16. 7. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 174/85 
Proposal for a Council Decision adopting a specific programme of research and technological 
development in the field of human capital and mobility (1990 to 1994) 
COM(90) 165 final — SYN 170 
(Submitted by the Commission on 3 May 1990) 
(90/C 174/13) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 130q 
(2) 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, by Decision 90/221/Euratom, EEC(1), the 
Council adopted a third framework programme for 
Community activities in the field of research and tech­
nological development (1990 to 1994), specifying inter 
alia the activities to be pursued for the management of 
intellectual resources (human capital and mobility); 
whereas this Decision should be taken in the light of 
the grounds set out in the preamble to that Decision; 
Whereas Article 130k of the Treaty stipulates that the 
framework programme is to be implemented through 
specific programmes developed within each activity; 
Whereas the Joint Research Centre shall contribute 
through its own programme to the implementation of 
the aforesaid activities; 
Whereas an estimate should be made of the amount of 
Community financial resources needed to carry out this 
specific programme; whereas the definitive amounts 
will be fixed by the budgetary authority in line with 
the financial perspectives covering the period 1988 to 
1992 included in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 
29 June 1988 (2) and with any future financial perspec­
tives covering the period 1993 to 1994; 
Whereas, pursuant to Article 4 of and Annex I to 
Decision 90/221/Euratom, EEC, the amount deemed 
necessary for the whole framework programme includes 
an amount of ECU 57 million for the centralized dis­
semination and exploitation of results, to be divided up 
in proportion to the amount envisaged for each activity; 
whereas in view of the importance of this specific 
programme within the 'Human capital and mobility' action the estimate of the financial resources needed by 
this programme is to be reduced by ECU 930 000, 
which amount is to be allocated to the centralized 
activities, in order to comply with the second sentence 
of Article 130p (2) of the Treaty; 
Whereas this programme must be implemented by the 
Commission; whereas to help accomplish this, the 
Member States are bound, pursuant to Article 5 of the 
Treaty, to facilitate the achievement of its tasks where 
necessary, notably within a committee; 
Whereas among the specific programmes arising from 
the third Framework Programme, this programme is 
characterized by dealing essentially with the human 
resources available for R&TD activities and the 
enhancement of the European scientific and technologi­
cal community; whereas this goal can be achieved effec­
tively by activities intended to supplement the training 
of young researchers at a postdoctoral level; 
Whereas a suitable application of the subsidiarity prin­
ciple in this field implies the extending of training 
received by young researchers in their own country by 
enabling them, through traineeships made available by 
the Community, to develop a research activity in a 
centre of excellence situated in another Member State; 
Whereas, in order to increase and improve the supply 
of host opportunities, it would appear useful also to 
provide for networks of associated centres of excellence 
and for possibilities for access to major installations; 
Whereas the JRC with its laboratories and installations 
can effectively be included among those organizations 
capable of playing an important role in the training 
of young researchers; whereas the third Framework 
Programme provides ECU 25 million intended for 
activities by which the JRC will contribute to this 
programme; 
Whereas it is appropriate to adopt decentralized 
methods of selecting candidates thereby closely associ­
ating centres of excellence with the implementation of 
this action; 
(M OJNoL117,8. 5. 1990, p. 28. 
(2) OJ No L 185, 15. 7. 1988, p. 33. Whereas the Scientific and Technical Research Com­
mittee (Crest) has been consulted, 
No C 174/86 Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 7. 90 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: 
Article 1 
A specific research and technological development pro­
gramme for the European Economic Community in the 
field of human capital and mobility, as defined in Annex 
I, is hereby adopted for a period of five years as from 
1 January 1990. 
Article 2 
1. The Community funds estimated as necessary for 
the execution of the programme under this decision 
amount to ECU 518 million. This amount includes ECU 
493 million for the execution of the activities approved 
by the present Decision, and ECU 25 million for the 
activities which the JRC will contibute to the pro­
gramme and which will be subject of a separate decision 
of the Council. 
