5. 3. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 53/67 
Proposal for Council Decisions concerning the conclusion of Agreements between the European 
Economic Community and the EFTA countries establishing cooperation in the field of training in 
the context of the implementation of Comett II (1990 to 1994). 
COM(89) 613 final 
(Submitted by the Commission on 12 December 1989) 
(90/C 53/06) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 235 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament, 
Whereas, by Decision 89/27/EEC (x), the Council adopted 
the second phase of the programme on cooperation 
between universities and industry regarding training in the 
field of technology (Comett II) (1990 to 1994); 
Whereas, by the Decision of 22 May 1989, the Council 
adopted the opening of the Comett II programme to the 
EFTA countries; whereas Article 1 of that Decision 
authorizes the Commission to negotiate — with those 
EFTA countries which so wish — agreements having as 
their objective cooperation in the field of training in 
technology in the context of the implementation of Comett 
II; 
Whereas a cooperation Agreement between the European 
Economic Community and the Republic of Austria, the 
Republic of Finland, the Republic of Iceland, the Kingdom of Norway, the Kingdom of Sweden and the Swiss 
Confederation, respectively, by its nature enriches the 
impact of Comett II actions so as to strengthen the skill 
level of human resources in Europe. 
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 
Article 1 
The Agreement between the European Economic Com­
munity and the Republic of Austria, the Republic of 
Finland, the Republic of Iceland, the Kingdom of Norway, 
the Kingdom of Sweden and the Swiss Confederation, 
respectively, establishing cooperation in the field of 
training in the context of the implementation of Comett II 
(1990 to 1994) is hereby approved on behalf of the 
Community. 
The text of the Agreement is attached to this Decision. 
Article 2 
The President of the Council shall carry out the notification 
as provided for in Article 15 of the Agreement. 
(!) OJ No L 13, 17. 1. 1989, p. 28. 
No C 53/68 Official Journal of the European Communities 5. 3. 90 
AGREEMENT 
between the European Economic Community and the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Finland, 
the Republic of Iceland, the Kingdom of Norway, the Kingdom of Sweden and the Swiss 
Confederation, respectively, establishing cooperation in the field of training in the context of the 
implementation of Comett II (1990 to 1994) 
THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY, Article 3 
hereinafter referred to as 'the Community', 
and the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Finland, the 
Republic of Iceland, the Kingdom of Norway, the Kingdom 
of Sweden and the Swiss Confederation, hereinafter 
referred to as 'Austria', 'Finland', 'Iceland', 'Norway', 
'Sweden' and 'Switzerland', respectively, 
hereinafter both referred to as 'Contracting Parties', 
Whereas, by its Decision of 16 December 1988, the Council 
of the European Communities, hereinafter referred to as 
'the Council', adopted the second phase of the programme 
on cooperation between universities and industry in the 
Community regarding training in the field of technology, 
hereinafter referred to as 'Comett II'; 
Whereas the Contracting Parties have a common interest in 
cooperation in this field, as part of the wider cooperation 
between the Community and the EFTA countries in the 
field of education and training; 
Whereas in particular cooperation between the Com­
munity and ... with a view to pursuing the objectives fixed 
for Comett II, by its nature enriches the impact of Comett 
actions so as to strengthen the skill levels of human 
resources in the Community and ...; 
Whereas the Contracting Parties consequently expect to 
obtain mutual benefit from the participation of... in 
Comett II, 
HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS: 
Article 1 
A cooperation between the Community and ... shall be 
established in the field of training in technology in the 
context of the implementation of Comett II. The summary 
of the Comett II programme and its objectives are set out in 
Annex I. 
