CELEX: 51983PC0350(03)
Language: en
Date: 1983-06-20
Title: PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION ADOPTING A MULTIANNUAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY IN THE FIELD OF THE APPLICATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (83) 350
Vol. 1983/0139
 ---pagebreak--- Disclaimer
Conformément au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983
concernant l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique
européenne et de la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983,
p. 1), tel que modifié par le règlement (CE, Euratom) n° 1700/2003 du 22 septembre 2003
(JO L 243 du 27.9.2003, p. 1), ce dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents
classifiés présents dans ce dossier ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit
règlement.
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983
concerning the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic
Community and the European Atomic Energy Community (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as
amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1700/2003 of 22 September 2003 (OJ L 243,
27.9.2003, p. 1), this file is open to the public. Where necessary, classified documents in this
file have been declassified in conformity with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation.
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom 1.
Februar 1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und der Europäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI. L 43 vom 15.2.1983,
S. 1), geändert durch die Verordnung (EG, Euratom) Nr. 1700/2003 vom 22. September 2003
(ABI. L 243 vom 27.9.2003, S. 1), ist diese Datei der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit
erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in dieser Datei in Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5
der genannten Verordnung freigegeben.
 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE E U R O P E A N                      COMMUNITIES
                                                COM(83) 350  final
                                                Brussels   20 June 1983
                              Proposal for    a
                             COUNCIL DECISION
   adopting a multiannual  research and development programme of the
   European Economic Community in the f i e l d of basic technological research
                               Proposal for a
                              COUNCIL DECISION
    adopting a multiannual  research and development programme of the
    European Economic Community in the f i e l d of the applications    of
                              new technologies
                (presented by the Commission to the Council)
 COM(83) 350 final
 ---pagebreak---                                                 CONTENTS
                                                                                                      Page
RESEARCH       A C T I O N PROGRAMME ON I N D U S T R I A L T E C H N O L O G I E S
      I.     Objectives            of   the   programme                                                  1
    II.      Content         of    the    programme                                                      2
  III.       The     role      of    the    Community                                                    4
    IV.      Management            of   the   Action     Programme                                       8
      V.     E x p r e s s i o n s of     interest     and    s u b m i s s i o n of     proposals      12
    VI.      Small-       and m e d i u m - s i z e d  enterprises                                      13.
  VII.       General                                                                                    14
Annex     I  -   BRIEF        DESCRIPTION         OF E X I S T I N G S U B - P R O G R A M M E S         16
Annex     II   -   BASIC        TECHNOLOGICAL         RESEARCH -          PROGRAMME          PROPOSAL
       I.     Introduction                                                                               32
     II.      The     role      of    the   Community                                                    34
   III.       Management            of   the   programme                                                 36
     IV.      E x p r e s s i o n s of     interest     and    tender                                    38
       V.     Small-        and     medium-sized        enterprises                                      39
     VI.      Technical           content      of  the    programme                                      40
   VII.        Funding        of    the    programme      and     staffing        needs                  60
  VIII.        General                                                                                   62
               Proposal         for     Council     Decision                                              63
               Annex                                                                                      66
 ---pagebreak---                                                                                   Page
Annex     III    -   APPLICATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES (CLOTHING
                     MANUFACTURE) - PROGRAMME PROPOSAL
       I.     Introduction                                                           70
    II.       The r o l e   of    the   Community                                   72
  III.        Management        of   the   programme                                73
    IV.       Expressions of          interest         and t e n d e r              77
     V.       S m a l l - and m e d i u m - s i z e d   enterprises                 78
   VI.        The t e c h n i c a l  content        of  the  programme              79
 VII.         Funding of        the   programme         and s t a f f i n g needs   84
VIII.        General                                                                86
             Proposal       for     Council Decision                                88
             Annex                                                                  91
 ---pagebreak---                                         1
        RESEARCH-ACTION-PROGRAMME               ON   INDUSTRIAL         TECHNOLOGIES
I.  0b2ect^ve_of_the_programme
    1.    High     Technology          industries           (information             technology,
    biotechnology)        will    undoubtedly         play    a   major     and   growing        role
    in   the    Community.            The     other      sectors        of    industry         will,
    however,       for    the    foreseeable          future,         continue        to    make     a
    substantial      contribution           to    the     G.D.P.        of    the     Community.
    These    sectors    will,      accordingly,          remain      an   essential         element
    in   dealing     with      the    economic        and     social       problems         of    the
    Community.        The   improvement          of   their     competitiveness            must     be
    a  major    target    for    Community        R&D      policy       and    is   therefore        a
    major   objective      of   the   framework         programme.
    2.   The    Research     Action       Programme       on    Industrial          Technologies
    is  the    means   for     the    implementation            of   the    policy       lines      of
    the  relevant     section      of   the    framework        programme.          It   seeks      to
    define     the   proper       role     of    Community         supported         R   &     D   in
    helping     to   remove       or    reduce       obstacles         to    trade       and      the
    encouragement        of     technological           research         (situated         between
   basic      research        and     product          development)            in     the        pre-
   competitive          stage,            while        recognizing              the        primary
   responsibility        of   the    industry       in   this.
   3.    On   the   basis     of    these     general       considerations,               two     new
   sub-programmes         are    presented,           one    for     basic      technological
   research      (annex     II)     and     the    other      for     application          of     new
   technologies       (annex     III).
   4.    In   considering       what     are   the    priorities         within      the     fields
   covered     by   this     Research        Action       Programme,           the     value       of
   Community      initiatives        will     be    determined         not    only     by     their
   contribution      to   the    overall      problems       proper      to   European           R&D
   and    its     technological           applications           but     also     by       general
 ---pagebreak---                                                -   2 -
      considerations             of   a   social     and      economic      nature         (including
      those     contributing             to  working         conditions        and       health       and
      safety)        and          i n     particular           by      industrial              strategy
      considerations.               Moreover,       i ffull        advantage       i s t o be       taken
      of  progress        of a       technological        nature       there    must      be,       where
      necessary,       progress         made  on o t h e r    problems     particularly             those
      of  an i n d u s t r i a l   strategy    character.           R & D    can contribute            to
      the   solution        of the problems          of European          industry;            alone i t
      is   insufficient.
II.   Content_of       the       programme
      5.    This    action         programme     on    industrial         technologies             groups
      together      within         a   common    management          structure         a    number     of
      existing      and      planned      R & D     activities,           the        objectives        of
      which     relate        primarily       to   the      promotion       of     the      industrial
      competitivity              of     industries         other        than        high-technology
      industries.             The m a i n   sections       o f t h e programme          and     current^
      or  planned       sub-programmes          a r e as     follows:
      a.    Actions         with      the    objective          of    removing          or       reducing
            obstacles         to    trade
            1)   BCR     (existing        programme     with      JRC p a r t i c i p a t i o n )
            2)   Nuclear         measurements       (existing        programme        - JRC       Geel)
       b.   Multisectoral             research,         i . e .     research        on       industrial
             technologies            having     application           i n  several           industrial
             sectors
             1)   Basic          technological        research          (programme               proposal
                 attached)
  1
     See   Annex      I    f o r a      brief    description           of   the      existing        sub-
    programmes .
 ---pagebreak---                                             -   3   -
      2)   High      temperature          materials          (existing        programme         -     JRC
           Petten
      3)   COST     (existing         and    planned        actions)
                                                                                    0
c.    Application           of    new     technologies            to    specifi          industrial
      sectors
      1)   Textiles        (existing          programme)
      2)     Research            for       the     steel       industry         (existing           ECSC
           programme)
      3)   Application          of    new     technologies          -   Clothing        Manufacture
            (programme         proposal         attached)
d.     Pilot       projects,            i.e.        projects         to    take       research         in
       selected       areas      to    the    point     of    demonstrating            economic         as
       well     as    technical         feasibility           at   full     production           scale,
       under       arrangements             which       would        not     confer         exclusive
       advantages         on   the     firms      directly        involved.
       1)    Pilot        projects         for      the     steel        industry         (new       ECSC
            progamme )
       2)    Pilot       projects        for      basic     technological             research         and
            clothing           manufacture             (included           in      the        proposed
            programmes          annexed)
 6.    Apart       from    the     research         programmes          listed       above,         other
 activities         within      the     Action       Progamme       will     include        situation
 analyses       and     projections           in   the    form     of    "case-studies"            to    be
 undertaken          by     the     Commission           in      close      co-operation             with
 industry.           Such     case-studies            will    need     to   involve       the     active
 and     direct      participation             of    a  number        of    firms      in     selected
 sectors        of    industry         under       arrangements            which       will       ensure
 ready     access       of   others        to    the   results        of   the    studies.              The
  aim   of   the     studies       will     be    to   analyse       which     new      technologies
  could     be     applied       successfully            in    a    given      sector        and     what
  impact     this    would      produce        on   the    productivity          of    the     industry
  in  i t s various        activities          (production,           management,          marketing,
  etc.).       The    essential         elements       of    such     studies      in    relation        to
 ---pagebreak---                                                   -   4   -
      the   Action         Programme         is    that      they       will       establish        to    what
      extent      R & D          into      the      applications              of    technologies           can
      improve      the      competitivity           of     the     sectors         concerned         and   the
     role,        i f    any,       of     the     Community           in     encouraging           and    co­
      ordinating         R & D .             This      assessment            will      be    carried       out
     against       the     background         of    an    examination            of    the    present      and
     likely      future       economic         and     social        importance           of    the     sector
     concerned          and     i t s    situation          in     respect          of      international
     competitiveness               and        hence         relevant             industrial             policy
     questions.
III.   The_role_of_the_Coramunity
     7.    Technological            research        which      must      be    carried       out    in   order
     for   an    industrial         firm      to   remain       competitive            is    in   principle
     the   responsibility             of   the    industrial           firm     itself.           Thus,     in
     principle,           a  firm     should      be     entirely         responsible           either     for
     carrying       out     the   necessary         research         itself,        for    arranging       for
     other     organisations            to   do   i t on     contract         or    for    acquiring       the
     technology         from     others       through       licenses          or    other      appropriate
     channels.
     8.    While       this      principle         must       remain        central         in    Community
     R & D      policy       as    regards       the      R & D        needed       by    firms      so   that
     they   can     market      new    products         and    processes,            i t i s ,     neverthe­
     less,       the     case     that      longer       term      technological              research      in
     Europe     faces       certain      problems :
     -   longer-term         technological research                    i s   relatively          expensive,
        by   i t s nature        slow     to    provide       a   return        on   investment,           and
        often      requires        multidisciplinary                 technical          and      scientific
        expertise         which     i s   not    indigenous           to    an    individual         firm   or
        even    to     the    industrial          sector       where        the    new    technology        is
        needed.          Communication            channels           between         those       making     or
        selling         the      end-products             which         might        incorporate           the
        results       of    research       and   those       c a r r y i n g out     the     research      are
 ---pagebreak---                                          -   5 -
   often     imperfect        and    sometimes        non-existent.           Because         the
    technologies          are     widely        dispersed         i n    many      Community
    countries,         inadequate         co-ordination         within      a   sector        and
    inadequate       co-ordination          between      various       industry         sectors
    tend    to   give     sub-critical          and    overlapping         results.             In
    other    words ,      they    do    not    integrate       on   a   sufficient          scale
    the    various    competences          necessary      and    available        throughout
    the    Community      to produce         results     that     c a n be    of    practical
    benefit     to   industry;
-    i t has   as   y e t proved        particularly         difficult       i n Europe         to
    bring    together      the research          abilities      o f t h e u n i v e r s i t y and
    industry.          Although       some     progress       has    been    made      i n    this
    direction,        i t has     n o t moved      f a r enough      or fast      enough       and
    it   i s uncommon      indeed     f o r co-operation          to evolve       between       an
    academic      institution         i n one      Member     State      and    industry        i n
    another;
      many   Member       States      provide       support       to    some     degree       for
    industrial        R & D        depending         on   their       specific        national
    circumstances.               But      the     fact     i s   that     the      consequent
    research      efforts       serve      to    benefit      only     firms     within        the
    respective       member     States      and a r e n o t s e r v i n g  t o enhance the
    industrial       competitivity of             t h e Community        as   a   whole       vis­
    a-vis     i t s major       trading       partners.            Furthermore,              these
    national      research        efforts       are    generally        not     co-ordinated
    and     thus     the     work      i s    frequently        overlapping           or      even
    duplicating         work     which       i s   being      done     i n   other        Member
    States.
 9.     I t should     be   recalled       that    t h e Community's        major       trading
partners,          the    US    and     Japan,        both     provide      major       central
government        support      f o r R & D     intended      t o be    of direct        benefit
 to    their   industries.           As    explained      i n more     detail     i n t h e two
 attached       proposals         f o r    new    sub-programmes,              the      US     and
 Japanese        government          support        to    industrial          R     &      D    i s
 significant        and    i n many      cases     i s 100% financed           from     central
 government       funds.       I t i s also      clear    that    the research           efforts
 ---pagebreak---                                              -  6    -
in    these    countries           are    usually         well    co-ordinated,              thereby
ensuring         research             efficiency             as       well      as        effective
dissemination          of    results       for    advantageous          exploitation          by   the
industries       in    these      countries.
10.     Community        initiatives           have     to   be   aimed     at  reducing         these
defects     and     therefore          have       to    be    subject       to   the      following
considerations :
-   the  Community         should      only      support       technological research               of
   a   pre-competitive             character,           i.e.      the   research          undertaken
    should    only      go     so    far    as    to    create       benefits      which     can    be
   equally     e x p l o i t e d by    a   number        of   firms     in   competition          with
    each   other      at    the     product       development          and   marketing         stage;
   harmonisation            and      standardization              aspects       are        important
    here ;
-   the   Community         should       only     undertake        projects       for     which    the
    combination        of     human      and     financial        resources        at     Community
    level   gives      an    "added       value";
-    a   proper       coupling          should                  occur      between         Community
    initiatives          and       the     market         and     hence       applications          of
    commercial       value       should      be    foreseen       before     work     i s   started;
    in  other     words,          the    research         undertaken         must    be     research
    which    industry          really      needs        but    cannot       undertake        without
    financial       support;
-   the  fact     that     an    industry        i s   in   trouble      or   declining       i s  not
    in    itself        a      justification               for     Community          assistance.
    Community      initiatives            should       therefore       focus    on    those      areas
    where   t e c h n o l o g i c a l and      other      social-economic           factors       will
    create   a    reasonable          possibility           for    a   major    improvement         in
    productivity           or      competitivity              but      where      industry         and
    national     actions         are     insufficient;
 ---pagebreak---                                            -  7   -
-    the    Community         should      not     simply        subsidize        research       but
    should    a c t as    a   catalyst       concentrating           on   selective       actions
    which     can      benefit         industry         widely        and     hence      have      a
    multiplier        effect        through       a    relatively          modest      financial
    contribution         ("seed       money").
11.     In   order      to    ensure      that     the    Community         role   i s properly
taken      into    account        at   a l l stages,          the    above     considerations
relating        to     the      role      of     Community          initiatives         must      be
concretely        reflected         i n the    criteria        t o be    applied     i n  judging
priorities          as    between         proposals          for      individual         research
projects.           The     most     important        points      here     are   that    priority
must      be   given      to      projects       providing          clear      evidence       of    a
 substantial         own-contribution             from      industry        and   of   real    need
 for   the    technology          concerned        i n at     least      two   Member     States,
 expressed       i n   trans-frontier            co-operative            planning,         funding
 and   exploitation.
 12.     The   role     that      national       governments need              to   play    i n the
 process      of    the    promotion         of    technological            research      will    be
 determined         by      specific         national         circumstances.                  In     a
 permanent       consultation,            i n particular           through      the   Management
 and      Co-ordination              Consultative            Committee          -     Industrial
 Technologies         (CGC),       Community       and    national        activities       have   to
 be   confronted         to    avoid      unnecessary           overlapping.             National
 governments         should       also    play     an   important        role    to   ensure     the
  involvement        of  industry        and    i n particular          o f t h e SMEs .
  13.    International             co-operation,              i . e .     co-operation          with
  research      efforts        i n   non-EEC      countries,            i s  already      seen    i n
  many     programmes          i n     different         ways      (COST,         ECSC      working
  parties,       etc.).          Thus,       where     a mutual        interest      exists,     the
  Community      should       remain     open     to   international          co-operation         on
  an  ad-hoc     basis,        while     taking      into     account       the fact     that    the
  new     programmes            are      aimed        at      the       promotion         of     the
  competitiveness           o f Community         industry        through     the solution         of
  problems      specific        t o Community           R & D .
 ---pagebreak---                                                      -    8 -
IV.  Management          of the A c t i o n         Programme
     14.     The      general        management             rules      applying        to     the    various
     sub-programmes             in    this       action        programme         are    s e t out     below.
     As   a   result         of   the     different           rules      applicable         (e.g.       steel
     research         and     work    at     the      JRC),       these        management        rules    are
     indeed       general        and     cannot          be    fully      applied       to    a l l of    the
     sub-programmes.                     They         are      therefore          primarily          guiding
     principles         which     will      be     adapted       to the s p e c i a l      circumstances
     of  each      sub-programme,                but      always     aimed      at   facilitating         the
    participation               of     industry             and    ensuring          i t s     involvement
     throughout          the    programme.
    A) N a t u r e    o f Community            Actions
    15.      Research         projects         will       f o r t h e most       part     be    undertaken
     in   the      form      of   shared         cost       contract        research       or     concerted
    action.          Shared         cost        contract          research         can take       t h e form
    of   pilot-       or demonstration-projects.                         Concerted        actions      would
    in   p a r t i c u l a r be u n d e r t a k e n      i n cases      where      work     supported      by
    national         funds      or   entirely           privately        funded      i s already       going
    on,       the      Commission's             role        then    being        limited        simply     to
    organizing           the    co-ordination               of   the     work     and    the     Community
    funding         confined          to      covering           the     cost      of      co-ordination
    activities.             However,        in certain          cases      where     i t i s clear       that
    more     than     simple      co-ordination              i s needed,          a certain       level    of
    funding        of    the     actual       research          work     could      be   considered        in
    consultation            with    t h e CGC.            In a d d i t i o n ,   where       appropriate,
    work      at     the      Joint       Research            Centre        will     be     arranged       to
    complement          other      actions         under       this    Action       Programme         though
    authorised,              financed         and       managed        in     accordance         with    the
    normal      arrangements           a p p l i c a b l e - t o the? J R C ;
 ---pagebreak---                                                                         -    9     -
B) P r e p a r a t i o n ,                 management                      and.evaluation                        o f programmes i
16.             The       Commission                   will          be      assisted                 by     t h e CGC        on I n d u s t r i a l
Technologies                         i n i t s task                   of        defining                and      preparing              research,
development                       and        demonstration                             activities                on     t h e one       hand          and
its             management                       and            co-ordination•-•                         -f u n c t i o n s . . r e l a t e d .         to
programmes                     on      industrial                       technologies.
17.             As       many          of       the          programmes                        will        be      strongly             industry-
oriented,                           the          Commission                           will            establish                consultation-
procedures                        with            industry                     and,                where          appropriate,                       with
academic                   and         research                    institutions,                            to      assist          i t      in       the
preparation                          and        management                        of          programmes.                      This       kind          of
 consultation                          machinery                      should                also          provide            an      additional
 channel                 f o r the d i f f u s i o n of research                                         results.
 Programmes                       will          be          submitted                      to        evaluation               procedures                in
 accordance                    with          t h e "Community                           plan          of action            relating            to the
 evaluation                      of     Community                     research                 "and      development                programmes"
 (C0M(83)1) .
