Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION adopting a specific programme 2002-2006 for research, technological development and demonstration aimed at integrating and strengthening the European Research Area

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

At its meeting on 23 and 24 March 2001, continuing its support for the European Research Area project as expressed in Lisbon, Feira and Nice, the European Council called upon the Council and the European Parliament to adopt the research Framework Programme 2002-2006 proposed by the Commission by June 2002.

In doing so, it stressed in particular that, in the context of a set of well defined priorities, full benefit should be derived from the new instruments designed to give this new Framework Programme the means to help bring about the European Research Area, in accordance with its objective.

The Commission submitted its Framework Programme proposal on 21 February 2001 [1]. Since then, Council and Parliament have had the opportunity to begin examining and discussing the proposal. On 2 and 3 March, at their informal meeting in Uppsala, the Research Ministers held a first exchange of views on it, and the Council bodies have started to examine it.

[1] COM (2001) 94.

For its part, the European Parliament has had three opportunities to debate this proposal, the last time on the basis of answers given by the Commission to a detailed questionnaire.

By presenting its proposals concerning the specific programmes through which the Framework Programme is to be implemented at this point in time, the Commission intends to facilitate the debate that has begun within the institutions, thus enabling it to take place in the best possible conditions of information.

With the same aim in mind, the Commission is at the same time presenting a communication on the possible ways of implementing Article 169 of the Treaty to enable participation by the Community in programmes implemented jointly by several Member States, within the general context of the networking of national research programmes.

The Commission will also be submitting proposals shortly concerning the "rules for participation and dissemination" applying to the Framework Programme.

The following main elements of these proposals, in particular, will help to give a better picture of the organisation, content and implementation arrangements proposed for the new Framework Programme:

- the structure in terms of specific programmes;

- the new instruments and the way they will operate;

- the scientific and technological content that is envisaged;

- the activities foreseen in the EURATOM area.

The structure

For the implementation of the Framework Programme, a structure based on five specific programmes is proposed:

- For the EC Framework Programme:

- A specific programme on "Integrating and strengthening the European Research Area" for the two blocks of activities "Integrating research" and "Strengthening the foundations of the European Research Area" of the Framework Programme proposal.

- A specific programme on "Structuring the European Research Area".

- A specific programme for JRC activities.

- For the EURATOM Framework Programme:

- A specific programme for all the indirect actions in the fields of nuclear fission and fusion.

- A specific programme for JRC activities.

This structure derives directly from that of the Framework Programme and is a faithful reflection of the underlying policy objectives. Simple and easy to follow, it will make it possible to ensure the coherent implementation of the different categories of actions proposed, while respecting the overall objective of making a reality of the European Research Area and taking account of the specific features of these actions.

It brings together, on the one hand, all research and research-coordination activities and, on the other, activities aimed at structuring several key aspects of research activity on a European scale.

In each case, coherent implementation can be ensured in particular by means of a single programme committee with a composition varying according to the fields concerned.

In addition, the particular nature of the JRC's activities justifies a separate specific programme both for the EC and for EURATOM.

On the basis of the indications given in Annex II to the Framework Programme proposal, and thanks to them, correspondence is ensured with the various activities foreseen in the Treaty both in terms of content and budget.

The new instruments

The contribution of the new Framework Programme to bringing about the European Research Area is based mainly on the means of intervention envisaged for implementing it, in particular the three new instruments, namely the networks of excellence, integrated projects and participation by the Community in jointly implemented national programmes.

The introduction of these new instruments, which was favourably received by the Council and the European Parliament in their resolutions on the European Research Area, is in response to the need for a change in the ways in which the Community intervenes in the research field, as stressed in various reports on Community research policy, and in particular the recent five-year assessment of the Framework Programme.

Work on the development of these instruments started as soon as the Framework Programme proposal was presented. Many contacts and detailed discussions about the way in which they will operate in practice have taken place between the Commission Services, the national authorities and the relevant programme users within research organisations, universities and businesses.

Two seminars were specifically organised on this topic on 19 and 20 April 2001 [2].

[2] Working papers are available on the following website: www.http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/.

On the basis of the results of this detailed work and discussions, the basic principles and the general conditions governing the operation of these new instruments have been established. They are presented in Annex III to the specific programme proposals and concern in particular:

- the objectives specifically pursued with each of the instruments;

- the type of activities involved;

- the general conditions governing the formation, operation and development of partnerships;

- the general conditions governing support by the Community.

These principles and conditions are designed to ensure that the new instruments will make an effective contribution towards attaining the objectives set, namely the deep integration of research and innovation activities in Europe under conditions of operational autonomy and flexibility, characteristics of the means of intervention foreseen for the new Framework Programme.

Their application will be accompanied by measures designed to derive full benefit from all the research and innovation potential present in Europe, in particular by encouraging SME participation in the activities concerned.

These remarks apply essentially to the networks of excellence and the integrated projects. Community participation in jointly implemented national programmes under Article 169 of the Treaty is of a different nature, necessitating and justifying separate treatment. The objective of the communication which the Commission is presenting on this subject, in parallel with these proposals, is to launch the political debate that needs to take place on this means of implementation within the Framework Programme.

The scientific and technological content

Alongside its organisation as a structuring instrument designed to integrate research efforts, a basic feature of the new Framework Programme underlined by the Stockholm European Council is the concentration of resources on a limited number of well defined priorities.

This is reflected in the specific programme proposals which explain in more detail, expand upon and clarify the indications given in the Framework Programme proposal as regards objectives, fields covered and, within each field, the particular themes taken into consideration.

The precise subjects of research that will be carried out will be determined when the work programmes are drawn up and the programmes of activities for the networks of excellence and integrated projects are formulated.

The objectives, content and implementation arrangements for activities to be carried out under the specific programmes have been the subject of an ex ante evaluation. In this context, a special effort has been made to define, in accordance with the indications given in the Framework Programme proposal, verifiable, measurable objectives where this is possible and useful.

Alongside the activities carried out in the context of the major priority themes, the specific programme on "Integrating and strengthening the European Research Area" will comprise several categories of activities that are new or carried out in new ways.

These are:

- Activities carried out under the heading "Anticipating the EU's scientific and technological needs" in response to the needs of Community policies, research at the frontiers of knowledge and new unforeseen requirements.

They will be conducted on the basis of a procedure for the multiannual programming of activities, carried out partly by means of an annual exercise of evaluation and selection of research themes.

- Activities in support of the networking of national research programmes and the coordination of research and innovation activities and policies. Light and flexible mechanisms will be used to this end.

International cooperation represents an important dimension of the Framework Programme. Activities will be carried out in this field in various forms: in the specific programme on "Integrating and strengthening the European Research Area" on the one hand by opening up the networks of excellence and integrated projects to third country researchers and entities and, on the other hand, through certain specific activities; in the programme "Structuring the European Research Area" by means of support for the international mobility of European researchers and third country researchers.

Under the heading of strengthening the foundations of the European Research Area, activities will be carried out in support of cooperation with and between the organisations concerned with European science and technology cooperation. These organisations will in fact have full access to all the activities under the programmes.

The description of the content of the programme on "structuring the European Research Area" specifies the implementation conditions and the possible themes for structuring activities, including a strengthening of the networking of innovation stakeholders; the various new forms of support for mobility; the integrated initiatives with regard to infrastructures and the themes and arrangements for activities in the field of relations between science and society.

In the implementation of the specific programmes, the regional dimension of European research will be fully taken into account in its different aspects, as well as the recognised role of regions in the process of innovation.

EURATOM activities

By their nature and on account of their different legal basis, the activities carried out in the EURATOM field have a particular character. In addition, in the nuclear field the issue of the European Research Area takes a specific form.

It might seem easier to make a reality of the European Research Area in the field of nuclear fission than in the rest of science and technology, given the limited size of the scientific and industrial community concerned and the existence within it of long-standing collaboration links.

The European Research Area is already to a large extent a reality in the field of controlled nuclear fusion thanks to the existence of an integrated European programme on research into magnetic fusion.

The proposal for a specific programme for indirect nuclear research activities substantially expands upon and clarifies the indications given in the corresponding part of the EURATOM Framework Programme proposal.

In the field of fission, the Framework Programme proposal identifies a thematic area: waste treatment and storage. Activities could be carried out in this area by means of two of the new instruments for the priority thematic areas of the programme on "Integrating and strengthening the European Research Area" of the EC Framework programme, namely the networks of excellence and integrated projects.

The rest of the activities relating to fission concern other aspects of nuclear safety: radiation protection, the study of innovative concepts and training concerning nuclear matters. These activities could be carried out in the form of projects of limited size and the networking of national activities, with the possibility of making use of the new instruments where necessary.