Article 2 
The Community shall take part in a range of measures to 
promote cooperation between universities and industry 
in ..., on the one hand, and Community universities and 
industry, on the other hand, regarding initial and 
continuing training in the field of, in particular, advanced 
technology, within the framework of Comett II. For the purposes of the Agreement, the term 'university' is 
used in its general sense to indicate all types of post-
secondary education and training establishments which 
offer, within the framework of initial and/or continuing 
training, qualifications or diplomas of that level, whatever 
such establishments may be called in the Contracting 
Parties; the term 'industry' is used to indicate all types of 
economic activity, including not only large but also small 
and medium-sized businesses whatever their legal status 
and manner of applying new technologies. The term also 
covers independent economic organizations, in particular 
chambers of commerce and industry and/or their equi­
valents, professional associations and organizations 
representing employers or employees. 
Article 4 
As far as the different strands of Comett II are concerned, 
the participation of universities and industry from ... in 
Comett II activities and projects shall be subject to the 
following conditions and rules: 
1. STRAND A 
Development of university-industry training partnerships 
(UITP) 
The content and the objectives of this strand shall be those 
indicated in Annex I, point 4, Section A (A — European 
network). 
The Community and organization from ... may benefit 
from the different measures referred to above on the same 
basis as Community Member States and bodies and under 
the same conditions. 
With regard to UITPs of a sectoral nature, however, the 
following conditions shall apply: 
(i) As project promoters, universities and industry from ... 
may only submit applications for financial support for 
the creation of a sectoral UITP in which organizations 
from at least two Community Member States are 
participating. Such projects may additionally include 
partner organizations from other EFTA countries 
having a cooperation Agreement concerning Comett II. 
(ii)As project participants, universities and industry 
from ... may be members of a sectoral UITP promoted 
by universities and/or industry of a Community 
Member State, provided that the project concerned 
already meets — without the participation of the EFTA 
5. 3. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 53/69 
partner — the conditions of eligibility prescribed for 
such projects. Universities and industry from ... may 
also participate in projects promoted by universities 
and/or industry from other EFTA countries having a 
cooperation Agreement concerning Comett II, provided 
that those projects meet the requirement that organiza­
tions from at least two Community Member States are 
participating in the project. 
2. STRAND B 
Transnational exchanges 
The content and the objectives of this strand shall be those 
indicated in Annex I, point 4, Section B (B — Transnational 
exchanges). 
Under this Agreement, Comett may only support ex­
changes in either direction between ... and a Community 
Member State. 
Universities and/or industry from ... may submit appli­
cations for financial support for sending and/or receiving 
students and/or personnel only to/from industry and/or 
universities in Community Member States. 
Universities and/or industry from a Community Member 
State may submit applications for financial support for 
sending and/or receiving students and/or personnel only 
to/from industry and/or universities in ... . 
Exchanges between two different EFTA countries will not 
be supported under Comett II. 
3. STRAND C 
Joint projects for continuing training, in particular, in 
advanced technology and for multimedia distance 
training 
The content and the objectives of this Strand shall be those 
indicated in Annex I, point 4, Section C (C — Joint projects 
for continuing training, in particular, in advanced 
technology and for multimedia distance training). 
As project promoters, universities and industry from ... 
may only submit applications for financial support for joint 
projects in which organizations from at least two 
Community Member States are participating. Such projects 
may additionally include partner organizations from other 
EFTA countries having a cooperation Agreement concern­
ing Comett II. 
As project participants, universities and industry from ... 
may participate in a joint project promoted by a university 
or industry from a Community Member State, provided 
that the project concerned already meets — without the 
participation of the EFTA partner — the conditions of 
eligibility prescribed for such projects. Universities and industry from ... may also participate in 
projects promoted by a university or industry from another 
EFTA country having a cooperation Agreement concerning 
Comett II, provided that those projects meet the require­
ment that organizations from at least two Community 
Member States are participating in the project. 
4. STRAND D 
Information arrangements, complementary promotion 
and back-up measures 
The content and the objectives of this strand shall be those 
indicated in Annex I, point 4, Section D (D — Information 
arrangements, complementary promotion and back-up 
measures). 
