Proposal for a Council Decision adopting a specific programme for the dissemination and exploitation of the results of activities in the field of research, technological development and demonstration (1994-1998) (94/C 228/15) (Text with EEA relevance) COM(94) 68 final - 94/0093(CNS)

(Submitted by the Commission on 30 March 1994)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the EC, and in particular Article 130 i (4) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee,

Whereas, by their Decision . . ./. . ./EC, the Council and the European Parliament adopted a Fourth Framework Programme of Community activities in the field of research, technological development and demonstration (hereinafter referred to as RTD) for the period 1994-1998, laying down in particular the activities to be implemented in the field of dissemination and exploitation of results, and that this Decision was taken in the light of the considerations set out in the preamble to the above Decision;

Whereas Article 130 i (3) lays down that the Framework Programme shall be implemented through Specific Programmes developed within each activity, and that each Specific Programme shall define the detailed rules for implementing it, fix its duration and provide for the means deemed necessary;

Whereas the implementation of this programme involves various procedures, in particular shared-cost projects and preparatory, accompanying and support measures;

Whereas, in accordance with Article 130 i (3), the funding required for implementing this specific programme must be estimated; whereas the definitive amounts are adopted by the budgetary authority in accordance with the quota laid down in the Framework Programme;

Whereas Decision . . ./. . ./EC lays down that the maximum total appropriation for the Fourth Framework Programme shall be reviewed before 30 June 1996 at the latest, with a view to its being increased, and as a result of this review the amount deemed necessary for implementing this programme may increase;

Whereas the aims of this programme are to ensure the widest possible dissemination of the results of research, to achieve optimum exploitation by encouraging, with the assistance of the various operators concerned, the conversion of the results obtained into innovations, to promote technology transfer, in particular to small and medium-sized enterprises, and to support the initiatives launched at national and regional level so as to give them a Community dimension;

Whereas the innovation process is complex and interactive and involves various types of operators, and the activities for disseminating and exploiting results must therefore be combined with those aimed at improving technology transfer;

Whereas the creation of an environment favourable to the exploitation of results and the dissemination of technologies in all sectors of industry and in all regions of the Community contributes directly to adapting the industrial fabric and increasing the competitiveness of undertakings;

Whereas the contents of the Fourth Framework Programme for Community RTD activities were drawn up in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, and this specific programme sets out the contents of activities to be undertaken in the field of dissemination and exploitation in conformity with this principle;

Whereas, in accordance with Article 130 j, the rules for the participation of undertakings, research centres (including the JRC) and universities, and for the dissemination of research results, are applicable to this Specific Programme;

Whereas, in implementing the present programme, in addition to those countries covered by the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA) international cooperation may also, in accordance with Article 130 m, prove appropriate with other third countries and international organizations;

Whereas the dissemination of results to SMEs is a priority of the Fourth Framework Programme, and this dissemination concerns SMEs participating in the specific programmes and also any undertakings likely to employ scientific knowledge or new technologies to strengthen their competitiveness;

Whereas this programme benefits, in particular, small and medium-sized enterprises in the regions least involved in the Community's RTD activities, contributes to improved economic and social cohesion in the Community and operates in conjunction with the Community Structural Fund measures taken to this end;

Whereas the economic and social impact and the possible technological risks of activities undertaken under this programme must be assessed;

Whereas there must be continual and systematic monitoring of progress in implementing this programme, with a view to adapting it, if necessary, to developments in this field; whereas, also, an independent assessment of progress in implementation of the programme must be conducted in due course with the aim of providing all the background information necessary for drawing up the aims of the Fifth RTD Framework Programme; whereas, finally, at the end of the programme, a final assessment of the results obtained must be carried out as regards the objectives set out in this Decision;

Whereas the JRC may participate in the indirect actions covered by this programme;

Whereas the Scientific and Technical Research Committee (CREST) has been consulted,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS,

Article 1

A Specific Programme for the dissemination and exploitation of the results of activities in the field of research, technological development and demonstration, the objectives and contents of which are set out in Annex I, is adopted for the period . . . to 31 December 1998.

