public domain other than
through disclosure bythe licensee .
\

'-^iî' l
i
'ANNEX II
!
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OPTHE PROJECT AND
INDICATIVE .PATTERN OFPOTENTIAL PARTICIPATION
General description ofthe Project
(1)Aims
Toestablish arealistic andmanageable "base-line
study ofbenthic communities ofAtlantic /North Sea
coasts .The concept of"base -line "study will be
broadened inscope toinclude :
(a)Data onthe scales ofnatural variability over as .
long aperiod aspossible togive reasonable
assurance that awide range ofirregular climatic /
hydrographic events have been observed ;
(b)Asufficient understanding ofthe specific causes
ofbiological change topermit prediction about the
consequences ofnatural physical events with some
degree ofconfidence . -
V
(c)Asufficient understanding ofcommunity dynamics
for prediction about the consequences tothewhole .
biological community ofdramatic changes in
individual species asaresult ofnatural factors
.orselective pollutants .v

- -7^9'
(2)PROGRAMME
The programme will bedivided into three distinct
but related research proj ects .These will study
three biological communities characteristic ofthree
benthic coastal habitats .The biological communities
are widely' distributed onEuropean coasts and are
general regarded asofmajor importance .They are
identified bytheir "key "orcharacteristic animal
species .
I
Project Coastal Habitat Biological Community
I
I Sedimentary substrates
Intertidal and SubtidalMacoma
Amphiura /Abra
II Rocky substrates
IntertidalBalanoid /Pate 11a
III Rocky substrates
Sub-tidalAscidian /Porifera
ι,
2.2 The selection ofthese communities recognises
that each isbeing studied intensively onalocal
scale in'one ormore countries .Thus asound data
base exists ineach case upon which todevelop an
expanded programme .
V
\
V
1 »2.1 .
*

-<**•*
–Zo ■
2.3 . Co-operative research isneeded atinternational
level todetermine theeffects ofbroadscale ,geographically
operating climatic andhydrographic factors .Accordingly ,
simultaneous studies will bemade for each' community ,
using thesame orintercalibrated methods ,atachain
-ofrecording stations throughout thegeographical range
ofthat community .Thefollowing aspects ,among others
that may beregarded aslocally desirable ,will be
included :
>* , .
1)Community dynamics ,leading toanappreciation of
themost important biological interactions and to
the identification ofthe "key"ordominant species .
This will involve systematic observation ofnatural
events and the experimental manipulation of
community structure ;
2)Standing crop andpopulation dynamics ofthese "key"
species ,with special emphasis upon their reproductive
cycles andtheintensity ofrecruitment from year to
year .Since these latter aspects are especially
responsive toslight' changes ofnatural conditions
and arevery sensitive topollutants ,special efforts
may beneeded todevelop themost accurate methods of
.
assessing fecundity ,recruitment success andjuvenile
establishment :

TC'1 9
4
3)The appropriate range ofclimatic /oceanographic data ,
together with thebroad spectrum analyses ofsubstrnt -
type andvariation which are especially important for
the sediment-living communities .Although the
collection ofsome ofthese data will require
specific action ,insome situations thepresent
routine collections ofmeteorological /oceanographic -< -
data for other biological and non-biological purposes
can beconsulted .
(3)IMPLEMENTATION AND TIMING
The intercalibration ofmethods ofstudy and the
handling ofresults will bedealt with byappointing lead
countries with the appropriate expertise asfollows :
Project Coastal Habitat Lead Country
I Sedimentary
-intertidal -
and subtidalPrance -DrL.CABIOCH
II ■.Rocky -
intertidalUnited Kingdom -
DrJ.R. LEWIS
III . !Rocky -
subtidalSweden -DrT.LUNDALV
The project will include meetings ,workshops ,visits
y*
and short exchanges ofresearch workers for the inter -
calibration ofmethods ofstudy and thehandling of
results . ' .
The'project Fill last atleast five .years togive
reasonable assurance that awide range ofirregular "
climatic /hydrographic events have ,been observed . -Initially ,
work will concentrate onensuring the comparability of
results and thehandling ofdata ataninternational
level . " - -

II .INDICATIVE PATTERN OFPOTENTIAL PARTICIPATION
PROJECT
Β D DK E
IΡ IRL Ν NL Ρ
IS UK EEC
1.Sedimentary
substrates :X X X X X X X X X X X
Intertidal and
Subtidal
2.Rocky
substrates :X)X X XI
X X X
Intertidal
3.Rocky
substrates :X)X X X XI
X X X
Subtidal
Key :B -Belgium
D -Federal Republic of .Germany
DK -Denmark
E -Spain
F -France
IRL -Ireland
N -Norway
NL -Netherlands
P -Portugal
S -Sweden
UK 1-United Kingdom
EEC -European Economic Community
(lead countries areunderlined ;
parenthesis indicates that participation
has still tobeconfirmed )