In the field of thermonuclear fusion, the specific programme proposal expands upon and clarifies the guidelines given in the EURATOM Framework Programme proposal following on from the results of the Ministerial Meeting held on 19 January 2001 on the basis in particular of a Commission staff working document [3].

[3] SEC (2001)385.

It specifies the priorities proposed and the activities to be carried out during the period 2002-2006 in accordance with the "reactor" orientation of Community activities in this field which it is thought desirable to maintain: participation in the Next Step and use of the JET facilities.

Choices will need to be made in order to put this orientation into practice. In order to increase the impact of Community efforts in this area, and in accordance with the spirit of the European Research Area, it is proposed that resources should be concentrated on multilateral activities bringing together European research players on joint projects such as JET today, and ITER in due course if a decision is taken to build this new machine.

Overall coordination at European level, the usefulness of which has been demonstrated, would be maintained, but the Member States would take responsibility for a larger proportion than at present of the activities where the "reactor" orientation and the link with the Next Step are less marked.

The period 2002-2006 should be a period of transition towards a programme dominated by commitments connected with the Next Step. Of the EUR 700 million proposed for the whole of fusion research, EUR 200 million are foreseen as a contribution to the construction of ITER which could commence during the second half of the period of implementation of the Framework Programme, i.e. 2005-2006, and which necessitates a specific decision.

The bulk of the Community fusion research activities for 2002-2006 are therefore intended to ensure the transition between the activities at present carried out in the associations and what should become a fusion physics and technology accompanying programme once the ITER project has reached "cruising speed" after 2006 if a decision is taken to go ahead and start building the machine.

Efficient implementation

Designed to help bring about the European Research Area, the Framework Programme 2002-2006 is based on three fundamental principles: concentration on a selected number of priorities; structuring effect by means of close liaison with the national efforts; simplification and streamlining of implementation conditions.

The need for this sort of improvement in the conditions governing the implementation of the Framework Programme and the specific programmes has been stressed repeatedly: by the Council and the European Parliament, by the Framework Programme five-year assessment panel, and by the Court of Auditors, in particular.

For the most part, the improvement in implementation conditions will be brought about by adopting the new means of intervention and the new instruments designed to help achieve the twin objectives of concentration and of strengthening the links between efforts at the various levels.

The networks of excellence and the integrated projects have been designed with this in mind, based on a more decentralised approach enabling the participants to have a large measure of operational autonomy as well as the requisite degree of flexibility in implementation. The partnerships, more particularly, are designed to be able to evolve so that new participants can join, and the initial participants can withdraw, throughout their duration.

The basic principles applying to the new instruments are described in Annex III to the specific programme proposals. The detailed rules for implementing them will be set out in the "Rules for participation and dissemination" taking account of the objectives of protecting the Communities' financial interests.

Other aspects of the management of the activities under the programmes will also be "externalised", more particularly certain aspects of the management of research activities for SMEs and activities in support of mobility.

An essential debate

When the Commission submits a proposal for a new EU Research Framework Programme there is always a wide-ranging and intense debate.

This debate, which is already under way, should go beyond a discussion of the priorities and areas to which it is often reduced:

- because the Framework Programme 2002-2006 is essentially characterised by the introduction of new means of intervention with considerable potential to have positive effects on the European research fabric, which should be put into effect under the best possible conditions;

- because implementing the Framework Programme for this reason requires greater involvement on the part of those responsible for research in Europe, at a high level of decision taking, in the national research organisations, universities and industry, and greater initiative and the assumption of greater responsibility on the part of the participants.

2001/0122 (CNS)

Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION adopting a specific programme 2002-2006 for research, technological development and demonstration aimed at integrating and strengthening the European Research Area

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 166 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission [4]

[4] OJ No.

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament [5]

[5] OJ No.

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee [6]

[6] OJ No.

Whereas:

(1) In accordance with Article 166(3) of the Treaty, Decision No. .../../EC [7] of the European Parliament and the Council concerning the multiannual framework programme 2002-2006 of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities aimed at contributing towards the creation of the European Research Area (hereinafter referred to as "the framework programme") is to be implemented through specific programmes that define detailed rules for their implementation, fix their duration and provide for the means deemed necessary.

[7] OJ No.

(2) The framework programme is structured in three main blocks of activities, "integrating research", "structuring the European Research Area", and "strengthening the foundations of the European Research Area", the first and the third of which, as regards indirect actions, should be implemented by this specific programme.

(3) The rules for the participation of undertakings, research centres and universities and for the dissemination of research results, for the framework programme, adopted by the European Parliament and Council in Decision No. .../../EC [8] (hereinafter referred to as "the rules for participation and dissemination") should apply to this programme.

[8] OJ No

(4) New instruments, involving simplified and decentralised management, and the exploitation of external technical support should, if fully exploited in this programme, enable personnel and administrative expenses to be reduced to a maximum of 5.5% of the overall amount deemed necessary for its implementation.

(5) In implementing this programme, emphasis should be given to promoting mobility of researchers, and innovation, in the Community and encouraging the participation of SMEs, as well as international co-operation activities with third countries and international organisations. Special attention should be paid to the Accession countries.

(6) Research activities carried out within this programme should respect fundamental ethical principles, notably those which appear in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.

(7) Following the Commission Communication "Women and Science" [9] and the Resolutions of the Council [10] and the European Parliament [11] on this theme, an action plan is being implemented in order to reinforce and increase the place and role of women in science and research. Gender aspects in research will be taken into account in implementing this programme.

[9] COM(1999)76.

[10] Resolution of 20 May 1999, OJ C 201, 16.7.1999.

[11] Resolution of 3 February 2000, PE 284.656.

(8) To achieve the full potential of this programme, the active engagement of all relevant parties, in particular the Member States and Associated States, should be encouraged in a common endeavour to step up the co-ordination of research activities carried out in Europe, including through the opening up and networking of national programmes and the free circulation of information pertaining to research activities at all levels.

(9) This programme should be implemented in a flexible, efficient and transparent manner, taking account of relevant interests, in particular of the scientific, industrial, user and policy communities; the research activities carried out under it should be adapted where appropriate to the needs of Community policies and to scientific and technological developments.

(10) Since the measures necessary for the implementation of this Decision are management measures within the meaning of Article 2 of Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June 1999 laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission [12], they should be adopted by use of the management procedure provided for in Article 4 of that Decision.

[12] OJL 184, 17.7.1999, p.23

(11) The Commission should in due course arrange for an independent assessment to be conducted concerning the activities carried out in the fields covered by this programme.

(12) Within this programme, thematic priority areas of research should be implemented exclusively by means of three types of instruments: networks of excellence, integrated projects, and Community participation in national research activities implemented jointly pursuant to Article 169 of the Treaty.

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION

Article 1

1. In accordance with the framework programme, a specific programme on Integrating and strengthening the European research area (hereinafter referred to as "the specific programme") is hereby adopted for the period from [.....] to 31 December 2006.

2. The objectives and scientific and technological priorities for the specific programme are set out in Annex I.

Article 2

In accordance with Annex II of the framework programme, the amount deemed necessary for the execution of the specific programme is EUR 12 505 million, including a maximum of 5.5% for the Commission's administrative expenditure. An indicative breakdown of this amount is given in Annex II.

Article 3

1. The detailed rules for financial participation by the Community in the specific programme shall be those referred to in Article 2(2) of the framework programme.

2. The specific programme shall be implemented by means of the instruments defined in Annexes I and III to the framework programme and described in Annex III.

3. The rules for participation and dissemination shall apply to the specific programme.

Article 4

1. The Commission shall draw up a work programme for the implementation of the specific programme, setting out in greater detail the objectives and scientific and technological priorities set out in Annex I, and the timetable for implementation.

2. The work programme shall take account of relevant research activities carried out by the Member States, Associated States and European and international organisations. It shall be updated where appropriate.

Article 5

1. The Commission shall be responsible for the implementation of the specific programme.

2. The procedure laid down in Article 6 shall apply for the adoption of the following measures:

- the drawing up and updating of the work programme referred to in Article 4(1),

- any adjustment to the indicative breakdown of the amount as set out in Annex II.

Article 6

1. The Commission shall be assisted by a committee, composed of representatives of the Member States and chaired by the representative of the Commission.

2. Where reference is made to this paragraph, the management procedure laid down in Article 4 of Decision 1999/468/EC [13] shall apply, in compliance with Article 7 (3) thereof.

[13] OJL 184, 17.7.1999, p. 23

3. The period provided for in Article 4(3) of Decision 1999/468/EC shall be two months.

Article 7

1. The Commission shall regularly report on the overall progress of the implementation of the specific programme, in accordance with Article 4 of the framework programme.