2. From the above sum of ECU 493 million, an 
amount of ECU 4 930 000 is drawn for the centralized 
action of dissemination and exploitation. The funds 
thus reduced to ECU 488 070 000 include staff cost, 
which may amount to a maximum of 2 %. 
3. An indicative allocation of funds is set out in Annex 
II. 
4. If the Council takes a decision in implementation 
of Article 1 (4) of Decision 90/221/Euratom, EEC, this 
decision shall be adapted to take account of the afore­
mentioned Decision. 
5. The budgetary authority shall lay down the avail­
able appropriations for each financial year. 
Article 3 
Rules for the implementation of the programme are set 
out in Annex III. 
Article 4 
The rate of the Community financial contribution shall 
be laid down in accordance with Annex IV to Decision 
90/221/Euratom, EEC. 
Article 5 
1. During 1992 the Commission shall review the pro­
gramme and address a report on the results of the 
review to the Council and the European Parliament, 
together with proposals for any necessary changes. 
2. At the end of the programme the Commission shall 
assess the results obtained. It shall address a report 
thereon to the Council and the European Parliament. 3. The reports shall be drawn up having regard to the 
objectives set out in Annex I to this Decision and 
in accordance with Article 2 (4) of Decision 90/221/ 
Euratom, EEC. 
Article 6 
1. The Commission shall assure the implementation 
of the programme. It shall be assisted by an advisory 
committee, hereinafter referred to as 'the Committee', 
composed of representatives of the Member States and 
chaired by a representative of the Commission. 
2. A work programme shall be drawn up, and updated 
where necessary, setting out the detailed objectives and 
the measures to be taken, as well as the financial 
arrangements to be made for them. The Commission 
shall prepare calls for proposals on the basis of the 
work programme. 
Article 7 
1. In the cases referred to in Article 8(1), the represen­
tative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee 
a draft of the measures to be taken. The Committee 
shall deliver its opinion on the draft within a time limit 
which the chairman may lay down according to the 
urgency of the matter. If necessary by taking a vote. 
2. The opinion shall be recorded in the minutes; in 
addition, each Member State shall have the right to ask 
for its position to be recorded in the minutes. 
3. The Commission shall take the utmost account of 
the opinion delivered by the Committee. It shall inform 
the Committee of the manner in which its opinion has 
been taken into account. 
Article 8 
1. The procedure laid down in Article 7 shall apply 
to: 
— the preparation and updating of the work pro­
grammes referred to in Article 6 (2), 
— the evaluation of proposals referred to in point 4 of 
Annex III, 
— the measures to be undertaken to evaluate the pro­
gramme. 
2. The Commission may consult the Committee on 
any matter within the scope of the programme. 
3. The Commission shall inform the Committee with 
regard to: 
— the progress of the programme, 
16. 7. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 174/87 
— draft calls for proposals referred to in Article 6 (2), cerned, the Commission shall be authorized to nego-
, , . • -, r tiate, in accordance with Article 130n of the Treaty, 
— accompanying measures referred to in point 2 of international agreements laying down the terms of such 
Annex 111. cooperation. 
Decisions on the conclusion of such agreements shall 
be adopted in accordance with the procedure referred 
Article 9 to in Article 130q (2) of the Treaty. 
Where cooperation with third countries and inter-
national organizations aiming at achieving the objec- Article lu 
tives of this programme requires legal undertakings 
between the Community and the third parties con- This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 
ANNEX I 
Scientific and technical objectives and content 
This specific programme fully reflects the approach embodied in the third Framework Programme in terms 
of the scientific and technical goals and the underlying aims which it pursues. 
Paragraph 6 of Annex II to the Framework Programme forms an integral part of the present specific 
programme. 
Unlike other specific programmes this programme does not pursue sectoral objectives through targeted 
research; its goal is to increase qualitatively and quantitatively the human resources in research and 
technological development across the board so as to satisfy the expected needs of the Member States in the 
coming years. This goal will be pursued by increasing the mobility of researchers, especially those at the 
postdoctoral or equivalent level, across the most advanced research centres in Europe. 
More specifically, the aim is to train, through participation in high level research, about 5 000 researchers 
over the five years of the programme. A close collaboration with the other Community general training 
programmes and more specifically those developed by the TFHR through the Comett and Eurotecnet 
programmes is assured. 