 C) £Participants
 ^)          £ £ i i £ . i E § n ^ £         £and
                                                H l      projects
                                                          projects
 18.
 18.             Participants
                 P   articipants                    in
                                                    i  n t   the
                                                               he r     research
                                                                           esearch                 projects
                                                                                                   p rojects          can
                                                                                                                      c  a n bebe     industrial
                                                                                                                                       industrial
  firms,
  f   irms,               research
                          research                 iinstitutes
                                                      nstitutes                    and
                                                                                   a n d universities
                                                                                                 universities e              established
                                                                                                                               s t a b l i s h e d in    in
 the
 t   he            Community.
                   Community.                                  Normally,
                                                               N  ormally,                         research
                                                                                                   r esearch              iinstitutes
                                                                                                                             nstitutes                 and
                                                                                                                                                       and
 uuniversities
      niversities                        should
                                         s hould                participate
                                                                p  articipate                         only
                                                                                                      only          in
                                                                                                                    in       a
                                                                                                                             a     group
                                                                                                                                   group             with
                                                                                                                                                      with
  substantial
  s   ubstantial                       p aa rr tt ii cc ii pp aa tt ii oo nn
                                       p                                             ((financial
                                                                                        financial                 or
                                                                                                                  o r        otherwise)
                                                                                                                             otherwise)                  by
                                                                                                                                                         by
   iindustrial
      n d u s t r i a l firms.    firms.
  PP rr ii oo rr ii tt yy ww ii ll ll bebe given given t          to o p   projects
                                                                             rojects u              undertaken
                                                                                                      n d e r t a k e n by  by participants
                                                                                                                                  participants
    from
    f r o m more  more than   t h a n one  one Member Member State.         State.
   PProjects
      rojects               should
                            s  hould             be
                                                 be         of
                                                            of s      s uu ff ff ii cc ii ee nn tt    size
                                                                                                      size        to
                                                                                                                  t  o     create
                                                                                                                           c reate         cc rr ii t i c a l
    r e s e a r c h results
    research               r e s u l t s and     a n d ensuree n s u r e an     an optimal
                                                                                         optimal             impact.
                                                                                                             impact.
 ---pagebreak---                                          -  10   -
  D)   Financial      aspects
  19.     Community      finance     should,        as   a   general       rule,   not    exceed
  50%   of   the  total     cost    of  the    project.           The     remainder       should
  be    provided      by   the    industrial          firms      participating          in    the
  project,     and   will    be  decided      individuality          f o r reach   project in
  the    light    of    its   characteristics,               the    extent      to    which   i t
  meets    the   selection      criteria      and     the    amount       of   risk    accepted
 by   the   proposers      of   the   projects.
 The      Commission        will       take      due        account         of    a l l    other
 contributions         so    that    t l ^ global          amount       of    Community      and
 national      support     should     not,   as    a   general      rule,      exceed    50%   of
 the    total    cost.
 For    demonstration        projects,         a   maximum        of    50%    of   the    grant
 will    be  repayable      i n the    event     of    commercial         exploitation.
 E)   Access     to  and    exploitation         of     results;         dissemination        of
      information
20. The rules for access to and exploitation of results must
be defined as clearly as possible to avoid their becoming a
limiting factor for industry participation.                                  In particular,
for the new programmes in the context of the action-programme
on industrial technologies, existing procedures must be
adapted to take account of the fact that, although the
research is of a pre-competitive nature, the results will
normally be of commercial value. The rules to be established
must strike a balance between the interest of the original
inventor and a sufficient diffusion of the results to other
Community firms.
 ---pagebreak---                                        -   11   -
21.    A  set   of  standard        conditions         i s i n preparation           with    the
help   and   advice      of   industry       provided        through        CORDI.        These
will   be   discussed       with    the     CGC.        They      will    be   based    on   the
following     general       principles:
a)   the   rights      to   exploit       any    industrial           property      resulting
    from    work    under      the    programmes          will      i n   the   first      place
    reside    with     the contractor          who    makes      the     invention;
b)    preferential           access        to    "foreground                    information"
     (information         generated          under         the       contract)        and     to
    "foreground         patents"         (patents         for      inventions        made     or
    conceived         under      the    contract)          should       be    granted     under
    appropriate        terms    i n order      of p r i o r i t y   to:
    -   other   participants          i n the      sub-programme           i f required      for
       the   execution       of   their     own     contract;
    -  other    participants         i n the      sub-programme;
    -  other    enterprises         established          i n the      Community      i f their
       own    R  &   D        results         cannot        reasonably           be     applied
       otherwi se;
    -  other    enterprises        established          i n the      Community.
    The      Commission            has        the        further           responsibility,
    particularly         important       i n such     a programme,           to ensure      that
    the   results       are   properly       exploited         to     the   benefit     of   the
    whole    Community       and    i t s industry         within       a  reasonable       time
    period.        The    contractual        provisions         giving       effect   to    this
    requirement        will    be   based      upon     the    principles         set   out i n
    document     C0M(83)18.
22.    Where    pilot      demonstration           projects          are    involved,        the
contractor      should      i n   any     case    be    obliged         to   show    to    other
Community       enterprises          how      the      facilities           and     equipment
relating     to  the     projects      are used.            However,          i f industrial
 ---pagebreak---                                                 -   12    -
    and    commercial        interest        could      be     prejudiced         or    the     success       of
    the    project     endangered,             the     contractor         may     refuse        a  v i s i t  or
    charge       an    "entry       fee"       in     agreement          with       the       Commission.
    Discussions        with      industry        on    this      subject      are     under        way.
    23.     Adequate        dissemination              of     information,              that       does      not
    prejudice         industrial          and       commercial           interest,              should        be
    ensured.          Procedures         will     be    established           by    which        systematic
    information         on    work     in    progress           will    be     available.                 These
    procedures        will     be   discussed          in    the   context        of    the      individual
    programmes        with     the   CGC     and     industry        concerned.
V.  Expressions        of    interest_and            submission_of             proposals
    24.     It     is    fully       understood             by    the      Commission             that       the
    administrative            and     financial           burden       of     the      preparation            of
    fully     worked       out    research          proposals         without         a    guarantee          of
    acceptance,           is    often     a   limiting           factor      to     participation             in
    Community       R&D        programmes,             in   particular          for     SMEs .       This     is
    a     principal         reason         for        introducing            the        instrument            of
    "expressions           of     interest"           which        should         ease        access         for
    individual        firms.
   A    call     for     "expressions            of    interest"         will       be     published          as
    soon     as   proposals         for     new      programmes          are      submitted           to     the
   Council.           By    notifying         the     Commission         of     their       interest         and
   submitting          a     brief       and        global         description             of       possible
   projects,        individual         firms      will      have     the    p o s s i b i l i t y to      check
   with     the    Commission        i f their        projects        are,        in    principle,            in
   accordance         with      the   programme           and     can    invite        the      Commission
   to    help    in   forming       international             groups.         The     "expressions            of
   interest"        will    also     give     a   clear        indication         of    the      priorities
   of    the    industry      by    confirming          the     interest        of    the     managements
   of    individual        firms     in   a   programme,           and    should        help      to    ensure
   a    quick      start      once     a    programme            has    been       approved           by     the
   Counc i 1 .
 ---pagebreak---                                                                 -    13     -
     25.            A   call        for     "expressions                 of    interest"             will        not      replace       a
     formal              call         for      proposals,                 which         will         be      made        after       the.
     programme                 is      adopted          by     the      Council,              but       i t is anticipated
     that            proposals              then        received             will       to      a    substantial                 degree
     come              from          the        groups             of        organisations                     interested             in
     collaborating                      together            and       set      up     during          the       course          of   the
     earlier                procedure.
VI.
V I.   Small-
         S m a l l - _anda n d _medium-size
                                  m e d i u m - s i z e _enterprises
                                                           en^
     26. WWith
     26.              i t h regard
                               r e g a r d to  t o thethe      economic
                                                               economic i          importance
                                                                                     mportance o            off thethe S      MEs and
                                                                                                                            SMEs     and
     ttheirh e i r rroleole i    inn t  the
                                          he c  creation
                                                   reation o        off newnew     employment,
                                                                                   employment, t              the
                                                                                                               he S     MEs should
                                                                                                                      SMEs       should
     be iinvolved
     be            nvolved             in
                                       in     the
                                              t he      various
                                                        v arious            sub-programmes
                                                                            s ub-programmes                  to
                                                                                                             t o     the
                                                                                                                     t he m    aximum
                                                                                                                               maximum
       degree
       d   egree p      possible.
                          ossible.                  Moreover,
                                                    M oreover,               sspecial
                                                                               pecial a       attention
                                                                                                ttention f           for      SMEs is
                                                                                                                       o r SMEs        is
       jjustified
           ustified           as:
                               as:
     --        SMEs aare
               SMEs         re      ooften
                                      ften        bbest
                                                    est      aatt    eexploiting
                                                                       xploiting             new
                                                                                             new       ttechnology
                                                                                                         echnology              iin
                                                                                                                                  n its
                                                                                                                                     its
              early
              e arly         phases
                             p hases            and aare
                                                and          re         often
                                                                        o ften         quickest
                                                                                       q uickest               at
                                                                                                               a t       completing
                                                                                                                          completing
             engineering
              e n g i n e e r i n g development
                                        d e v e l o p m e n t and and mmarketing
                                                                             a r k e t i n g thet h e newnew product;
                                                                                                                   product;
                SMEs'
                S MEs'             managements
                                   m anagements                often
                                                               o ften                 have
                                                                                      h ave            the
                                                                                                       the         most
                                                                                                                   most       dynamic
                                                                                                                               dynamic
             ccharacteristics
                haracteristics                           and aare
                                                         and           re       more
                                                                                more         llikely
                                                                                                ikely            to
                                                                                                                 t o      undertake
                                                                                                                           undertake
              speculative
              s p e c u l a t i v e development.
                                        development.
        27. HHowever,
        27.           owever,               involvement
                                            i nvolvement               of
                                                                       o f     S MEs is
                                                                               SMEs        i s often
                                                                                                   often           difficult
                                                                                                                   difficult          to
                                                                                                                                       to
        rrealize
           e a l i z e as as e   experience
                                   xperience             at
                                                         a t thethe n   national
                                                                           a t i o n a l level
                                                                                           l e v e l has h a s shown.
                                                                                                                  shown.
        28. Generally,
        28.         G e n e r a l l y , the t h e possibility
                                                     p o s s i b i l i t y and and degree
                                                                                       d e g r e e of  o f SMESME      involvement
                                                                                                                        involvement
      wwillill      depend
                    d e p e n d to   to a  a large
                                               large e      extent
                                                              x t e n t on  on thethe n    nature
                                                                                             ature o       off specific
                                                                                                                  s p e c i f i c sub-
                                                                                                                                    sub-
       programmes.
       p   rogrammes.                   The
                                        The following
                                                 f o l l o w i n g mechanisms
                                                                      m e c h a n i s m s shoudl
                                                                                              s h o u d l encourage
                                                                                                              e n c o u r a g e their
                                                                                                                                   their
         involvement
         i nvolvement               and
                                    and      only
                                             o n l y experience
                                                        experience              can
                                                                                c a n provide
                                                                                        p r o v i d e the  t h e answer
                                                                                                                    a n s w e r asas toto
       which
       w   h i c h wayway     or
                              o r waysw a y s will
                                                w i l l be be the t h e most
                                                                           m o s t appropriate:
                                                                                      appropriate: <
     - -       tthrough
                 hrough          cco-operation
                                    o-operation               wwith
                                                                 ith       llarge
                                                                              arge      ffirms
                                                                                          irms         which
                                                                                                       w hich        aalready
                                                                                                                       lready        use
                                                                                                                                      use
              SMEs as
              SMEs      as s  sub-contractors
                                 ub-contractors o                 orr w which
                                                                          hich m     market
                                                                                       a r k e t ttheir
                                                                                                      h e i r products;
                                                                                                                   products;
 ---pagebreak---                                                    -    14   -
     -      through         the      involvement            of    co-operative             or      collective
          organisations                which        have          SMEs       as       members             (these
          organisations             can     either       do     research       in    the      programme         on
          behalf       of     SMEs     or    can     help      to    identify        SMEs       which      might
          participate            individually);
     -      through            the     involvement            of     and/or      communication               with
          universities             which       are      already         working        on      problems         of
          concern        to    SMEs;
     -      through         information          provided           by          trade       associations,
          chambers         of   commerce,        government          bodies,       etc.
VII.   General
      29.        The   necessity          for   increased         and    more    effective            long-term
      research          with     a   view     to    increased          competitivity             in    industry
      is     generally         recognized        as    crucial        to   the   future        economic        and
      social         well-being          of   the     Community.             This      action        programme
      alone        cannot       fully      respond       to     this     major     challenge,             but   i t
       certainly           can,       by    means      of      stimulation,             support         the    co­
       ordination           of   research        on     industrial         technologies,                and    put
       into      motion      the    efforts      which       will     help    to    achieve        this     goal.
      Without         such      Community        action,           the    type     of     effort      which      is
       necessary          is    unlikely       to    be    undertaken         or   will       be     undertaken
       only      when     i t i s too       late.
       30.       The    Commission           realises         the     necessity         of     not     creating
       unnecessary            administrative             and     legal      constraints            to         R & D
       co-operation,                in     particular           in     the    field        of     competition
       policy,          and     is giving       this      problem         special       a t t e n t i o n at   the
       present         time.
       31.        This    action      programme         i s not      in   the   f i r s t   place      aimed     at
       putting        into      motion      very      large-scale          research         projects.            It
       w i l l ,      on      the     other      hand,           serve      to     better         define        the
       Community's             proper      role     in     assisting        industry         to    solve      what
 ---pagebreak---                                        -  15   -
are     now    deep-rooted       problems.        Certainly,        as   experience   is
gained       under     this    programme    the r o l e   o f t h e Community      vis-à-
vis      both     this     programme      and    other     R & D        programmes     of
interest         to  industry,        can   be   fine-tuned       to   such   an   extent
that      i t sefficiency        i s optimal.        That   i s , the expenditure      of
p u b l i c 'money      and   institutional       involvement       can   be   minimised
to     only     that    which    i s necessary      in   the   light     of  industry's
own      resources       and    of  developments        taking     place    outside   the
Community .
32.        The    Council        is   asked      to    agree      with    the     general
guidelines          as   s e t out   above   and    to   approve     the   two   attached
 programme        proposals.
 ---pagebreak---                                                     - 16 -                                                            ANNEX I
                        B R I E F D E S C R I P T I O N OF E X I S T I N G S U B - P R O G R A M M E S
                                 Community Bureau of Reference                         (BCR)
          The      BCR     sub-programme               is    aimed      at     improving            the      accuracy      of
measurements and thereby the harmony of the r e s u l t s of such measurements
throughout             the     Community.               Its    field      of      action         covers          metrology,
a n a l y t i c a l chemistry and t e c h n o l o g i c a l measurements.                        Work i s undertaken
on     problems         of     economic,           commercial        or    i n d u s t r i a l importance            at   the
l e v e l of the Community, thus g i v i n g BCR                       a public service                  character.
          The improvements produced by the programme are a c h i e v e d by
-         Intercomparisons                 i . e . collaboration             exercises            in      which      several
          highly       qualified laboratories                    compare        their       r e s u l t s , discuss       the
          cause        of     discrepancies              and      investigate            the       possibilities           of
          eliminating           the i d e n t i f i e d causes of          errors
          preparing         metrological              transfer       standards          or    similarly            reference
          materials          to      give       the     possibility         to     a l l other            users      in   the
          Community          to     align        their    measurements            by     better         calibration        of
          t h e i r equipment and methodology.
          Accuracy         can      be     confirmed        only     by    comparison            and      therefore       the
programme           i s essentially a collaborative                        undertaking.                Laboratories        of
all        member        countries             with      sufficient           expertise             are        invited     to
participate.              P a r t i c i p a t i o n i s a l s o open to a l l l a b o r a t o r i e s of the             JRC.
          While       measurements             are     done    by   a   large       variety          of     laboratories,
there i s needed f o r these measurements a p p r o p r i a t e                             i n s t r u m e n t s which are
stable          and    reliable,            or    materials        samples        and      substances            which    are
stable          and    homogeneous.                Provision        of    these       is     another           aim   of   the
programme.
          The      priority         fields        covered      by   the    BCR      programme           as     an  indirect
a c t i o n are
-         mechanical           metrology
-         o p t i c a l metrology
-         temperature            metrology
 ---pagebreak---                                       - 17 -
     e l e c t r i c a l metrology
     flow measurement
     a n a l y s e s f o r environment
     a n a l y s e s f o r food
     a n a l y s e s of metals and raw m a t e r i a l s
     measurement f o r m a t e r i a l s m e c h a n i c a l p r o p e r t i e s
     biomedical analysis.
     This       programme has      the  flexibility          to adapt          itself to  particular
needs not f o r e s e e n and which may      emerge.         I t has a l s o the p o s s i b i l i t y of
being adapted to changing needs or requirements of the other                             departments
of the Commission (DG I I I , V I , X I ) .
 ---pagebreak---                                                           - 18 -
                                                   N u c l e a r Measurements
            The Reference Measurements and Reference M a t e r i a l s sub-programme i s
  carried          out under             the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f t h e JRC             Geel   Establishment
  (CBNM).           Most o f the work                   i s performed         a t the CBNM, b u t c o l l a b o r a t i o n
 with       l a b o r a t o r i e s of the Member S t a t e s                i s maintained          and h e l p   on some
  aspects           from         national            laboratories            is       sought       either    by      mutual
  collaboration                o r by         contract.           Most      of      the work        involved      has the
 objective           of helping             the n u c l e a r      industry,         but a       significant       part i s
 a l s o o r i e n t e d towards non-nuclear a p p l i c a t i o n s .
          As i t s name i m p l i e s , the u n d e r l y i n g                expertise        o f t h e sub-programme
 is     that        of     measurement               science,        more       specifically          the   science          of
 accurate           measurements               with        well     defined         errors,       and    the    theme       of
 providing             standards             and       references          as       a     centralised       service         is
 emphasized.
          T h i s sub-programme's o b j e c t i v e s a r e :
 (a)      To      provide          basic         neutron         cross      section          data   to   the     required
          accuracy          to help         understand many a s p e c t s                of optimising       the d e s i g n
          and       operation             of      fission         reactors          and      associated      industrial
         p r o c e s s e s and a l s o t o h e l p              the t e c h n o l o g i c a l development o f f u s i o n
         reactors.
(b)      To p r o v i d e       s p e c i a l i s e d reference        materials           required    by the n u c l e a r
         industry, especially                               concerned w i t h a n a l y t i c a l measurements i n
         the n u c l e a r       f u e l c y c l e , the measurement o f i n - p i l e n e u t r o n dose and
         the       measurement              of      environmental            radioactivities            due    to    man's
         e x p l o i t a t i o n of nuclear             power.
(c)     To use n u c l e a r            measurement             techniques        t o develop       and c h a r a c t e r i s e
        references             i n (1) the measurement o f t r a c e s o f m e t a l s i n b i o l o g i c a l
        materials            and hence t o h e l p              understand the e f f e c t o f e n v i r o n m e n t a l
        t r a c e on h e a l t h         and (2) the a n a l y s e s            o f the s u r f a c e s  of materials
        which a r e i n c r e a s i n g            importance         t o the semiconductor              industry, to
        the c h e m i c a l i n d u s t r y and t o the metals                      industry.
 ---pagebreak---                                               - 19 -
 (d)   To    give     d i r e c t help     to   the      programme         of   the     Community           reference
       Bureau i n the           preparation,          conditioning,           sampling and             conservation
       of some n o n - n u c l e a r r e f e r e n c e     materials.
