WRITTEN QUESTION E-2097/99

by Christos Folias (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(19 November 1999)

Subject: The Esprit programme

Over the last few years, a number of programmes and Community initiatives have been adopted and implemented in the field of research and technology.

However, the only programme specifically devoted to the development of research and technology in the industrial sector is the Esprit programme.

Will the Commission say:

1. Has there been any evaluation of the performance of the Esprit programme to date?

2. When does it intend to provide information about the results of the evaluation and the performance of this programme?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-1903/99 and E-2097/99 given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(20 December 1999)

The 1 962 million financial contribution to the various types of organisation under the Esprit programme from 1994 to 1998 can be broken down between large enterprises 891 million, small and medium-sized enterprises 425 million, universities and higher-education institutions 290 million, research organisations 275 million, international organisations 24 million and others 57 million. The total payments up to end 1999 are 1 615 million.

Some 1 500 research contracts were launched under the Esprit programme in this period, with an average of 5,9 participants each. The Commission cannot give the details of all these in the context of a reply to a Parliamentary question, but the Commission (DG Information society) would be delighted to provide any more specific information on a case by case basis.

Since 1995, following legislative requirements, an effective programme evaluation scheme has been in place within the Commission. This includes two complementary exercises namely the continuous and systematic programme monitoring, also called yearly programme monitoring, and the five-year programme assessment. Both exercises are applied to the framework programmes (FP) and their specific programmes.

The programme monitoring is carried out by the Commission with the help of independent external expert panels, one for each programme. It covers a one year period and provides a fast feedback to the programme management. The five-year assessment (5YA) is carried out by panels of independent external high-level experts. It focuses on the implementation and achievements during the preceding five year and provides in particular recommendations for the next research and technological development (RTD) framework programme.

As a consequence of the above scheme, for Esprit, the programme's implementation is evaluated by both the monitoring and the 5YA exercises. Esprit monitoring reports are available for 1995, 1996, 1997, and 1998. The previous Esprit 5YA report issued in 1997 is also available. A copy of these reports is forwarded direct to the Honourable Member and to the Secretariat general of the Parliament.

At programme level, project officers follow the project implementation. The results of the 4th framework programme information and communication technologies (ICT) projects are collected and disseminated by the Prosoma service, both on-line(1) and through regular publications of books and compact discs. This service is continued for the information society technologies (IST) projects under the 5th framework programme. The annual IST conference also exhibits projects' results.

The 1999 IST monitoring (which includes the Esprit programme) is currently being carried out and a report should be issued in April 2000. The IST 5YA is also being carried out and a report should be issued in June 2000. Both reports will be forwarded to the Parliament and the Council together with the Commission's replies at FP level.

In addition to Esprit, several programmes are of particular significance to industry. They include in FP4 notably IMT, ACTS, Telematics, FAIR, Non-nuclear energy programmes, and in FP5, with its problems solving approach, most key actions.

(1) http://www.prosoma.lu.