2. The Commission shall arrange for the independent assessment provided for in Article 5 of the framework programme to be conducted concerning the activities carried out in the fields covered by the specific programme.

Article 8

This Decision is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, [...]

For the Council

The President [...]

ANNEX I

Scientific and technological objectives and broad lines of the activities

Introduction

This programme will promote world class research in key priority areas of exceptional interest and added value to Europe and the competitiveness of its industry, which have been identified in the framework programme 2002-2006, as well as on topics that are identified as being of high importance during the course of implementation of the framework programme in view of the EU's policy needs and the opportunities arising in novel, leading edge research areas.

The programme will strive towards greater integration of research in Europe by means of:

- focused action in priority thematic research areas, using powerful financing instruments (integrated projects and networks of excellence) which bring together the research actors in appropriate configurations for the new challenges that these priority research areas represent, and with critical mass;

- promoting the networking and joint action of national and European frameworks for research and innovation, and the opening up of national programmes, in these priority areas, including where appropriate by the use of actions under Article 169 of the Treaty, as well as in other areas where such action would be of benefit to the performance of Europe's research base.

The programme is complementary to the programme "structuring the European Research Area" and the specific programme for the JRC, and its implementation will be co-ordinated with them.

1. Integrating research

1.1. Priority thematic areas of research

The priority thematic areas represent the bulk of expenditure under the framework programme 2002-2006. Through a highly focused Community research effort, the intention is to generate a substantial leveraging effect which, together with actions in other parts of the framework programme 2002-2006 and through open co-ordination with other - regional, national, European and international - frameworks, will result in a coherent and highly effective common endeavour towards their overall objectives.

The priority thematic areas of research are :

- Genomics and biotechnology for health

- Information Society technologies

- Nanotechnologies, intelligent materials and new production processes

- Aeronautics and space

- Food Safety and health risks

- Sustainable development and global change

- Citizens and Governance in the European Knowledge-based society

The actions are therefore described in terms of:

- the overall objectives and expected achievements which are sought in each priority area;

- the research priorities to be pursued by means of Community action.

The priority thematic areas of research are described in terms of their overall objectives and the main research focus. The associated work programme will elaborate further on the detailed research content.

Community action in each priority area will be pursued through integrated projects and networks of excellence which, in addition to research and technological development, may incorporate the following types of activity, where they are of specific relevance to the objectives sought: demonstration, dissemination and exploitation; co-operation with researchers and research teams from third countries; human resource development, including the promotion of training of researchers; development of research facilities and infrastructure of specific relevance to the research being undertaken; and promotion of better links between science and society, including women in science.;

In order to attain the objectives of one or more of the priority thematic areas, it may also be appropriate to implement research activities falling within the scope of Article 169 of the Treaty.

Participation of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) will be encouraged and gender equity will, overall, be assured in the implementation of the activities.

Innovation is an important dimension which must be taken into account in the design and implementation of RTD activities. In particular, networks of excellence and integrated projects will include activities relating to dissemination and exploitation of knowledge and, where relevant, to ensure transfer of technology and facilitate exploitation of results. Where appropriate, special attention will be given to technology transfer to SMEs and to the creation of research - based enterprises as a means of exploiting research results.

Participation of the candidate countries in this programme will be encouraged.

International co-operation represents an important dimension of the Framework Programme. In the specific programme "Integrating Research", international activities are carried out on the two forms of:

- Participation of researchers, teams and institutions from third countries in networks of excellence and integrated projects, in particular on topics, within the different thematic priority fields, related to issues arising at world level and being subjects of international efforts;

- Specific international co-operation activities with some groups of countries, as a support to Community external relations and development aid policies.

The objectives and forms of the international co-operation activities in the Framework Programme are described under the heading "Anticipating the EU's scientific and technological needs".

The priority research areas include, in certain cases, research at the borders of traditional disciplines where advances will require interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary effort. In such cases a particular attention will be given during the implementation of the programme to the co-ordination between the different priority areas, and between these areas and actions under the heading "anticipating the EU's scientific and technological needs".

Consideration of the ethical social and legal aspects of the research to be undertaken and its potential applications, as well as socio-economic impacts of scientific and technological development and foresight, will where relevant form a part of the activities under this heading. Research on ethics related to scientific and technological developments will be carried out in the programme "Structuring the European Research Area".

During the implementation of this programme and in the research activities arising from it, fundamental ethical principles are to be respected, including the following: protection of human dignity, data and privacy, as well as animals and the environment in accordance with Community law; relevant international conventions and codes of conduct, e.g. the Helsinki Declaration, the Convention of the Council of Europe on Human Rights and Biomedicine, the Universal Declaration on the human genome and human rights adopted by UNESCO; current legislation and regulations in the countries where the research will be carried out. Where appropriate, participants in research projects must seek the approval of the relevant ethics committees prior to the start of the RTD activities. An ethical review will be implemented systematically for proposals dealing with sensitive issues. In specific cases, an ethical review may take place during the implementation of a project.

1.1.1 Genomics and biotechnology for health [14]

[14] In this and other areas of activity within the framework programme, human cloning for reproductive purposes will not be supported; no research activities modifying or aiming to modify the genetic heritage of human beings will be carried out; nor will any research activity involving the creation of a human embryo for research or therapeutic purposes be carried out. As far as possible, animal experiments and testing should be replaced by in vitro or alternative methods. Animal suffering must be avoided or kept to a minimum and, in this regard, special attention must be paid to animal experimentation involving species that are the closest to human beings (in accordance with Directive 86/609/CEE). The modification of the genetic heritage of animals and animal cloning will be envisaged only for objectives that are justified on ethical grounds and when carried out under conditions respecting animal welfare and the principles of genetic diversity.

The sequencing of the human genome and many other genomes heralds a new age in human biology, offering unprecedented opportunities to improve human health and to stimulate industrial and economic activity. In making its contribution to realising these benefits, this theme will focus on integrating post-genomic research into the more established biomedical and biotechnological approaches, and will facilitate the integration of research capacities (both public and private) across Europe to increase coherence and achieve critical mass. Integrated multidisciplinary research, which enables a strong interaction between technology and biology, is vital in this theme for translating genome data into practical applications. In addition, an essential element will be to involve key stakeholders, in particular, industry, healthcare providers and practitioners, policy makers, regulatory authorities and patient associations, in implementing the theme. Gender equity in the research will also be ensured [15].

[15] Causes, clinical manifestation, consequences and treatment of disease and disorders often differ between women and men. Therefore, all activities funded within this thematic priority must take the possibility of gender differences into account in their research protocols, methodologies and analysis of results.

This thematic priority area will stimulate and sustain multidisciplinary basic research to exploit the full potential of genome information to underpin applications to human health.

It will be an integral component of the European Community effort to enhance the European biotechnology industry in line with the conclusions of the Stockholm Council. It will endeavour to create strong links with all activities that improve the framework conditions for innovation in the health sector of the biotechnology industry, especially in SMEs, including stimulating entrepreneurship and opportunities for investment through venture capital and the involvement of the European Investment Bank. Attention will also be paid to the identification of regulatory bottlenecks in the development of new applications for genomics, to the anticipation at the earliest possible stage of the ethical implications and to the broader implications of developments in genomics research for society and citizens.

This thematic priority area will also foster the implementation and development of the health strategy of the European Community.

Throughout the thematic priority, international collaboration will be encouraged. Where appropriate, due account will be given to the European Community's commitment to poverty reduction in developing countries and the importance that improved health will bring to the process - in line with Article 177 of the Treaty and with the European Community's accelerated actions to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.

Research priorities

i) Fundamental knowledge and basic tools for functional genomics

The strategic objective of this line is to foster the basic understanding of genomic information, by developing the knowledge base, tools and resources needed to decipher the function of genes and gene products relevant to human health (including animal and plant model genomes and microbial genomes) and to explore their interactions with each other and with their environment. Research actions will encompass the following:

- Gene expression and proteomics: The objectives are to enable researchers to better decipher the functions of genes and gene products as well as to define the complex regulatory networks (biocomplexity) that control fundamental biological processes.

Research will focus on: developing high throughput tools and approaches for monitoring gene expression and protein profiles and for determining protein function and protein interactions.

- Structural genomics: The objectives are to enable researchers to determine, more effectively and at a higher rate than is currently feasible, the 3-D structure of proteins and other macromolecules, which is important for elucidating protein function and essential for drug design.

Research will focus on: developing high throughput approaches for determining high-resolution 3-D structures of macromolecules.