Article 2

1. The amount deemed necessary for the implementation of the programme is ECU 293 million, including 8,4 % for staff and administrative expenditure.

2. An indicative breakdown of this amount is given in Annex II.

3. The amount deemed necessary for the implementation of the programme, as above, may increase as a result of, and in accordance with, the Decision referred to in Article 1 (3) of the Decision . . ./. . ./EC.

4. The budgetary authority shall determine the appropriations available for each financial year in accordance with the quota laid down by the Framework Programme.

Article 3

The procedures for implementing this programme, other than those referred to in Article 5, are set out in Annex III.

Article 4

1. The Commission shall continually and systematically monitor, with assistance from independent, external experts, the progress within this programme in relation to the objectives set out in Annex I. It shall examine in particular whether the objectives, priorities and financial resources are still appropriate to the changing situation. If necessary, it shall make proposals to amend or supplement this programme according to the results of the monitoring.

2. To help in obtaining an overall assessment of the Community activities provided for in Article 4 (2) of the Decision adopting the Fourth Framework Programme, the Commission shall in due course have an assessment carried by independent experts of the activities undertaken in the fields directly covered by this programme, and of their management during the five years preceding such assessment.

3. On completion of this programme, the Commission shall have a final assessment of the results conducted by independent experts as regards the objectives set out in Annex III to the Fourth Framework Programme and in Annex I to this Decision. The report on the final assessment shall be communicated to the Council, the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee.

Article 5

1. A work programme shall be drawn up by the Commission, in accordance with the objectives set out in Annex I, and shall when necessary be updated. It shall set out the detailed objectives to be achieved and lay down stages in the programme's implementation and the funding envisaged for each implementation procedure.

The work programme may also provide for participation in certain Eureka activities.

2. The Commission shall issue calls for proposals for projects on the basis of the work programme.

Article 6

1. The Commission shall be responsible fo the implementation of the programme.

2. In the cases referred to in Article 7 (1), the Commission shall be assisted by a committee composed of representatives of the Member States and chaired by the representative of the Commission.

The representative of the Commission shall submit to the committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The committee shall deliver its opinion on this draft within a time limit which the chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter. The opinion shall be delivered by the majority laid down 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. When a vote is taken in the committee, the votes of the representatives of the Member States shall be weighted in the manner set out in that Article. The chairman shall not vote.

The Commission shall adopt the measures envisaged if they are in accordance with the opinion of the committee.

If the measures envisaged are not in accordance with the opinion of the committee, or in the absence of an opinion, the Commission shall submit to the Council without delay a proposal relating to the measures to be taken. The Council shall act by a qualified majority.

If, after one month from the date of referral to the Council, the latter has not acted, the proposed measures shall be adopted by the Commission.

Article 7

1. The procedure set out in Article 6 (2) shall apply in respect of:

- the establishment and updating of the work programme referred to in Article 5 (1),

- the assessment of the projects proposed for a Community contribution and the estimated amount of that contribution, when this is greater than ECU 300 000,

- the measures to be taken to assess the Specific Programme,

- all modifications to the indicative breakdown of the amount given in Annex II, which has not been the subject of a budgetary decision.

2. At each meeting, the Commission shall inform the committee of progress in implementing the programme as a whole.

Article 8

The Commission is authorized to negotiate, in accordance with Article 228 (1), international agreements with European third countries with a view to involving them in all or part of the programme.

Article 9

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

ANNEX I

SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL AIMS AND CONTENT

The present Specific Programme is fully in keeping with the guidelines of the Fourth Framework Programme and sets out details of its aims in the field of dissemination and exploitation.

The chapter in Annex III relating to the third activity under that programme is an integral part of this programme.

