EN Official Journal of the European Union C 170/7

Call for proposals (1) for indirect RTD actions under the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration: ‘Structuring the European Research Area’

Science and Society: Research on ethics

(Call identifier: FP6-2004-Science-and-society-9)

Science and Society: Women and science

(Call identifier: FP6-2004-Science-and-society-10)

Re-publication and extension of the closure date

(2004/C 170/07)

1. In accordance with Decision No 1513/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 27 June 2002, concerning the sixth framework programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities contributing to the creation of the European Research Area and to innovation (2002 to 2006) (2), the Council adopted on 30 September 2002 the specific programme for research, technological development and demonstration: ‘structuring the European Research Area’ (3) (referred to as ‘the specific programme’). In accordance with Article 5(1) of the specific programme, the Commission of the European Communities (referred to as ‘the Commission’) has adopted on 6 December 2002 a work programme (4) (referred to as ‘the work programme’) setting out in greater detail the objectives and scientific and technological priorities of the specific programme, and the timetable for implementation. In accordance with Article 9(1) of the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 December 2002 concerning the rules for the participation of undertakings, research centres and universities in, and for the dissemination of research results for, the implementation of the European Community Sixth Framework Programme (2002 to 2006) (5) (referred to as ‘the rules for participation’), proposals for indirect RTD actions should be submitted under the terms of calls for proposals.

2. The present call for proposals for indirect RTD actions comprises the present general part and the specific conditions that are described in the annexes. These annexes indicate in particular, the date of closure for the submission of proposals for indirect RTD actions, an indicative date for the completion of the evaluations, the indicative budget, the instruments and the areas concerned, the evaluation criteria for the evaluation of proposals for indirect RTD actions, the minimum number of participants, and any applicable restrictions.

3. Natural or legal persons fulfilling the conditions stated in the rules for participation and that do not fall under any of the exclusion cases in the rules for participation or in Article 114(2) of the Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (6) (referred to as ‘the proposers’) are invited to submit to the Commission proposals for indirect RTD actions subject to the conditions in the rules for participation and in the calls concerned being fulfilled. The conditions of participation of the proposers will be verified within the framework of the negotiation of the indirect RTD action. Beforehand, proposers will have signed a declaration stating that they do not fall under any of the cases given by Article 93(1) of the Financial Regulation. They will also have given the Commission the information listed in Article 173(2) of the Commission Regulation (EC, EURATOM) No2342/2002, of 23 December 2002, laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No1605/2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities (7). The European Community has adopted an equal opportunities policy and, on this basis, women are particularly encouraged to either submit proposals for indirect RTD actions or participate in the submission of proposals for indirect RTD actions.

4. The Commission makes available to proposers guides for proposers relating to the call which contain information on the preparation and the submission of a proposal for an indirect RTD action. These guides, as well as the work programme and other information relating to the call, can be obtained from the Commission via one of the following addresses: European Commission The FP6 Information Desk Directorate General RTD B-1049 Brussels Email address: fp6@cec.eu.int Internet address: www.cordis.lu/fp6

5. Proposals for indirect RTD actions are prepared and submitted preferably via the electronic proposal submission system (EPSS). Within this context, proposals for indirect RTD actions may be prepared off-line or on-line and submitted on-line. Those prepared with the EPSS off-line version could, as an alternative, be submitted either on CD-ROM or diskette (a paper copy of the proposal for an indirect RTD action must in either case be attached). The EPSS software tool (for off-line or on-line usage) is available via the Cordis website www.cordis.lu. Proposals for indirect RTD actions may also be prepared and submitted using the form in the guide for proposers (referred to as on ‘paper’).

6. Proposals for indirect RTD actions submitted on CD-ROM, diskette, or paper by post must be received by the Commission at the following address, and labelled as follows: ‘FP6 - Research Proposals’ Call identifier: FP6-2004-Science-and-Society-9 (Research on ethics) OR Call identifier: FP6-2004-Science-and-Society-10 (Women and Science) European Commission B-1049 Brussels For deliveries by hand or by representatives (including by private courier services8), the delivery should be to the following address, and labelled as follows: ‘FP6 - Research Proposals’ Call identifier: FP6-2004-Science-and-Society-9(Research on ethics) OR Call identifier: FP6-2004-Science-and-Society-10(Women and Science) European Commission Rue de Genève, 1 B-1140 Brussels Proposals for indirect RTD actions may be submitted on-line via the Cordis website www.cordis.lu. Proposals for indirect RTD actions submitted either on CD-ROM or on diskette which are incomplete (8), illegible (9) or contain viruses will be excluded if a complete corresponding paper version, in the same envelope, has not been supplied. Proposals for indirect RTD actions that are submitted on-line and which are incomplete (10), illegible (11) or contain viruses will be excluded. Proposals for indirect RTD actions that are submitted on paper and which are incomplete (12) will be excluded. Proposals for indirect RTD actions submitted by email (13) or by fax will be excluded.