- Comparative genomics and population genetics: The objectives are to enable researchers to use well-characterised model organisms for predicting and testing gene function and to take full advantage of specific population cohorts available in Europe to determine the relationship between gene function and health or disease.

Research will focus on: developing model organisms and transgenic tools; developing genetic epidemiology tools and standardised genotyping protocols.

- Bioinformatics: The objectives are to enable researchers to access efficient tools for managing and interpreting the ever-increasing quantities of genome data and for making it available to the research community in an accessible and usable form.

Research will focus on: developing bioinformatic tools and resources for data storage, mining and processing; developing computational biology approaches for in silico prediction of gene function and for the simulation of complex regulatory networks.

ii) Applications of genomics and biotechnology for health

The strategic objective of this line is to foster the competitiveness of Europe's biotechnology industry by exploiting the wealth of biological data produced by genomics and advances in biotechnology. Research actions will encompass the following:

- Technological platforms for the development of new diagnostic, prevention and therapeutic tools: The objectives are to foster academic and industrial collaboration through technological platforms where multidisciplinary approaches using cutting edge technologies arising from genomic research (such as pharmacogenomics) may contribute to health care progress and cost reduction through more precise diagnosis, individualised treatment and more efficient development pathways for new drugs and therapies, and other novel products of the new technologies.

Research will focus on: rational and accelerated development of new, safer, more effective drugs; development of new diagnostics; development of new in vitro tests to replace animal experimentation; development and testing of new preventive and therapeutic tools, such as somatic gene and cell therapies (including stem cell therapies) and immunotherapies.

- Support for innovative research in genomics start-up companies: The objectives are to facilitate the creation of research-based start-ups in Europe, to help sustain their early growth and to foster their further development in a multinational environment.

Research will focus on: innovative aspects of post-genomics, which have high potential for application to health related issues and which are also expected to lead to entrepreneurial initiatives in start-up companies.

With a view to ensuring socially responsible choices, public acceptance and an efficient development pathway for these new technologies, an active and early involvement of regulators, patients and society at large will be necessary.

iii) Applications in medicine and public health

The strategic objective of this line is to develop improved strategies for the prevention and management of human disease and for living and ageing healthily. It will concentrate exclusively on integrating the genomic approach into more established medical approaches for investigating disease and health determinants. Research actions will focus on the following:

- Combating cancer, cardiovascular disease and rare diseases: The objectives are to improve the prevention and management of the two major causes of ill health and mortality in Europe and to pool Europe's research resources for tackling rare diseases.

Research will focus on: integrating clinical expertise and resources with relevant model systems and advanced tools in functional genomics to generate breakthroughs in the prevention and management of these diseases.

- Combating resistance to drugs: The objectives are to confront the major threat to public health caused by drug resistant pathogens.

Research will focus on: exploitation of the knowledge of microbial genomes and on host-pathogen interactions for the development of vaccines and alternative therapeutic strategies to circumvent the problem of antimicrobial drug resistance; development of strategies for optimal usage of antimicrobials; support to the European Community network for epidemiological surveillance and control of communicable diseases.

- Studying the brain and combating diseases of the nervous system: The objectives are to use genome information to understand better the functioning and dysfunctioning of the brain, in order to gain new insight into mental processes, to combat neurological disorders and diseases, and to improve brain repair.

Research will focus on: understanding the molecular and cellular bases of brain function, damage, plasticity and repair, learning, memory and cognition; developing strategies for prevention and management of neurological disorders and diseases.

- Studying human development and the ageing process: The objective is to better understand human development, with special emphasis on the ageing process, in order to develop the evidence base for improving public health strategies to promote healthy living and healthy ageing.

Research will focus on: understanding human development from conception to adolescence; exploring the molecular and cellular determinants of healthy ageing including their interactions with environmental, behavioural and gender factors.

iv) Confronting the major communicable diseases linked to poverty

The strategic objective of this line is to confront the global emergency caused by the three major communicable diseases - HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis - through the development of effective disease interventions, particularly for use in developing countries. It is envisaged that developing countries will be significant partners in the implementation of this line, in particular through the European Clinical Trials Platform.

Research will focus on: developing promising candidate interventions (vaccines, therapies and HIV microbicides) against the target diseases by sponsoring research over the full spectrum from basic molecular research, taking advantage of microbial genomics, through to pre-clinical testing and proof-of-principle; establishing a European Clinical Trials Platform to unite and support Europe's clinical trial activities specifically targeted at interventions for use in developing countries; establishing an AIDS Therapy Trials Network in Europe to improve the coherence and complementarity of clinical trials of AIDS therapies for European use.

1.1.2 Information Society technologies

Information society technologies (IST) are transforming the economy and society. Not only are they creating new ways of working and new types of business, but provide solutions to major societal challenges such as healthcare, environment, safety, mobility and employment, and have far reaching implications on our everyday life. The IST sector is now one the most important of the economy, with an annual turnover of EUR 2000 billion, providing employment for more than 12 million people in Europe.

The IST thematic priority will contribute directly to realising European policies for the knowledge society as agreed at the Lisbon Council of 2000, the Stockholm Council of 2001, and reflected in the e-Europe Action Plan. It will ensure European leadership in the generic and applied technologies at the heart of the knowledge economy. It aims to increase innovation and competitiveness in European businesses and industry and to contribute to greater benefits for all European citizens.

Successes, like those achieved in Europe in mobile communications or consumer electronics, will not be repeated unless a real effort is made to achieve critical mass in key domains of IST research. The actions will therefore mobilise the community of researchers around medium to long term objectives, facilitating the integration of public and private effort on a European scale, to build essential competencies and strengthen innovation. They will involve high-risk and long term RTD such as the development of the next generation of mobile and wireless systems beyond 3G, and will include underpinning research to investigate and experiment with future and emerging technologies within the specific context of the priority research areas indicated

Although substantial advances have been achieved, we are still far from taking full advantage of the potential of knowledge-based services in real life. Products and services are still hard to use and out of reach for many people, and the "digital divide" is widening within Europe and across the world. Research will focus on the future generation of technologies in which computers and networks will be integrated into the everyday environment, rendering accessible a multitude of services and applications through easy-to-use human interfaces. This vision of "ambient intelligence" places the user, the individual, at the centre of future developments for an inclusive knowledge-based society for all.

The IST priority in support of the eEurope action plan, will help build an information and knowledge based society across Europe, encouraging the participation of least developed regions. It will also include activities linking the EU effort to the international context. The aim is to achieve thematic area global consensus when appropriate e.g. through the Intelligent Manufacturing Systems (IMS) initiative or the dialogue on dependability issues, to integrate further the research of the Newly Associated States within the EU effort and to facilitate co-operation with developing countries.

Research priorities

i) Applied IST research addressing major societal and economic challenges

The objective is to extend the scope and efficiency of IST-based solutions addressing major societal and economic challenges, and to make them accessible in the most trusted and natural way, anywhere and anytime to citizens, businesses and organisations.

- Research on technologies for trust and confidence: The objective is to develop technologies for key security challenges posed by the "all-digital" world and by the need to secure the rights of individuals and communities.

Research will focus on basic security mechanisms and their interoperability, dynamic security processes, advanced cryptography, privacy enhancing technologies, technologies to handle digital assets and technologies for dependability to support business and organisational functions in dynamic and mobile systems.

- Research addressing societal challenges: The focus is on "ambient intelligence" for a broader inclusion of citizens in the Information Society, for more effective health, security, mobility and environment management and support systems, and for the preservation of cultural heritage, integration of multiple functionalities across these different domains will be also supported.

Research activities on "e-inclusion" will concentrate on systems enabling access for all, on barrier-free technologies for full participation in the information society and on assistive systems that will restore functions or compensate for disabilities thereby enabling a higher quality of life for citizens with special needs and their carers. In the area of health, the work will focus on intelligent systems aimed at supporting health professionals, at providing patients with personalised healthcare and information, and at stimulating health promotion and disease prevention in the general population. Research will also address intelligent systems to enhance the protection of people and property and for securing and safeguarding civil infrastructures.

In the area of mobility, research will focus on vehicle infrastructure and portable systems to provide integrated safety, comfort and efficiency and allow for the provision of advanced logistics infomobility and location based services. Research in the area of environment will focus on knowledge-based systems for natural resource management and for risk prevention and crisis management. In the area of leisure, research will focus on intelligent and mobile systems and application for entertainment and tourism. For cultural heritage, the effort will focus on intelligent systems for dynamic access to and preservation of tangible and intangible cultural and scientific resources.

- Research addressing work and business challenges: The objective is to provide businesses, individuals, public administrations, and other organisations with the means to fully contribute to, and benefit from, the development of a trusted knowledge-based economy, whilst at the same time improving the quality of work and working life and support life-long continuous learning to improve work skills. Research will also aim at a better understanding of the socio-economic drivers and impact of IST development.

