WRITTEN QUESTION E-3141/03 by Koenraad Dillen (NI) to the Commission. European week against cancer — scientific research.
Date: 2003-10-23
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: cancer, project evaluation, public awareness campaign, research project, scientific research, support policy

C 78 E/472

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

27.3.2004

As concerns projects in China, one project pertaining to this country was selected under the 2002 call.
The title of this project is: ‘Strengthening the defence of death penalty cases in the People’s republic of
China’. Defence and legal aid for defendants facing the death penalty are provided under this project.

There are currently no specific projects aiming at the abolition on the death penalty in Cuba.

Concerning the last question asked by the Honourable Member, the duration of such projects is usually
between 24 and 36 months.

(1) COM(2001) 252.

(2004/C 78 E/0496)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3141/03

by Koenraad Dillen (NI) to the Commission

(23 October 2003)

Subject: European week against cancer (cid:1) scientific research

To mark the annual European week against cancer, the European Commission has announced that a
number of new projects have been selected for grants from the Sixth Framework Research Programme.
The Commissioner responsible for research, Philippe Busquin has issued a statement saying that over the
next few years the EU plans to invest EUR 400 million in cancer research. In the first instance 19 projects
will receive a sum of approximately EUR 100 million.

Which are the 19 projects concerned and what is the amount of the grant that each of them will receive?

In which Member States will the projects be carried out?

On the basis of what criteria were the projects selected? What is the grant application procedure for firms
and research centres?

When grants are allocated for scientific research is a geographical quota applied to ensure that research
centres, universities and companies from all Member States have equal access to the funds available?

Answer given by Mr Busquin on behalf of the Commission

(1 December 2003)

As a result of the first call for proposals of the Programme ‘Life Sciences, genomics and biotechnology for
health’ (deadline March 2003) within the ‘combating cancer’ area, 19 projects were selected for funding for
an overall Community contribution of EUR 100 million.

The selected projects, which are still currently under contract negotiation, are undertaken by large,
multidisciplinary and multinational consortia including academia,
industry, research organisations and
small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the Member States as well as associated states, candidate
countries and,
in some cases, third countries. The titles of the selected projects, the countries of the
participants as well as the Community proposed budgetary contribution, are shown in a table which will
be sent direct to the Honourable Member and to Parliament’s Secretariat.

The evaluation and selection of proposals is carried out, with the assistance of independent experts, in
compliance with the ‘Guidelines on proposal evaluation and selection procedures’, as foreseen in the ‘Rules
for the participation of undertakings, research centres and universities in the implementation of the Sixth
Framework Programme’ (1).

The evaluation process rests on a number of established principles such as quality, transparency, equality
of treatment, impartiality, efficiency, speed and ethical considerations.

27.3.2004

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 78 E/473

Applications received as a response to the calls for proposals are evaluated according to obligatory criteria:

(a)

scientific and technological excellence and the degree of innovation;

(b) ability to carry out the action successfully and ensure its efficient management;

(c)

relevance to the objectives of the specific programme;

(d) European added value, critical mass of resources mobilised and contribution to Community policies;

and

(e) quality of the plan for using and disseminating the knowledge, potential for promoting innovation and

clear plans for the management of intellectual property.

Participation in the Sixth Framework Programme is based on the principle of equal access and the
eligibility criteria as established in the rules for participation. Therefore, no quota system is applied, but the
evaluation and selection procedures are based on independent ‘peer review’ and ‘excellence’ irrespectively
of geographical origin or type of participant.

Research institutions, study centres, industry and SMEs are main target groups of the Sixth Framework
Programme. Practical rules for application and eligibility criteria are outlined in the calls for proposals and
are available at the Cordis website of the Sixth Framework Programme (http://fp6.cordis.lu/fp6/home.cfm).
Two further calls for proposals in the area of combating cancer will be launched in 2004-2005.

(1) Regulation (EC) No 2321/2002 of the 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 (2002-2006), OJ L 355,
30.12.2002.

(2004/C 78 E/0497)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3144/03

by Christopher Heaton-Harris (PPE-DE) to the Commission

Subject: EU funding for the Spanish National Hydrological Plan

(23 October 2003)

Concerns have been expressed that the Spanish National Hydrological Plan will infringe the Habitats, Birds,
Environmental Impact Assessment and Water Framework Directives and cause widespread environmental
destruction in Spain.
the Spanish Government will seek to obtain around
EUR 8 billion in Structural and Cohesion funds to finance the project.

is understood that

It

Will the Commission ensure that no EU funds are allocated to this plan until its compliance with EU
environmental legislation has been assured?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(18 December 2003)

The Honourable Member is referred to the Commission’s answers to the following oral and written
questions: H-211/03 by Mr de Roo during question time at Parliament’s April 2003 session (1); H-810/02
by Mr Davies during question time at Parliament’s December 2002 session (2); H-678/02 by Mrs Sornosa
Martinez during question time at Parliament’s October 2002 session (3); H-452/02 by Mr Davies during
question time at Parliament’s June 2002 session (4); H-444/02 by Mr Marset Campos during question time
at Parliament’s June 2002 session (4); H-947/01 by Mr Mayol i Reynal during question time at Parliament’s
December 2001 session (5); H-561/01 by Mrs Sornosa Martinez during question time at Parliament’s July