No C 145/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 2. 6. 88 
II 
(Preparatory Acts) 
COMMISSION 
Amended proposal for a Council Decision adopting a plan to stimulate the international 
cooperation and interchange needed by European research scientists (SCIENCE) (') (1988 to 
1992) 
COM(88) 113 final 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council pursuant to Article 149(3) of the EEC Treaty on 
11 March 1988) 
(88/C 145/11) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having, regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular the second 
paragraph of Article 130Q thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
In cooperation with the European Parliament, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas the Council adopted the first plan to stimulate 
European cooperation and scientific and technical inter­
change on 12 March 1985; 
Whereas the terms of Article 130K of the Treaty provide 
that implementation of the Framework Programme be 
carried out by means of specific programmes developed 
within each of its action lines; 
Whereas the multiannual Framework Programme 1987 
to 1991 should contribute to the reinforcement of 
scientific and technical potential and infrastructure in all 
countries of the Community; 
Whereas the Council, in Decision 87/516/Euratom/EEC 
of 28 September 1987, adopting the multiannual 
Framework Programme 1987 to 1991, included within it 
activities aimed at stimulating, reinforcing and improving 
the Community's human resources in research and devel­
opment; 
(') OJ No C 14, 19. 1. 1988, p. 5. Whereas the establishment of a researcher's Europe will 
make a contribution to reducing differences in scientific 
level between the Member States of the European 
Community; 
Whereas it is in the interests of the Community to 
associate non-Member States and international organiz­
ations in certain Community programmes, particularly 
those which contribute to reinforcing Europe's overall 
scientific potential; 
Whereas the Scientific and Technical Research 
Committee (CREST) has been consulted on the 
following measures, 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1 
A programme entitled the 'plan to stimulate the interna­
tional cooperation and interchange needed by European 
research scientists', hereinafter referred to as the 'Stimu­
lation plan', as set out in the Annex, is hereby adopted 
for a five-year period commencing on 1 January 1988. 
Article 2 
The operational arrangements for implementing the plan 
are set out in the Annex. 
Article 3 
The funds estimated as necessary for the execution of 
the Stimulation plan amount to 167 million ECU, 
including expenditure on a staff of 18. The Community 
financial support awarded to 'Stimulation' activities shall 
constitute 100 % of the cost of these scientific and 
technical cooperation and interchange actions. 
The definitive total of the funds together with the staff 
numbers shall be established by the Budgetary Authority 
in the framework of the Annual Budget procedure and 
as a function of current need. 
2. 6. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 145/11 
Article 4 
1. The Commission shall undertake the implemen­
tation of the Stimulation plan by means of bursaries, 
research grants, grants for high-level courses, contracts 
encouraging the twinning of laboratories and operations 
contracts. It shall be assisted by the Committee for the 
European Development of Science and Technology 
(CODEST), set up under Decision 82/835/EEC (') and 
by consultants. 
2. The contracts drawn up by the Commission shall 
show the rights and obligations of each party, 
particularly the methods of disseminating, protecting and 
exploiting the research results and of making any reim­
bursement that may be necessary of the funding given. 
Article 5 
In conformity with Article 130N of the EEC Treaty, the 
Commission is authorized, under the conditions 
indicated in Annex I, to negotiate agreements with 
European non-member States and international organiz­
ations, particularly with non-member States taking part 
in European cooperation in the field of scientific and 
C) OJ No L 350, 10. 12. 1982, p. 45. technical research (COST) and with countries which 
have concluded scientific and technical framework 
cooperation agreements with the Community, with a 
view to associating them fully or partially in the Stimu­
lation plan. 
Article 6 
30 months after implementation of this Stimulation plan 
begins, the Commission shall reexamine it and shall 
submit a report evaluating the results obtained up to that 
point to the Council and to the European Parliament. 
If necessary this report shall be accompanied by 
proposals intended to modify the plan in the light of the 
results of this evaluation. 
When this Stimulation plan has been fully implemented 
the Commission will submit to the Council and to the 
European Parliament a report evaluating the results 
obtained. 
The reports mentioned above shall be prepared in the 
light of the objectives set out in Annex I to this Decision 
and in conformity with the stipulations of Article 2 (2) of 
the Framework Programme. 
Article 7 
This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 
ANNEX I 
STIMULATION PLAN 
1. Definition and objectives: 
The Stimulation plan consists of a range of activities selected on the basis of their scientific and 
technical quality, which have as their aim the establishment of a network of scientific and technical 
cooperation and interchange at European level which will gradually be extended. The overall objective 
is to improve the efficacy of scientific and technological research in all the Member States and to 
contribute thereby to the reduction of scientific and technical development disparities between the 
different Member States of the European Community. It covers all fields of science and technology (the 
exact and natural sciences). 