Research in e-business and e-government will focus on providing European organisations, private and public, and especially SMEs, with interoperable systems and services to enhance innovation capacities, value creation and competitive performance in the knowledge economy and on supporting new business ecosystems. Research in organisational knowledge management will aim at supporting organisational innovation and responsiveness through elicitation, sharing, trading, and delivery of knowledge. Work on electronic and mobile commerce will target interoperable, multimodal applications and services across heterogeneous networks. It will include anytime-anywhere trading, collaboration, workflow, and electronic services covering the whole value creation cycle of extended products and services.

Research into eWork systems will focus on new workplace designs incorporating innovative technologies to facilitate creativity and collaboration, on increasing resource-use efficiency and on extending work opportunities to all in local communities. Work on eLearning will focus on personalised access to, and delivery of, learning as well as on advanced learning environments at school, university and in the workplace that take advantage of the development of ambient intelligence.

- Complex problem solving in science, engineering, businesses and for society: The objective is to develop technologies for harnessing computing and storage resources which are distributed in geographically dispersed locations, and for making them accessible, in a seamless way, for complex problem solving in science, industry, business and society. Application fields include environment, energy, health, transport, industrial engineering, finance and new media.

Research will focus on new computational models, including computing and information GRIDs, peer-to-peer technologies and the associated middleware to make use of large scale highly distributed computing and storage resources and to develop scalable, dependable and secure platforms. It will include novel collaborative tools and programming methods supporting interoperability of applications and new generations of simulation, visualisation and datamining tools.

ii) Communication and computing infrastructures

The objectives are to consolidate and further develop European strengths in areas such as mobile communications, consumer electronics and embedded software, and to improve the performance, cost-efficiency, functionality and adaptive capabilities of communications and computing technologies.

- Communication and network technologies: The objective is to develop the new generations of mobile and wireless systems and networks that allow optimal service connection anywhere as well as all-optical networks to increase network transparency and capacity, solutions to improve network interoperation and adaptability, and technologies for personalised access to networked audio-visual systems.

Work on terrestrial and satellite [16] based, mobile and wireless systems and networks beyond 3G will focus on the next generation of technologies, ensuring co-operation and seamless inter-working at service and control planes of multiple wireless technologies over a common IP (Internet Protocol) platform as well as novel spectral efficient protocols, tools and technologies, to build wireless re-configurable IP enabled devices, systems and networks.

[16] The activity on satellite communications is done in coordination with the activities in priority 4 "aeronautics and space".

Research in all optical networks will focus on the management of optical wavelength channels enabling flexibility and speed in service deployment and provisioning and solutions for fibre to the LAN. Research on interoperable network solutions, including end-to-end network management will support generic services provision and interworking, and interoperation between heterogeneous networks and platforms. It will include programmable networks to provide adaptive and real-time allocation of network resources and enhanced service management capabilities by customers.

Research will also address the enabling technologies for personalised access to networked audio-visual systems and applications as well as cross-media service platforms and networks, trusted digital TV architectures and appliances able to process, encode, store, sense and display hybrid 3D multimedia signals and objects.

- Software technologies, services and distributed systems The objective is to develop new software technologies, multifunctional service creation environments as well as tools for the control of complex distributed systems for the realisation of an ambient intelligence landscape and for coping with the expected growth and spread of applications and services.

Research will focus on new technologies for software, systems and services, that address composability, scalability, reliability and robustness as well as autonomous self-adaptation. It will address middleware for the management, control and use of fully distributed resources. Work on multifunctional service creation environments and new component frameworks will aim at the development of service functionality, including meta-information, semantics and taxonomy of the building blocks. New strategies, algorithms, and tools for systematic and accurate design, prototyping and control of complex distributed systems will be addressed e.g. with embedded controllers and ubiquitous computing resources. Work will include cognitive techniques for generic object and event recognition.

iii) Components and microsystems

- Micro, Nano and Opto-electronics The objective is to reduce the cost, increase the performance and improve reconfigurability, scalability, adaptability and self-adjusting capabilities of micro-, nano- and opto-electronic components and systems-on-a-chip.

Research will focus on pushing the limits of CMOS process and equipment technologies and enhancing device functionality, performance and integration of functions. It will address alternative process technologies, device types, materials and architectures to meet demands of communication and computing. Particular emphasis will be put on RF, mixed-signal and low power design. Work on optical, opto-electronic, and photonic functional components, will address devices and systems for information processing, communication, switching, storage, sensing and imaging. Research on electron based nano-devices, as well as on molecular electronics devices and technologies, will target those that promise broad functionality and have integration- and mass fabrication potential.

- Micro and Nano Technologies, Microsystems, Displays: The objective is to improve the cost-efficiency, performance and functionality of subsystems and microsystems and to increase the level of integration and miniaturisation allowing for improved interfacing with their surrounding and with networked services and systems.

Research will focus on new applications and functions that take advantage of multi-disciplinary interactions (electronics, mechanics, chemistry, biology, etc.) combined with the use of micro and nano-structures and new materials. The aim is to develop innovative, cost-effective and reliable microsystems and reconfigurable, miniaturised subsystem modules. Work will also include low cost, information-rich and higher resolution displays as well as advanced sensors including low cost vision and bio-metric sensors, and haptic devices. Work on nano-devices and nano-systems will address the exploitation of basic phenomena, processes and structures that promise novel or improved sensing or actuating functionality as well as their integration and fabrication.

iv) Knowledge and interface technologies

The objective is to improve usability of IST applications and services and access to the knowledge they embody in order to encourage their wider adoption and faster deployment.

- Knowledge technologies and digital content: The objective is to provide automated solutions for creating and organising virtual knowledge spaces (e.g. collective memories) so as to stimulate radically new content and media services and applications.

Work will focus on technologies to support the process of acquiring and modelling, representing and visualising, interpreting and sharing knowledge. These functions will be integrated in new semantic-based and context-aware systems including cognitive and agent-based tools. Work will address extensible knowledge resources and ontologies so as to facilitate service interoperabilitiy and enable next-generation Semantic-web applications. Research will also address technologies to support the design, creation, management and publishing of multimedia content, across fixed and mobile networks and devices, with the ability to self-adapt to user expectations. The aim is to stimulate the creation of rich interactive content for personalised broadcasting and advanced trusted media and entertainment applications.

- Intelligent interfaces and surfaces : The objective is to provide more effective ways of accessing ubiquitous information and easier and natural interaction modes with intelligence that surrounds us.

Research will focus on interfaces and interactive surfaces that are natural, adaptive and multi-sensorial, for an ambient landscape that is aware of our presence, personality and needs, and which is capable of responding intelligently to speech or gesture. The aim is to hide the complexity of technology by supporting a seamless human interaction with devices, virtual and physical objects and the knowledge embedded in everyday environments.

Work will also address technologies for multilingual and multicultural access and communication that support timely and cost effective provisions of interactive information-rich services meeting the personal, professional and business requirements of all members of linguistically and culturally diverse communities.

1.1.3 Nanotechnologies, intelligent materials and new production processes

The twofold transition toward a knowledge-based society and of sustainable development demands new paradigms of production and new concepts of product-services. European production industry as a whole needs to move from resource-based towards knowledge-based approaches, from quantity to quality, from mass produced single-use products to manufactured-on-demand multi-use, upgradable product-services; from "material and tangible" to "intangible" value-added products, processes and services.

These changes are associated with radical shifts in industrial structures, involving a stronger presence of innovative enterprises, with capabilities in networks and mastering new hybrid technologies combining nanotechnologies, material sciences, engineering, information technologies, bio and environmental sciences. Such an evolution implies a strong collaboration across traditional scientific frontiers. Leading edge industrial developments involve also a strong synergy between technology and organisation, the performance of both being highly dependent on new skills.

Successful technological solutions have to be sought more and more upstream in the design and production processes; new materials and nanotechnologies have a crucial role to play in this respect, as drivers of innovation. This requires changes of emphasis in Community research activities from short to longer term and in innovation which must move from incremental to breakthrough strategies. Community research will benefit greatly from an international dimension.

Research priorities

i) Nanotechnologies

Nanotechnologies represent a new approach to materials science and engineering. Europe enjoys a strong position in the nanosciences, that needs to be translated into a real competitive advantage for European industry. The objective is twofold: to promote the creation of an RTD-intensive European nanotechnology related industry, and to promote the uptake of nanotechnologies in existing industrial sectors. Research may be long-term and high risk, but will be oriented towards industrial application. An active policy of encouraging industrial companies and SMEs, including start-ups, will be pursued, amongst others through the promotion of strong industry/research interactions in consortia undertaking projects with substantial critical mass.

