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COM(82)322
Vol.1982/0114

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/
COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(82)322final
AVt-> Brussels-8thJune1982
STIMULATING THECOMMUNITY'SSCIENTIFIC AND
TECHNICAL POTENTIAL
(Communication fromtheCommission totheCouncil)
COM(82)322final

Introduction .
InItscommunication of12October1931,putbeforetheCouncilofMinisters
on9November1981,theCommission proposedthataCommunityResearchand
Development strategybedeveloped,involvingtheestablishment ofageneral
frameworkprogrammewhichwillbeamfeansofstrengthening andbroadening
theactivities carriedoutuptonow.
AmongthesevenbasicpolicyoptionswhichtheCouncilofMinisters chose .
fortheframeworkprogramme on8MarchtheCommissionfeelsthattheone
providingforthe"improvement ofthescientific andtechnicalefficacyofthe
Community"oughttobegivenparticularattention.
Thisstimulation ofthescientific andtechnicalpotentialoftheCommunity
isanessentialfeatureoftheCommunitystrategywhichisenvisagedwiththe
aimofcontributing towardsthesolutionofthesocio-economic difficulties
whichconfrontallourcountries. v.
I.Basicprinciples .
Inthewakeofnumerousstudies(seeAnnexeI)theCommission outlined (1)
(2)thosenegativecharacteristics whichlimittheCreativity andtheeffi­
cacyoftheCommunity'sscientificand'technical potential,apotential
whosescaleandqualityis,infact,considerable .
TheCommunity'sscienceandtechnology cannotenjoythemostfavorable
conditionsforprogressunlesstheeffortsalreadyundertakentostimulate
ι
RDaremobilisedinaco-ordinated wayandstrengthened ,unlessthereis
consensusbetweenpublicauthorities,thescientific andtechnical community
andindustryandunlessfulladvantageistakenofthebenefitsofferedby
theEuropeandimension.OtherwisetheimpactofEuropeanResearchand
Development onsocio-economic developmentwill,incertainfundamental fields
remainminor,anditwillonlyrarelybearanyrelationship totheresources
devotedtoRandD.Facedwiththeneedfornewimpetustobegivento
theefficacyoftheirresearchandinventioncapacitytheMemberStateshave
undertaken acertainnumberofmeasuresbothatnationalandinternational
level(3);theCommissionisalreadyundertaking certainspecificactionin
thecontextofCommunityRDprogrammesorcomplementary tothem(4)
(1)ScientificandtechnicalresearchintheEuropeanCommunity :Proposalsfor
the1980's(COM/81/574final).
(2)Stimulating thescientific andtechnicalpotentialoftheEEC:perceiving
theneedsandact.ionstobeundertaken (preparatory noteforthe6March1982
Council-SEC/309/82.
(3)lakeforexampletheactivitiesofNATO'sScientificAffairsDivision,the
turopean.bcienceFoundation (ESF)'strainingprogrammeforbrainresearch,cr
theEuropeanMolecularBiologyConference (EMBC)'sprogrammeofgrants.
(4)WemightciteasanexampletheCommunityprogrammeintherealmofeducation
andscientific aridtechnicaltrainingorgrantstowardsthedevelopment of
■jointstudyprogrammes .

2.
However ,since they areoften toospecialised ,being focussed onparticular
areas ofactivity (asarethose oftheESForEMBC ),ortooclosely linked
tospecific research themes totheexclusion ofallelse ,these activities
represent only apartial response tothechanging needs oftheCommunity
and itsMember States inspite of .their -undeniable interest andeffective­
ness inthemselves .
Adifferent kind ofCommunity activity isrequired todevelop andreinforce
themeasures already undertaken atthenational ,international andCommunity
level ,with aview todeveloping European science andtechnology inamore
satisfactory way .Inanycase thepreparation ofthegeneral framework
programme forCommunity scientific andtechnical activity calls forthe
implementation ofCommunity action ofacomplementary nature .
Indeed the useofanyoverall medium and long term planning tool such as
theframework programme means that thecapacity toundertake "non-constrained "
operations must exist inaddition tothose which areplanned andprogrammed ,
sothat theelement offlexibility speed and "edge "soimportant toallRD
strategies canberetained .Themain objectives ofthese special operations ,
intended tobeadirect complement tothebasic idea oftheframework
programme itself ,ought tobethe rapid identification ofopportunities ,
speed ofreaction andthetesting andverification ofhypotheses prior to
thepreparation ofmajor programmes projects oractivities over themedium
term .They should also involve theimprovement ofscientific communication
andtraining through staff mobility andtheexchange ofideas .
Theforegoing sets outthebasic principles oftheplan which isenvisaged
tocorrespond tothe "stimulation "policy option within theframework
programme .
II-Community initiatives tobeconsidered .
II.1«Field ofactivity .
TheCommission feels that thestimulation measures which ought tobe
undertaken should beable tocover the whole field ofscience and
technology .They should inparticular make possible thedirect
stimulation ofwork which might have abeneficial influence onthe
industrial competitiveness oftheCommunity ,onthebasis ofanappre­
ciation ofthepotential applicability ofbasic research results .At
theother extreme they should make itpossible tosupport pure research .
<1)"non-constrained "operations arethose which follow upanunexpected
discovery ortechnique orrespond toanunforeseen need andwhich cannot
therefore beprogrammed inadvance .