 (e)  To      develop         and    apply       nuclear           measurement          techniques            to   the
      metrology of r a d i o n u c l i d e decay (important                    a c t i n i d e i s o t o p e s i n the
      fuel       cycle,      isotopes      used      i n medicine,          etc.)      to    the     metrology      of
      n e u t r o n f l u x and     dose    ( e s p e c i a l l y dose absorbed by               humans) and         to
      the measurement of t r a c e i m p u r i t i e s i n the atmosphere.
 (f)  To       contribute         where       possible            to   the     better          measurement          of
      fundamental c o n s t a n t s ,       s p e c i f i c a l l y to t h a t of the atomic weight of
      s i l i c o n which i n t u r n w i l l         lead      to a b e t t e r v a l u e     of the        Avogadro
      constant.
 (g)  To     give      direct      help     to      the      Euratom       Safeguards           Directorate         by
      performing v e r i f i c a t i o n analyses               of safeguards samples.
      The     sub-programme          i s largely a continuation                    of    the     JRC's        1980-83
programme on N u c l e a r Measurements, but                      to t h i s has     now     been added a          few
items   which       appeared       previously           in     other    programmes,           e.g.      analytical
measurements         for      the   Safeguards           Inspectorate,           to    make        it     the    total
activity      of    JRC     Geel.      The    sub-programme            also     has      some r e o r i e n t a t i o n
from  fission        to    fusion     reactors        and      about    a   15%    r e o r i e n t a t i o n towards
non-nuclear work.
 ---pagebreak---                                                      - 20 -
                                          High Temperature M a t e r i a l s
          The High Temperature M a t e r i a l s sub-programme aims a t s a t i s f y i n g                             the
need        for       constructional                materials        for        long-term          service      in    high
temperature a g g r e s s i v e environments, i n p a r t i c u l a r i n the c r i t i c a l                        areas
of      important            industrial            processes.          It      thus        provides       a   scientific
service,          concerned         w i t h m a t e r i a l s i n f o r m a t i o n , data h a n d l i n g and     direct
r e s e a r c h programmes, which a i d s the development of improved                                       engineering
m a t e r i a l s and       components.
          The work i n t h i s sub-programme i s d i r e c t e d towards :
-         development of new                  and    improved m a t e r i a l s designed             specifically for
          o p e r a t i o n i n the environments of i n d u s t r i a l                    processes,
-         c h a r a c t e r i s a t i o n of the p r o p e r t i e s of m a t e r i a l s and          components,
-         m a t e r i a l s p r o d u c t i o n and p r o c e s s i n g ,
          development of p r o t o t y p e             components,
-         shaping of components by machining and o t h e r                                    processes,
-          joining         technology,
          d e s i g n and      lifetime          prediction,
          f a i l u r e a n a l y s i s / p l a n t operational experience.
          Emphasis           is    placed         on  high     temperature              materials        such   metallic
a l l o y s , c o a t i n g s , e n g i n e e r i n g ceramics,          r e f r a c t o r i e s and    composites.
          The major economic importance of t e c h n o l o g i c a l developments i n the
 field       of HTM         i s derived           from    the   fact       that      they       enable   the f o l l o w i n g
 requirements             to be met          :
-          i n c r e a s e d e f f i c i e n c y , through h i g h e r p r o c e s s           temperatures,
 -         improved r e l i a b i l i t y ,         thus r e d u c i n g shut-downs,
 -         s a f e t y , both f o r o p e r a t o r s and        the l o c a l p o p u l a t i o n ,
           longer d e s i g n l i v e s , thus s p r e a d i n g the c a p i t a l needs,
-          t o l e r a n c e of the i n c r e a s i n g l y c o r r o s i v e environments which                 result
           from the use of lower                    grade f u e l s .
 ---pagebreak---                                               - 21 -
     Collaborations            exist        with      a    number         of  national      and  industrial
organisations          which       can       be      grouped          according        to   the   following
categories       :
     Research d i v i s i o n s of m a t e r i a l s           producers        f o r the  optimisation   of
     properties,
     Plant          design     and       process          development           organisations      for   the
     s e l e c t i o n of m a t e r i a l s ,
     Constructors          and     operators          of    plant       f o r the    effect   of service  on
     m a t e r i a l s as w e l l as the above               aspects,
     Research i n s t i t u t e s and          u n i v e r s i t i e s f o r mechanistic     knowledge.
 ---pagebreak---                                                       - 22 -
  European C o - o p e r a t i o n          i n t h e F i e l d o f S c i e n t i f i c and T e c h n i c a l Research
                                                      (COST) A c t i o n s
  COST        501 -           Project       on h i g h       temperature        materials         f o r conventional
  systems o f energy g e n e r a t i o n and c o n v e r s i o n u s i n g f o s s i l f u e l s
            The      main o b j e c t i v e o f t h i s p r o j e c t      i s t o d e v e l o p and c o - o r d i n a t e
  r e s e a r c h through c o n c e r t e d        a c t i o n by t h e p a r t i c i p a n t s , i n o r d e r t o :
  -          improve t h e p r o p e r t i e s and assessment o f m a t e r i a l s                    necessary f o r
            long-term              use     at   high       temperature           i n energy         conversion          and
            production             installations          and i n s t a l l a t i o n s  using     t h e p r o d u c t s of
            c o n v e r s i o n , as w e l l as i n o t h e r advanced systems;
 -          evolve         new methods          f o r the processing                of materials          i n order to
            ensure t h e i r economic u t i l i s a t i o n ;
 -          study          the p o s s i b i l i t i e s    afforded       by      substitute        materials f o r
            c o n v e n t i o n a l h i g h temperature a l l o y s .
           The      r e s u l t s o f t h e work a r e expected t o c o n t r i b u t e t o :
  (1)       improved f u e l e f f i c i e n c y (e.g. p e t r o l , c o a l , combined c o a l and o i l ,
            l i g n i t e , peat, e t c . ) ;
  (2)      b e t t e r s e r v i c e performance and economy o f p l a n t and equipment;
 (3)       more         economic          use o f m a t e r i a l s     with         particular        reference         to
           c o n s e r v a t i o n o f s t r a t e g i c elements and r e c y c l i n g ;
 (4)       better pollution control.
COST 502 - P r o j e c t on C o r r o s i o n i n t h e C o n s t r u c t i o n              Industry
           The       main        aim o f t h i s         project     i s t o develop              and       co-ordinate
co-operative                 research       with      a view      t o making            more     efficient       u s e of
m a t e r i a l s employed i n t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n i n d u s t r y and t o r e d u c i n g               losses
due     to corrosion.
          Some o f t h e p a r t i c u l a r aims a r e as f o l l o w s :
-          t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f new methods o f c o r r o s i o n r e s e a r c h          and c o r r o s i o n
          prevention;
          the b e t t e r use o f t h e s t r e n g t h o f m a t e r i a l s by a v o i d i n g               corrosion
          problems o f t e n a s s o c i a t e d w i t h h e a v i l y s t r e s s e d m a t e r i a l s ;
 ---pagebreak---                                                     - 23 -
           the       i n t r o d u c t i o n o f new        technologies           or processes,            where the
           c o n t r o l o f c o r r o s i o n problems has been t h e key problem;
           the        safeguarding             against         the     increased          corrosivity           of many
           e n v i r o n m e n t s , i n t h e atmosphere, i n water and i n t h e s o i l ;
 -         t h e development                 and    testing         o f new       materials          and methods of
           protection.
 COST 503 - P r o j e c t on powder m e t a l l u r g y
           The       main        aim o f        this      project       i s t o develop              and    co-ordinate
 co-operative               r e s e a r c h w i t h a v i e w t o m a i n t a i n i n g and s t r e n g t h e n i n g t h e
 competitive               position         o f t h e European            powder       metallurgy         i n d u s t r y by
  i n c r e a s i n g i t s t e c h n o l o g i c a l c a p a c i t y f o r t h e p r o c e s s i n g of powder.
            S p e c i f i c a r e a s o f r e s e a r c h under t h i s p r o j e c t r e l a t e t o :
  (1)       P r e p a r a t i o n and c h a r a c t e r i s a t i o n o f m e t a l powders
v (2)       Powder compaction
  (3)      Sintering
  (4)       Spray c a s t i n g o f s t e e l s w i t h h o t compacting e s p e c i a l l y f o r c u t t i n g
            tools
   (5)      Quality control
   (6)      Development              of g u i d e l i n e s f o r the design           o f powder m e t a l l u r g i c a l
            parts
   (7)      Improvement i n p r o d u c t performance
  COST 504 - P r o j e c t on C a s t i n g s Technology
             The       main       aim o f        this      project       i s t o develop              and    co-ordinate
   c o - o p e r a t i v e r e s e a r c h t o encourage t h e use o f new techniques                         i n casting
   to manufacture p r o d u c t s o f b e t t e r q u a l i t y and ensure t h e c o m p e t i t i v e n e s s
   of t h e i n d u s t r y .
 ---pagebreak---                                                   - 24 -
      S p e c i f i c areas of r e s e a r c h under t h i s p r o j e c t r e l a t e t o :
 (1)  D i r e c t c a s t i n g of        close      to   final        shape s e m i - f i n i s h e d      products     of
      base m e t a l a l l o y s w i t h m e l t i n g p o i n t s above 1000°C i n c l u d i n g s t e e l s
      (especially stainless steel)
 (2)  Improving the p r o d u c t i v i t y and                  q u a l i t y of n o d u l a r c a s t i r o n       (S.G.
      i r o n ) , s t e e l and n o n - f e r r o u s c a s t i n g s
 (3)  Influence           of m e t a l l u r g i c a l f a c t o r s     ( e s p e c i a l l y p u r i t y ) of    primary
      and     secondary aluminium a l l o y s upon c a s t i n g p r o c e s s t e c h n o l o g y                      and
      p r o p e r t i e s of     castings
COST 505      - P r o j e c t on m a t e r i a l s f o r steam t u r b i n e s
     The       main       aim     of     the      project       is     to     improve         the     efficiency        and
reliability          of     steam      turbines        by    an      improved          knowledge          of   materials
behaviour i n c o n d i t i o n s relevant to s e r v i c e .
     The      t e c h n i c a l o b j e c t i v e s of t h i s p r o j e c t a r e :
      t o improve the e f f i c i e n c y of d e s i g n of t u r b i n e components;
-     to ensure t h a t m a t e r i a l s w i t h adequate performance a r e a v a i l a b l e t o
     meet new           demands of the             industry;
-     to p r o v i d e      an   improved b a s i s f o r the e s t i m a t i o n                of r e m a i n i n g  life
     i n c o n s e r v a t i v e l y designed t u r b i n e equipment.
     Research w i l l r e l a t e s p e c i f i c a l l y t o :
(1)  E f f e c t s of environment on                  properties
(2)  F r a c t u r e mechanics
(3)  Corrosion-erosion                 and h a r d - f a c i n g     materials
(4)  Bolting materials
(5)  E s t i m a t i o n of r e s i d u a l l i f e
(6)  E f f e c t s of w e l d i n g and           stress r e l i e f
(7)  Increased           reliability           of components
(8)  H i g h temperature p r o p e r t i e s
 ---pagebreak---                                                      - 25 -
                                                           Textiles
          The g e n e r a l       aim of t h e T e x t i l e s sub-programme i s t o m a i n t a i n                         and
expand         the       industrial           and       commercial         p o t e n t i a l of     the t e x t i l e        and
c l o t h i n g i n d u s t r y i n t h e Community.               Because i t s p o s i t i o n a t w o r l d - l e v e l
can o n l y be defended i f a s u s t a i n e d e f f o r t i s made i n t h e d i r e c t i o n of
technological innovation,                         such i n n o v a t i o n     i s the research            o b j e c t i v e of
t h i s sub-programme.
          The sub-programme c o n s i s t s of f o u r s e c t i o n s :
(a)       Garment p h y s i o l o g y        and c o n s t r u c t i o n
          The       first        part      of     the      programme,          specifically           concerned             with
          garment           comfort,         i s closely         linked with               the t e x t i l e      industry.
          Amongst o t h e r          t h i n g s , i t i s intended              t h a t a harmonized system of
          sizes         be      brought         into       play    at      Community           level      i n order           to
          f a c i l i t a t e intra-Community t r a d e .
(b)       Q u a l i t y o f k n i t t e d f a b r i c s and k n i t t e d a r t i c l e s
          The      objective          i n this          case    i s to achieve               greater       stability          as
          regards the s i z e of both k n i t t e d                     fabrics          and      knitted         articles.
          The       aim       i s improve             competitiveness              by     establishing            a     better
          price/quality              ratio.            This     should,         however, be           accompanied             by
          increased            flexibility           and t h e c a p a c i t y        t o r e a c t more s w i f t l y        to
          market f l u c t u a t i o n s , b o t h o f w h i c h a s p e c t s             should    d e r i v e from the
          sub-programme.
(c)       A p p l i c a t i o n of new s p i n n i n g t e c h n o l o g i e s        i n t h e wool i n d u s t r y .
          The European w o o l s e c t o r w i t h i t s 300,000 workers a l r e a d y possesses
          c o n s i d e r a b l e t e c h n o l o g i c a l know-how.          I t produces j u s t over h a l f of
          the w o r l d ' s combed             and carded y a r n .              The sub-programme thus aims
          s p e c i f i c a l l y to preserve             such v a l u a b l e knowledge and experience                      and
          t o expand i t s t i l l f u r t h e r .
 ---pagebreak---                                                     - 26     -
(d)       U p g r a d i n g of    linen
          The     c o n c e r n i n t h i s case i s to e x p l o i t a h i g h - q u a l i t y               natural        fibre
          w h i c h has       the advantage of b e i n g produced i n the Community.
          A new        variety       of    fabrics        can    be    created        on    the      b a s i s of        suitable
          m i x t u r e s of     linen,       c o t t o n and     a r t i f i c i a l fibres.             In     order to        do
          this,       the      whole l i n e n p r o d u c t i o n p r o c e s s must be               m o d e r n i z e d , from
          crop c u l t i v a t i o n r i g h t t h r o u g h to the            finished         product.
          The      aim      of   the      research,         which       i s being          undertaken              by      several
          different           laboratories,            i s to     improve the            c o n s i s t e n c y and        quality
          of     linen-based           products          at    a l l stages          of    production               :    retting,
          s c u t c h i n g , c a r d i n g , s p i n n i n g , weaving, dyeing, e t c .                        In      addition,
          efforts w i l l         be    made to upgrade the                   finished         products i n              relation
          to t h e i r uses : c l o t h i n g , i n t e r i o r d e c o r a t i o n ,            etc.
          The      results         of     the     research        will       be      distributed             as      widely      as
possible          to f a c i l i t a t e the p r a c t i c a l a p p l i c a t i o n      and     e x p l o i t a t i o n of    the
r e s u l t s f o r the b e n e f i t        of the European t e x t i l e s i n d u s t r y                as a whole.
 ---pagebreak---                                                    -    27   -
                                                   Steel       Research
          The      Steel       Research        sub-programme            c o n t r i b u t e s to        common      research
needs          in      both       process-oriented                and       product-oriented                   sectors     of
technology             with      the   u l t i m a t e o b j e c t i v e of       enhacing           the      international
c o m p e t i t i v e n e s s of t h e Community's s t e e l i n d u s t r y .                 P r i o r i t y i s given to
applied           problems         having        short-to-medium              term       goals        where       there   are
opportunities                to   reduce       production          costs         and     raise        productivity,        to
improve          product         quality        and      to    promote        steel       as     an      engineering      and
structural material.
           The      scientific          and     technical         research           being        undertaken         in  this
 sub-programme f a l l s i n t o the f o l l o w i n g f i v e main f i e l d s :
 (i)       i r o n ore r e d u c t i o n
           Two     of the main concerns                    are i m p r o v i n g    the o p e r a t i o n of the        blast
 furnace          -     so    as    to   enhance          productivity            as    well       as     to    improve    raw
 material u t i l i s a t i o n          - and        reducing       energy c o s t s .            S i n c e energy     costs
 represent            about      one    third        of    the   total       c o s t s of       iron production,           the
 scope t o a c h i e v e i m p o r t a n t economic b e n e f i t s i s c o n s i d e r a b l e .
  (ii)       steelmaking
            A major p a r t of the e f f o r t i n s t e e l m a k i n g d e a l s w i t h the                     continuous
  c a s t i n g p r o c e s s , where the main o b j e c t i v e s a r e t o improve the                              surface
 and       internal          quality      of     cast products            and      t o advance the               control    and
  o p e r a t i n g performance of c a s t i n g machines.                         C o n s i d e r a b l e energy s a v i n g s
  can be         gained       due    t o the reduced             number of p r o c e s s i n g s t e p s i n v o l v e d .
  P r o j e c t s a r e a l s o b e i n g undertaken              aimed a t r e d u c i n g o p e r a t i n g c o s t s i n
  electric           arc steelmaking, developing                       enhanced r e f r a c t o r y m a t e r i a l s       and
  longer-term               fundamental          studies        of    the       thermochemical                properties     of
  steelmaking m a t e r i a l s .
 ---pagebreak---                                                       - 28 -
  ( i i i ) r o l l i n g and m e c h a n i c a l      working
            The r e s e a r c h on r o l l i n g m i l l s ranges from t h e development of energy
  s a v i n g measures i n i n g o t r e h e a t i n g f u r n a c e s t o s t u d i e s on r e d u c i n g             mill
  maintenance               costs     by      prolonging       roll       life.         In hot r o l l i n g          , the
  research            reflects         the       interest      i n optimising             steel       properties          by
  controlled             deformation           and c o o l i n g t e c h n i q u e s ,   while      improvements i n
  shape c o n t r o l remain a f o c a l p o i n t o f t h e e f f o r t i n t h e c o l d                  field.
  ( i v ) measurements and a n a l y s i s
           A major p a r t            of t h e r e s e a r c h on measurements and a n a l y s i s d e a l s
 with         quality           assessment           and   inspection, particularly                      at      elevated
 temperatures.                  Also,      t h e demand      f o r higher          standards        with      regard     to
 dimensional              accuracy        and s u r f a c e q u a l i t y  of r o l l e d     products         calls for
 the      development              of more advanced m o n i t o r i n g            and c o n t r o l methods.            In
 chemical           a n a l y s i s , r e s e a r c h i s undertaken         t o improve t h e a c c u r a c y          and
 speed of a n a l y t i c a l            techniques        f o r use i n p r o c e s s       control        at various
 stages of i r o n and s t e e l p r o d u c t i o n .
 (v)       p r o p e r t i e s and s e r v i c e performance
           I n t h e f i e l d of p r o p e r t i e s and s e r v i c e performance o f s t e e l , w h i c h
 r e p r e s e n t s one t h i r d of t h e t o t a l programme, t h e r e i s a c o n t i n u i n g need
 for      a better             scientific          understanding         of w e l d a b i l i t y ,   c o r r o s i o n and
protection                methods,            fracture       properties,               formability           and       high
 temperature p r o p e r t i e s .
           I n p a r a l l e l , more s p e c i f i c development work i n c l u d e s i n v e s t i g a t i o n s
on     s t e e l s f o r o f f s h o r e s t r u c t u r e s and gas t r a n s m i s s i o n p i p e l i n e s , f o r
e l e c t r i c i t y g e n e r a t i o n and f o r automobile            applications.             The o v e r a l l aim
i s t o p r o t e c t and t o s t r e n g t h e n e x i s t i n g as w e l l as open up new markets
f o r s t e e l w i t h emphasis on t h e p r o d u c t i o n o f more s o p h i s t i c a t e d h i g h e r
v a l u e added p r o d u c t s .