- Long-term interdisciplinary research into understanding phenomena, harnessing processes and developing research tools: The objectives are to expand the generic underlying knowledge base of application oriented nano-science and nanotechnology, and to develop leading edge research tools and techniques.

Research will focus on : molecular and mesoscopic scale phenomena: self-assembling materials and structures; molecular and bio-molecular mechanisms and engines; multi-disciplinary and new approaches to integrate developments in inorganic, organic and biological materials and processes.

- Nanobiotechnologies: The objective is to support research into the integration of biological and non-biological entities, opening new horizons in many applications, such as for processing and for medical and environmental analysis systems.

Research will focus on: lab-on-chip, interfaces to biological entities, surface modified nano-particles, advanced drug delivery and other areas of integrating nano-systems or nanoelectronics with biological entities; processing, manipulation and detection of biological molecules or complexes, electronic detection of biological entities, micro-fluidics, promotion and control of growth of cells on substrates.

- Nanometre-scale engineering techniques to create materials and components: The objective is to develop novel functional and structural materials of superior performance, by controlling their nano-structure. This will include technologies for their production and processing.

Research will focus on : nano-structured alloys and composites, advanced functional polymeric materials, and nano-structured functional materials.

- Development of handling and control devices and instruments: The objective is to develop a new generation of instrumentation for analysis and manufacture at the nano-scale. A guiding target will be a feature size or resolution of the order of 10nm.

Research will focus on : a variety of advanced techniques for nano-scale manufacture (lithography or microscopy based techniques); breakthrough technologies, methodologies or instruments exploiting the self-assembling properties of matter and developing nano-scale machines.

- Applications in areas such as health, chemistry, energy, optics and the environment: The objective is to foster the potential of nanotechnologies in breakthrough applications through the integration of research developments in materials and technological devices in an industrial context.

Research will focus on: computational modelling, advanced production technologies; development of innovative materials with improved characteristics.

ii) Intelligent Materials

New, high knowledge-content materials, providing new functionalities and improved performance, will be critical drivers of innovation in technologies, devices and systems, benefiting sustainable development and competitiveness in sectors such as transport, energy, medicine, electronics, and construction. To assure Europe's strong positions in emerging technology markets, which are expected to grow by one or two orders of magnitude within the next decade, the various actors need to be mobilised through leading edge RTD partnerships, including high risk research and through integration between research on materials and industrial applications.

- Development of fundamental knowledge: The objective is to understand complex physico-chemical and biological phenomena relevant to the mastering and processing of intelligent materials with the help of experimental, theoretical and modelling tools. This will provide the basis for synthesising larger complex or self-assembling structures with defined physical, chemical or biological characteristics.

Research will focus on: long-term, trans-disciplinary and high industrial risk activities to design and develop new structures with defined characteristics; development of supra-molecular and macromolecular engineering, focusing on the synthesis, exploitation and potential use of novel highly complex molecules and their compounds.

- Technologies associated with the production and transformation of new materials: The objective is the sustainable production of new "smart" materials with tailor-made functionalities and for building up macro-structures. These novel materials, serving multisectorial applications should incorporate in-built characteristics to be exploited under predetermined circumstances as well as enhanced bulk properties or barrier and surface characteristics for higher performance.

Research will focus on: new materials,; engineered and self-repairing materials; crosscutting technologies including surface science and engineering.

- Engineering support for materials development: The objective is to bridge the gap from 'knowledge production' to 'knowledge use', thus overcoming the EU industry's weaknesses in the integration of materials and manufacturing. This will be achieved by the development of new tools enabling the production of new materials in a context of sustainable competitiveness.

Research will focus on: inherent aspects of optimising materials design, processing and tools;, mechanical testing, validation and up-scaling; incorporation of life-cycle approaches, obsolescence, bio-compatibility and eco-efficiency.

iii) New Production Processes

New production concepts which are more flexible, integrated, safe and clean will depend on breakthrough organisational and technological developments supporting new products, processes and services, and at the same time decreasing (internal and external) costs. The objective is to provide the industrial systems of the future with the necessary tools for efficient life-cycle design, production, use and recovery as well as appropriate organisational models and improved knowledge management.

- Development of flexible and intelligent manufacturing systems. The objective is to encourage industry's transition towards more knowledge-based production and systems organisation and to considering production from a more holistic perspective, encompassing not only hardware and software, but also people and the way in which they learn and share knowledge.

Research will focus on : innovative, reliable, smart and cost-effective manufacturing processes and systems and their incorporation into the factory of the future: integrating hybrid technologies based on new materials and their processing, micro-systems and automation, high-precision production equipment, as well as integration of ICT, sensing and control technologies.

- Systems research and hazard control. The objective is to contribute to an improved sustainability of industrial systems and a substantial and measurable reduction in environmental and health impact, through new industrial approaches as well as enhancement of resource efficiency and resource consumption.

Research will focus on: development of new devices and systems for clean, safe and less carbon-intensive production; enhancing company responsibility on products, resource consumption and industrial waste management; studying "production-use-consumption" interactions as well as socio-economic implications.

- Optimising the life-cycle of industrial systems, products and services. Products and production should become increasingly life-cycle and service oriented, in addition to the requirements of intelligence, cost-effectiveness, safety and cleanliness. The key challenge is therefore new industrial concepts based on life-cycle approaches, which must allow new products, organisational innovation and the efficient management of information and its transformation into useable knowledge within the value chain.

Research will focus on: innovative product-services systems, that optimise the "design-production-service-end-of-life" value chain through the development and use of hybrid technologies and new organisational structures.

1.1.4 Aeronautics and space

Over the last decades, Europe's outstanding technological and industrial capabilities in aeronautics and the exploitation of space have made many and various contributions to the standard of living of its citizens and the development and growth of its economies, as well as to those outside Europe. The economic benefits they bring can be seen in highly skilled employment and the balance of trade surplus, and they can have a strong leverage effect in upgrading the competitiveness of other related economic sectors.

Although aeronautics and space are distinct domains, they share common features, being extremely R&D intensive, with long development lead-times and very large investment requirements. Fierce competition, strategic significance, and increasingly severe environmental constraints combine to make it necessary to strive continually towards higher levels of technological excellence by consolidating and concentrating RTD efforts in Europe, with the ultimate aim of better serving society.

Aeronautics research will be planned against a Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) agreed by all stakeholders at European level in the context of the new Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe, which will also be the planning base for national programmes. The result will be a greater level of complementarity and co-operation between the national and Community efforts in the field. The European Strategy for Space will serve as a reference in planning space research, with the objective of gathering key players on projects of common interest and close liaison will be ensured with RTD activities carried out by other actors, such as space agencies, Eurocontrol and industry. Furthermore, the application of relevant Treaty articles will be explored to support, as appropriate, these initiatives.

Research priorities

i) Aeronautics

In their report "Vision 2020 ", leaders of the sector in Europe have highlighted the need to optimise the Community and national research efforts around a common vision and a strategic research agenda. Consistent with this, research will concentrate on the following 4 main strands. The scope of the research action will be medium and large sized commercial aircraft including their systems and components, as well as the on-board and ground-based elements of air-traffic management systems.

- Strengthening competitiveness: The objective is to enable the 3 sectors of the manufacturing industry: airframe, engines and equipment, to increase their competitiveness, by reducing, in the short and long term, respectively, aircraft development costs by 20% and 50%, and aircraft direct operating cost by 20% and 50%, and improving passenger comfort.

Research will focus on: integrated design systems and processes for the realisation of the extended multi-site enterprise concept, as well as for more intelligent production technologies; new aircraft configurations, advanced aerodynamics, materials and structures, engine technologies; mechanical, electrical and hydraulic systems; improved cabin-environmental conditions and utilisation of multimedia services to improve passenger comfort.

- Improving environmental impact with regard to engine emissions and noise. Concerning emissions, the objectives are to meet Kyoto goals and to compensate for the increase in future air traffic, by reducing CO2 by 50% in the long term and NOx by 20% and 80%, in the short and long term, respectively. Concerning noise, to limit the noise nuisance outside the airport boundary, the target is to reduce noise levels by 4-5 dB in the short term, and 10 dB in the long term.

Work will focus on low-emission combustion and propulsion concepts, engine technologies and related control systems, low-drag aerodynamic concepts, low-weight airframe structures and high temperature materials, as well as improved flight operational procedures; engine and power-plant technologies, aeroacoustics for airframe noise reduction, advanced noise-control systems as well as novel flight operational procedures in the vicinity of airports.