.i.i.3.
II.2.Principles anddecisioncritena.
Communityintervention mustbeabletobemadeinresponsetothreebasic
imperatives
-theconception anddevelopment oftheseactivities mustbeundertaken
inclosecollaboration withthepeopleconcernedandwhohaveaninte­
rest(researchers,engineers/industrialists ,thoseresponsiblefor
RDatthenationallevel)andmustbecoherentwithnationalor
Community RDactivities.
-itmustbepossibletomovequicklyfromthepreparation ofaCommunity
activityorprojecttoitsimplementation byusingteamsofrecognised
quality
-theremustbeadesirenottobuiIdupnewnationalorCommunity
structuresorinfrastructures :tluisthedevelopment ofnewresearch
centresordfabodyofresearchworkersishotenvisaged;nor
isitintendedtogivefinancialsupporttoteamswhichcouldleadto
apermanentcommitment.
Thereforetherewillbeasystematicuseofexistingnationalcentres,
toincludethedaytodaymanagementofprojects.Communityadministra­
tivesupportmustremainlightweight.
dearinginmindthebasicaimofthestimulationactivitytheessential
criterionwhichmustdeterminethesortofprojectstobeundertakenand
thechoiceofintervention methodsandmentocarrythemoutshouldbe
quality,thatis
-thequalityoftheanalysesandevaluationrequiredtodefinethe
activities
-theintr-insicscientificqualityoftheactionorthementobe
supported '
-qualityasexpressedinthepreciseextenttowhichthepotential
resultsareappropriatetotheneedsoftheCommunity <
-thequalityendowed,orvalueaddedbytheCommunitydimension.
II.j.Objectives.
ToachievetheoverallobjectiveoftheCommunitystimulationactivity
(ie.strengthening and"improvingthecreativityandefficacyofthe
EuropeanScientificandtechnicalsystem)theCommissionmust:

4.
A.improve theextent towhich theresponse ofscience andtechnology
isappropriate totheCommunity 'srequirements bybuilding upits
capacity toreact tounforeseen problems ,adapt tochanging circumstan­
cesandtake advantage ofpromising scientific andtechnical dis­
coveries .Itmust also undertake -scientific andtechnical operations
with aview tofacilitating cross fertilisation between different
scientific andtechnical disciplines where apredetermined application :
needs tobeachieved ,orwhere itisnecessary toevaluate the
potential ofsome avenue ofresearch inrespect ofaspecific problem .
Thedevising andselection ofsuch operations will have tobebased
upon athorough knowledge ofpromising discoveries andupon their
evaluation .
B.promote anddevelop thequality ofRDinitself ,without insisting
upon toostrict arelationship to.short ,term scientific objectives .
This would bedone bysupporting particularly ,talented research teams ;
assisting combined RDactivities involving teams from various Member
States ;encouraging exchanges ofresearch workers between European
laboratories (both university andindustrial ,andranging from basic
toapplied research );andbysupporting activities oriented towards
solving specific problems rather than towards anyonescientific
discipline (ecological projects are anexample ).
C.wake thebest use ofyoung talent andbuild upthescientific and
technical strength oftheCommunity forthefuture ;mitigate the
imbalance inthe agestructure oftheresearch work force bymaking
new research opportunities available toyoung scientists (grants ,
research allocations );make acontribution toregional scientific and
technical development through thetraining ofspecialists .
II.4.Community activities tobedeveloped .
II.4.A.Analysi sand conception .
Sothat itmaydefine andselect thestimulation activities ,aswell
asestablish aCommunity RDstrategy theCommission must :
-beaware ofthe -strengths andweaknesses oftheCommunity 'sscienti­
ficandtechnical potential ,the circumstances /andstructural
constraints that might restrict creativity /competitiveness and
theexploitation ofresults .Such ananalysis ofoverall scientific