 ---pagebreak---                                                         - 29 -
                                  P i l o t P r o j e c t s f o r the S t e e l           Industry
          I n a d d i t i o n t o t e c h n o l o g i c a l r e s e a r c h a c t i v i t i e s t h e r e i s a growing
parallel           need       to     e s t a b l i s h the      feasibility             of    innovative              technologies
through p i l o t and/or d e m o n s t r a t i o n p r o j e c t s up to the o p e r a t i o n a l                            stage.
The     need i s p a r t i c u l a r l y            a c u t e i n the         i r o n and       s t e e l i n d u s t r y because
the p o t e n t i a l t o i n n o v a t e           has been s e r i o u s l y weakened by a d e t e r i o r a t i n g
financial            situation.              Numerous v a l u a b l e           new     p r o c e s s e s and         technologies
have, over the y e a r s , been developed i n the European s t e e l i n d u s t r y                                             but
have remained u n e x p l o i t e d .                   T h i s has been due,                i n l a r g e measure, to           the
high c o s t of i n d u s t r i a l development, heavy c a p i t a l i n v e s t m e n t , l o c a l                               of
appropriate              funding        and     technical risk.
          Under          this       sub-programme,                therefore,             the      Commission            may    grant
f i n a n c i a l s u p p o r t f o r p i l o t and             d e m o n s t r a t i o n p r o j e c t s i n the          iron  and
steel         industry            that       will        permit        the       transition             to      industrial        and
commercial e x p l o i t a t i o n of                   production            techniques,             p r o c e s s e s and    plant
and p r o d u c t s t h a t are i n n o v a t o r y              i n themselves or i n t h e i r a p p l i c a t i o n s ,
and       for       which         major         capital         expenditure              is     required            to    establish
technical              and/or          commercial             feasibility.                The      projects            must    offer
prospects             of     economic v i a b i l i t y            demonstrated by                 previous            studies    and
research.
           The     p i l o t s t a g e i s c h a r a c t e r i s e d by the c o n s t r u c t i o n , o p e r a t i o n           and
development of                  an      installation            having         an    adequate           capacity         and   using
 s u i t a b l y l a r g e components w i t h a v i e w t o v e r i f y i n g the p r a c t i c a b i l i t y                      of
 t h e o r e t i c a l or l a b o r a t o r y concepts and/or i n c r e a s i n g the r e l i a b i l i t y                        of
 the t e c h n i c a l and            economic date needed t o p r o g r e s s to the                               demonstration
 stage, and            i n c e r t a i n cases t o the i n d u s t r i a l and/or commercial                                stage.
           The     d e m o n s t r a t i o n stage i s c h a r a c t e r i s e d by the c o n s t r u c t i o n and/or
 operation             of     an      industrial-scale installation                              which         should       make i t
 possible           to      bring        together          a l l the        t e c h n i c a l and        economic          data,   in
 order         to       proceed           at      the       least      possible             risk       to       the      commercial
 and/or i n d u s t r i a l e x p l o i t a t i o n of the t e c h n o l o g y .
 ---pagebreak---                                                     - 30 -
         Any       firm,         research       institute           or     other     body  having         an     activity
related          to i r o n        and    steel     established            i n the    territory        of   the Member
States,          may      submit        applications             to   the     Commission      for financial            aid
under          this          sub-programme.                  All      projects         must      relate          to    the
implementation                 of     new    techniques           or    technologies with              the     following
o b j e c t i v e ( s ) : r e d u c t i o n i n p r o d u c t i o n and o p e r a t i n g c o s t s , improvement
i n p l a n t p r o d u c t i v i t y , h i g h e r p r o d u c t q u a l i t y , r e d u c t i o n i n the        capital
c o s t of p l a n t , development of new                           processes or p r o d u c t i o n        facilities,
improvement of p r o d u c t performance                           or i n c r e a s e i n the range         of     product
applications.
          They must a l s o s a t i s f y t h e f o l l o w i n g c o n d i t i o n s :
                    they         must       relate        to      pilot        industrial       installations            or
                    demonstration             installations,
                    they must e x p l o i t t e c h n i q u e s o r p r o c e s s e s w h i c h a r e i n n o v a t o r y
                    i n themselves o r i n t h e i r                application,
                    they        must      hold     out       reasonable         prospects       of     technical        and
                    economic r e l i a b i l i t y , j u d g i n g from e a r l i e r r e s e a r c h r e s u l t s ,
                    they must of v a l u e t o the Community.
          The p r o j e c t s may          i n p a r t i c u l a r r e l a t e t o the f o l l o w i n g f i e l d s :
                     S i n t e r i n g and    pelletizing
                    Use of coke and i t s p r o d u c t s i n t h e s t e e l               industry
                    B l a s t f u r n a c e and d i r e c t r e d u c t i o n
                     Oxygen and e l e c t r i c s t e e l m a k i n g
                     C a s t i n g and      solidification
                    Working of s t e e l ( f u r n a c e s , h o t and c o l d            rolling)
                     Treatment             of     semi-finished               and     finished          products        and
                     by-products
                     Use and promotion of s t e e l .
 ---pagebreak---                                                                  -  31   -
                           THE   SUB-PROGRAMMES OF T H E RESEARCH ACTION               PROGRAMME
                                             ON I N D U S T R I A L   TECHNOLOGIES
PROGRAMME                                                             DURATION               BUDGET   (MioECU)
Community B u r e a u        o f Reference            (CSA)            1983-1987                  25.0
Nuclear     Measurements                              (JRC)            1984-1987                  63.9
High T e m p e r a t u r e   Materials                (JRC)            1984-1987                  28.4
COST 501                                                               1982.
COST 5 0 2 ,    503,       504,   505                                  1983.
 Textiles                                              (CSA)           1981-1984                     3.9
 Steel   research                                    (ECSC)            Annual  budget appropriations
 Pilot Projects f o rt h e Steel
                                                     (ECSC)             1983-1987                   50.0
 Industry
 Basic T e c h n o l o g i c a l  Research              (CSA)           1984-1987                 135.0
 Application           o f new T e c h n o l o g i e s ( C S A )        1984-1987                   35.0
  (CSA)      -      cost-shared action
  (ECSC)            European Coal a n d S t e e l              Community
  (JRC)      -      Joint Research Centre
 ---pagebreak---                                                        - 32 -
                                                                                               ANNEX       II
               BASIC TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH - PROGRAMME PROPOSAL
   I.       Introduction
1.           B a s i c T e c h n o l o g i c a l Research        (BTR)     i s the a r e a of r e s e a r c h aimed at
   advancing            the      state        of     the     art   of     those         basic        technologies             which
   i n d u s t r y can u t i l i s e         t o develop        the c o m p e t i t i v e p r o d u c t s     and      processes
   of     the      future.            S i t u a t e d between       long-term            fundamental            research          and
   short-term              technical            R&D,      BTR     is     essentially               long-term           technical
   r e s e a r c h t a k i n g p l a c e a t the p r e - c o m p e t i t i v e            s t a g e , i . e . the       advanced
   technologies               emanating           from     BTR    must     undergo           further industrial                   R&D
   before         they       can      be     successfully          embodied          i n marketable              products          or
   processes.              BTR      i s important           especially         because           i t s results          can     give
   r i s e t o a p p l i c a t i o n s i n a number of i n d u s t r i a l s e c t o r s , t h e r e b y s e r v i n g
   to    boost        the c o m p e t i t i v i t y     of i n d u s t r y i n g e n e r a l .         It falls          entirely
   within          the      Framework            Programme        option        concerning             the     promotion           of
   industrial             competitiveness.                  It   concerns          areas         such     as      reliability,
   wear, d e t e r i o r a t i o n , l a s e r t e c h n o l o g y , polymers and o t h e r new m a t e r i a l s ,
   surface          s c i e n c e and        technology,         membrane s c i e n c e             and   technology,             new
   t e s t i n g methods, j o i n i n g t e c h n i q u e s , CAD/CAM and                     catalysis.
2.           Although          BTR     can      provide       the   technologies necessary                      f o r ensuring
   industrial              competitivity               over      the     next         several           decades,          BTR      is
   r e l a t i v e l y n e g l e c t e d i n Europe's major c e n t r e s of r e s e a r c h .                      On t h e      one
   hand, fundamental r e s e a r c h , which has                         remained of a h i g h s t a n d a r d ,                  has
   been        and      continues           to     be    the    central         emphasis           of    research          in     the
   universities,               w h i l e BTR        i s frequently considered                      too   t e c h n o l o g i c a l or
   too a p p l i e d f o r many u n i v e r s i t i e s .            On    the o t h e r hand, i n d u s t r i a l f i r m s
   have tended              t o c o n c e n t r a t e t h e i r R&D     a c t i v i t i e s on work l i k e l y           to lead
   to      commercially              profitable           products       within          a     very      few     years,          this
   r e s u l t i n g i n l a r g e p a r t from the c o n s t a n t p r e s s u r e of cash f l o w problems
   and the e v e r - i n c r e a s i n g c o m p e t i t i o n f o r m a r k e t s .
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3.            I n a d d i t i o n , i t has as y e t proved p a r t i c u l a r l y d i f f i c u l t                          i n Europe
    to b r i n g t o g e t h e r the r e s e a r c h a b i l i t i e s               of the u n i v e r s i t y and i n d u s t r y .
    Although          some p r o g r e s s has been made i n t h i s d i r e c t i o n , i t has not moved
    far     enough o r f a s t enough and                          i t i s uncommon indeed                    f o r cooperation          to
    e v o l v e between an academic i n s t i t u t i o n i n one Member S t a t e and i n d u s t r y
    in     another.            The       result         i s that          significant           research           results        are   not
    b e i n g generated              or adequately                transferred for practical exploitation                                 by
    i n d u s t r y i n the Community.
4.            I t must a l s o be p o i n t e d out t h a t the v e r y n a t u r e of BTR                                  places t h i s
    type of r e s e a r c h beyond the c a p a c i t y of many i n d i v i d u a l r e s e a r c h c e n t r e s
    and      c e r t a i n l y o u t s i d e the means of s m a l l and                         medium-sized e n t e r p r i s e s .
    For      example, BTR                o f t e n r e q u i r e s knowledge emanating from two                                   or more
    scientific             d i s c i p l i n e s and         generally also technical a b i l i t i e s                          deriving
    from more than one                     i n d u s t r i a l s e c t o r . Thus the r e s e a r c h e f f o r t s which do
    exist i n this f i e l d                   tend      t o be       of s u b - c r i t i c a l     s i z e , i . e . they         do  not
    integrate             on      sufficient              scale        the     various          competences              necessary       to
    produce r e s u l t s w h i c h can be of p r a c t i c a l b e n e f i t t o i n d u s t r y .
 5.            The      US      and       Japan         have        for      a   number         of      years        recognized        its
     importance             i n providing part                     of      the    t e c h n o l o g i c a l base         f o r the     next
     g e n e r a t i o n of p r o d u c t s , have i n c r e a s e d the funds a v a i l a b l e from c e n t r a l
     government             sources          and      concentrated             high        quality         research           efforts    in
     this f i e l d .           US    F e d e r a l support             t o i n d u s t r i a l R&D        of t h i s type          is   now
     running           at     several           hundred          million         dollars          per       annum,          and    similar
     support from MITI i n Japan i s now                                  about 50-100 m i l l i o n d o l l a r s per annum
     and c o n t i n u e s t o grow.                 The      r e s e a r c h e f f o r t s i n these c o u n t r i e s are a l s o
     usually w e l l co-ordinated.                            I n Japan, f o r example, much of t h i s i s t a k i n g
     p l a c e w i t h i n a programme e n t i t l e d "Research and Development P r o j e c t of
     B a s i c Technology f o r the F u t u r e I n d u s t r i e s " .
 6.            Thus, d e s p i t e i t s importance f o r European i n d u s t r i a l                                      competitive­
     ness, BTR            i s not        only l a c k i n g primary                emphasis i n the e x i s t i n g                centres
     of Community r e s e a r c h                   but      also        faces      considerable              o b s t a c l e s posed     by
     l a c k of adequate c o o p e r a t i v e                   efforts.
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7.             In order            t o c r e a t e a BTR          programme w h i c h w i l l meet the r e a l needs
     of Community i n d u s t r y , the Commission has u n d e r t a k e n s t u d i e s , d i s c u s s i o n
     with        the       Advisory           Committee           on    I n d u s t r i a l Research              and    Development
     (CORDI) and                informal          contact        with       trade      organisations                and   individual
     e x p e r t s and b u s i n e s s e s ( l a r g e f i r m s and a l s o some s m a l l and                         medium-sized
     enterprises               (SMEs)).          These numerous i n p u t s                 have p r o v i d e d         considerable
     guidance as                to     the    priorities           w h i c h a Community BTR                    programme       should
     assume.
     II.       The      r o l e of the Community
8.             The       programme            as   proposed           should        have       a    catalytic           or    stimulus
     effect         on      the     research         p r o c e s s and       on    the      c o m p e t i t i v i t y of    Community
     i n d u s t r y so t h a t r e s e a r c h         of t h i s type may              become s e l f - s u s t a i n i n g .     The
     co-ordinating                 e f f e c t of a c t i o n s under the programme s h o u l d                          ensure   that
     more        e f f e c t i v e use         i s made of            the     resources            a v a i l a b l e , through     the
     reduction             of      overlapping            e f f o r t s and       the      bringing-together                for   more
     effective             f u r t h e r development of                complementary but                   currently        separated
     efforts.
9.             The      r e s e a r c h must be o r i e n t e d t o p r o v i d e b e n e f i t s t o the i n d u s t r i e s
     in     the      Community which are                     inherently           sound but            are      i n danger due       to
     competition               from o u t s i d e       the     Community, and               whose f u t u r e depends on             a
     number of              f a c t o r s i n c l u d i n g the       injection          of new         technology which            can
     h e l p to improve t h e i r c o m p e t i t i v i t y .
 10.            The       programme            is   not       aimed        at     simply         subsidising            research     in
     European            industry,            but     the      primary        emphasis w i l l              be     to    address    the
     f a c t o r s of a European dimension t h a t have l e d t o the c u r r e n t                                        situation.
     Thus, the              programme i s i n t e n d e d              to    stimulate           pre-competitive              research
     not undertaken by i n d u s t r y i t s e l f w i t h the aim of :
     -          i m p r o v i n g the         co-ordination             of work c a r r i e d out                independently       at
                present             in       several          Member          States          by       industry           and    other
                organisations;
     -          helping            cross-frontier collaboration                           between           different         industry
                s e c t o r s and between i n d u s t r y and u n i v e r s i t y .
     P a r t i c u l a r a t t e n t i o n w i l l be g i v e n t o the i n v o l v e m e n t of SMEs (see                       V).
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11.            The sums proposed f o r t h e v a r i o u s f i e l d s i n t h i s programme r e f l e c t
     the abovementioned p r i n c i p l e s .                       They a r e each r e l a t i v e l y          s m a l l and are
     regarded          as t h e minimum n e c e s s a r y              to reach the research t a r g e t s .
     R e l a t i o n t o n a t i o n a l programmes
12.            Discussions               with       industry,           with       academic         experts       and n a t i o n a l
     officials            have shown t h a t a c t i v i t i e s                exist     concerning         a number of the
     BTR f i e l d s and i n s e v e r a l Community c o u n t r i e s .                          F o r example, programmes
     in      the f i e l d s         o f c o r r o s i o n and membrane technology                         a r e under way i n
     Germany, and a programme on polymers i s i n p r e p a r a t i o n t h e r e .                                           I n the
     United          Kingdom, t h e r e             a r e a number               of a c t i v i t i e s   ( a l l on a         fairly
      s m a l l s c a l e ) i n each o f t h e f i e l d s covered                        i n t h i s programme            supported
     by     the Science               and E n g i n e e r i n g     R e s e a r c h C o u n c i l , as w e l l as some sup­
      p o r t e d by t h e U.K. Department o f I n d u s t r y .                          In the Netherlands,                work i s
      planned i n t h e f i e l d               o f polymers and composites.                           I n France,        extensive
      programmes a r e p l a n n e d                 i n the f i e l d          of m a t e r i a l s and c e r t a i n manufac­
      turing techniques.                      In preparing              t h e BTR programme, i t has been sought
      so      f a r as p o s s i b l e          to avoid           areas        already       covered       by    such n a t i o n a l
      programmes.                However, f u l l           i n f o r m a t i o n on i n d u s t r i a l r e s e a r c h    projects
      supported            i s n o t always a v a i l a b l e .
 13.            W i t h r e g a r d t o t h e above, t h e approach w i l l be as f o l l o w s :
                 subjects           which       clearly         do     form      part     o f n a t i o n a l programmes a r e
                 avoided          e x c e p t where (as i n t h e cases of c e r t a i n c o u n t r i e s ) the
                 national           a u t h o r i t i e s have         indicated          that      they     a r e prepared         to
                 i n t e g r a t e t h e i r n a t i o n a l programmes w i t h i n the Community programme
                 and/or t o a d j u s t t h e i r programmes t o complement the BTR work;
                 expressions              of i n t e r e s t    concerning           t h e BTR r e s e a r c h p r o j e c t s w i l l
                 provide a b a s i s f o r a f u r t h e r narrowing                         of t h e areas t o be             covered
                 by t h e programme, t h u s a v o i d i n g o v e r l a p p i n g ;
                 in       evaluating              research            proposals,           experts         employed           in   the
                 evaluation               and      the      Management             and     Co-ordination              Consultative
                 Committee             (CGC)      (see p a r a .         15) w i l l      be asked         t o i n d i c a t e where
                 p r o p o s a l s appear t o d u p l i c a t e n a t i o n a l work;
       -         where          as     a     result       of      these        processes         evidence       accumulates         of
                 overlapping               national          activities            i n any       area     of    the programme,
                 concerted             actions w i l l          be      developed         i f necessary          with       a   higher
                  f i n a n c i a l p a r t i c i p a t i o n t h a n n o r m a l l y f o r concerted a c t i o n s .
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         I I I . Management of the programme
        A.         Nature of Community a c t i o n s
  14.              Projects       under         the      BTR       programme            will       be      implemented           through
        shared-cost contracts                     (including pilot                  and     demonstration p r o j e c t s )              and
        concerted         actions.            Projects           will       vary      in     size,        but     the   s o l u t i o n of
        problems         of     industrial             interest           can      be     tackled           only     by     supporting
        projects        of    substantial size.                       This      implies         that       the    average        project
       will         need    to      employ          3    or      4     f u l l - t i m e research              workers       or      their
        equivalent         f o r 3 or 4 y e a r s w i t h a p p r o p r i a t e               supporting           facilities.            As
        the      typical       cost      of      s i m i l a r research            at     present          i n Europe        i s about
        100,000 ECU          per man-year, t h i s r e p r e s e n t s                   e x p e n d i t u r e s of    from 900,000
       ECU      t o 1.6   MioECU per t y p i c a l p r o j e c t .
       B.        Management and             evaluation
 15.              In    the       management               of        the       programme,               the      Management             and
       Co-ordination             Consultative               Committee            (CGC)       -    I n d u s t r i a l Technologies
       will        assist      the      Commission              in     examining           research            proposals        and      in
       monitoring         the work as               the     programme p r o c e e d s , suggest changes t o                            the
       programme and            i n general           advise        the Commission i n the management of                               the
       work.         However, as            this       programme i s s t r o n g l y                 industry-oriented,                the
       Commission           will        establish              consultations              with         industry         and,       where
       appropriate,           with      academic and                research         institutions,               to   ensure        their
       involvement and              the use          of t h e i r t e c h n i c a l e x p e r t i s e i n the            programme,
       in      particular          on      the       management             and      possible            adaptations           of      the
      programme.