... shall participate in the information arrangements for 
Comett II, notably by cooperating in the establishment of 
one national information centre for Comett in that 
country. 
The Community and organizations from ... may benefit 
from the different measures referred to above on the same 
basis as Community Member States and bodies and under 
the same conditions. 
Article 5 
The financial contribution of ..., covering its participation 
in the Comett II programme, shall be established in 
proportion to the amount entered each year in the general 
budget of the European Communities for appropriations 
covering commitments in respect of the Comett II 
programme. 
The proportionality factor governing the contribution 
by ... shall be determined by the ratio between its gross 
domestic product, at market prices, and the sum of gross 
domestic product, at market prices, of the Member States 
of the Community and .... This ratio will be calculated 
year by year on the basis of the latest available OECD 
statistical data. 
The financial provision relating to the funds estimated as 
necessary for the execution of the Comett II programme 
within the Community — net of any contribution by the 
EFTA countries — is set out in Annex II. 
The rules governing the contribution by ... to the 
development of the Comett II programme are set out in 
Annex III. 
Article 6 
Subject to the special requirements referred to in Article 4 
regarding participation by universities and industry 
from ..., the terms and conditions for the submission and 
evaluation of proposal/projects and the terms and 
conditions for the granting and conclusion of contracts 
under the Comett II programme shall be the same as those 
applicable to universities and industry in the Community. 
The contracts drawn up by the Commission shall show the 
rights and obligations of universities and industry from ... 
No C 53/70 Official Journal of the European Communities 5. 3. 90 
and in particular the methods of disseminating, protecting 
and exploiting the results of the training projects. 
Article 7 
1. A joint committee is hereby established. 
2. The committee shall deliver opinions on the following 
points: 
(a) in so far as they are relevant to the participation of 
universities and industry from ...: the general guidelines 
governing the Comett II programme; the general 
guidelines for the financial assistance to be provided in 
the Comett II programme; questions concerning the 
general balance of the Comett II programme, including 
a breakdown of the various types of action; 
(b) the various types of projects described in Annex I. 
3. As far as the points referred to in paragraph 2 (a) and 
(b) are concerned, the Community representative shall 
bring the matter before the committee. 
4. The representative of the Community shall take the 
appropriate steps to ensure coordination between the 
implementation of this Agreement and the decisions taken 
by the Community in respect of the implementation of 
Comett II. 
5. The committee shall be responsible for all the other 
matters concerning the administration of the Agreement 
and shall ensure its proper implementation. For this 
purpose, it shall make recommendations. 
6. For the purpose of the proper implementation of the 
Agreement, the Contracting Parties shall exchange inform­
ation and, at the request of either Party, shall hold 
consultations within the committee. 
7. The committee shall adopt its own rules of procedure. 
8. The committee shall consist of representatives of the 
Community, on the one hand, and of representatives of ..., 
on the other. 
9. The committee shall act by mutual agreement. 
10. The committee shall meet, at the request of either 
Contracting Party, in accordance with the conditions to be 
laid down in its rules of procedure. 
Article 8 
All the decisions concerning the selection of the various 
types of projects described in Annex I shall be taken by the 
Commission of the European Communities. 
Article 9 
The Commission shall ensure that the composition of the 
expert group which advises the Commission in the 
execution of the Comett II programme is such as to enable it to give any advice required in regard to the participation 
of universities and industry from .... 
Article 10 
The Contracting Parties shall undertake efforts to facilitate 
the free movement and residence of students and personnel 
participating in ... and in the Community in activities 
covered by the Agreement. 
Article 11 
... shall submit to the Commission, to assist the latter in 
drafting its annual report on Comett II as well as the 
interim and final evaluation reports, a contribution 
describing the national measures taken by ... in this regard. 
A copy of the annual reports as well as of its interim 
evaluation and final evaluation reports shall be transmitted 
to ... . 
Article 12 
In regard to the application process, contracts, reports to be 
submitted and other administrative arrangements for the 
Comett II programme, the languages used will be restricted 
to the official languages of the Community. 