I. AIMS AND GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF IMPLEMENTATION

The action in the field of dissemination and exploitation of results supplements the actions undertaken by the Member States by giving them a dimension and an added value at a Community level. It has three objectives:

- to ensure the widest possible dissemination of the results of RTD activities under Community and national programmes;

- to optimize their exploitation, i.e. to ensure with the assistance of the various operators concerned that the results obtained under Community and national programmes are transformed into innovations, and to promote transfers of technology, particularly to the SMEs;

- to support the various initiatives launched at national level so as to give them a trans-European dimension.

By virtue of its aims and content, this programme helps the regions of the Community least favoured by the RTD programmes and contributes to economic and social cohesion. It is therefore closely linked to various initiatives in these domains and takes account of the communication from the Commission on cohesion and RTD policy (COM(93) 203 final).

The programme also contributes to cooperation activities with non-member States and international organizations in the fields for which it is responsible.

Responsibility for the exploitation of RTD results must be largely borne by enterprises, but Community assistance is also needed.

At Community level, the dissemination and exploitation activities are implemented through the Specific Programmes of the first activity and this programme. In particular, a sum representing on average 1 % of the total budget for the Fourth Framework Programme has been set aside to this end, under the first activity, for the dissemination and exploitation of the results. This will cover in particular sectoral dissemination and exploitation activities.

The Specific Programmes implement dissemination and exploitation activities relating to their fields of research, in close coordination with those under the present programme, with a view to avoiding duplication and wastage of resources, maintaining a good geographical balance in the actions envisaged and allowing proper utilization of the skills and infrastructures existing under the third activity - in particular the network of relay centres as a common basis for activities.

The Specific Programmes ensure inter alia that account is taken of the dissemination and exploitation aspects amongst the criteria for evaluating and selecting RTD projects, and that the provisions of the contracts which relate to protection, exploitation and dissemination are complied with, and that networks and partnerships established in connection with research projects are also enabled to contribute to the process of dissemination and exploitation of the results obtained.

II. CONTENTS OF THE SPECIFIC PROGRAMME

A new approach is necessary to achieve these aims, given the diversity of the operators involved, the cumulative, interactive and complex nature of the innovation process and the specific needs of SMEs.

This approach involves integrating the follow-up to VALUE and Sprint into a single programme and exploiting to the full the synergies between the activities provided for by the various areas of this programme.

The emphasis on SMEs is reflected in the three parts proposed. Part A, concerning the 'dissemination and optimization of the results of Community research', is particularly addressed to the SMEs participating in the specific programmes or those which are capable of exploiting the results of Community or national research programmes. Part B, concerning the 'dissemination of technologies to enterprises', is aimed at the large number of SMEs which have to integrate in their activities the know-how and new technologies on which the preservation or enhancement of their competitiveness depends and which they have to procure from external sources because they do not possess the necessary internal RTD capacity. Part C, concerning the 'financial environment for the dissemination of technology', provides for measures and instruments to assist both these categories of SMEs.

A. Dissemination and exploitation of the results of research

The aim of this domain is to promote the dissemination and trans-sectoral and transnational exploitation of the results of research, regardless of their source, and in particular to publicize Community RTD activities and their results in order to increase utilization and to facilitate scientific and technical cooperation in Europe.

It comprises a cohesive set of activities comprising services of a general nature, such as the Community network of relay centres, the public information and dissemination service, services specializing in assistance with regard to the protection and exploitation of research results, together with action to improve not only the economic but also the social impact of the exploitation and transfer of the results of research.

1. The Community network of relay centres

The action taken under the Third Framework Programme to establish a network of 'VALUE' relay centres in the Member States in order to promote Community RTD activities and their results will be continued and intensified with the aim of attracting closer attention from enterprises and research laboratories in the individual countries, improving the transnational exploitation of research results and fostering scientific and technical collaboration.