16.             The     programme           will        be      submitted            to      evaluation            procedures           in
      accordance w i t h the "Community p l a n of a c t i o n r e l a t i n g t o the                                   evaluation
      of       Community        research             and       development             programmes"              (C0M(83)1).             In
      s e t t i n g up the e v a l u a t i o n p a n e l s , every e f f o r t w i l l be made t o ensure an
      appropriate         r e p r e s e n t a t i o n of the i n t e r e s t s of i n d u s t r y .
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    C.        P a r t i c i p a n t s and p r o j e c t s
17.           Participants                in a         project         can be          industrial       firms,      research
    i n s t i t u t e s and u n i v e r s i t i e s e s t a b l i s h e d i n t h e Community.               As a     general
    rule,         t h e prime           contractor             or leader           in a      project      partnership        or
    c o n s o r t i a should          be an i n d u s t r i a l f i r m h a v i n g a major i n t e r e s t i n the
    anticipated results.                        S p e c i a l a t t e n t i o n w i l l be g i v e n t o an a p p r o p r i a t e
    i n v o l v e m e n t o f SMEs ( s e e V ) .
18.           Priority          will       be g i v e n       t o p r o j e c t s undertaken by p a r t i c i p a n t s o f
    more than one Member S t a t e .
    D.        F i n a n c i a l support
19.           Community f i n a n c i a l s u p p o r t should as a g e n e r a l r u l e not exceed 50%
    of t h e t o t a l         cost       o f t h e p r o j e c t , t h e remainder t o be p r o v i d e d            by the
    i n d u s t r i a l firms p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n the project.                     The amount o f Community
    f i n a n c i a l support w i l l             be d e c i d e d i n d i v i d u a l l y f o r each p r o j e c t i n the
    l i g h t o f i t s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s , t h e s e l e c t i o n c r i t e r i a and the amount of
    risk       a c c e p t e d by t h e p r o p o s e r s o f t h e p r o j e c t s .              The Commission w i l l
    take       due account               of a l l other             a i d received         o r expected        so t h a t the
    g l o b a l amount           o f n a t i o n a l o r Community support w i l l                   n o t , as a     general
    rule,        exceed         50% o f t h e t o t a l             costs.        For demonstration p r o j e c t s , a
    maximum o f 50% o f t h e g r a n t                         i s repayable           i n t h e event of commercial
    exploitation.
20.           I n cases            where         work        supported         by     national      funds      or   entirely
    privately            funded         i s already            going       on, t h e Commission's r o l e may be
    limited           to simply             organising           the co-ordination              o f the work and the
    Community f u n d i n g              confined          to covering           the c o s t    o f such     co-ordination
    activities.                 However,             in      certain         cases       where     i t i s clear          that
    strategically                i m p o r t a n t work r e q u i r e s         more than       simple      co-ordination,
    the      Commission c o u l d ,               i n consultation with                 t h e CGC, c o n s i d e r a    higher
    Community            funding.
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     E.        Dissemination               of i n f o r m a t i o n , a c c e s s t o and e x p l o i t a t i o n of r e s u l t s
21.            The       rules         for      dissemination               of   information            and      access       to   and
     exploitation               of     results w i l l           f o l l o w the    principles            as   set     out     in  the
     document on               the A c t i o n Programme.                    However, because the BTR                     programme
     covers         a v e r y wide range not                     o n l y of t e c h n i c a l s u b j e c t s but        a l s o from
    near         to     fundamental              research          to      demonstration          p r o j e c t s , the       precise
     r u l e s w i l l need to be a d j u s t e d                   on a case by           case b a s i s w i t h the            legal
     terms and            c o n d i t i o n s i n c o r p o r a t e d i n the i n d i v i d u a l c o n t r a c t s .         Another
     specific           aspect         of     the     BTR      programme w i l l          be     that       projects w i l l        be
     i n t e r r e l a t e d , not o n l y w i t h i n a r e s e a r c h a r e a such as c a t a l y s i s but a l s o
    between p r o j e c t s of d i f f e r e n t a r e a s , e.g.                   the r e s u l t s of work on              surface
     technology             c o u l d be      a p p l i e d t o c e r t a i n problems i n the                   field     o f wear.
     In     such       cases,         foreground            knowledge          generated         on    particular          projects
     should        be     made a v a i l a b l e under r e a s o n a b l e             c o n d i t i o n s to enable b e t t e r
    and      q u i c k e r r e s u l t s t o be           obtained          from o t h e r p r o j e c t s w h i c h need such
     information.
    IV.        Expressions             of i n t e r e s t and          tender
22.            Expressions              of    interest          are       now   being     sought         from     companies        and
    research            organisations.                  Those w h i c h         respond       will        not     be     committing
     themselves i n any way                     but must p r o v i d e the f o l l o w i n g i n f o r m a t i o n :
    -          I d e n t i t y of        the     o r g a n i s a t i o n and     information            about who         would     be
               i n v o l v e d i n the         research;
    -          A     short        d e s c r i p t i o n of       the       project    proposed            together        with     the
               t e c h n i c a l o b j e c t i v e s which w i l l be            sought;
    -          The d u r a t i o n proposed f o r the work and the budget;
    -          F i r s t i n d i c a t i o n s as t o o t h e r o r g a n i s a t i o n s t h a t might c o l l a b o r a t e ;
              Where a p p r o p r i a t e ,           a   request          to   the   Commission            to    circulate        the
              above i n f o r m a t i o n t o o t h e r s e x p r e s s i n g an i n t e r e s t i n s i m i l a r work
              and who          might be i n t e r e s t e d i n c o l l a b o r a t i n g I n a p r o j e c t .
23.           The      expressions             of i n t e r e s t w i l l be        reviewed         by    the Commission i n
    c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h the CGC.                On    the b a s i s of the e x p r e s s i o n s          of    interest
    received,              the       Commission             will          call    together          groups         of    potential
    p a r t i c i p a n t s w i t h a v i e w t o e n c o u r a g i n g c o l l a b o r a t i v e arrangements.
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24.           Upon C o u n c i l a p p r o v a l         of     the      BTR     programme, the              Commission         will
     issue a formal c a l l f o r proposals.                             I t i s a n t i c i p a t e d t h a t the p r o p o s a l s
     then       received w i l l             to    a  substantial              degree      come from            the     groups    of
     o r g a n i s a t i o n s i n t e r e s t e d i n c o l l a b o r a t i n g t o g e t h e r and s e t up d u r i n g the
     course of the p r e c e d i n g arrangements.
     V.        S m a l l and medium-sized e n t e r p r i s e s
25.            Because          much       of     the  work         proposed          is   likely         to     be     of    direct
     interest           or     b e n e f i t to      SMEs, they             should     be     i n v o l v e d i n the a c t u a l
     e x e c u t i o n of the programme t o the maximum degree p o s s i b l e .                                         Certainly
     every encouragement w i l l be                        g i v e n t o SMEs to submit r e s e a r c h p r o p o s a l s
     and      t o be       active participants                  i n the r e s e a r c h e f f o r t and/or to make a
     financial             c o n t r i b u t i o n to    research            of     interest        to     them       to   be   done
     elsewhere.               I n s e l e c t i n g r e s e a r c h p r o p o s a l s , those         i n v o l v i n g SMEs w i l l
     be g i v e n s p e c i a l a t t e n t i o n f o r the f o l l o w i n g reasons :
               Some of the i n d u s t r i e s i n t e n d e d to b e n e f i t from t h i s programme are
               composed t o a g r e a t e x t e n t of SMEs;
               SMEs a r e f r e q u e n t l y b e s t a t e x p l o i t i n g new              technology            i n i t s early
               phases and a r e o f t e n q u i c k e s t a t c o m p l e t i n g e n g i n e e r i n g development
               and m a r k e t i n g       the new     products;
     -          SME managements o f t e n have the most dynamic c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s and                                 are
               more l i k e l y         t o undertake           s p e c u l a t i v e development than many l a r g e r
                firms.
 26.           C e r t a i n research areas                 - wear and             deterioration,             surface       science
      and       technology,              laser       technology,             joining        techniques,              CAD/CAM      and
     membrane s c i e n c e and                technology          are areas i n which SMEs may                        potentially
     p l a y an i m p o r t a n t         r o l e and     i n these areas i n p a r t i c u l a r s p e c i a l a t t e n ­
      t i o n w i l l be g i v e n t o s u f f i c i e n t p a r t i c i p a t i o n of SMEs.
 27.            As    s e t out       i n the main document, the involvement                                of SMEs i s o f t e n
      difficult            to r e a l i s e .      The     f o l l o w i n g mechanisms s h o u l d , between them,
      encourage t h e i r             involvement;           only experience               can p r o v i d e the answer t o
      w h i c h way       o r ways w i l l be the most a p p r o p r i a t e :
 ---pagebreak---                                                         -   40   -
    -        Many SMEs a r e members o f t h e c o - o p e r a t i v e o r c o l l e c t i v e
             organisations               which      exist       i n a number          o f Member          States.        These
             o r g a n i s a t i o n s can themselves            do r e s e a r c h i n t h e programme on b e h a l f
             of      SMEs o r can h e l p              to i d e n t i f y    SMEs w h i c h         might       individually
             participate;
    -         Larger         f i r m s which n o r m a l l y       use SMEs as s u b c o n t r a c t o r s          o r which
             market t h e i r p r o d u c t s         can b r i n g t h e programme t o t h e a t t e n t i o n of
              SMEs o r i n v o l v e them as r e s e a r c h p a r t n e r s ;
    -         Universities             already working              on problems o f concern                     t o SMEs can
             b r i n g SMEs i n t o groups f o r j o i n t l y s u b m i t t i n g p r o p o s a l s ;
    -         Trade        a s s o c i a t i o n s , chambers        of     commerce,           regional         offices    of
             government departments                       concerned      w i t h R&D and o t h e r             local    bodies
             who        can be         approached           through       government            or    through        industry
             channels           can seek o u t s m a l l f i r m s w i t h an i n t e r e s t i n t h e r e s e a r c h
              f i e l d s i n c l u d e d i n t h e programme.
             The        expressions             of     interest        will       be      a     major       help      i n the
    encouragement o f t h e p a r t i c i p a t i o n o f SMEs and t h e f o r m i n g o f groupings.
    VI.       T e c h n i c a l content o f the programme
28.           The Commission's s t u d i e s and c o n t a c t s w i t h i n d u s t r y r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s
    have i n d i c a t e d t h a t t h e r e e x i s t s s i g n i f i c a n t agreement on t h e areas of
    b a s i c t e c h n o l o g i c a l research which are important                           f o r Community        action.
    It      i s also          generally           agreed       that    developments              i n these         areas   are
    e s s e n t i a l i f t h e i n d u s t r y i n t h e Community i s t o r e g a i n c o m p e t i t i v e n e s s
    and      thereby          take     i t s proper         share     of the i n t e r n a t i o n a l        market.      The
    areas chosen a r e those w h i c h meet t h e f o l l o w i n g c r i t e r i a :
    1)        They a r e n o t now a d e q u a t e l y             covered by p r i v a t e r e s e a r c h , n a t i o n a l
              programmes o r o t h e r Community programmes.
    2)        The a n t i c i p a t e d r e s e a r c h r e s u l t s a r e o f i n t e r e s t t o and s h o u l d give
              r i s e t o a p p l i c a t i o n s i n a number o f i m p o r t a n t Community i n d u s t r i e s .
              These a r e p r i m a r i l y t h e m a n u f a c t u r i n g     i n d u s t r i e s , w h i c h i n t h e past
              and      f o r t h e f o r e s e e a b l e f u t u r e must c o n t i n u e t o be a major                source
              of Community economic s t r e n g t h .
 ---pagebreak---                                                            -  41     -
    3)       The r e s e a r c h i s m u l t i - d i s c i p l i n a r y - t h e work w i l l c o n t r i b u t e t o a
             better          understanding              of    the b a s i c          principles           and p r o v i d e f o r
             advanced             integrated              application              of       physics,          chemistry       and
             engineering.                T h i s work w i l l thus complement t h e areas of r e s e a r c h
             of      other       Community R&D               programmes and i n p a r t i c u l a r                 the ESPRIT
              (information                technology)           and      biotechnology                programmes          already
             underway.
    4)       The a r e a s         are suited             to co-operative                projects involving               several
              firms or research i n s t i t u t i o n s                   ( p r i v a t e , governmental and u n i v e r ­
              sity) .         Such c o o p e r a t i o n i s n e c e s s a r y due t o t h e m u l t i - d i s c i p l i n a r y
              n a t u r e o f t h e t o p i c s b u t i s a l s o d e s i r a b l e i n t h a t one of the major
              g o a l s o f t h e programme i s t o s t i m u l a t e intra-Community c o o p e r a t i v e
              research e f f o r t s .
     5)       The p o t e n t i a l i n d u s t r i a l a p p l i c a t i o n s o f t h e r e s e a r c h a r e e v i d e n t ,
              but       the research              entailed          i s itself            pre-competitive,            i . e . even
              a f t e r s u c c e s s f u l completion              of t h e r e s e a r c h t h e r e w i l l be f u r t h e r
              R&D       work       r e q u i r e d by      industry with                i t s own      finance before the
               results          can be          successfully            embodied           i n marketable          products     or
               processes.               The work w i l l            thus      serve         t o s t i m u l a t e and p u t the
               interested              industrial            firms         in       an       equally        better        position
               technologically,                  especially          i n relation             t o t h e i r US and Japanese
               c o m p e t i t o r s , b u t they w i l l have t o a c t on t h e i r own t o t r a n s l a t e
               t h e new t e c h n o l o g y       i n t o competitive products.
      6)       The r e s e a r c h can l e a d s p e c i f i c a l l y              t o t e c h n o l o g i c a l breakthroughs
               relating           to industrial              productivity,               product       reliability,          origi­
               nality         of design            and o v e r a l l      quality,           each     i n itself        a key t o
               greater competitiveness.
29.             Industry            has        already         shown         an       interest           in      entering      into
      collaborative                 research         efforts           concerning            these       areas,      provided     a
      c e r t a i n amount o f f i n a n c i a l             support         can be g i v e n .           Such     collaboration
      and p u b l i c s u p p o r t would be welcomed i n p a r t i c u l a r because :
      -         The work i s seen as t o o s p e c u l a t i v e o r the problem common t o so
                many d i f f e r e n t p r o d u c t s        t h a t one f i r m alone cannot back t h e work,
                though would                find     i t highly interesting                      i f the r i s k s     a r e t o be
                s h a r e d between s e v e r a l f i r m s and w i t h p u b l i c i n s t i t u t i o n s ;
                the       results          can be         important          f o r t h e development                of a     firm's
                p r o d u c t l i n e ( s ) , b u t some o r a l l o f the r e q u i s i t e technology i s not
                 indigenous t o the f i r m .
 ---pagebreak---                                                          - 42 -
 30.             A b r i e f e x p l a n a t i o n of the major a s p e c t s and the i n d u s t r y need f o r
       work i n each of the r e s e a r c h a r e a s s e l e c t e d i s p r o v i d e d i n the f o l l o w i n g
       sections.              I t should g e n e r a l l y         be     noted,     however,      that       a l l of    these
       areas         and      the       research       topics         within       the    areas     have        been     chosen
       following            a    careful          process    of      selection       and    definition          of   research
       priorities.            The areas are indeed r e l a t e d i n a number of ways and make up
      what i s b e l i e v e d t o be a manageable whole f o r t h i s BTR                           programme.
       1)       R e l i a b i l i t y , Wear and D e t e r i o r a t i o n
 31.                I f the         reliability         of     European p r o d u c t s       i s improved,          much      of
      i n d u s t r y i n the Community w i l l                  c l e a r l y be a t l e s s r i s k than a t p r e s e n t
      e s p e c i a l l y from Japanese c o m p e t i t i o n . Whether one i s s p e a k i n g of a c a r ,
      a k i t c h e n a p p l i a n c e or an automated c o n t i n u o u s f a c t o r y p r o c e s s ,             reliabi­
      lity       i s what today's                 consumer i s most l o o k i n g          f o r when ready           to pur­
      chase.          The      t e c h n o l o g y of i n d u s t r y i n the Community has g e n e r a l l y              kept
      pace w i t h consumer demands such as f o r l i g h t e r and                               stronger materials,
      but the t e c h n o l o g y f o r a l s o e n s u r i n g r e l i a b i l i t y         has   f a l l e n behind        and
      become a weak p o i n t i n i n d u s t r y ' s a b i l i t y                   t o market      competitive pro­
      ducts.          Major         r e s e a r c h i s t h e r e f o r e needed wxth           a view        to   improving
      o v e r a l l performance               on component, systems and m a t e r i a l s              reliability.
32.             To b u i l d more r e l i a b l e p r o d u c t s i t i s e s L ^ n t i a l          to f i r s t     develop
      satisfactory               methods           for  assessing             the    probable       service         life       of
     machinery             and     components and             predicting          the    likely    time       and    form      of
      failures.              Such        forecasting        methods           are   needed       during        the    product
     development phase as w e l l as f o r use d u r i n g i n s p e c t i o n                            in     manufacture
     and d u r i n g the s e r v i c e l i f e of f i n i s h e d p r o d u c t s .
33.            As r e g a r d s s p e c i f i c means to i n c r e a s e p r o d u c t r e l i a b i l i t y ,        certain
     s u b - t o p i c s of r e s e a r c h must be promoted.                     Because wear, f o r example, i s
     a fundamental f a c t o r i n the w o r k i n g , s a f e t y and r e l i a b i l i t y                  of t e c h n i c a l
     systems,            the      problems          of  wear        must       be   addressed.          In      particular,
     c o n c e n t r a t e d r e s e a r c h i s needed i n the a r e a of t r i b o l o g y - the s c i e n c e
     and       technology             of      interacting          surfaces        in    relative       motion       and      of
 ---pagebreak---                                                          - 43 -
    t e c h n i q u e s and p r a c t i c e s r e l a t e d t h e r e t o .     Advances i n t r i b o l o g y can              not
    o n l y c r e a t e more c o m p e t i t i v e p r o d u c t s ( e s p e c i a l l y i n cases where wear i s
    the p r i n c i p a l f a c t o r w h i c h l i m i t s the s e r v i c e l i f e ) , but                 can a l s o serve
    to reduce the major economic l o s s e s r e s u l t i n g from wear, now                                           estimated
    to amount t o              1 t o 2%      of GNP       i n the      industrial            countries.              Although      a
    high      p e r c e n t a g e of     this     l o s s may    be    u n a v o i d a b l e , the        o v e r a l l scale i s
    such       that      even      a   savings         of  10%    provided           by     BTR      would       constitute        a
    s i g n i f i c a n t advance.
34.           The        technology           of        tribological             systems            is       today        largely
    empirically-based.                   The     research      will      thus be          aimed at the              development
    of      constitutive              relationships           between          material            characteristics              and
    service          requirements.             The      major a r e a s of         concern are              those e n t a i l i n g
    h e a v i l y a b r a s i v e c o n d i t i o n s , e.g. m a c h i n i n g ( p a r t i c u l a r l y s i g n i f i c a n t i n
    highly         automated          robotic        lines     where       loss       of     tolerance            or   component
    failure           has       serious       consequence),            bearings            in      dirty         environments,
    abrasive           wear by         fluids        (pumps and         impellers)             and      wear due         to    high
    temperatures and                i n turbine applications.