Article 13 
This Agreement shall apply, on the one hand, to the 
territories in which the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community is applied and under the conditions 
laid down in that Treaty and, on the other hand, to the 
territory of... . 
Article 14 
1. This Agreement is concluded for the duration of the 
Comett II programme. 
2. Should the Community revise the Comett II pro­
gramme, the Agreement may be re-negotiated or ter­
minated. ... shall be notified of the exact content of the 
revised programme within one week after its adoption by 
the Community. The Contracting Parties shall notify each 
other within three months after the Community decision 
has been adopted if a re-negotiation or termination of the 
Agreement is envisaged. In the event of termination, the 
practical arrangements for dealing with outstanding 
commitments shall be the subject of negotiations between 
the Contracting Parties. 
3. Either Contracting Party may at any time request a 
revision of the Agreement. To this end, it shall submit a 
reasoned request to the other Contracting Party. The 
Contracting Parties may instruct the joint committee to 
examine this request and, where appropriate, to make 
recommendations to them, particularly with a view to 
opening negotiations. 
5. 3. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 53/71 
Article 15 However, if such notification has not taken place by 31 
March of any year, the provisions of the Agreement shall 
This Agreement shall be approved by the Contracting not enter into force before 1 January of the following year. 
Parties in accordance with their existing procedures. 
Subject to the Contracting Parties' having notified each Article 16 
other of the completion of the procedures necessary for this 
purpose, it shall enter into force on 1 January 1990. This Agreement shall be drawn up in duplicate in the 
Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, 
After this date, the Agreement shall enter into force on the Portuguese, and Spanish languages, each of these texts 
first day of the month following such notification. being equally authentic. 
ANNEX 1 
1. The Comett II programme comprises a range of transnational projects to strengthen and encourage 
cooperation between universities and industry within the European framework in regard to initial and 
continuing training in, in particular, advanced technology in response to technological change and social 
changes in the context of completion of the internal market and the strengthening of its economic and social 
cohesion. 
These measures are directed at trainees, including those who have completed their initial training, and at 
persons in active employment, including employers' and workers' representatives and the training officers 
concerned. 
2. Within the framework of the Comett programme the projects which are to receive Community assistance 
will be chosen on the basis of, in particular, their stimulative and exemplary character, and their 
contribution to the achievement of the objectives set out in Article 3 of the Decision. 
The selection of projects in the various strands will take account of the development of the framework 
programme for technology R8cD, to promote the training schemes resulting from Community research, 
while avoiding duplication. It will also take account of the skills needed by industry and its highly qualified 
personnel, in particular for small and medium-sized businesses, and of regions where university-industry 
cooperation is still not very highly developed. 
Priority will be given to training geared towards new skills, both in the growth technology industries and in 
sectors where such technologies are traditionally applied and as regards technology transfer and 
administration. 
3. The projects which are to receive Community assistance will be chosen from projects which: 
(i) propose to cover ground, whether in terms of content, mechanisms or links, which is new not only for 
the universities and the industry concerned, but for the Member States concerned and for the 
Community as a whole; 
(ii) are designed to be disseminated widely and effectively not only in the Member States involved but more 
widely in the Community; 
(iii) are designed explicitly to stimulate similar developments elsewhere in the Community, and to stimulate 
further development in the universities and the industry concerned. 
4. The following measures will be implemented in the course of Comett II: 
A. European network 
(a) The development and reinforcement of university-industry training partnerships (UITPs) and the 
extension of the European network, both regional and sectoral, in order to further transnational 
cooperation particularly in the following fields: 
(i) in contributing to the identification of training needs in technology and to resolving them in liaison 
with relevant bodies in this field; 
(ii) in assisting and facilitating the development and exploitation of projects within the other strands of 
the Comett II programme; 
No C 53/72 Official Journal of the European Communities 5. 3. 90 
(iii) in strengthening cooperation and inter-regional transfer between Member States in the 
development of initial and continuing training for the needs of technologies, their application and 
transfer; 
(iv) in developing links in the form of transnational sectoral networks bringing together projects from 
various strands of the programme in the same area of training. 