This action will be developed and strengthened through the following:

- providing support for enterprises and research laboratories to facilitate their access to information on Community RTD and demonstration activities;

- providing assistance, where necessary, for the transnational dissemination of results of national research or of programmes such as Eureka and COST;

- systematic examination of the technical and economic potential of RTD results, in collaboration with the specific programmes and contractors concerned, with a view to their dissemination to the relay centres;

- evaluation of the potential scientific and technological needs of industry so that the supply of results from Community or national research programmes can be better matched to them;

- organization of targeted actions designed to promote results, with the emphasis on themes selected for their relevance to the needs of local industry;

- developing the synergies with the relevant national and regional networks and operators with the aim of boosting the transnational dissemination and exploitation of research results from any source;

- supplying telematic services to the relay centres, to facilitate the organization of joint activities.

2. The information and dissemination service

The three pillars of this structure are the data collection and production service, the services and products which specialize in the dissemination of information via networks serving the general public or the various target groups and those which concentrate on publizing and heightening public awareness of research.

The following activities are planned:

- extension of the Cordis information service to incorporate new sources of information (Eureka, COST, other international research frameworks, national contact points, etc.) and multimedia documents;

- organization of dissemination projects aimed at specific target 'multiplier' groups (scientific journalists, documentalists, relay centres and other intermediary networks, etc.);

- design and production of new information products adapted to the wide ranges of potential requirements for disseminaton on a variety of media including CD-ROM, public networks, extracts from databases, bulletins, etc.;

- sustained publication activity aimed at the scientific community, information 'multipliers' and the public at large;

- use of various means of communication with the public and methods of increasing awareness other than publications, such as audiovisual and multimedia techniques;

- improvement of coordination with similar activities at national level.

3. Protection of know-how

The aim of this line of action is to inform researchers and sensitize them to questions relating to the protection of industrial and intellectual property rights and to help organizations which do not themselves possess the necessary resources to protect the results of Community RTD which they have acquired.

Conferences and training activities will be organized with the aim of enhancing researchers' awareness of the various aspects of intellectual and industrial property rights. Steps will also be taken to develop collaboration with the European Patent Office and its national counterparts with a view to the organization of joint activities.

Provision will be made for continuing protection of the property rights (patents, trademarks, etc.) of the Community. On request also, subject to certain conditions, assistance and financial support may be made available to universities, research centres and SMEs with the aim of protecting the results of Community research.

4. Help with the exploitation of research results

The aim of this line of action is to offer, particularly to SMEs, specialized services and assistance in addition to the activities of the relay centres, to facilitate transfer from research to industry and the trans-sectoral and transnational exploitation of results.

- the services offered under this heading after assessment of the technical and economic potential for exploitation of the results can include, in particular, the identification of future markets (including a study on technological change), technical and economic feasibility studies, promotion activities, training schemes, advice on exploitation strategies and examination of subsequent industrial exploitation potential within the framework of inter-governmental projects (Eureka) or other Community initiatives;

- assistance will take the form of partial financial support for activities in the fields of transfer, adaptation and exploitation of research results.

It may include projects which are specifically designed to meet the needs of SMEs, support for know-how transfer schemes (training, technology clubs, researcher mobility) and the shared-cost financing of transnational and transsectoral exploitation projects.

This work will be done with the help of selected experts, or consultants or competent organizations in the Member States. Steps will be taken to develop coordination with national and regional exploitation and technology dissemination activities. Efforts will be made to establish synergies with the MINT project ('Managing the Integration of New Technologies') and the networks established under the Sprint programme (such as Eurotech).

5. The exploitation of research and the needs of society

The aim of this line of action is to carry out measures and studies which will help to improve the effectiveness of the exploitation and transfer of research results and to set out future strategy in the light of both economic and social needs and to organize joint action projects involving the scientific and educational community, public and private decision-makers, the social operators and the media in order to streamline communications between the general public and the world of science.

The competent structures in the Member States will be associated with the implementation of this line of action with the aim of stimulating synergies and ensuring mutual enrichment via the adoption of a coordinated approach and exchanges of information.

The action will include the following themes and activities from the standpoint of the transfer and exploitation of know-how:

- evaluation of the economic and social impact of RTD activities;

- the economy and the management of research;

- organization of communication projects designed to enhance awareness of the implications and impact of science and technology.

