Communication from the Commission responding to the observations and recommendations of the high-level Panel of independent experts concerning the new instruments of the 6th Framework Programme {SEC(2004) 1057}
Date: 2004-08-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU programme, industrial research, report, research and development, scientific report, self-employed person

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 27.8.2004 
COM(2004) 574 final 

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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 

responding to the observations 
and recommendations of the high-level Panel of independent experts concerning 
the new instruments of the 6th Framework Programme 

{SEC(2004) 1057} 

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BACKGROUND 

In accordance with the Decision of the Council and of the European Parliament adopting the 
6th Framework Programme, and the specific programme "Integrating", a panel of high-level 
experts was set up in October 2003 to assess the effectiveness of the new instruments of the 
6th Framework Programme; 

The high-level Panel was given the task of carrying out a mid-term evaluation of the impact 
of  the  New  Instruments  and  their  contribution  towards  achieving  the  objectives  of  the 
Framework Programme, particularly as regards the following: 

•  Added value of Community research as compared with national activities;  

•  Critical mass; 

•  Integration of research capacity; 

•  Management simplification.  

Accordingly, on 1 July 2004, the high-level Panel officially forwarded to the Commission its 
report containing, in addition to an “executive summary”, an introduction and an overview of 
the information collected and the main messages sent out by the 6th Framework Programme 
user community, its conclusions and recommendations relating to both the remaining period 
of implementation of the 6th Framework Programme and the prospects for the 7th Framework 
Programme. 

POSITION  OF  THE  COMMISSION  REGARDING  THE  WORK  OF  THE  PANEL  AND  EXISTING 

CONSTRAINTS 

The  Commission  is  pleased  with  the  high  quality  of  the  report  which  is  based  on  detailed 
discussions and investigations among the scientific community. It stresses moreover that most 
of the conclusions reached by the Panel match to a large extent its own findings which have 
already  led,  as  the  attached  staff  paper  shows,  to  the  adoption  of  "corrective  measures"  to 
make  the  6th  Framework  Programme  more  flexible  and  easier  to  use.  These  "corrective 
measures"  will  moreover  be  reinforced  during  the  remainder  of  the  6th  Framework 
Programme. However, measures whose implementation would entail changes to the existing 
the  Framework  Programme,  Specific 
legal  framework  (Council  Decision  adopting 
Programmes, Rules for Participation, Commission Decision adopting the model contract) can 
be considered only in connection with the preparation of the 7th Framework Programme and 
its legal framework.  

COMMISSION'S POSITION REGARDING THE MESSAGES CARRIED BY THE PANEL'S REPORT 

The Commission welcomes the first of the main messages from the Panel which backs up the 
Commission's  findings  during  the  preparation  of  the  6th  Framework  Programme:  the 
objectives  of  the  new  instruments  are  valid,  particularly  as  regards  their  anticipated 
contribution to the establishment of the European Research Area, and the conception of the 
instruments is well adapted to those objectives. 

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It  also  fully  endorses  the  Panel's  conclusion  that  the  scientific  community  certainly  needs 
continuity  in  terms  of  available  instruments.  This  applies  to  both  the  need  to  maintain  the 
so-called  “traditional”  instruments  such  as  the  targeted  specific  research  projects  and  other 
coordination actions and to the pursuit of the New Instruments such as integrated projects and 
networks of excellence in the context of the 7th Framework Programme. 

This  is  moreover  completely  in  line  with  the  guidelines  set  out  by  the  Commission  in  its 
Communication  of  16  June  2004  entitled  "Science  and  technology,  the  key  to  Europe's 
future – Guidelines for future European Union policy to support research"1. 

The  third  of  the  key  messages  from  the  panel  concerns  the  implementation  of  the  new 
instruments, varying according to the different phases, from the presentation of a proposal to 
the conclusion of the contract relating thereto. The Commission is aware of the need to bring 
about  certain  improvements  in  terms  of  the  implementation  of  the  new  instruments  and  has 
moreover  already  adopted  and  applied  a  certain  number  of  "corrective  measures"  in  this 
regard,  some  of  which  will  be  further  consolidated  in  the  course  of  the  6th  Framework 
Programme.  It  does  not  however  agree  with  all  the  conclusions  reached  in  the  report, 
particularly  those  concerning  the  freedom  of  choice  of  objectives  and  instruments  to  be  left 
entirely to participants or again certain statements by participants regarding the quality of the 
procedure for evaluating proposals. 

Moreover, the Commission points out that the whole of this exercise must also be seen from 
the perspective of preparing the 7th Framework Programme. In this context, it also reiterates 
the  commitment  made  in  its  Communication  of  16  June  2004  entitled  "Science  and 
Technology,  the  key  to  Europe's  future  –  Guidelines  for  future  European  Union  policy  to 
support  research".  "The  financial  and  administrative  provisions  must  be  revised  and 
simplified in the light of the experience of current practice. A process will be launched with 
this  purpose  in  mind,  involving  programme  users  and  national  research  structures.  The 
financial  rules  will  be  re-examined  and  proposals  will  be  made  to  the  Council  and  the 
European Parliament in the framework of proposals for Commission Decisions for the next 
framework programme and for the corresponding rules for participation." 

To this end, the Commission has notably launched a study of financing mechanisms in order 
to  explore  possible  ways  of  further  relaxing  participants'  obligations  while  guaranteeing  the 
necessary transparency in terms of use of public funds. 

The  attached  document  sets  out  in  detail,  for  each  of  the  recommendations  on  the 
implementation of the instruments, an analysis of the situation and the Commission's position, 
as well as, where appropriate, the corrective measures already adopted, planned or proposed 
in connection with the 7th Framework Programme where they require changes to the existing 
legal framework. 

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COM(2004) 353. 

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