COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL concerning an Observer status for the European Union in the International Centre for Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME)
Date: 2015-02-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Middle East, innovation, international cooperation, radiobiology, research body, scientific cooperation, scientific research, technology













EUR-Lex - 52015DC0065 - EN











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52015DC0065

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL concerning an Observer status for the European Union in the International Centre for Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East (SESAME) /* COM/2015/065 final */









Observer
Status for the European Union in SESAME
Summary
SESAME
(Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle
East)[1]
is an international centre for research and advanced technology, with a seat in
  Jordan. It is a unique endeavour, established with the aim of using science
diplomacy in fostering a culture of peace and cooperation in the Broader Middle East[2].

Members
of SESAME are Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Pakistan, Palestine
and Turkey whereas Brazil, China, Japan, Kuwait, Switzerland, the Russian
Federation, the US, as well as several EU Member States (France, Germany,
Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom) have observer
status.
1. Context
SESAME was
launched in 2004 under the auspices of UNESCO with the aim of using science
diplomacy in fostering a culture of scientific cooperation in the Broader
Middle East. 45 Nobel
Prize winners have backed the project in an open letter. 
The
project has been designed as a science initiative and has a true scientific
value.
SESAME fosters research and technological excellence in the region and prevents
or reverses the brain drain. At the same time it builds scientific and cultural
bridges between diverse societies, and contributes to a culture of peace
through international cooperation in science. SESAME creates a motivating
scientific environment that encourages the region's best scientists and
technologists to stay in the region or to return if they have moved elsewhere.
It provides a platform for cooperation with scientists from Europe and other
countries. 
Today,
in the Middle East, SESAME is one of the few projects in the region where
trans-national dialogue is fostered. SESAME can have a very positive impact on
the region - in scientific and socio-economic terms as a synchrotron facility has
a very high innovation potential and can deliver quick returns on its
investment. 
Already
now there are more than 200 scientists from the region using SESAME (i.e. the
facilities available so far). SESAME is expected to come into full operation in
2016 provided the required capital funding for the completion of its
construction is available on schedule. SESAME’s annual operating budget is
currently $3.2 million, expected to rise to approximately $6 million once it is
fully operational.
2. European Union's engagement and contribution in
sesame
SESAME
is a unique international science initiative in the Middle East that came into
being thanks to contributions from Germany and other EU Member States[3]. It
was inspired by the model of CERN, one of the pioneers in Europe of using
science as a way of fostering a culture of cooperation reaching beyond science.
Following this model, SESAME aspires to foster scientific and technological
excellence in the Middle East and build bridges between diverse societies
through international cooperation in science. Up to now the SESAME initiative
has received very strong backing from scientists and governments throughout the
EU and beyond. Among the EU Member States Cyprus is a full SESAME Member and
eight additional EU Member States are participating in the SESAME Council
meetings as observers. SESAME builds on expertise, technical assistance and
equipment made available by European partner laboratories (synchrotron
facilities from Germany, France, Italy, UK, Sweden, Spain and Switzerland have contributed considerable manpower and resources to the project).
The
European Commission has repeatedly expressed its support for SESAME,
contributing over the years more than 10 M€ to it: under the 7th Framework
Programme (5 M€ CERN-EC Support for SESAME Magnets[4]), 5
M€ bilateral EU-Jordan financial assistance programmes, and specific research
projects (e.g. LinkSCEEM 1 and 2[5]). The EU's key
technical contribution to SESAME is the magnet system for its main storage ring
and is considered a catalyst for the realisation of SESAME. Finding the
necessary capital funding has been a huge challenge for SESAME. In this context
Commission and EU Member States' contributions have been vital in ensuring the
initiative's implementation.
3. The EU should seek an observer status in SESAME
On
27 March 2014, the European Commission services received a formal invitation
from the SESAME Council inviting the EU to become an observer in SESAME. The
procedure requires that a letter is addressed to the Director-General of UNESCO
confirming that the Union accepts the Statutes of SESAME and notifying her that
it wishes to become an observer. Following the receipt of that letter the
SESAME Council will be called to vote. Based on the good cooperation so far,
the SESAME Council is expected to support the Union's request. Being observer
in SESAME would entail no voting rights. 
However,
this status has the following advantages: observers participate in the
executive body of the Centre – the Council, may submit agenda items and
proposals for discussion at Council sessions, their nationals may hold staff
positions at SESAME and, whenever possible, invitations to tender for the
purchase of equipment and supplies is limited to manufacturers and contractors
located within the territories of Members and Observers. While members pay
financial contributions on a yearly basis, observers have no obligation to make
such financial contributions.
SESAME
has undoubtedly a great potential to contribute to scientific excellence and
broader science diplomacy in the region by fostering scientific collaboration
between the EU, the Middle East and the EU's extended neighbourhood. Through
science diplomacy international cooperation in research and innovation can be
used as an instrument of soft power and as a mechanism for improving relations
with key countries and regions. Science diplomacy can support EU efforts
in crisis management and peace-building.[6]

In
addition, as a widely-available 'scientific user facility', SESAME is
expected to have a broad socio-economic impact. It promotes key innovation
factors such as technology transfer, skills and human capital
development, academic exchanges, training of researchers, joint research and development
actions. In this way, SESAME helps the reintegration of the region into the
global social-economic processes fostering knowledge and innovation for the
development of a prosperous and stable Middle East.
The
EU invests substantial amounts in research and science cooperation in the
region and in particular in SESAME[7]. The
European Commission therefore considers that seeking an EU observer status in
SESAME would: 

 adequately
     reflect the EU's considerable involvement and contribution to the
     initiative. Major and emerging global actors active in the region enjoy
     observer status in the project (USA, Russia, China, Brazil and others);
 increase
     the EU's global visibility and raise the international profile of the Union as important contributor to scientific excellence and development in the region; 

·        
contribute to job creation, growth and
stability in the region;

 strengthen
     technology transfer and innovation in the region; 
 demonstrate
     leadership in global science cooperation in line with its guiding
     principles, sustainable development and mutual respect among people;
 provide
     the Union with a good example of a well-functioning science diplomacy instrument;
 raise
     the project's visibility and consequently mobilise further support from
     other regional players.

4. conclusions
Based
on the above mentioned elements, the European Commission considers that the EU would
substantially gain visibility and influence by obtaining the observer status in
SESAME. The Commission invites the Council to endorse the above outlined
approach and support the Commission in preparing actions so that the EU obtains
observer status in SESAME.
[1] Synchrotrons use light (beam-lines)
that ranges beyond the visible (in the infrared, ultraviolet, X-ray and beyond)
to study matter (from biological cells to atoms). They are used for a wide scope of
applications – infrared imaging of diseases, designing pharmaceuticals, solar cells
enhancement, CO2 capture, assessing archaeological artefacts, etc.
[2] http://www.sesame.org.jo/sesame/about-us/what-is-sesame.html 
[3] The idea of basing an
international synchrotron light source in the Middle East on the components of
the BESSY I (Berlin Electron Storage Ring Company for Synchrotron Radiation)
machine was suggested by German and international scientists in the late 90's.
The German Government agreed to donate the BESSY I components to SESAME in Jordan where they arrived in June 2002.
[4] cessamag.web.cern.ch 
[5] www.linksceem.eu
[6] Report on the implementation of
the strategy for international cooperation in research and innovation
(COM(2014)567).
[7] EU financial
contribution to SESAME so far amounts to more than EUR 12 million, in addition
to considerable in kind contribution of EU Member States.