These activities will be implemented in close cooperation with those undertaken for the evaluation of the scientific and technical policy options in the programme of 'focused socio-economic research'.

B. Dissemination of technology to enterprises

Priority attention will be given to SMEs in the industrial and service sector which depend on access to new technology for the preservation of their competitiveness but do not have sufficient resources to participate in Community research activities or the direct exploitation of Community research results. Many of these enterprises are in the lower or middle ranges of technological intensity and measures must be taken to improve their absorption capacity for new technology.

Hence the need to heighten their awareness of the new technologies which are available, whatever their origin, and of the opportunities they provide from the standpoint of their individual needs and strategies. They are so numerous that direct action is not a feasible proposition.

To stimulate these enterprises, the Community must play the role of a catalyst and motor, and this will involve the radical decentralization of the organization of its activities and reliance on the competent organizations in the Member States, the TT intermediaries, the multipliers of information, etc., in order to optimize the impact of its action.

The action taken under this heading is intended to raise the level of European awareness of these organizations and improve their quality and professionalism by fostering the establishment of cooperation networks, exchange of good practice, the provision of training and support for joint activities.

Community action must also contribute to the establishment of an environment favouring the absorption of technologies, via the organization of awareness-enhancement projects in the business sector, the demonstration of effective methods and the promotion of modern innovation management techniques. Finally, it must raise the general level of knowledge of the relevant mechanisms, instruments and policies and facilitate the dissemination of good practice to the local and regional operators, particularly by organizing the exchange and evaluation of experience.

Hence the simultaneous involvement of five major categories of operators:

- technological resource centres (TRCs), capable of providing SMEs with the technological expertise they need for an innovation project (universities and public research centres, sectoral joint research centres, companies specializing in research under contract, etc.);

- suppliers of interface services, capable of rapid diagnosis of the needs of client SMEs and able to put them in touch with the competent TRC ('conseillers technologiques' in France, 'one-stop shops' in the United Kingdom, innovation centres in the Netherlands, etc.);

- suppliers of specialized advisory services (quality, design, management, search for partners, creation of networks, etc.);

- suppliers of financial services, able to mobilize the capital resources required for innovation projects;

- the national, regional or local public organizations which lay down policies, determine the conditions under which enterprises have to operate and manage support procedures.

Three lines of action are to be followed in this domain:

1. Transnational networks providing support for the transfer and dissemination of technology

In the follow-up to the Sprint programme, the emphasis will be firmly fixed on European orientation and the quality and effectiveness of the services providing support for innovation and technology transfer. A coordinated bottom-up approach, geared to the needs of enterprises from the outset and encompassing every aspect of the transfer and utilization of technologies, will be promoted in this context.

Provision will be made for the following activities:

- consolidation of the transnational cooperation networks of national or regional operators in the fields of technology transfer or dissemination, so as to strengthen their European orientation: RTD organizations, sectoral technology centres, science and technology parks, local and regional technology disseminaton organizations and networks, etc.;

- promotion of cooperation between universities, research centres, industry and sources of financing in order to facilitate the expansion and transnational development of high-tech firms;

- organization and support for access to international expertise for designing and evaluating technology dissemination networks in the less-favoured regions. Promising projects not yet up to the required level would be given proposals for improvements through partnerships with a view to enabling, as far as possible, their subsequent acceptance;

- support for national or regional schemes to make technology transfer services more effective, in the form of training sessions (e.g. in the form of a 'summer university'), exchanges of experience and good practice, publication of manuals, etc., in order to give a trans-European dimension to these initiatives;

- measures to facilitate the trans-European dissemination of technological opportunities, whatever their origin, and to promote contact between suppliers, potential clients and intermediaries (TT conferences, technology exchanges, etc.) through maximum use of the network of relay centres.

2. An environment favouring the absorption of technologies by industry

The aim is to foster the absorption of new technologies not only by industry in general, and especially by SMEs, but also by public sector organizations, particularly at a local level. A special effort will be made to help the users to express their requirements and hence to choose the technologies which match their individual strategies and absorption capacities (demand-led approach).