Fellowships will be granted to promising young researchers enabling them to spend a period (normally two 
years) in high level research centres in Community countries different from their own. In order to promote a 
balanced geographical distribution of human resources, in particular cases, fellowhips may be prolonged by 
one year, to allow the researchers concerned to return to their home country and there begin to exploit their 
acquired skills. 
A proper hosting system for fellows in high level research centres, including the Joint Research Centre of the 
European Community, in networks of excellence and in special installations will be developed through the 
direct involvement of scientists, technologists and research institutions. 
In order to strengthen this training system, the action carried out under the Science programme will be 
pursued in coordination with present new activities. 
Development of a high level decentralized research training system 
High level research centres, laboratories and institutions with a recognized capacity to provide an added 
value to the training of guest researchers will be identified and chosen, according to the procedures outlined 
in Annex III. 
The chosen centres, laboratories or institutions will indicate the areas of research where they would accept 
trainees, the number of trainees acceptable, and the criteria they would adopt for selecting candidates and 
for monitoring their progress. 
The centres, laboratories or institutions will be chosen on the basis of their scientific and technological 
excellence, on the relevance of their programmes to Community policy, on their capacity to attract good 
candidates and on their managerial capacity. 
No C 174/88 Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 7. 90 
When the novelty or complexity of a research area so requires, networks of centres of excellence linking 
several centres, laboratories or institutions with complementary capacity and established in different Member 
States will be created and given the task of selecting, hosting and training researchers from various Member 
States, through participation in their joint research programmes. 
The networks of centres of excellence will be chosen for participation in the training programmes on the 
basis of the originality of their approach, scientific excellence, relevance of topic and demonstrated added 
value deriving from their linkage. The chosen networks of centres of excellence will select, host and train a 
defined number of researchers from various Community Member States. 
Training in advanced research requiring access to unique research facilities will be pursued. Organizations 
managing such facilities will be chosen on the basis of the quality, novelty, and uniqueness of the research 
programme and installations to which the trainees would have access, as well as on the number and quality 
of expected trainees. Special contributions to adapt, upgrade and operate the large installations for the benefit 
of guest researchers can be considered in addition to the support needed to cover the stipends of the trainees 
and the management costs. 
Selection of the researchers participating in the training programme 
According to the subsidiarity principle, efforts will concentrate on that period of a researcher's life when 
participation in the research work of a high level centre abroad, or in a European network of centres of 
excellence or access to a unique facility is most effective. This generally corresponds to the post-doctoral 
stage. In implementing this principle the difference in the terminology and significance of academic titles and 
practices in the different Member States will be taken into account. Candidates would apply for a fellowship 
and be selected according to the procedures described in Annex III. 
Criteria for selection will include: the curriculum vitae of the candidate, the scientific or technological interest 
of the intended programme, the relevance of the chosen area, the impact on cohesion and the relative 
availability of posts in the host establishment requested by the candidates. 
Research areas covered by die training programme 
The training programme will cover a very broad range of topics in accordance with its horizontal nature. It 
will include strategic research and oriented research related to the research areas foreseen in the first five 
activities mentioned in Article I of the Framework Programme as specified in its Annex II. 
Coherence between the training programme and the activities carried out in the corresponding 14 specific 
programmes will be assured. 
Fundamental research in the exact and natural sciences, including mathematics: in agreement with the open 
nature of the programme the topics to be covered will not be defined a priori. However, particular attention 
will be given to novel emerging multidisciplinary approaches and to approaches leading to a very broad 
spectrum of applications such as the science of complex non-linear systems, the structure of condensed 
matter, plasmas, the interaction between extremely intense radiation and matter, molecular recognition and 
self-assembling structures. 
Interfaces between basic science and technological applications; including by way of example engineering 
science, systems approaches, molecular and super molecular engineering, catalysis and membranes. 
Networks of centres of excellence linking fundamental and applied research centres will be preferred for this 
multidisciplinary approach. 