andtechnicalCommunityitself,intheframeworkofadialogueheld
withactivespecialists.Theseindeedarethefirstandoftenthe
onlypeopletopossessthenecessaryinformation whileitstillhas
innovatingpotential.
Thisdialoguealreadytakes.place,toacertainextentatleastin
everyRDfield,orgroupoffieldsinwhichCommunityprogrammesare
underway,thankstotheexistingconsultative system(1).Togain
thenecessaryawareness,bothfortheestablishment ofthegeneral
frameworkprogrammeandforthestimulationactivitiestheCommission
mustbeabletohavethebenefitofabodywhichwouldactasan
interface,extendingoverthewholeareaofscientific andtechnical
activity,betweenCommunitydecision-makers ontheonehandand
nationalscientific andtechnicalcirclesontheother.
-beableatalltimestogainanappreciation ofknownorforeseeable
socio-economic requirements .Forthispurposeithe -Commissionhas,
notably,theFASTresearchteam.Thisprogrammeiscomingtoits
conclusion.Thefunctionitperformswillneedtobecarriedout
withinthe Commissionsothatthereiscontinuityin
thesupplyofforwardanalysesandassessmentwhichtheCommunity
needsontheinterrelations betweenscience/technologyandsociety.
II.4.B.Interventions .
ToachievetheobjectivessetoutinII.3twomethodsofintervention
havebeenselected.
-theimplementation ofspecificscientificand/ortechnicaloperations
ie.projects.Theymightperhapsrepresentadirectsocicreconomic
interest(2),theymightrelectapromisingnewscientificand/or
technicalprospect(3),ortheymightmakepossibleaconclusive
testonaninteresting avenueofresearchand/ordevelopment (4)
C1)seedocumentEUR-6745:CommitteesworkingwithCommunityinstitutions and
activeinthefieldofscienceandtechnology.
(2)Bywayofillustration onemightciteaprojectaddressingtheproblemof
assemblywithadhesives;whichinvolvesphysics,chemistry >engineering and
computerscienceinequalmeasure.Italsocallsforasmuchinthewayof
basicresearchasapplied.Itisofgreatinteresttotheaeronautics
industrybutequallysotothefurnityre,packaging,mototvehicle,trans
portandpharmaceuticalindustries.
(3)Asanexampleone'couldquotethedevelopment oforganicsupra-conductors
bysyntheticmeans.Their'availabilityonanindustrialscalewouldbeof
greatinterestinanynumberofsectors,viztheminiaturisation ofelectrir
motors,magneticlevitationtransportsystems,storingelectricity,water
purification bymagnetism.' .
(A)^OC1°ptMirty\/pnAiie n'jen^^fimor*r*
orspace/timerLructureofsolids.