The following activities are proposed:

- support for pilot projects for transregional or inter-sectoral transfer of technologies which can serve to demonstrate the methods and conditions of adoption of technologies by new users. These projects will be supported by intermediary organizations selected for their capability of playing a positive role as multipliers in the dissemination of technology in the SME sector;

- promotion, among businesses and especially among SMEs, of good practice in the various domains of innovation management and absorption of new technology by new users, including strategic planning, technology watch, value analysis, design, quality management and the marketing of innovations. These activities may include the organization of competitiveness (for prizes such as the EC Design Price) and support for decentralized projects for the promotion of an integrated approach to the application of these management techniques (MINT initiative). Special efforts will be made to encourage undertakings to adapt organizational methods which allow them to adapt to radical innovations;

- implementation of schemes to encourage the less-favoured regions to join with the more advanced regions in an exchange of experience on the design and application of measures aimed at increasing the capacity of their SMEs to absorb technologies;

- promotion of inter-business cooperation in the field of technology in all its phases (search for partners, establishment of contacts, mobilization of financial resources, negotiation of contracts) with the help of appropriate instruments and networks;

- promotion of decentralized awareness-enhancement projects in the fields of technology transfer and innovation (e.g. 'Innovation Road Show').

3. Exchanges of information and experience with regard to policies for the dissemination of technologies

Action under this heading is intended to improve the interlinkage of national, regional and Community TT policies and the instruments used for their implementation.

This means not only raising the levels of awareness of innovation systems (and their performance) and of regional, national and Community rules and regulations, but also the organization of regular exchanges of experience and good practice between the various operators concerned.

The following actions are proposed:

- further study and observation of the various European systems, policies and instruments (European Innovation Monitoring System) with particular emphasis on comparative analysis of the rules and regulations with regard to licensing, tax incentives or legal instruments;

- action to help the regional operators to analyse their TT infrastructures and fine-tune their policies and instruments with the assistance of external experts;

- creation of a forum for the exchange of experience and good practice in the formulation, implementation and evaluation of national and regional TT policies (Innovation Policy Forum).

These activities will be implemented in close cooperation with those undertaken under other Community programmes, in particular the programme of 'focused socio-economic research'.

C. The financial environment for the dissemination of technology

The aim in this area of activity is to improve the European environment for financing the exploitation, adaptation and dissemination of technology by means of an appropriate Community scheme to be implemented in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity.

This domain encompasses:

1. Indirect support measures

These include:

- the organization of schemes for improving transnational communications between financial circles and promoters of technology projects (such as investment fora);

- continuation of the pilot project for Technology Performance Financing started under the Sprint programme, with the aim of encouraging the traditional industries to absorb new technologies;

- support for the analysis and possibly the experimental application of systems for mobilizing private funds (including investment exit mechanisms) for the benefit of RTD projects (e.g. comparison of local networks of private investors or 'business angels').

2. A pilot scheme to promote the transfer and exploitation of technologies by SMEs,

e.g. via a system of premiums for SME participation in activities designed to promote the dissemination and exploitation of Community RTD results. The management of this activity will be largely decentralized and entrusted to organizations with a well-developed national or regional network or experience in the provision of suport for SMEs (public innovation agencies, relay centres, etc.).

3. The granting of technical and management assistance,

particularly in the less-favoured regions of the Community, to public and private financial intermediaries, selected - or to be established - in Member States, offering small and medium-sized enterprises the opportunity for participate co-funding, with particular reference to facilitating the evaluation of technological projects to be submitted by SMEs and allowing optimum exploitation of the research results.

These actions will be closely coordinated with the various Community actions in this field (Eurotech Capital, European Investment Fund, business policy, etc.).

D. Scientific services for Community policies

This involves activities to provide scientific and technical support for Community policies, at the request of the Directorates in charge of these policies, wherever the need and demand for it is expressed. To ensure a competitive approach, they will be open to participation by all research institutes in the Community and the JRC.