35.           In     the m a j o r i t y    of    cases where t h e r e             i s hydrodynamic or boundary
    lubrication,                the    current         factors       limiting           development              are     fatigue,
    scuffing            and      seizure.         Research        will       consequently                also      be    oriented
    towards r e d u c i n g          wear on        gears, p i s t o n s , p l a i n bearings                 and     roller     and
    b a l l bearing            systems, as w e l l as            i n continuously                variable           transmission
    devices           (limiting         factor        i s low     friction          c o e f f i c i e n t of        about     10%).
    30-100% improvement w i l l be aimed a t and                               should        p r o v i d e major p o t e n t i a l
    advantages e s p e c i a l l y f o r the automotive and h i g h speed d i e s e l t r u c k                                  and
    bus i n d u s t r i e s .
36.           Fracture            mechanics            is    also       an        important              concept         in      the
    investigation                 of     the      wear       and      safety          of      mechanically               stressed
    components.                I t i s concerned w i t h            the     i n v e s t i g a t i o n , on       the    basis     of
    e x i s t i n g flaws         i n components, of the c o n d i t i o n s under which c r a c k s                             may
    propagate            and      lead    to     fracture.          Fracture          mechanics operates                   on    the
    realistic            premise        that      avoidance        of    a l l damage d u r i n g               any    specified
     service          life       is    practically          impossible.               It      therefore            deliberately
 ---pagebreak---                                                               - 44 -
    provides          f o r dynamic f l a w s but                  requires           t h a t those f l a w s         do not         become
    the cause of a complete f a i l u r e of m a t e r i a l s , components or s t r u c t u r e s .
    With       the      aid      of     f r a c t u r e mechanics,                i t may         become p o s s i b l e           to    make
    safety        evaluations              of     components i n major a r e a s of                          engineering,              which
    will         facilitate               optimum            material             utilization               and       avoidance             of
    over-design              ( e s p e c i a l l y i m p o r t a n t when c o n s i d e r i n g             the    i n t r o d u c t i o n of
    new      materials).               Account w i l l             be     taken        of     r e l a t e d work a t           the     Joint
    Research Center and                      the work to be                  done i n the             proposed Community                   R&D
    programme on n u c l e a r r e a c t o r                  safety.
37.           In a l l f i e l d s          of    t e c h n o l o g y , components of machines, systems                                    and
    p l a n t s are        also subject               to c y c l i c a l       s t r e s s e s w h i c h may        take the            form,
    for     example, of a l t e r n a t i n g m e c h a n i c a l or t h e r m a l s t r e s s e s .                       Under these
    conditions, material                       strength           d a t a determined               under      static         loading        is
    generally            no      longer         valid.            In      other        words,         components            subject         to
    cyclical           s t r e s s may         fail        at     stress         levels well               below      their         nominal
    s t a t i c s t r e n g t h by a mode of f a i l u r e known as f a t i g u e .
38.           The     great        s i g n i f i c a n c e of f a t i g u e r e l a t i v e           t o the      service l i f e          of
    industrial             products           can      be      seen       from       the      fact       that      fatigue           failure
    accounts f o r 95% of a l l f r a c t u r e damage.                                 The     research        t o be c a r r i e d out
    in      this      area        is     therefore            aimed         at     the       development           of     measures          to
    p r e v e n t f a t i g u e damage and                 c o n s e q u e n t l y t o i n c r e a s e the r e a l i b i l i t y           and
    safety         of     industrial            products.              The       research          will      concentrate             on    the
    newer m a t e r i a l s and             components u n d e r g o i n g the much h i g h e r                       s t r e s s e s which
    are now         becoming common i n                    engineering.
39.           M a t e r i a l s d e t e r i o r a t i o n also s e r i o u s l y a f f e c t s product                       reliability
    and       lifetime,           with       corrosion            being        one      of     the     most      frequently             cited
    problems which needs t o be                              remedied i n t h i s a r e a .                  In a d d i t i o n to         the
    fact       that       research          may       help       to     avoid       a     significant           part       of     economic
    l o s s e s r e s u l t i n g from c o r r o s i o n , now                   estimated           t o amount t o between 2
    and      4%     of     GNP      i n the         industrialized                countries,             research         can      help     to
    solve        the     specific           c o r r o s i o n problems w h i c h are                    considered           to     set    the
    c u r r e n t l i m i t on f u r t h e r developments i n s e v e r a l i n d u s t r i a l b r a n c h e s                            and
    technologies.
 ---pagebreak---                                                              - 45 -
40.             The work w i l l be a r r a n g e d i n such a way t h a t r e l a t e d work c u r r e n t l y
      going on under t h e ECSC T r e a t y , w i t h i n t h e COST framework and w i t h i n the
      work o f t h e J o i n t R e s e a r c h C e n t r e can be f u l l y               integrated.       F u l l account
      w i l l a l s o be t a k e n o f on-going n a t i o n a l programmes.                         The work w i l l       deal
      especially             with      t h e development           of m a t e r i a l s     with   enhanced        corrosion
      resistance               for       use       in    aggressive             media,        research      on      hydrogen
      embrittlement               and on t e c h n i q u e s        f o r improved           temporary     and permanent
       corrosion           protection.
 41.             A n o t h e r a r e a of s u b s t a n t i a l and growing economic importance w i t h i n
       t h i s research           a r e a i s t h a t o f b i o c o m p a t i b i l i t y and the b i o d e t e r i o r a t i o n
       of m a t e r i a l s .       Especially considering                   t h e growing demand f o r a r t i f i c i a l
       replacement              parts       f o r t h e human          body,      there       exists   a real        need t o
       develop m a t e r i a l s           w h i c h a r e b o t h c o m p a t i b l e w i t h and a b l e t o r e s i s t the
       major         degenerative             effects      of t h e b o d i l y        chemical      processes.           Quite
       apart         from       this      there       is a      need        f o r work        on  the m i c r o b i o l o g i c a l
       d e t e r i o r a t i o n of engineering            m a t e r i a l s , and so t h i s i s a l s o i n c l u d e d i n
       the programme.
       2)         S u r f a c e S c i e n c e and Technology
  42.             Research         on s u r f a c e     properties           has r e c e n t l y   become     increasingly
        important i n s e v e r a l              industrial        s e c t o r s because of the i n c r e a s i n g need
        for       functional            technical         surfaces,            the need          for rational         use of
        m a t e r i a l s and energy s a v i n g and t h e need t o improve t h e s e r v i c e l i f e and
        the       protection            of      components         against          deterioration         processes          like
        c o r r o s i o n , wear, e t c . as d i s c u s s e d          above.
  43.             For        these       reasons,         surface           engineering          processes        are     being
        increasingly              applied           i n the various              branches        of   industry       and are
        influencing              the        function,         quality           and    reliability         of      industrial
        products.              From      the point          of v i e w        of the user,          properties        such as
         freedom          from p o r o s i t y ,      low u n i t      costs,       local      applicability,         reliable
         c o n t r o l o f t h e e f f e c t s of a treatment on o t h e r m a t e r i a l and component
         p r o p e r t i e s , e t c . , a r e o f p a r t i c u l a r importance.
 ---pagebreak---                                                              - 46 -
 44.            More r e c e n t f i n d i n g s of p h y s i c o - c h e m i c a l       r e s e a r c h show t h a t t h e r e
      a r e p r o m i s i n g p o s s i b i l i t i e s f o r p r o c e s s e s u s i n g modern a i d s such as h i g h
      vacuum technology and plasma t e c h n i q u e s .                         Of p a r t i c u l a r r e l e v a n c e i s the
       local        improvement          of      component        p r o p e r t i e s by      means        of    new      surface
      engineering            techniques.              An    effort      a l s o needs        t o be       made t o f u r t h e r
      develop known s u r f a c e t e c h n o l o g i e s w i t h a v i e w t o b r i n g i n g the r e s e a r c h
      to       industrial          maturity.              An    important           aspect        in      this     regard       is
      engineering             research         with       a   view      to     the     translation            of   laboratory
      processes,             particularly                those       involving            high         vacuum,          to     the
      manufacturing            s c a l e and e v e n t u a l l y t o p r o d u c t i o n - l i n e p r o c e s s e s .
      3)        L a s e r Technology A p p l i c a t i o n s t o g e t h e r w i t h            o t h e r new      methods of
                m e t a l shaping and           forming
45.             The       potential           applications             of      power        lasers          in       mechanical
      manufacturing             are      numerous           and     far       from     being         fully      explored        or
      exploited          i n Europe.           Impeding e x p l o i t a t i o n i n Europe i s s i m p l y a l a c k
      as     yet      of    sufficient         research         and    consequent          knowledge           of    the    basic
      phenomena concerned,                   this      resulting         i n large part             from the         fact    that
     what         research         exists          is      scattered,          uncoordinated               in    most       cases
      sub-criticial.                In     c o n t r a s t , MITI        in    Japan       already          has     a     7  year
      programme           under       way      in      the     framework          of     a    project          for      flexible
     manufacturing             systems.           That programme has                a budget of about 50 MioECU
     and      i n v o l v e s the     collaboration            of    some 20         enterprises.              In    the     U.S.,
     Batelle-Columbus               has     recently built              a major r e s e a r c h          facility        to  help
     i n d u s t r y apply l a s e r        technology.
46.            Given       the   p r o j e c t e d annual        growth r a t e o f many l a s e r                  technology
     applications             (30% i n the case o f " l a s e r b l a c k s m i t h i n g " on the                     assembly
     line)         and     the    wide       range        of    sectors        which       may       benefit       from      this
     technology            (e.g.     the motor v e h i c l e , m e c h a n i c a l           engineering,             aircraft,
     m e d i c a l equipment and e l e c t r o n i c s i n d u s t r i e s ) , i t i s c r u c i a l t h a t Europe
     exert i t s e l f i n t h i s          field.
 ---pagebreak---                                                                 - 47 -
47.            Power        lasers         are      already           in     use      to     some      degree       for      cutting,
     drilling,            welding          and       surface           treatment.             The      advantages          of      laser
     t e c h n o l o g y i s t h a t i t can w i t h o u t g r e a t d i f f i c u l t i e s be i n t e g r a t e d i n t o
     e x i s t i n g production              lines.          I n m a c h i n i n g , the method i s advantageous i n
     small s e r i e s .           L a s e r t e c h n o l o g y i s a l s o w e l l adapted to modify                          locally
     the s u r f a c e p r o p e r t i e s of components.
48.            The      R&D     work i n the             programme w i l l             be     aimed at g a i n i n g         a    better
     u n d e r s t a n d i n g and       c o n t r o l of the i n t e r a c t i o n of l a s e r beams w i t h metals
     and      non-metals, t h i s i n order                       t o a t t a i n a b e t t e r and           more economic           use
     p a r t i c u l a r l y from the e n g i n e e r i n g             standpoint.            E s p e c i a l l y the working of
     copper and            a l u m i n i u m m a t e r i a l s w i l l be a major s u b j e c t                 in this        respect.
     Work t o          e s t a b l i s h the       viability            of    l a s e r processing             i n industry          will
     a l s o be promoted; a t t e n t i o n w i l l c e r t a i n l y be p a i d t o the s a f e t y of work
     p r o c e d u r e s f o r the p r o d u c t i o n          l i n e use of l a s e r s .
49.            Not       directly           concerned           with        laser       applications             but    of      similar
     economic i m p o r t a n c e and                 h a v i n g s i m i l a r w i d e - r a n g i n g a p p l i c a t i o n s are     a
     number of emerging t e c h n o l o g i e s                     f o r m e t a l forming.             Of major i n t e r e s t i s
     powder m e t a l l u r g y           f o r n e a r net           shape manufacture of                    components from a
     variety           of    materials.              Advances            in this         technology           can    give      rise    to
      considerable               savings          in      energy          and     raw      materials,            as   well        as   to
      significantly              improved m e c h a n i c a l and               other       technological properties                   of
      component m a t e r i a l s as a consequence of the homogeneous g r a i n s t r u c t u r e s
      obtained          from t h i s t e c h n o l o g y .
50.             In     this      area,        work w i l l          be     oriented         towards powder               production,
      compaction and                 s i n t e r i n g , where p a r t i c u l a r a t t e n t i o n w i l l            be     paid    to
      refractory            metals.            For      the      production            of    components f o r            future       gas
      t u r b i n e s , developments are needed c o n c e r n i n g hot i s o s t a t i c compacting, a
      t e c h n o l o g y w e l l advanced i n the US                       and     Japan.        The     l a c k of    fundamental
    , knowledge i n the                  Community i s a l r e a d y               leading        to d i f f i c u l t i e s    i n , for
      example, the              w e l d i n g of       turbine          components.            The      same s i t u a t i o n c o u l d
      a r i s e i n the         field       of hot         i s o s t a t i c p r e s s i n g , a technique t h a t w i l l             be
      used        for      the      production              of     materials            for     the       future      ceramic         gas
      turbines.            Unnecessary d u p l i c a t i o n of work b e i n g c a r r i e d out i n the COST
      503     programme w i l l be               avoided.
 ---pagebreak---                                                        - 48 -
    4)        Joining          Techniques
51.           Most of           today's      manufactured          goods c o n s i s t         of v a r i o u s   different
    m a t e r i a l s j o i n e d t o g e t h e r u s i n g t e c h n i q u e s of a n c i e n t o r i g i n o r modern
    variations              thereof.         However,      with        the     advent          of    new     manufacturing
    methods           involving          robots,       automation          and      continuous            processes,        the
    e x i s t i n g j o i n i n g t e c h n i q u e s need major m o d i f i c a t i o n .          Moreover, t h e r e i s
    a growing need f o r i n c r e a s e d r e l i a b i l i t y             of j o i n e d p a r t s as w e l l as f o r
    more r a t i o n a l use of j o i n i n g m a t e r i a l s f o r energy                    saving.       The r e s e a r c h
    necessary            t o meet these needs i s thus e x t e n s i v e , though the                             potential
    b e n e f i t s w i l l be i m p o r t a n t t o a wide range o f i n d u s t r i e s .
52.           The p r i n c i p a l j o i n i n g t e c h n i q u e s today a r e w e l d i n g , j o i n i n g by          the
    use      of a d h e s i v e s     and     combinations         of t h e two.              But    problems a r i s e i n
    p a r t i c u l a r where m a t e r i a l s of d i s s i m i l a r n a t u r e have t o be j o i n e d ,               e.g.
    ferrous           and      non-ferrous          metals,      metals         with       polymers         and    composite
    materials,              metals        to    ceramics,        etc.         With        the      increasing        use      of
    materials            difficult         t o weld     by    fusion        t e c h n i q u e s , the      development of
     solid        phase w e l d i n g       techniques         (diffusion           bonding,          friction      welding)
    w i l l be i m p o r t a n t i n the coming y e a r s .
53.            Another           area     needing       more       R&D       effort          concerns         the     further
     development              of    low    cost      automated        welding          techniques          making     use     of
    m i c r o p r o c e s s o r s , which s h o u l d l e a d b o t h t o h i g h e r p r o d u c t i v i t y and t o a
     constant higher product q u a l i t y .                    T h i s r e s e a r c h i n c l u d e s t h e development
     of     sensors and            adaptive c o n t r o l       systems.           I n Japan         much a t t e n t i o n i s
     b e i n g p a i d t o these           developments.
54.            E l e c t r o n beam w e l d i n g was       an o r i g i n a l European development i n the
     l a t e 1950's, but Japan i s t a k i n g the l e a d i n a p p l i c a t i o n s i n c l u d i n g f o r
     steam t u r b i n e components, p r e s s u r e v e s s e l main and c i r c u m f e r e n t i a l seams
     and n u c l e a r r e a c t o r components.                S u c c e s s f u l e x p l o i t a t i o n of h i g h power
     e l e c t r o n beam w e l d i n g w i l l        result       in significant               economic        advantages,
     due      t o the f a c t s t h a t the weld i s completed                        i n a s i n g l e pass       ( i n steel
     t h i c k n e s s e s up to 250 mm)             compared w i t h m u l t i p a s s a r c w e l d i n g ( i n s t e e l
     t h i c k n e s s e s up t o 6 mm          i n a s i n g l e p a s s ) , no f i l l e r m a t e r i a l s a r e used,
     w o r k p i e c e d i s t o r t i o n i s low and energy r e q u i r e m e n t s a r e m i n i m i s e d .
 ---pagebreak---                                                              - 49 -
55.             Adhesive           bonding       is a       technique         already       i n r o u t i n e use     in      the
      a e r o n a u t i c s i n d u s t r y , but i t s a p p l i c a t i o n i n h i g h speed p r o d u c t i o n l i n e s
      (e.g. motor c a r i n d u s t r y ) r e q u i r e s the s o l u t i o n of fundamental problems
      i n production technology                     ( j o i n t behaviour,         t e s t i n g of j o i n t s , c o n d i t i o n
      of s u r f a c e s t o be j o i n e d ) .
      5)        New       Testing        Methods        i n c l u d i n g non-destructive                 testing,    on-line
                t e s t i n g and c o m p u t e r - a s s i s t e d    testing
56.              Improved Community p r o d u c t                   reliability,          quality         and   service      life
      can be          g r e a t l y enhanced though the abovementioned r e s e a r c h r e l a t i n g                          to
      product           wear       and    deterioration,              but     for   these         aspects       to  become        a
       constant            and       recognized          feature          of    our     products             there   must        be
       s i g n i f i c a n t advances made r e l a t i n g t o product t e s t i n g t e c h n o l o g i e s .
 57.             The     aim of n o n - d e s t r u c t i v e t e s t i n g i s comparable to t h a t of m e d i c a l
       d i a g n o s i s , t h a t i s t o say t h a t i f d e f e c t s i n p r o d u c t s can be d e t e c t e d a t
       an e a r l y s t a g e , p o s s i b l e dangers of                 failures        at a l a t e r       stage   can      be
       prevented.
 58.             Of major concern               i s d e v e l o p i n g the means t o v e r i f y product               quality
       through complete a u t o m a t i c               t e s t i n g of components p a r t i c u l a r l y d u r i n g the
       production              and      sub-assembly             stages       of    the       manufacturing           process.
       Spot-checks               of    component         quality          is   no     longer         sufficient,       nor       is
       component             quality       assured       by      the     fact    that      the      completed,       assembled
       product o p e r a t e s .           But improved q u a l i t y t e s t i n g r e q u i r e s the i n t e g r a t i o n
        of    new       methods        (e.g.      improved          non-destructive             t e s t i n g ) and  means       of
        application              (e.g.    the     computerisation             of   these       processes         into a     fully
        integrated            testing       and    c o r r e c t i o n system w i t h i n the p r o d u c t i o n          line),
       which o v e r a l l n e c e s s i t a t e s c o n s i d e r a b l e new       research e f f o r t s .
  59.             The     v a r i o u s t o p i c s chosen f o r r e s e a r c h         i n t h i s area are         directly
        linked          to      topics       covered         in      the     areas     of      reliability          (wear       and
        deterioration),                 polymers         and       composites,         laser         technology,        surface
        s c i e n c e and j o i n i n g       techniques.
 ---pagebreak---                                                                - 50 -
60.            F u n c t i o n - r e l a t e d t e s t methods f o r m a t e r i a l d e t e r i o r a t i o n               processes
     must        be      further          developed          i n view           of      the ever-increasing                     quality
     requirements.                     Emphasis           will         be        placed             on      hydrogen             induced
     embrittlement,                 f r a c t u r e mechanics, f r e t t i n g               and f r e t t i n g      f a t i g u e with
     reference             to functional               conditions i n service l i f e ,                          measurement and
     t e s t i n g o f t r i b o l o g i c a l damage and t e s t i n g methods f o r b i o d e t e r i o r a t i o n .