6.
(interms ofthe spin offs foreconomic development )(5).
-provision ofhelp fortalented research workers orteams ,supporting
worthwhile activities byassisting themobility ofhigh quality
researchers ,offering them new research opportunities orsupporting
multidiscip linary work .Inthe latter case itisaquestion of
facilitating osmosis between scientific work carried out indifferent
disciplines anddifferent countries relating toresearch ofcommon
interest .
II.5.Operational arrangements .
Theanalysis andassessment activity required fordevising stimulation ..
activities ,aswell asforpreparing theoverall RDstrategy will be
carried outwith the help ofsturlies ,evaluation andconsultations
performed inclose collaboration with thescientific andtechnical
community andbycallingon theadvice andexpertise ofpersonalities of
high standing andrecognised authority whowill make up'theactive
nucleus ofareferee system .
Tocarry out itsinterventions (projects andassistance )theCommission
will make use ofawhole range offinancial support measures ,oflimited
duration which will bemade available toresearch workers orexisting
national ormultinational teams onthebasis ofauthorised and independent
recommendations (they will take theform ofgrants ,research allocations ,
subsidies ,development contracts ,conferences ,summer schools andsoon).
III .Carrying out the Community stimulation activity .
III .1.Conception .
The Commission would think outthe "stimulation plan "(apolicy option
intheframework programme )which would beneeded torefle cttheorien­
tations decided upon bythe Council .This would bedone onthebasis
ofananalysis of -.scientific andtechnical needs ,anappreciation ofthe
strengths andweaknesses ofRDsystems andanevaluation ofpromising
avenues ofresearch .Itwould equally bebased upon analytical work
carried out bytheCommission andonthe results ofevaluation oftis
RDprogrammes .TheCommission would behelped inthis task bythe
Committee ,fortheEuropean Development ofScience andTechnology which
itintends toset up(2).Itwould proceed with the <necessary consulta­
tions ,particularly bymeans ofcalling ontheservices ofreferees (this
(1)Asisthecase forexample inrespect ofcertain activities intherealm
ofcellular biology which hasgreat potential interest forthepharmaceuti­
calindustry .
(2)Seealso Annexe 2 ''

wouldbethewaythattheperceptionandestimationfunctionwouldbe
fulfilled,theimportanceofwhichwasemphasisedbytheCommissioninits
communication totheCouncilof12October1981,doc.C0M<81)574.
III.2.Adoption.
Theproposedplan(includingtheareasofintervention andthenecessary
resources,therelativeproportionofprojectsandassistance,thesort
ofprojectsenvisaged)wouldbesubmittedtotheCouncilinthecourse
oftheexamination procedurefortheframeworkprogramme (1).The
Councilwouldthenadoptthestimulation plantobecarriedoutand
decidetheresourcescorresponding ly.
III.3.Implementation *
AssistedbyCODESTandthescientificrefereestheCommission would
implementtheadoptedplan.OnthebasisoftheCommitteesscientific
andtechnicalopinionsitwouldchoosefromamongtherequestsfor
intervention (assistance )andwouldselecttheteamscapableofbring
theprojectstobeundertakentoasuccessfulconclusion.TheCommission
wouldmakesurethattheselctedactivities werecoherentwithnational
activities.
ι _
III.4.Control.
-ofeachoperation :
Onthescientificlevelthiscontrolwouldbeaccordingtotheevalua­
tionproceduresunderwayorexpectedinrespectofCommunity RD
activities (ie.makinguseofindependentoutsideexperts.)Onthe
financiallevelitwouldbeundertakenbythecompetentCommunity
authorities . •
-oftheplanoverall:
Thiswouldbebymeansofanobjectiveandindependentstudy,after
someyears,whichwouldbecarriedoutinaccordancewiththeprocedures
usedbytheCommissionforitsCommunity Ri)activities,and,more
specifically bymakinguseofagroupofindependentexperts.
IV.Resourcesneeded.-
»
TheConnissionseestheimplementation ofthesenewactivitiestakingplace
intwophases:
(i)seeAnnexe2.

A.Inthefirstphase,lastingoneyear,theappropriate procedures having
beensetupattheendof1932,relatively modestfinancial andpersonnel
resources (oftheorderof5Mioecu)wouldbeallocatedtoseveralpilot
experiments inthefieldofstimulation .
Thisfirststagewould,inparticular -,makeitpossibletotestthe
selectedavenuesandproceduresforintervention ,todrawupaprelimi­
naryoutlineplanforstimulation andtoestablish howmuchintheway
ofresources wou-tdbenecessaryinthemediumtermtoachieveit.
B.Attheendofthatyear,duringwhichtheoperational instruments would
besetupandtestsoftheintervention procedures carriedout,thefirst
outlineplanforstimulation 1984-1987wouldbesubmittedtotheCouncil.
Thisoutlinewouldthenbethemodelforthepreparation eachyearof
adetailedstimulation plan(asapolicyoptionwithintheframework
programme)whichwouldbeputbeforetheCouncilaccordingtotheprocedure
forexaminingtheframeworkprogramme (seesection -IIIabove).
Conclusion.
TheCommission whishestogathertheCouncil'sobservations onthe
orientations whichhavebeenchoseninthepresentcommunication .