Whilst the Stimulation plan therefore aims to improve the overall scientific and technical quality of 
research and development in all Member States of the Community, its specific objectives are: 
— to promote training through research and, by means of cooperation, the better use of high level 
researchers in the Community, 
— to improve the mobility of scientists from Community Member States, 
— to develop and support intra-European scientific and technical cooperation, 
— to encourage the establishment of intra-European cooperation and interchange networks with the 
aim of strengthening the Community's scientific and technical competitiveness. 
No C 145/12 Official Journal of the European Communities 2. 6. 88 
2. Operational procedures: 
In order to achieve the foregoing objectives the Commission will take a number of measures aimed at 
researchers and research and development teams or organizations, with a view to securing harmonious 
scientific and technical development in the Community. 
These measures will take various forms: 
— post-university research bursaries, which consist of financial support awarded to scientists in order 
for them to gain supplementary training by taking part in the implementation of a research project in 
a laboratory situated in a Community Member State other than their own for a period ranging from 
12 months (minimum) to 36 months (maximum), 
— research grants which consist of financial support awarded to a host laboratory, to make it possible 
to meet costs associated with moving or seconding a researcher from one Community Member State 
to another, employing a scientist in a team working in a Community Member State other than his 
own, or enabling a researcher from one of the Community's industries to develop a specialization by 
working in a university or industrial laboratory in a different Community Member State, 
(Depending on the type of researcher involved and what he needs to do, a research grant can be of 
various kinds: 
— awards for short stay visits (between two weeks and six months) to be used by a researcher from 
the Community wishing to undertake an experiment at a specific scientific and technical facility 
not available in his own country, 
— awards making it possible to meet mobility expenses (travel, accommodation, insurance, removal 
. . .) research costs and possibly also the salary costs of a researcher, seconded to or integrated 
into a research team from a Community Member State other than his own for a period ranging 
from six months (minimum) to three years (maximum), 
— awards covering the costs related to the mobility and research work of a scientist from a 
Community Member State, employed by a European industrial enterprise, who goes to follow a 
long training course (one to three years) at a laboratory in a Community Member State other 
than his own.) 
— subsidies for high level training courses are intended to provide financial support to organizations 
located in the Community, offering a specialized, high level course, so that they may open it to 
scientists from other Member States of the Community who can thus receive supplementary training 
or convert to other specialities, 
— contracts for the twinning of laboratories from different countries are intended to enable researchers 
in several Community Member States, who are working separately on an advanced topic, to 
combine their efforts without having to set up a special joint laboratory. (This will encourage the 
establishment of a research team going beyond the 'criticial mass' required.) The mechanism 
involves: awards enabling researchers to meet, undertake joint experiments, exchange results, 
supplement their equipment or strengthen staff levels by employing scientists, preferably from a 
different Member State, on a temporary basis, 
— contracts for the development of multidisciplinary, transnational operations would, by virtue of the 
financial resources made available, enable the associated research teams to have enough resources 
(including equipment) and be able to bring together the best expertise available in different countries 
and disciplines, in order to achieve a predetermined objective or to undertake jointly a 
predetermined scientific task in the framework of an S/T cooperation 'network'. 
Apart from these measures the Stimulation plan could be supplemented by certain similar incentive 
measures (bursaries, research grants, subsidies) financed in the context of each Community research and 
development programme, by agreement with the appropriate Management and Coordination Committee 
(CGC). 
3. Measures to stimulate interchange and cooperation apply to all fields relevant to the exact and natural 
sciences, such as: 
— mathematics, 
— physics, 
— chemistry, 
— life sciences, 
— earth sciences and ocean sciences, 
— scientific instrumentation, 
— engineering sciences. 
2. 6. 88 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 145/13 
4. In the fields in which support will be granted, multinational projects to benefit from the Community 
support measures will be chosen above all on the basis of their quality, the extent to which they are 
multidisciplinary in content, their innovative aspects and their value in terms of breaking down barriers 
between different forms of research and development. As a general rule, where scientific and technical 
quality is comparable, priority will be given to projects likely to promote economic and social cohesion 
within the European Community. 
5. The Commission will see to it that there is consistency between the stimulation activity and programmed 
Community research and development activities. 
6. The Commission will at the same time undertake a series of consultations, surveys and seminars with the 
cooperation of Community scientific and technical circles in order to analyse and evaluate scientific and 
technical needs and opportunities, with the aim of providing more detail to the content of subsequent 
Stimulation plans. 
The Commission will cooperate closely with the national authorities to ensure consistency between these 
activities and national policies on research stimulation. 
7. In the framework of the arrangements set out in Article 6 of the Decision non-Member States and 
international organizations associated in the Stimulation plan must contribute to the financing of their 
involvement in Stimulation activities as well as to the Community's general administrative costs.