(b) The Community will grant financial support for activities with a European dimension as well as for the 
functioning of the UITPs. This flat-rate contribution will not exceed 50 % of the expenditure eligible. 
The support will be reduced progressively, with a ceiling per UITP of ECU 70 000, ECU 60 000 and ECU 
50 000 respectively for the first three years. In certain exceptional and duly justified cases, the 
Community contribution may exceed the three-year limit. 
However, additional expenditure by universities incurred in the preparation and implementation of 
joint training projects may, if necessary, be financed by the Community up to 100 %. 
(c) The activities to be undertaken under strand A will not exceed 12 % of the overall annual budget 
allocated to the Comett II programme subject — with regard to this strand and to the other strands — to 
any changes which might arise as the implementation of the programme proceeds. 
B. Transnational exchanges 
(a) Specific financial assistance to promote, for the benefit of all Member States, transnational exchange 
through the allocation of grants for: 
(i) students undergoing periods of from three to 12 months' training in industry in another Member 
State. One of the important assessment criteria in the selection of projects submitted will be the 
commitment of the sending university (within the meaning of Article 2), to the possibility of this 
training period in industry being recognized as an integral part of the student's course, taking 
account of the specific nature of national education systems and possibilities for such recognition 
under them; 
(ii) persons who have completed their initial training, either enrolled at a university or after graduation 
and as a transition between study and a first employment, taking up placements of six months to 
two years in a business undertaking in another Member State for the purpose of taking part in an 
industrial development project within that undertaking; 
(iii) personnel seconded from universities and industry to industry or a university respectively in another 
Member State to bring their skills to the industry or university in question for the improvement of 
the training activities and the professional practices of the host organization. 
(b) The Community's financial contribution will be limited to direct and indirect mobility costs of 
recipients of grants, costs of organizing and monitoring the activities implemented and, where 
necessary, the costs of foreign language preparation for recipients. This contribution will not exceed a 
ceiling of ECU 6 000 for 12 months per beneficiary under subparagraph (i), ECU 25 000 for 24 months 
under subparagraph (ii), and ECU 15 000 for three months under subparagraph (iii) above. 
(c) The activities to be undertaken under strand B, will not exceed 40 % of the overall budget allocated to 
the Comett II programme. 
C. Joint projects for continuing training in, in particular, advanced technology 
and for multimedium distance training 
(a) Support for crash training courses with a European dimension in, in particular, advanced technology 
designed for the rapid dissemination — by and in universities and by and in industry — of the results of 
research and development in the field of new technologies and their application, as well as for the 
promotion, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses of the transfer of technological 
innovation to sectors in which it was not previously applied. 
(b) Support for work on devising, developing and testing at European level joint training projects in, in 
particular, advanced technology, initiated jointly by different industries in association with the 
universities concerned in at least two different Member States of the Communities in fields relating to 
the new technologies and their applications. 
5. 3. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 53/73 
(c) Support for multilateral arrangements for training in, in particular, advanced technology initiated 
jointly by different industries in association with the universities concerned aimed at establishing 
systems for distance learning utilizing new training technologies and/or resulting in transferable training 
products. 
(d) Support for the operations referred to in the foregoing subparagraphs initiated by employers' and 
workers' organizations. 
(e) In the selection of projects under points (a) to (d) above, the Community will pay special attention to 
projects : 
(i) concerning technologies and their applications liable to have a significant impact on industrial 
development throughout the Community; 
(ii) facilitating the participation of small and medium-sized businesses and meeting their needs; 
(iii) directed towards the training of staff responsible for innovation development in industry, including 
training officers; 
(iv) associating in their execution university and industry partners from the less-developed regions of 
the Community; 
(v) demonstrating active involvement of and financial support from industry in the project; 
(vi) proposing effective means for ensuring the utilization and dissemination of the results throughout 
the Community. 