ANNEXE 1
1978:"Theawarenessofsocialneedsonthepartofthepublicandthe
publicauthorities"-G.Denielou *
"HowissciencerelatedtoSociety"«-H.Brooks
ScienceadaptedtotheneedsofSociety:
-"Theviewpointofbasicresearch"-L.VanHove
-"Theviewpointofappliedresearch"-u.Colombo
-"Theviewpointofindustry"-Ch.Kramers
(Seminaron"EuropeanScienceandTechnology facedwiththechallenges
ofthepresentsociety"(CompiegneOctober78)
1979:"ScienceandtheSecondRenaissance ofEurope"-A.Danzin
(reportbythechairmanofCERD/basedonanumberofstudiesbyCERD)
viz-"Orientations àdonneràlaRDeuropéenne ,enfonctiondesbesoins
àmoyenetàlongtermeenmatièredeRD"(1977)
-"Unplanscientifique ettechnologique àlongtermepour
l'Europe"(1978)
-"Unesciencepourunenouvellecroissance enEurope"(1979).
1980:Employment prospectsandmobilityofscientists inEurope"-ESF
"ScienceandSocietyinachangingEurope"-I.Prigogine
"ThecaseforanewEuropeanresearchenterprise"*6.Denielou
"Methodandmechanismfortheidentification ofthescientific needs
ofsociety"-A.Phillipart .
"TheEuropeartCommunityandInnovation"-U.ColomboandW.Zegfeld
(Conference "ResearchandDevelopment intheEuropeanCommunity-
towardsanewphaseinthecommonpolicy"-Strasbourg October1980.
1981:"Stimulation oftheEuropeanResearcheffort"-I.Prigogine
"TheScientific CommunityandResearchinEurope"-I.F.OandInstitut
furDemoskopie.•
Evaluation delarecherchedansledomainedessciencésphysiqueset
biologiques"-E.Mees,G.Gérard-October1981.
'Scientific researchintheEuropeanCommunity;Perspectives and
Prospects"-SolvayConference,Brussels,November1981.

ANNEXE2
1.ConmitteefortheEuropeanDevelopment ofSciencearidTechnology (CODEST).
TheCommissionbelievesthatnoneoftheexistingCommittees canformthe
consultative bodywhichisrequired(seesectionIII.1)butthatinsteda
itcouldtakeonthecurrentfunctionsoftheCommittee knownasCERD,and
itssubcommittees (1).
TheCommissionthereforeproposesthatCERDanditssubcommittees berepla­
cedbyaCommitteefortheEuropeanDevelopment ofScienceandTechnology
(CODEST).SetupundertheauspipcesoftheCommission,CODESTwouldbring
togethersome20personalities ofthehigheststandingandrecognised
authorityfromtheworldsofscience*technology andindustry.Theywould
beappointed bytheCommission ,,andMembersoftheCommitteewouldserve
intheircapacityasindividuals .MoEECcountrywouldberepresented by
lessthanoneMembernorbymorethanfour.
MembersofCODESTwouldbeappointedforfouryears"andwouldonlybeable
toserveoneterm.
Thecycleofrenewalwouldbeonequarterevery12monthssoastoensure
continuityinthework.
TheCommitteewouldmeetregularly and,"betweenmeetings,couldbepermanen­
tlyrepresented byitschairman(appointedbytheCommissionafterconsulting
theMembers)andbycertainMembers,selectedbytheCommittee,whowould
makeupthe"bureau".Preparation andfollowupoftheCommittee'swork
wouldbeundertaken bytheCommission.
2.Outlineofoperatingarrangements .
OnceCODESThastakenoverthefunctionsofCERD,theresponsibilities for
implementing stimulationactivities andprojectswouldlieasfollows:
-devisingtheannualstimulation plan:
TheCommission onthebasisoftheanalysesandassessments providedby
CODEST.
-adoptingtheannualstimulation planandestablishing thecorresponding
levelofresources
TheCouncilandtheEuropeanParliament onthebasisoftheCommission's
proposal,preparedinthelightofCREST'sopinion(frameworkprogramme)
-initiatingactivities
TheCommission,inconsultation withCODEST,whowouldNCall uponreferees.
Λ
(1)CERD:energy «
CERD-ESIST (EuropeanScoietyanditsinteractions withScienceandTechnology )

control
Theresponsible Community
experts.institutions -plustheuseofindependent