61.            Non-destructive                    testing        methods             (acoustic            emission           analysis,
     u l t r a s o n i c - s p e c t r o s c o p y , Eddy-current             e x a m i n a t i o n , e t c . ) must be f u r t h e r
     developed            particularly              i n view of concurrent                     or sequential application
     in      l a r g e - s c a l e computer            i n t e g r a t e d manufacture,                 i . e . development of
     computer a i d e d o n - l i n e t e s t i n g .                Non-destructive t e s t i n g f o r buildings,
     b r i d g e s and o t h e r s t r u c t u r e s w i l l            a l s o be i n c l u d e d .          T h i s work w i l l be
     c l o s e l y c o - o r d i n a t e d w i t h c e r t a i n work under t h e ESPRIT programme i n the
      f i e l d o f Computer I n t e g r a t e d              Manufacture.
 62.            An      essential            criterion          i n the evaluation                      of      the q u a l i t y      and
      r e l i a b i l i t y of i n d u s t r i a l products i s t h e i r s e r v i c e l i f e .                      Knowledge of
      s t r e s s e s under o p e r a t i n g c o n d i t i o n s a r e a c r i t i c a l requirement                            f o r the
      rational            use o f m a t e r i a l s           and      the o p t i m i z a t i o n of               components and
      structures,               needed            i f competitiveness                     is       to     be       maintained          and
      "overdesign"               avoided.            Research         must        be done            on s e n s o r s     and s t r e s s
      monitoring             devices           and t e s t i n g      methods          f o r m a t e r i a l s and components
      under s e r v i c e s t r e s s e s o r t h e i r s i m u l a t i o n .
       6)        CAD/CAM and M a t h e m a t i c a l           Models
 63.             Computer-aided d e s i g n                (CAD) i s an i m p o r t a n t               t o o l both       t o improve
       product           quality          and t o save              materials             by      better         design       and use.
       F u r t h e r , as t h e t r a n s i t i o n          quickness            from       labour       i n t e n s i v e t o highly
       automated            and r o b o t i z e d        production             processes,             products          need       t o be
       r e d e s i g n e d t o i n c o r p o r a t e f e a t u r e s t o enable                t h e b e s t use t o be made of
       the new p r o d u c t i o n p r o c e s s e s .           Computer-aided d e s i g n can be an important
       help i n t h i s regard too.
 ---pagebreak---                                                                - 51 -
64.            Computer-aided               manufacturing                (CAM)   is itself          an e s s e n t i a l p a r t of
     the move towards the more automated p r o d u c t i o n l i n e .                                    I t allows a better
     c o n t r o l of the p r o d u c t i o n p r o c e s s and                should give r i s e               to products of
     h i g h e r and more c o n s i s t e n t q u a l i t y and                reliability.
65.            CAD       and       CAM     have        been        the     subject      of      a    great         deal    of    work
     throughout the Member S t a t e s of the Community but t h e r e has been so much
     R&D      i n the US           and Japan           s u p p o r t e d by governmental              agencies t h a t Europe
     i s now        i n g e n e r a l w e l l b e h i n d the b e s t w o r l d p r a c t i c e .
66.             I t s h o u l d be         p o i n t e d out          that, within         the      framework of the               BTR
     programme,               the      goal      of     research          on   these      topics         i s not        to   advance
     CAD/CAM t e c h n o l o g y i n i t s e l f but r a t h e r to modify CAD/CAM techniques to
     make them s u i t a b l e                for relatively                simple production processes                       i n the
     manufacturing                 industries           (e.g. machine t o o l ,             s h i p b u i l d i n g , polymer      and
      drop       forging           industries)             and      especially       i n SMEs.             The      more    advanced
      a p p l i c a t i o n s of CAD/CAM t e c h n o l o g y a r e i n c l u d e d w i t h i n the framework of
      the ESPRIT and m i c r o e l e c t r o n i c s programmes.
 67.            I n o r d e r t h a t CAD          and CAM          can be e f f e c t i v e l y u t i l i s e d i n the modern
      p r o d u c t i o n p r o c e s s e s , a g r e a t e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g of the v a r i o u s f a c e t s of
      these p r o d u c t i o n p r o c e s s e s i s needed - and can be s u p p l i e d through                                  the
      development                of    mathematical               modelling.          Work        in     this        area   will    be
      d i r e c t e d towards           c r e a t i n g models f o r a wide range of i n d u s t r i e s and f o r
      s m a l l as w e l l as l a r g e p r o d u c t i o n p l a n t s .            A major o b j e c t i v e i s t o b r i n g
      the a p p l i c a t i o n         o f CAD        and      CAM     and   mathematical            modelling within             the
      f i n a n c i a l r e a c h of SMEs.
      7)         P o l y m e r s , Composites             and o t h e r new m a t e r i a l s
 68.             Polymers            are     becoming             increasingly         important            because        they    can
       r e p l a c e s c a r c e m a t e r i a l s and because t h e i r range of important mechanical
       properties             ( e . g . l i g h t n e s s , c o r r o s i o n r e s i s t a n c e , ease of shaping)               can
       g i v e r i s e t o numerous e n g i n e e r i n g a p p l i c a t i o n s .
 ---pagebreak---                                                               - 52 -
69.           W h i l e the Commission has                    been s t r o n g l y a d v i s e d        that      the     future      of
    Community i n d u s t r y w i l l             depend s i g n i f i c a n t l y on           its ability             t o produce
    polymers h a v i n g improved s p e c i a l t e c h n o l o g i c a l p r o p e r t i e s                    (e.g.      improved
     strength          and     stability),          that a b i l i t y       i s f a c i n g a dual           threat.          On    the
    one hand, h i g h q u a l i t y polymers produced i n the US and                                       Japan a r e        already
    on     the     market, meaning t h a t                  a    technology          lag already             e x i s t s and       must
    first        be     compensated.             On     the      o t h e r hand, the            East       European and              the
    oil-producing               countries          are      producing          at    low     prices          the     polymers         of
    normal q u a l i t y f o r s t a n d a r d a p p l i c a t i o n s .              The     d i s i n c e n t i v e to e f f o r t s
    in either d i r e c t i o n i s therefore                       considerable           and     may      b e s t be     overcome
    by Community s u p p o r t .
70.           The     polymer r e s e a r c h       i n t h i s programme w i l l be aimed a t
              the       solution         of     problems            which       inhibit          their         actual        use      in
              p r o d u c t s , e.g.      r e l a t i n g to long-term s t a b i l i t y ,                flame        resistance,
              mechanical strength,                    toxicity          and    the    b o n d i n g of       polymers one             to
              another or t o o t h e r             materials
              the        anticipation             of       new        demands,         particularly                 for      medical
              applications              (prosthesis,              organ      replacement,              etc), agricultural
              uses       (e.g.      new    t e c h n i q u e s f o r c o n t r o l of         disease          and     pests)        and
              communication and e l e c t r o n i c t e c h n o l o g y (e.g. c o n d u c t i v e polymers)
              the       need       for     better          productivity             in      the       conversion             of     the
              materials.
71.           Composites, which are m u l t i p h a s e m a t e r i a l s                     combining the               essential
    properties             and    advantages of                several       "traditional"              materials           such      as
    rubber, glass               or m e t a l s , must a l s o be               developed          i n order          t o meet        the
    consumer r e q u i r e m e n t s of the f u t u r e .                   Composites a r e a l w a y s used i n the
    pursuit           of     a    specific         technological               aim      :    to      improve          performance
    compared w i t h            the     use    of     single-component m a t e r i a l s                  (e.g.      r e l a t i n g to
    m e c h a n i c a l , o p t i c a l and      thermochemical p r o p e r t i e s ) .                 I t i s only         through
    composite             developments             that         a     number        of      important             products           and
    components may               be   improved w i t h r e s p e c t           t o t h e i r wear, s t r e n g t h ,           weight
    and      insulation properties.                        S p e c i a l l y t a i l o r e d made c o m p o s i t e s are             an
    answer         to     the     growing        demand          particularly for                 lighter          and      stronger
    materials.
 ---pagebreak---                                                             - 53 -
72.            The research             i nt h e f i e l d o f composites w i l l                  concern the devel­
     opment o f new c o m p o s i t e m a t e r i a l s               with     specific mechanical and physical
     properties,              cost-effective production                     technologies             ands u i t a b l e       joining
     techniques.              Thec h a r a c t e r i s a t i o n o f fundamental physical                         properties
     connected with                end-use a p p l i c a t i o n s       i s also necessary                t o b u i l d up
     knowledge on s t r u c t u r e / p r o p e r t y             relationships.               The research            w i l l be
     directed t o general                  problems o f wide i n d u s t r i a l               interest.            Specialist
     applications o f composite materials                                i n particular f o r the transport
     industries             are t o be included               within       a f u r t h e r programme o n m a t e r i a l s
     on    which i t i s hoped t o present                        proposals         shortly.           Research i s also
     needed on other                 new m a t e r i a l s    with     s p e c i a l e l e c t r i c a l , magnetic and
     opto-electronic                  properties,          i n particular f o rspecial applications i n
     electrical               engineering.
73.            C o n s i d e r a b l e f o r e i g n r e s e a r c h i s a l r e a d y going on i n t h e f i e l d s of
     m a c r o m o l e c u l a r c h e m i s t r y , polymers and composite m a t e r i a l s .                            In the US
     i t i s t a k i n g p l a c e i n t h e framework of a U n i v e r s i t y / I n d u s t r y C o o p e r a t i v e
     Research           C e n t r e Programme (UICR) of t h e N a t i o n a l S c i e n c e Foundation and
     o t h e r programmes.                 I n Japan, MITI i s s u p p o r t i n g polymer and composite
     materials             research        i n t h e framework o f i t s "Research                                 and Development
     P r o j e c t o f B a s i c Technology f o r t h e F u t u r e I n d u s t r i e s " .
     8)        Membrane S c i e n c e and Technology and Problems i n e l e c t r o c h e m i s t r y
74.            The a b i l i t y        t o s e p a r a t e m a t e r i a l s from each o t h e r e c o n o m i c a l l y i s
     crucial            and        often      the       limiting           factor        i n large-scale                   industrial
     processes.                A t t h e same          time,        the increased              cost       of energy            and raw
     m a t e r i a l s has made many e x i s t i n g p r o c e s s e s and i n p a r t i c u l a r s e p a r a t i o n
     procedures               less      attractive,            meaning          that     new       processes          have       t o be
      adapted          t o t h e changes i n energy and f e e d s t o c k                           s u p p l i e s and i n manu­
      facturing            requirements.               Separation            processes          based        on membranes a r e
      p a r t i c u l a r l y s u i t e d t o these           requirements.
 75.            The essence o f membrane" s c i e n c e i s r e l a t i v e l y s i m p l e , i n v o l v i n g the
      physical             separation          of      specific           compounds           from        liquid        or      gaseous
      mixtures, but the technology                              necessary           t o transpose             the s c i e n c e     into
      practical            industrial          a p p l i c a t i o n s i s complex and r e q u i r e s the type of
      l a r g e - s c a l e and c o - o r d i n a t e d work e f f o r t t h a t has n o t y e t been s u c c e s s ­
      fully       c r e a t e d i n Europe.            A l t h o u g h European b a s i c r e s e a r c h over the l a s t
      two      decades has c o n c e i v e d              a number o f membrane s c i e n c e and technology
 ---pagebreak---                                                               - 54 -
    developments h o l d i n g the promise of numerous a p p l i c a t i o n s i n i n d u s t r y
    and      medicine,           the      t e c h n o l o g i c a l development            and    commercialisation              of
    these e f f o r t s have l a r g e l y been c e n t r e d i n the US                          and more r e c e n t l y i n
    Japan due            t o these        c o u n t r i e s ' commitment t o R&D                on  this       t o p i c (10% of
    t o t a l Japanese funds f o r the MITI programme on b a s i c t e c h n o l o g i e s f o r
    f u t u r e i n d u s t r i e s or about 50 MioECU u n t i l                    1990)).
76.           But       the      potential            of     membrane        technology            is     far       from      fully
    developed           and has as such been mentioned i n FAST s t u d i e s .                                  Annual sales
    of a l l membrane s e p a r a t i o n systems, w h i c h were almost n o n - e x i s t e n t some
    30 y e a r s ago, are now                 500 MioECU, and p r e s e n t p r o j e c t i o n s a r e t h a t s a l e s
    will      reach at l e a s t            15    times       this     figure.         Developments w i l l              serve   to
    partially           replace e x i s t i n g          separation techniques                  and    t h e r e f o r e open up
    new     opportunities for engineering firms.
77.           As problems e x i s t b o t h r e l a t e d to the a v a i l a b i l i t y o f adequate and
    s t a b l e m a t e r i a l s f o r the p r o d u c t i o n          of membranes and                i n the         field   of
    i n d u s t r i a l a p p l i c a t i o n s of membranes, r e s e a r c h i n t h i s programme w i l l be
    d i r e c t e d towards :
              Development of new membrane m a t e r i a l s , i n c l u d i n g c e r a m i c s
              Separation            of      gases         into      their      components,            e.g.        oxygen       from
              n i t r o g e n and n a t u r a l gas, a c i d components from exhaust gases
    -         S e p a r a t i o n by     pervaporation              of  s m a l l amounts of o r g a n i c              compounds
              i n w a t e r , minor amounts of water                          i n organic          liquids         and      organic
              l i q u i d m i x t u r e s of the a l i p h a t i c / a r o m a t i c type
              Separation            processes            using       liquid       membranes          (emulsion            type   or
              immobilised             liquid         type)        for   waste        water       purification              and   in
              hydrometallurgy
              Separation            by     reverse          osmosis      and      ultrafiltration                of     a    solute
              mixture           in   water        using         a   continuous          membrane         column,          with   an
              emphasis on the f o u l i n g problem.
78.           Some of the fundamental p r o c e s s e s                       i n v o l v e d i n membrane             technology
    a l s o a p p l y t o c e r t a i n problems i n a p p l i e d e l e c t r o c h e m i s t r y .                 T h i s i s an
    e s s e n t i a l process           i n the        non-ferrous         metallurgy           industry.            Of     special
    concern         i s the i r r e v e r s i b l e phenomena of a n o d i c                   systems and           fused     salt
    electrolysis               technology.             These q u e s t i o n s       are     accordingly included i n
    the programme.
 ---pagebreak---                                                                     - 55 -
       9)        C a t a l y s i s and P a r t i c l e Technology
79.              Most of t h e r e s e a r c h p r o j e c t s proposed f o r i n c l u s i o n i n t h i s                             BTR
       programme s h o u l d g i v e r i s e t o b e n e f i t s i n a number of i n d u s t r i e s .                              There
       i s , however, one p a r t i c u l a r a r e a of c h e m i c a l e n g i n e e r i n g r e s e a r c h which
       the Commission proposes t o i n c l u d e even though i t s main a p p l i c a t i o n s are
       most i m p o r t a n t t o c h e m i c a l manufacture.                       T h i s concerns the phenomenon of
        catalysis,              or      the       property         of     substances            that      facilitate            chemical
        r e a c t i o n s w i t h o u t themselves              b e i n g consumed.            But of course c a t a l y s i s i s
        a l s o i m p o r t a n t g e n e r a l l y w i t h r e g a r d t o p o l l u t i o n abatement and, f o r the
        i n d u s t r i e s needing t o reduce t h e i r p o l l u t i n g e m i s s i o n s .
 80.                     Although            mainly       of      concern        to      the      chemical         and      associated
         i n d u s t r i e s , c a t a l y s i s i s such a u n i v e r s a l mechanism throughout                            t h i s wide
         and     economically                important        s e c t o r of i n d u s t r y t h a t i t deserves                  special
         c o n s i d e r a t i o n - 90% of a l l i n d u s t r i a l c h e m i c a l p r o d u c t s are manufactured
         via     one o r more c a t a l y t i c p r o c e s s s t e p s .
  81.              E x t e n s i v e programmes have been launched b o t h i n the US and i n Japan
          to s t r e n g t h e n c a t a l y s i s r e s e a r c h .        Government f u n d i n g i s e s t i m a t e d to be
          20-25 MioECU/year i n the US                            and     about 5 MioECU/year i n Japan.                           But    the
          p o t e n t i a l market i s tremendous.                         I t has been e s t i m a t e d           i n the US          that
          the p e t r o l e u m ,         c h e m i c a l and     automotive         i n d u s t r i e s alone used US               $   1.36
          b i l l i o n w o r t h of c a t a l y s t s i n 1980.                The      p r o j e c t e d growth r a t e i s about
          3.5%      per year.
   82.               I n l i n e w i t h the FAST recommendations, the major g o a l of Community
           research            in      this        area     will        be    to     develop          new       catalysts         of    high
           s p e c i f i c i t y f o r the p r o d u c t i o n of f i n e c h e m i c a l s .
   83.               The      i m p o r t a n t advantages of the new                   c a t a l y s t s w i l l be :
                     b e t t e r use          of raw      m a t e r i a l s ( f e e d s t o c k ) as      l e s s m a t e r i a l i s used
                      for     t h e p r o d u c t i o n of u n d e s i r e d      by-products
                      separation              of     the   by-products           will       be     less       costly      because        less
                      t i m e , c a p i t a l ( s e p a r a t i o n u n i t s ) and energy w i l l be needed
                      inactivation                  of     catalysts           by       by-products               can      be         reduced
                      considerably, leading to a longer l i f e                                   of the expensive                catalysts
                      and,        consequently,              less       consumption            of     the      expensive         materials
                       ( i r i d i u m , p l a t i n u m , e t c . ) w h i c h are c o n t a i n e d i n the c a t a l y s t s .
 ---pagebreak---                                                              - 56 -
84.          The s p e c i f i c r e s e a r c h i n t h i s a r e a w i l l c o n c e r n :
    1)       The use of z e o l i t e s as c a t a l y s t s i n n o n - p e t r o c h e m i c a l a p p l i c a t i o n s .
             The      main f i e l d        of study w i l l       be   the development of             zeolites for
              shape-selective                 catalysis.          The    fundamental        knowledge         is     well
              developed            in       Europe        but     research        into     applications            needs
              stimulation.
    2)       Homogeneous c a t a l y s i s i s another f i e l d where good knowledge e x i s t s ,
             but where so f a r i n s u f f i c i e n t work has been done on                          applications.
             The      advantage         of homogeneous c a t a l y s i s         i s that higher          selectivity
              that       can     often       be     obtained.        The   research w i l l        be    oriented        on
              catalysts           using        palladium        and    the    non-precious         metals      cobalt,
             molydenum,            vanadium           and   manganese       for application            in    oxidation
              reactions.
    3)        The       catalytic          purification           of    industrial       elluents         is   another
              i m p o r t a n t s u b j e c t , i n v i e w of a b a t i n g the a c i d - r a i n problems.            The
              r e s e a r c h w i l l be       oriented       t o the d i s p o s a l of S 0  2   and NO^      gaseous
              effluents.
85.           Another           important          trend     in     catalysis       is   the      development           and
    application              of   i m m o b i l i z e d enzymes as        industrial      catalysts,         but      this
    work i s not taken up i n t h i s programme because i t i s a l r e a d y c o v e r e d by
    the Community R&D                 programme on b i o t e c h n o l o g y .
86.           An u n d e r s t a n d i n g of p a r t i c l e b e h a v i o u r i s an e s s e n t i a l element i n
    much of the work i n the f i e l d of c a t a l y s i s but i t not proposed                              to l i m i t
    work        on       particle           technology         in     the    programme       to      the     catalytic
    aspects.              Particle         technology          is   of    importance       in     many     industrial
    s e c t o r s , e.g.         the p r o c e s s and      equipment s u p p l y i n d u s t r i e s .    Relatively
    l i t t l e i s known of the b e h a v i o u r and t r a n s p o r t of p a r t i c l e s , w h i c h leads
    to a c o n s i d e r a b l e l o s s of m a t e r i a l s and         energy.