Implemented completely independently, these actions will be aimed at meeting specific needs arising in the implementation of the various Community policies; in particular, they will satisfy the need to mobilize the most appropriate scientific and technological skills in support of the dissemination of knowledge and the exploitation of the results of research, as well as their use by the different operators in the economic fabric.

ANNEX II

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ANNEX III

DETAILED RULES FOR IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAMME

1. The detailed rules for the Community's financial contribution are laid down in Annex IV to the Decision on the Fourth Framework Programme.

The detailed rules for the participation of undertakings, research centres and universities, and for the dissemination of results will be laid down in the measures provided for by Article 130 j of the Treaty.

However, for the purpose of implementing this programme, the following exceptions shall apply:

1.1. Participation in this programme is open, with financial support from the Community:

(a) to all legal entities established and regularly carrying out RTD activities:

- in the Community, or

- in a third country associated, wholly or in part, with the implementation of the relevant programme through an agreement concluded between the Community and the said third country

(b) to the Joint Research Centre.

1.2. Participation in this programme is open, without financial support from the Community, and on condition that their participation is in the interests of Community policies:

(a) to legal entities established in a country which has concluded a scientific and technical cooperation agreement with the Community relating to activities covered by the programme, provided the participation accords with the terms of the agreement,

(b) to legal entities established in a European country,

(c) to international research organizations.

1.3. The participation of European international organizations may be financed on the same basis as that for Community organizations in duly specified cases.

1.4. Partners specialized in the fields of dissemination, exploitation and transfer of technologies and decentralized actions under national operators may be envisaged. Adapted management arrangements and suitable funding measures are necessary for those actions.

2. This programme will be carried out in the form of:

2.1. Financial participation of the Community in dissemination and exploitation activities conducted by third countries or by JRC institutes in association with third parties.

(a) Shared-cost activities covering the following procedures:

- dissemination and exploitation projects carried out by undertakings, research centres, universities or any other organizations specialized in the fields of dissemination and exploitation, including consortia for integrated projects with a common objective;

- technology stimulation to facilitate the use of research results and the transfer of new technologies among SMEs may result in financial aid and, in particular, exploitation subsidies being granted, with a view to facilitating the exploitation of RTD results by SMEs. The above subsidy will be granted after the selection of draft proposals, which may be submitted at any time;

- support for financing the infrastructure in the fields of dissemination and exploitation or the installations necessary for coordinated action (closer coordination).

(b) Concerted activities, which consists of coordinating, particularly, with the aid of concertation networks, projects already funded by public authorities or private bodies. Concerted activities can also include the necessary coordination of the operations of dissemination and exploitation networks which, through RTD projects involving shared-cost activities (cf. 2.1 (a), first indent) or preparatory, accompanying or support measures, bring together those persons or bodies - manufacturers, users, universities, research centres or other operators involved in technology transfer - with the same technological or industrial objective.

(c) Specific measures such as measures to promote standardization and measures for setting up general-purpose instruments for use by research centres, universities, undertakings and other operators involved in technology transfer in the fields of dissemination and exploitation. The Community's contribution covers up to 100 % of the costs of the measures.

2.2. Preparatory, accompanying and support measures covering, in particular, the following:

- studies in support of this programme and in preparation for future activities;

- conferences, seminars, workshops or other scientific or technical meetings, including intersectoral or multidisciplinary coordination meetings;

- use of external expertise, including access to or development of information systems;

- scientific publications, including the dissemination, promotion and utilization of the results;

- studies to assess the socio-economic consequences and any technological risks associated with all the projects covered by this programme;

- measures to support the operation of decentralized awareness and assistance networks for SMEs, in coordination with the Euromanagement-RTD audits scheme;

- training activities related to the activities under the programme;

- assistance for the mobility of staff with a view to disseminating know-how and technologies;

- independent evaluation (including studies) of programme administration and of the implementation of the activities.