Human and social sciences: this action will concern essentially training in research relevant for the promotion 
of European competitiveness and performance, in particular economics, as well as the interaction between 
science, technology and society. 
Problems such as the understanding and acceptance of science and technology by the public and the increasing 
interaction between natural science, mathematics and the human and social sciences will also be covered. 
16. 7. 90 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 174/89 
Scientific and technological management 
Decentralization and direct involvement of the scientific community will be key principles in implementing 
the programme. 
The centres, laboratories, institutions, European networks of centres of excellence and large installations 
chosen on the basis of the criteria outlined above will be responsible not only for the selection of the 
candidates but also for the monitoring of their progress. 
The Commission will be responsible for the overall management and monitoring of progress for the whole 
programme. 
ANNEX II 
Indicative allocation of expenditures 
Because of the horizontal nature of the actions covered by this specific programme, no breakdown by 
scientific and technological area or by means of implementation is proposed. 
The funding will be made available as required to finance actions and accompanying measures as outlined 
in Annex HI. 
ANNEX 111 
Rules for implementing the programme 
and activities for dissemination and exploitation of the results 
1. The Commission shall implement the programme on the basis of the content described in Annex I. 
2. The rules for implementing the programme, referred to in Article 3, comprise training actions and 
accompanying measures. 
The training actions shall be the subject of contracts, primarily for postdoctoral training, through the 
distribution of fellowships and the financial support for access to the facilities of host organizations and 
participation in their research. 
The accompanying measures shall consist in putting to use the resources permitting good technical 
execution, management and evaluation of the programme, and adequate dissemination and accessibility 
of the results of the training actions, and coordination, and increasing awareness of the participants in 
the programme. 
3. Participants in the actions will comprise two categories: 
(i) individual recipients of training grants; 
(ii) institutions acting as hosts to grant recipients. 
The individual grant recipients defined in (i) must be natural persons established in the Community. The 
institutions defined in (ii) must be legal entities established in the Community (*), such as research 
laboratories of industrial firms. 
Natural or legal persons established in countries which have concluded cooperation agreements on 
scientific and technical research with the Community may, on the principle of mutual benefit, participate 
in the actions undertaken in the framework of this programme. Such contracting parties will not benefit 
from Community financing. They will contribute to the general administrative costs. 
(') For the purposes of this progamme, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), based in Geneva but with the 
major part of its installations on Community territory, may be a participant in the contracts. 
No C 174/90 Official Journal of the European Communities 16. 7. 90 
4. The participants in the training actions shall be chosen on the basis of an annual procedure aimed at 
matching host organizations with applicant researchers. 
The procedure shall comprise two successive calls for proposals as cited in Article 6 (2), which will be 
published in the Official Journal of the European Communities. 
The first call shall be addressed to those centres of excellence willing to host researchers. It shall be 
addressed to three categories of host organization: 
(i) individual centres of excellence; 
(ii) centres of excellence grouped to form intra-European networks linked for the purposes of a scientific 
and technical theme or a scientific and technical project; 
(iii) centres of excellence offering large-scale, unique research facilities. 
The selection of proposals from host organizations shall be made by the Commission following consul­
tation with the advisory committee cited in Article 6 (1). 
The second call for proposals shall be primarily addressed to young researchers at a postdoctoral level to 
fill positions made available following the first call outlined above in a country different from that of the 
trainee. The selection shall be decentralized and carried out by the centres of excellence concerned. 
The Commission's contribution shall in general represent 100% of the marginal costs of the action 
(including the full fellowship costs). 
In the cases outlined in (ii) and (iii) above, the Commission may provide support for adaptation of the 
host organizations1 capacity to receive extra researchers through, for example, modifications to research 
equipment, traval between centres, exchange of materials, etc. 
The terms given to the recipients of Community training grants shall be equal for all (allowances, mobility 
expenses, social insurance), irrespective of the category of host organization. 
5. The dissemination of the results of the training actions shall be carried out within the specific programme 
as well as through the centralized action of dissemination and exploitation, pursuant to the Decision 
referred to in the third subparagraph of Article 4 of Decision 90/221/Euratom, EEC.