7. Proposals for indirect RTD actions have to reach the Commission at the latest on the closure date and at the time specified in the call concerned. Proposals for indirect RTD actions arriving after this date and time will be excluded. If foreseen in the relevant call, they will be taken up in the framework of a future evaluation.

8. In the case of successive submissions of a proposal in the same format, the Commission will examine the last version received before the closure date and time specified in the call concerned. Where the same proposal for an indirect RTD action is submitted on paper and electronic format (CD-ROM, diskette, on-line), the Commission will only examine the text submitted under the electronic formats.

9. In all correspondence relating to a call (eg., when requesting information, or submitting a proposal for an indirect RTD action), proposers are invited to cite the relevant call identifier.

(1) This call for proposals was already published in OJ C 113, 30.4.2004, p. 16, in all the official languages of the EU applicable on that date and is republished here in full in all official languages now applicable with an extension of the closure date of the call for proposals.

(2) OJ L 232, 29.8.2002, p. 1.

(3) OJ L 294, 29.10.2002, p. 44.

(4) Commission Decision C(2002)4791, as amended by Commission Decisions C(2003)635, C(2003)998, C(2003)1951, C(2003)2708, C(2003)4571, and C(2004)48, all unpublished.

(5) OJ L 355, 30.12.2002, p. 23

(6) OJ L 248, of 16.9.2002, p. 1.

(7) OJ L 357, of 31.12.2002, p. 1.

(8) Users of courier services that ask for the recipient's telephone number should give the following number: Research on ethics: (32-2)296 3414 (Ms. Isabel Sanz Calzada); Women and science: (32 2)296 4693 (Ms Tanya Leigh)

(9) All proposals for indirect RTD actions must contain two parts: the forms (Part A) and the content (Part B).

(10) Proposals for indirect RTD actions should be submitted in PDF (‘portable document format’, version 3 or higher with embedded fonts) or RTF (‘rich text format’).

(11) See footnote 7.

(12) See footnote 8.

(13) See footnote 7.

ANNEX I 1) Specific programme: Structuring the ERA 2) Activity: Science and Society 3) Call title: Research into ethics 4) Call identifier: FP6-2004-Science-and-society-9 5) Date of re-publication (1): 6) New closure date: 15 October 2004, 17:00 (Brussels local time). 7) Total indicative budget: EUR 5.4 million. 8) Area & instruments: Proposals are invited in the following topics. The table gives short titles only. For a full description of the topics, applicants must refer to the work programme. 9) Minimum number of participants (3): Instrument Minimum number STREP, CA 3 independent legal entities from 3 different MS or AS, with at least 2 MS or ACC SSA 1 legal entity from 1 MS or AS 10) Restriction to participation: None. Furthermore, any legal entity established in a third country not covered by article 6(2) of the Rules for Participation (entities in countries having concluded an ST agreement with the Community may participate by right) may also participate in this call providing that such an involvement would be beneficial or essential to the proposed activity, and is over and above the specified minimum number of participants from Member State or associated countries. The Community may contribute towards the costs of such participation. 11) Consortium agreement: Participants in RTD actions resulting from this call are not required to conclude a consortium agreement. 12) Evaluation procedure: — The evaluation shall follow a single stage procedure — Proposals will not be evaluated anonymously 13) Evaluation criteria: — See Annex B of the work programme for the applicable criteria (including their individual weights and thresholds and the overall threshold) per instrument. 14) Indicative evaluation and selection delays: — Evaluation results: Estimated to be within 4 months after the closure date — Conclusion of contracts: It is estimated that the first contracts related to this call will come into force within 8 months of the closure date. (1) This call for proposals was already published in OJ C 113, 30.4.2004, p. 16, in all the official languages of the EU applicable on that date and is republished here in full in all official languages now applicable with an extension of the closure date of the call for proposals. (2) STREP = Specific targeted research project; CA = Coordination action; SSA = Specific support action (3) Any legal entity established in a Member State or Associated State and which is made up of the requested number of participant may be the sole participant in an indirect action.