- Improving aircraft safety. The objective is to obtain a two-fold reduction in accident rates in the short-term, and a five-fold reduction the long term, in order to compensate for the growth in air transport movements.

Concerning preventive safety, research will focus on: investigation of systemic safety models, improve fault-tolerant systems and human-centred cockpit design enabling a controllable situation awareness for the crew. Research on accident mitigation will focus on improved materials and structures as well as advanced safety systems.

- Increasing operational capacity and safety of the air transport system. The objective is to optimise airspace and airport utilisation, and consequently reduce flight delays, through a seamlessly integrated European air traffic management system, which would facilitate the achievement of the "Single European-Sky" initiative.

Research will focus on on-board and ground automation aids, communication, navigation and surveillance systems as well as flight operation procedures that will enable the introduction of new concepts including the free-flight concept in the future European ATM system.

ii) Space

The aim is to contribute to the implementation of the European Strategy for Space, notably by targeting and focusing efforts with ESA and Member States on a small number of joint actions of common interest. Emphasis will be put on activities complementing those of space agencies (integration of terrestrial and space systems/services and demonstration of end-to-end services). This will include the following areas of activity:

- Galileo: the European Satellite Navigation system GALILEO, developed by the Joint Undertaking in close co-operation with the European Space Agency, will be fully operational by 2008. The use of the services provided by this infrastructure will span over wide ranges of activities of European society. The availability of precise navigation and timing services will have profound impacts in many domains.

It is important to build the necessary expertise and knowledge in Europe in order to exploit this emerging technology in the most efficient way.

Research will focus on: development of multisectorial concepts, systems and tools, which will rely on precise navigation and timing service provision; spreading of high level, coherent and seamless quality services in all environments (cities, indoors and outdoors, land, sea, air, etc.), in synergy with other service provision (telecommunication, surveillance, observation, etc.).

- GMES: the objective is to stimulate the development of markets for satellite-based information services, by development of technologies to bridge the gap between supply and demand.

Research will focus on: sensors, data, and information models, developed in Europe or elsewhere, as well as developing prototypes of operational services responding to specific types of demand (for example global environment, land-use, desertification, disaster management). Research, including on data acquisition, assembly and qualification of models combining spatial and terrestrial data in an integrated operational information system, would use existing satellite data, for example provided by Envisat, future EarthWatch projects and other systems.

- Satellite telecommunications: Satellite communications should be integrated with the wider area of telecommunications systems, notably terrestrial systems [17].

[17] Considering the tight links between communications satellites and terrestrial technologies, the related work is presented in the context of the relevant actions of the "Information society technologies" thematic priority area.

1.1.5 Food Safety and health risks

This priority area is aimed at assuring the health and well-being of European citizens through a better understanding of the influence of food intake and environmental factors on human health and to provide them with safer and health-promoting foods, including seafoods, relying on fully controlled and integrated production systems originating in agriculture and fisheries. By re-addressing the classical approach 'from farm to fork', this thematic priority area aims at ensuring that consumer protection is the main driver for developing new and safer food and feed production chains, i.e. 'from fork to farm'.

This end-user driven approach is reflected in the seven specific research objectives. Priority will be given to integrated research approaches crossing several specific objectives.

Research priorities

- Epidemiology of food-related diseases and genetic susceptibilities. The objective is to examine the complex interactions between food intake and metabolism, immune system, genetic background and environmental factors to identify key risk factors and develop common European databases.

Research will focus on : epidemiological studies of the effect of diet, food composition and lifestyle factors, on health, and the prevention or development of specific diseases, allergies and disorders; methodologies for measuring and analysing food composition and dietary intake, risk assessment, epidemiological and intervention models; influences of genetic variability using advances in functional genomics.

- Impact of food, and in particular products containing genetically modified organisms, on health : The objective is to provide the scientific basis for improving health through diet, and the development of new health-promoting foods, by means of an improved understanding of food metabolism and by harnessing the opportunities now available from proteomics and biotechnology.

Research will focus on: overall relationship between diet and health, food components, effects of pathogens, chemical contaminants and new agents of prion type on body function; disease prevention; nutrient requirements and health promoting intervention strategies; determinants of consumer attitudes towards food products and production; health promoting properties of foods; methodologies for risk/benefit assessment of nutrients and of bioactive compounds; specificities of different age groups, particularly older consumers.

- "Traceability" processes, in particular relating to genetically modified organisms, including systems based on recent biotechnology developments: The objective is to strengthen the scientific and technological basis for ensuring complete traceability from raw material origin to purchased food products, and thereby increase consumer confidence in the food supply.

Research will focus on: development, validation and harmonisation of technologies and methodologies to ensure complete traceability throughout the food chain ; scale-up, implementation and validation of methods in whole food chains; assurance of authenticity; validity of labelling and new HACCP criteria.

- Methods of analysis and detection of chemical contaminants and pathogenic micro-organisms (viruses, bacteria, parasites, and new agents of the prion type): The objective is to contribute to the development, improvement, validation and harmonisation of reliable and cost-effective sampling and measurement strategies for controlling the safety of the food and feed supply and ensuring accurate data for risk analysis.

Research will focus on: methods and standards for analysing and detecting food-borne pathogens and chemical contaminants, including pre-normative aspects; modelling and approaches to improve existing prevention and measurement control strategies; detection tests and geographical mapping of prions; material transfer of prions and environmental influences .

- Safer production methods and healthier foodstuffs, including those based on biotechnologies, and on organic farming processes: The objective is to develop lower input farming systems and improved transformation processes aimed at producing safer and health-promoting food and feed, and improving the quality of food and feed through innovative technologies.

Research will focus on: individual and comparative assessment of safety, quality and competitiveness aspects of conventional, organic, and GMO-based production, processing and foodstuffs, and their improvement through better animal welfare, husbandry and waste-management; modified production methods and innovative technologies.

- Impact of animal feed, and the use of sub-products of different origins for that feed, on human health: The objective is to improve understanding of the role of animal feed in food safety, to reduce the use of undesirable raw materials and to develop alternative new animal feed sources.

Research will focus on: epidemiological studies of animal-feed induced food-borne diseases; influence of raw materials, including waste and by-products of different origins, processing methods, additives and veterinary drugs used in animal feed on animal and human health; improved waste management, to ensure exclusion of specified high-risk and condemned materials from the feed chain; novel protein, fat and energy sources other than meat and bone meal for optimal animal growth, reproductive potential and food product quality.

- Environmental health risks: The objectives are to identify the environmental factors, that are detrimental to health, understand the mechanisms involved and determine how to prevent or minimise these effects and risks.

Research will focus on: identification of causal agents including contaminants, and physiological mechanisms, of environment-linked health impacts; understanding of exposure pathways, estimation of cumulative, low dose and combined exposures; long-term effects; definition and protection of susceptible sub-groups; environmental causes and mechanisms responsible for the increase in allergies; impact of endocrine disrupters; chronic chemical pollution and combined environmental exposures, transmission of illnesses linked to water (parasites, viruses, bacteria, etc).

1.1.6 Sustainable development and global change

The Treaty confirms Sustainable Development as a central objective of the European Community. Climate change, energy security, sustainable transport, protection of nature, and their interaction with human activities motivate this research action. The activities carried out within this priority area aim to strengthen the scientific and technological capacities needed for Europe to be able to implement a sustainable development model and make a significant contribution to the international efforts to understand and control global change and preserve the equilibrium of ecosystems.

1.1.6.1 Technologies for Sustainable Development

Strategic objectives address the reduction of greenhouse gases and pollutant emissions, the security of energy supply, the balanced use of the various transport modes, as well as to achieve an enhanced competitiveness of European industry. Achieving these objectives in the short term requires a large-scale research effort to encourage the deployment of technologies already under development and to help promote changes in energy consumption behaviour and transport demand patterns. The longer term implementation of sustainable development requires an equally strong RTD effort to assure the economically attractive availability, and overcome the potential barrier to adoption, of renewable energy sources, hydrogen and fuel cells that are intrinsically clean.

Research priorities

i) Research activities having an impact in the short and medium term

Community RTD activity is one of the main instruments which can serve to change significantly current unsustainable patterns of development, characterised by growing dependence on imported fossil fuels, continually rising energy demand, increasing congestion of the transport system, and growing CO2 emissions, by offering new technological solutions which could positively influence consumer/user behaviour in the short and medium term. Proposed technological solutions are expected to emerge from, and to be demonstrated in, consumer/user pilot-environments, addressing technical but also organisational, institutional, financial and social issues.