(f) The Community's financial contribution will be 50 % of the total expenditure on the initiatives 
described in points (a) to (d) above. As a general rule, the Community contribution will not exceed ECU 
30 000 per course under (a) and ECU 500 000 per project for the total duration of the project for 
measures under (b) and (c). 
However, additional expenses incurred by universities in the preparation and implementing of joint 
projects for continuous training in advanced technology and multi-media distance learning may, where 
appropriate, be covered by the Community by up to 100 %. 
(g) Activities to be under strand C will not exceed 40 % of the overall budget allocated to the Comett II 
programme. 
D. Complementary promotion and back-up measures 
(a) These measures have as their aim: 
(i) support for preparatory activities particularly for the less-developed regions, notably in the 
form of visits or meetings, having as their potential objective the formulation of transnational 
projects or the extension of existing projects to other partners; 
(ii) a structured exchange of information and experience, notably through financial support for 
the Comett information centres created in each Member State with a view to promoting 
Community exchange activities and dissemination and promotion activities within the 
programme; 
(ii) (a) the setting-up of a data bank on Comett projects and similar initiatives in the Member States, 
(ii) (b) the establishment of electronic mail facilities between projects and the partners in the 
programme, 
(ii) (c) a programme of events (conferences, seminars, exhibitions, etc.) relating to Comett II; 
(iii) analysis and monitoring of the skills needed by industry at Community level, and its 
consequent training needs in view of the new technologies and their applications, especially in 
exploiting within Comett II the results of work conducted elsewhere; 
(iv) better mutual comprehension of the obstacles hindering the development of transnational 
cooperation between universities and higher education establishments and industry in training 
with a view to strengthening this cooperation; 
(v) continuing evaluation of Comett II as it is implemented as well as technical and logistical 
support for the execution of the programme. 
No C 53/74 Official Journal of the European Communities 5. 3. 90 
(b) The Community's financial contribution for these back-up measures may be up to 100 % of the actual 
expenditure committed for these initiatives. 
(c) The activities to be undertaken under strand D will not exceed 8 % of the overall budget allocated to the 
Comett II programme. 
ANNEX 11 
FINANCIAL ANNEX 
Article 1 
The funds estimated as necessary — net of any contribution by the EFTA countries — for the implementation of 
the Comett II programme in the Community and fixed in the Comett Decision of 16 December 1988 amount to 
ECU 200 million, for the period from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 1994. 
Article 2 
The resources allocated to the Comett II programme shall be in conformity with the Community financial 
perspectives and their developments. Appropriations actually available each year shall be decided during the 
Community budgetary procedure. 
Article 3 
Before the beginning of each year, the Commission shall inform... of the amount of the appropriations available 
for that year in respect of the Comett II programme. Amendments of this amount occurring during the year shall 
be communicated to ... by the Commission. 
ANNEX III 
FINANCING RULES 
Article 1 
The financial regulation in force applicable to the general budget of the European Communities shall apply, 
notably to the management of the appropriations. 
Article 2 
At the beginning of each year, or whenever the Comett II programme is revised so as to involve an increase in the 
amount estimated as necessary for its implementation, the Commission shall send to ... a call for funds 
corresponding to its contribution to the costs under the Agreement. 
This contribution shall be expressed in ecus and paid into an ecu Bank account of the Commission. 
... shall pay its contribution to the annual costs under the Agreement according to the call for funds and at the 
latest three months after the call for funds is sent. Any delay in the payment of the contribution shall give rise to 
the payment of interest by... on the outstanding amount from the due date. The interest rate corresponds to the 
rate applied by the European Monetary Cooperation Fund, for the month of the due date, for its operations in 
ecus (*), increased by 1,5 percentage points. 
(*) Rate published monthly in the 'C series of the Official Journal of the European Communities.