- Renewable energy sources, more efficient and clean use of energy, especially in urban areas, new concepts of energy efficient and cleaner transport: the objective is to develop energy efficient technologies that reduce demand for fossil fuels by stimulating energy efficient behaviour in disparate user communities and bring about energy savings of 12% by 2010, as well as to tilt the energy balance towards more sustainable energy systems, which combine heat and power as well as new and renewable sources, and thereby increase the share of renewable energy systems from 6% to 12% by 2010.

Research will focus on : increased cost efficiency and reliability of the main new and renewable sources, and their combination with conventional large-scale and distributed generation; efficiency in building, district heating systems and CHP; demand side action for reducing gas and electricity consumption; new forms of clean urban transport; rationalisation of the use of the private vehicle; integration of new concepts for energy efficient vehicles and new/alternative fuels.

- Sustainable transport: The Common Transport Policy forecasts a transport demand growth by 2010 in the European Union of 38% for freight and 24% for passenger transport (base-year 1998). The already congested transport networks will have to absorb the additional traffic, and the trend suggests that the proportion absorbed by the less sustainable modes is likely to grow. The objective is consequently both to fight against congestion and to decelerate or even reverse this unsustainable trend by rebalancing transport modes. Short and medium term actions will develop and integrate new concepts and technologies into the transport system.

Research will focus on: safer and more environmentally friendly transport, in particular for the road and maritime sectors; integration of intelligent transport systems for the efficient management of infrastructure; enabling railway interoperability; development of intermodality for passengers and freight, in particular through better management of the logistic chain and standardisation of loading units.

ii) Research activities having an impact in the longer term

In the longer term the objective is to develop renewable energy sources, hydrogen technologies and fuel cells which are intrinsically clean and which can be well integrated in a sustainable energy supply mix both for stationary and for transport applications. This to bring about further reduction in greenhouse gas emissions beyond the Kyoto deadline of 2010. The future large-scale development of these technologies will depend on significant improvement in their cost and other aspects of competitiveness against conventional energy sources.

- Fuel cells: these represent an emerging technology which is expected, in the longer term, to replace a large part of the current combustion systems in industry, buildings and road transport, as they have a higher efficiency, lower pollution levels and a potential for lower cost. The long term cost target is 50 euro/kW for road transport and 300 euro/kW for high-durability stationary applications and fuel cell/electrolysers.

Research will focus on : cost reduction in fuel cell production and in applications for buildings, transport and de-centralised electricity production; advanced materials related to low and high temperature fuel cells for the above applications.

- Hydrogen: the objective to establish hydrogen as an energy carrier is key in a future sustainable energy economy. The long term aim is to achieve an energy cost which is equivalent to that of conventional fuels without tax.

Research will focus on : clean cost-effective production of hydrogen from fossil fuels (including CO2 capture and underground storage); cost-effective hydrogen production by electrolysis from renewable and nuclear energy; hydrogen infrastructure including transport, distribution, storage and utilisation.

- Solar photovoltaic technologies and biomass: photovoltaics have, in the long term, the potential to make a large contribution to the world and EU energy supply. The objective is to overcome the major bottleneck of high investment costs, which should be reduced by a factor of 4. The overall objective for biomass is to make bioenergy competitive with conventional fuels.

Research will focus on : (photovoltaics) the whole production chain from basic material to the PV system, as well as integration of PV in habitat and large scale MW-size PV systems for production of electricity; (biomass) barriers in the biomass supply-use chain in the following areas : combustion technologies, gasification technologies for electricity and H2/syngas production and biofuels for transport.

1.1.6.2 Global Change

Global Change encompasses the complex dynamic changes over different time-scales in the physical, chemical and biological components of the Earth system (i.e. atmosphere, oceans and land) in particular those influenced by human activities. The objective of this priority area is to strengthen the capacity to understand, detect and predict global change and develop strategies for prevention, mitigation and adaptation, in particular in relation to all types of greenhouse gases, in close liaison with the relevant international research programmes and in the context of relevant conventions such as the Kyoto Protocol. Such an objective will be best achieved through activities aiming at the development of common and integrated approaches necessary to implement sustainable development, taking into account its environmental, economic and social aspects, as well as the impact of global change on all countries and regions of the world. It will foster the convergence of European and national research efforts for a consensual definition of the scientific thresholds of sustainability and estimation methods, and encourage international co-operation in order to achieve common strategies to respond to global change issues.

Research priorities

- Impact and mechanisms of greenhouse gas emissions on climate and carbon sinks (oceans, forests and soil): the objective is to detect and describe global change processes, improve prediction of their global and regional impacts, evaluate mitigation options and improve the access of European researchers to facilities and platforms for global change research.

Research will focus on: understanding and quantification of changes in the carbon and nitrogen cycles and the role of sources of all greenhouse gases, and sinks in the terrestrial and ocean biosphere; influence of and effects on climate dynamics and variability, ocean and atmospheric chemistry, and their interactions; understanding and prediction of global climatic change; associated phenomena (e.g. El Niño, stratospheric ozone depletion, changes in sea level and ocean circulation); and impacts.

- Water cycle: the objective is to assess the impact of global change and in particular climate change on the water cycle, water quality and availability, to provide the bases for management tools to mitigate the impacts.

Research will focus on: impact of climate change on hydrological variables, groundwater/surface water distribution, freshwater and wetland ecosystems and water quality; the driving role of oceans in the global water cycle; management strategies and their impacts; scenarios of water demand and availability.

- Biodiversity, protection of genetic resources, functioning of terrestrial and marine ecosystems and interactions between human activities and the latter: the objectives are to develop a better understanding of marine and terrestrial biodiversity and of ecosystem functioning, understand and minimise the impacts of human activities on them and ensure sustainability of natural resources.

Research will focus on: assessing and forecasting changes in biodiversity, structure, function and dynamics of ecosystems and their services; relationships between society, economy, biodiversity and habitats; integrated assessment of drivers affecting biodiversity and mitigation of biodiversity loss; risk assessment, management, conservation and rehabilitation options.

- Mechanisms of desertification and natural disasters connected with climate change: the objective is to elucidate the links between climatic change and the mechanisms of desertification and natural disasters, so as to improve risk and impact assessment and forecasting, decision support methodologies, and strategies for sustainable land and coastal management.

Research will focus on: large scale integrated assessment of land/soil degradation and desertification in Europe and related prevention and mitigation strategies; long term forecasting of hydro-geological hazards associated with global climate change; natural hazard monitoring, mapping and management strategies; improved disaster preparedness and mitigation.

- Global climate change observing systems: the objective is to make systematic observations of climate parameters so as to strengthen climate change research, consolidate long-term observations for the modelling and forecasting of the marine, terrestrial and atmospheric environment, establish common European data bases and contribute to international programmes.

Research will focus on: observations of basic marine, terrestrial and atmospheric parameters necessary for global climate change research and management strategies, and of extreme events; large observing/monitoring/ surveying/modelling networks (taking into account the developments of GMES and providing the European dimension to G3OS).

1.1.7 Citizens and Governance in the European Knowledge-based society

The Lisbon European Council recognised that the transition towards a European knowledge based society will affect every aspect of people's lives. The overall objective is to provide a sound knowledge base for the management of this transition, which will be conditioned by national, regional and local policies, programmes and actions, as well as informed decision making by individual citizens, families and other societal units.

Given the complexity, breadth and interdependence of these challenges and the issues involved, the research approach adopted must be based on greatly enhanced research integration, multi and transdisciplinary cooperation, and on the mobilisation of the social sciences and humanities research communities in Europe in addressing them. Activities will also facilitate the identification of medium to long term societal challenges arising from research in social sciences and humanities and will ensure the active participation of key societal stakeholders and the targeted dissemination of the work carried out. In order to support the development of comparative transnational and interdisciplinary research, while at the same time preserving the diversity of research methodologies throughout Europe, the collection and analysis of better and more genuinely comparable data and the coordinated development of statistics and qualitative and quantitative indicators in particular in the context of the emerging knowledge society at the European level is essential.

Appropriate coordination of socio-economic research and foresight elements across all the Priorities of this programme will be assured .

Research priorities

i) Knowledge-based European Society

The building of a European knowledge society is a clear political objective for the European Community. The research aims to provide the basis of understanding needed to ensure this takes place in a manner which accords with specific European conditions and aspirations.

- Improving the generation, distribution and use of knowledge and its impact on economic and social development. The objective is to improve significantly understanding of the characteristics of knowledge and its functioning as a public and private good, and to provide the bases for policy formulation and decision making.

Research will focus on: characteristics of knowledge and its functioning in relation to the economy, society and innovation; and the transformation of economic and social institutions; the dynamics of knowledge production, distribution and use, role of knowledge codification and impact of ICTs ; the importance of territorial structures and social networks in these processes.

- Options and choices for the development of a knowledge-based society serving the EU objectiv