    R e l a t i o n between the BTR Programme and o t h e r Community R&D                              Programmes
87.           General           research          topics      dealt     with     in    several       Community           R&D
    programmes,                existing         and     proposed,        are    also     covered        in    the       BTR
    programme.              However, the v a r y i n g s p e c i f i c r e s e a r c h o b j e c t i v e s of the BTR
    and       these        other       programmes          properly allow           for   these       topics      to      be
    commonly t r e a t e d and good i n t e r n a l c o - o r d i n a t i o n s h o u l d ensure b o t h t h a t
 ---pagebreak---                                                                 - 57 -
     useless          d u p l i c a t i o n of      efforts       i s avoided           and      t h a t the     specific         work
     done on these t o p i c s i n the d i f f e r e n t programmes w i l l so f a r as p o s s i b l e
     be complementary.                     Such c o - o r d i n a t i o n i s a l r e a d y w o r k i n g w e l l , as can            be
     seen, f o r example, i n the case of c u r r e n t ceramics                                         research.         Ceramics
     are t r e a t e d i n the raw m a t e r i a l s , the energy s a v i n g and                              the JRC          Petten
     programmes, b u t always w i t h complementary r e s e a r c h o b j e c t i v e s .
88.             The      f o l l o w i n g paragraphs            set    out     the      l i n k s between the             BTR      pro­
     gramme and               the       other       Community        R&D      programmes where                 d u p l i c a t i o n of
      e f f o r t s could p o t e n t i a l l y          arise.
                Stimulation
89.             The       Stimulation              programme         will        aim       at     promoting,           in     various
      p r o m i s i n g d i s c i p l i n e s , f a i r l y fundamental r e s e a r c h which i s f a r ahead of
      industrial              applications.                Work r e l a t e d t o         that        i n the     BTR     programme
       c o u l d be      i n the f i e l d s of c a t a l y s i s , membranes, adhesives                           and     polymers,
      but       the     S t i m u l a t i o n work w i l l        address o n l y          the      fundamental a s p e c t s          of
       these        t o p i c s and         will     not     be    carried        out      having         specific       industrial
       applications               i n mind.          The     latter      o r i e n t a t i o n i s of course            c e n t r a l to
       the BTR         programme.
                 Biotechnology
 90.             Both         the       biotechnology              and      BTR       programmes             include        work        on
       catalysis,             but       d u p l i c a t i o n of    efforts         could         arise      relating         only      to
       enzymatic c a t a l y s i s .               Knowing t h a t         this      specific           topic i s included i n
        the      biotechnology                 programme,          it     will        not       be      covered      by      the       BTR
        programme.                It      is     nevertheless           intended            that        a   close       liaison         be
       maintained             between the b i o t e c h n o l o g y          programme and                those working on            the
        catalysis              projects            in       the     BTR       programme              to     ensure        a      proper
        c r o s s - f e r t i l i z a t i o n of i d e a s .
 ---pagebreak---                                                                 - 58 -
                 Environment
 91.             The environment programme work r e l a t i n g                            to clean         technologies           may
       overlap         t o a c e r t a i n e x t e n t w i t h one a s p e c t of the BTR c a t a l y s i s work,
       i.e.      catalytic purification                     of i n d u s t r i a l    effluents.            The BTR work i n
       this field w i l l               t h e r e f o r e be developed i n c l o s e c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h the
      environment programme                         i n order     to gain mutually                 advantageous             research
      results.
      -          Energy s a v i n g , S t e e l and_Nuclear r e a c t o r s a f e t y
 92.            Research           topics          covered     i n t h e BTR         programme          may      overlap         to a
      c e r t a i n extent           with       topics dealt with            i n t h e Energy s a v i n g ,             S t e e l and
      the N u c l e a r        r e a c t o r s a f e t y R&D programmes, b u t i n each o f t h e s e                          latter
      programmes              the r e s e a r c h        objectives       are      specifically             related          t o the
      o v e r a l l o b j e c t i v e o f the p a r t i c u l a r programmes, i . e . l i m i t e d t o s o l v i n g
      specific           practical             problems       relating        t o new         and     a l t e r n a t i v e energy
      sources,          s t e e l p r o d u c t i o n and n u c l e a r r e a c t o r c o n s t r u c t i o n r e s p e c t i v e l y .
      The BTR work i s b r o a d l y                   aimed a t expanding t h e b a s i c knowledge on these
      t o p i c s f o r p o t e n t i a l wide i n d u s t r i a l a p p l i c a t i o n .
                Raw_materials
93.             The       substitution                 subprogramme        in       the       present         raw       materials
     programme              could         involve         overlap     with        BTR       work      in      the       areas      of
     s u b s t i t u t i o n o f m a t e r i a l s used i n s u r f a c e           t r e a t m e n t and c o a t i n g s       (wear
     r e s i s t a n t and c o r r o s i o n r e s i s t a n t c o a t i n g s ) and, t o a l e s s e r e x t e n t , i n
     s u b s t i t u t i o n i n c u t t i n g and m a c h i n i n g t o o l s .
94.            However,           t h e aim o f work              i n these         areas        i n the raw            materials
     programme            concerns the use of d i f f e r e n t raw m a t e r i a l s w h i c h a r e l e s s
     costly         and        i f possible              more    readily        a v a i l a b l e , while         i n the         BTR
     programme           the major aim i s g e n e r a l l y the improvement o f p r o p e r t i e s and
     techniques            i n this         field.
 ---pagebreak---                                                               - 59 -
               Esprit
95.            A l t h o u g h b o t h i n t h e E s p r i t programme and i n t h e BTR programme work
     w i l l be done on CAD/CAM, t h e r e w i l l be no o v e r l a p                       as t h e BTR work w i l l
     be     e x c l u s i v e l y l i m i t e d t o t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f t h e CAD/CAM concepts t o
     more s i m p l e a p p l i c a t i o n s i n t h e c o n v e n t i o n a l i n d u s t r i e s .
               COST
96.            There a r e s e v e r a l COST a c t i v i t i e s w h i c h d e a l w i t h items of t h e BTR
     programme, namely                  corrosion          i n the construction              industry      (COST 5 0 2 ) ,
      powder m e t a l l u r g y         (COST 503) and m a t e r i a l s              f o r steam     turbines     (COST
      505).           Co-ordination            will      be      ensured      within       t h e framework       of t h e
      Research A c t i o n Programme.
                J o i n t Research_Centre
 97.            The J o i n t R e s e a r c h      Centre         activities       i n the f i e l d s    of m a t e r i a l s
      science           ( i n p a r t i c u l a r high       temperature         materials)         and i n m a t e r i a l s
      t e s t i n g can c o n t r i b u t e considerably               t o t h e success o f t h e BTR programme.
 98.            In general,            although         there        i s an o v e r l a p   between      the d i f f e r e n t
      Community             R&D     programmes,            the research            objectives         of   the    various
      programmes a r e q u i t e d i f f e r e n t ; t h e BTR o b j e c t i v e s b e i n g g e n e r a l l y wider
       and more i n d u s t r y - o r i e n t e d       than those o f most of t h e other                  programmes.
      A c a r e f u l exchange o f i n f o r m a t i o n              should    a v o i d unnecessary d u p l i c a t i o n
       of work o r , what would be worse, t h e r e f u s a l o f a good p r o p o s a l                             under
       any      of the p o s s i b l e           programmes           on t h e assumption            that   i t will      be
       a c c e p t e d under a n o t h e r .       E x p e r i e n c e has shown t h a t such c o - o r d i n a t i o n i s
       possible           and t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n       of the A c t i o n       Programme      concept       will
       f u r t h e r improve t h e s i t u a t i o n i n t h i s           respect.
 ---pagebreak---                                                             - 60 -
      VII.       Funding o f t h e programme and s t a f f i n g needs
 99.            The f u n d i n g e s t i m a t e d t o be needed f o r t h e v a r i o u s sub-areas               i s the
      minimum c o n s i d e r e d n e c e s s a r y       to r a i s e the l e v e l of research               throughout
      the        Community            to   the     point       where      i t is     above        sub-critical           and
      consequently                will     make       a   useful        and    significant            impact     on      the
      technologies                concerned.         Part      of     the   funding     (15 MioECU)            will      not
      i n i t i a l l y be a l l o c a t e d t o a s p e c i f i c a r e a .      The e x p r e s s i o n s o f i n t e r e s t
     w i l l h e l p p r o v i d e a c l e a r i n d i c a t i o n on t h e p r i o r i t y p r o j e c t s w i t h i n the
     various           sub-areas         and t h e i r    c o s t s , and on t h e consequent most u s e f u l
     a l l o c a t i o n of resources.
100.            The programme proposed i s f o r a f o u r - y e a r p e r i o d b u t i t i s c l e a r
     t h a t w h i l e c e r t a i n o f t h e r e s e a r c h o b j e c t i v e s can be reached               within 4
     y e a r s , o t h e r s can o n l y be reached                  i n a greater period.               The   intention
     t h e r e f o r e i s t h a t the programme w i l l assume t h e form o f a 4-year r o l l i n g
     programme w i t h a r e v i e w and m o d i f i c a t i o n s o f t h e programme a t t h e end of
     each y e a r .
101.            Contracts placed f o l l o w i n g the f i r s t formal c a l l f o r proposals                         will
     commit          approximately            half     the t o t a l     Community     funds       estimated        t o be
     required.              The r e m a i n i n g h a l f w i l l be h e l d i n r e s e r v e t o be used as and
     when n e c e s s a r y         t o supplement t h e f u n d i n g of p r o j e c t s w h i c h a r e showing
     p a r t i c u l a r promise and t o support t h e c o n t r a c t s t o be p l a c e d f o l l o w i n g a
     second c a l l           f o r proposals         t o be i s s u e d a f t e r a mid-term r e v i e w         o f the
     programme.
102.           The      projected         total      cost     o f t h e programme         i s estimated           a t 270
     MioECU w i t h an a p p r o x i m a t e l y         50% Community c o n t r i b u t i o n .         The Community
     f u n d i n g proposed f o r each o f t h e s e l e c t e d r e s e a r c h a r e a s i s as f o l l o w s :
     1)        R e l i a b i l i t y , wear and d e t e r i o r a t i o n              20 MioECU
     2)        S u r f a c e s c i e n c e and t e c h n o l o g y                      10 MioECU
     3)        Laser technology a p p l i c a t i o n s together
               w i t h o t h e r new methods o f m e t a l             shaping
               and f o r m i n g                                                       15 MioECU
 ---pagebreak---                                                                  - 61 -
     4)       Joining           techniques                                                   10 MioECU
     5)       New      t e s t i n g methods, i n c l u d i n g non­
              destructive testing, on-line testing
              and computer-aided                   testing                                   15 MioECU
     6)       CAD/CAM and m a t h e m a t i c a l             models                         10 MioECU
     7)       Polymers,             composites        and o t h e r      new
              materials                                                                      20 MioECU
     8)       Membrane s c i e n c e and               technology                            10 MioECU
     9)       C a t a l y s i s and p a r t i c l e        technology                        10 MioECU
              Not       allocated                                                            15 MioECU
                                                    Total                                  135 MioECU
     Commission s t a f f i n g needs
103.           I n c o n s i d e r i n g t h e s t a f f i n g needs, i t s h o u l d be noted t h a t t h i s i s
     a new       programme w h i c h does not r e p l a c e or c o n t i n u e an e x i s t i n g programme
     and     t h a t i t does n o t ,             t h e r e f o r e , have a n u c l e u s    of e x i s t i n g  permanent
     staff       to b u i l d        on.    The     Commission f o r e s e e s a need t o engage a minimum
     of     26    persons            i n order       t o manage t h i s          programme a p p r o p r i a t e l y .      This
     figure        i s c o n s i d e r e d a minimum as i t would p r o v i d e o n l y f o r the                         staff
     able       to     cover         the   scientific             disciplines       and    technical          needs of       the
     a b o v e - o u t l i n e d main a r e a s of r e s e a r c h .           The   contracts w i l l normally               be
     s h o r t - t e r m , i . e . a t the maximum o n l y c o v e r i n g the span of the programme
     to     ensure          an      up-to-date          technical         knowledge       of    the      experts    who,      in
     principle,             will       be expected           t o r e t u r n to t h e i r   c o u n t r i e s of o r i g i n  at
     the c o n c l u s i o n of t h e i r           contracts.            The    specific     s t a f f i n g needs are       as
     follows :
     A         Grade -               15    (two persons             f o r each of the f i v e l a r g e s t r e s e a r c h
                                           areas,         one      person     f o r each of        the      remaining       four
                                           areas,         plus       one    person     responsible            for  contract
                                           n e g o t i a t i o n , etc.)
     B         Grade -                3
                                           ( s u p p o r t s t a f f i n normal r a t i o to A grade s t a f f )
     C         Grade -
     Total                          26
 ---pagebreak---                                                               - 62 -
     VIII.                General
104.           The       objective           of    this        programme          is      above        a l l to      stimulate
     c o o p e r a t i v e b a s i c t e c h n o l o g i c a l r e s e a r c h on a s c a l e s u f f i c i e n t    t o impact
     European           industrial           competitiveness.                 This    o b j e c t i v e must      be   kept   in
     mind        and        dominate          decision-taking                throughout           a l l stages          of   the
     programme.              Research         proposals         o f academic           interest         but which        do not
     identify           potential          important          o r wide-ranging               industrial         applications
     w i l l be r e j e c t e d .
105.           I t must          be    underlined           that      the      encouragement             of   technological
     r e s e a r c h cannot a l o n e accomplish                 the improvement o f Community                     industrial
     competitivity.                Technological             research          i s only       one     factor     amongst the
     many which go i n t o c r e a t i n g a c o m p e t i t i v e                i n d u s t r y , and BTR can only be
     effective            i f the r i g h t       industrial,           economic        and s o c i a l      environment i s
     developed            a t the same          time.     But i t i s t h e view o f the Commission                         that
     promotion of BTR and e s p e c i a l l y                    on a c o o p e r a t i v e      Community b a s i s , i s a
     necessary             condition          f o r Community             industrial           recovery.          Without     an
     i n j e c t i o n of the new t e c h n o l o g i e s which BTR can d e v e l o p ,                      many Community
     industries             already         facing       severe        problems         particularly            from    US   and
     Japanese c o m p e t i t i o n may not s u r v i v e i n the s h o r t e r - t e r m , and i n d u s t r i e s
     now a p p a r e n t l y      doing w e l l may not s u r v i v e i n the l o n g e r - t e r m .                   The new
     technologies              themselves and access                   t o them by i n n o v a t i v e        firms, small,
     medium         and      large,       may     also      help       provide       a     stimulus        to    the    greater
     e n t e r p r i s e and g r e a t e r p r o f i t a b i l i t y which a r e n e c e s s a r y           f o r the growth
     and     c o n t i n u i n g h e a l t h o f Community i n d u s t r y .
106.           Industry          has     assisted greatly                i n the s e l e c t i o n        of   the     research
     topics,          but       research        proposals          will       be    supported           only     i f industry
     commits           itself       by     means      of      significant           financial          participation,         by
     c o n t r i b u t i n g on-going           advice concerning               the management            o f the programme
     and     by demonstrating                 generally a continuing                   interest         i n the success of
     the      programme.             The      Commission          will       look     particularly            at   industry's
     willingness              to carry         on the work w i t h              purely      private        funds     and   in a
     competitive             spirit       once     the p r e - c o m p e t i t i v e   work o f the programme has
     been completed.
 ---pagebreak---                                                              - 63 -
                                                                  Proposal f o r a
                                                                  COUNCIL DECISION
    adopting a m u l t i a n n u a l r e s e a r c h and d e v e l o p m e n t programme of t h e European
    Economic Community i n t h e f i e l d o f b a s i c t e c h n o l o g i c a l r e s e a r c h
    The C o u n c i l o f t h e E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t i e s ,
    Having r e g a r d t o t h e T r e a t y e s t a b l i s h i n g t h e European Economic Community,
    and i n p a r t i c u l a r A r t i c l e 235 t h e r e o f ,
    Having r e g a r d t o t h e p r o p o s a l f r o m t h e C o m m i s s i o n ,
    Having r e g a r d t o t h e o p i n i o n o f t h e European P a r l i a m e n t ,
     Having r e g a r d t o t h e o p i n i o n o f t h e Economic and S o c i a l Committee,
     Whereas A r t i c l e 2 o f t h e T r e a t y a s s i g n s t o t h e Community t h e t a s k i n t e r a l i a
     of p r o m o t i n g t h r o u g h o u t t h e Community a h a r m o n i o u s development o f economic
     a c t i v i t i e s , a c o n t i n u o u s and b a l a n c e d e x p a n s i o n and an a c c e l e r a t e d r a i s i n g
     of the s t a n d a r d o f l i v i n g ;
     Whereas b a s i c t e c h n o l o g i c a l r e s e a r c h c o n t r i b u t e s t o t h e a t t a i n m e n t o f t h e s e
     o b j e c t i v e s and i s o r i e n t e d t o w a r d s t h e needs o f many i n d u s t r i a l b r a n c h e s o f
     economic i m p o r t a n c e t o t h e Community;
    yher°as o r o m o t i o n o f E u r o p e a n i n d u s t r i a l c o m p e t i t i v e n e s s i s one o f t h e         i
    najor g o a l s o f t h e Framework Programme;
(5)
 ---pagebreak---                                                                   - 64 -
    Whereas a g r o u p i n g o f i n d i r e c t and c o n c e r t e d a c t i o n s i n t h e f i e l d o f b a s i c
   technology           would c o n t r i b u t e t o w a r d s m e e t i n g t h i s o b j e c t i v e ;
   Whereas t h e R e s e a r c h A c t i o n Programme I n d u s t r i a l T e c h n o l o g i e s i n c l u d e s a
   number o f r e s e a r c h programmes o f v a l u e t o European i n d u s t r y b u t does not
   y e t i n c l u d e a programme o f m u l t i s e c t o r a l , m u l t i d i s c i p l i n a r y b a s i c t e c h n o l ­
   ogical research;
   Whereas t h e T r e a t y does not p r o v i d e t h e s p e c i f i c powers o f a c t i o n s r e q u i r e d
   for those ends,
   HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
                                                                 Article 1
1) A programme            o f r e s e a r c h and d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e E u r o p e a n Economic Community
   in the f i e l d         o f b a s i c t e c h n o l o g y as d e s c r i b e d i n t h e Annex i s h e r e b y
   adopted f o r          a p e r i o d o f f o u r y e a r s commencing on t h e d a t e when t h i s D e c i s i o n
   is published             i n the O f f i c i a l Journal of the European Communities.
2) The programme i n c l u d e s work c a r r i e d o u t as c o n t r a c t r e s e a r c h and as
   concerted          action.
   The work w i l l be c a r r i e d o u t by means o f s h a r e d c o s t c o n t r a c t s t o be p l a c e d
   with appropriate i n d u s t r i a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s , research                  l a b o r a t o r i e s or university
   i n s t i t u t e s or combinations              o f them.
   The c o n c e r t e d a c t i o n s c o n s i s t o f t h e c o - o r d i n a t i o n a t Community l e v e l o f
   r e s e a r c h a c t i v i t i e s w h i c h a r e p a r t o f e x i s t i n g r e s e a r c h programmes i n t h e
   Member S t a t e s a n d , where a p p l i c a b l e , o f t h e Community.
   P r i o r i t y s h a l l be g i v e n t o p r o j e c t s c a r r i e d o u t by p a r t i c i p a n t s f r o m more than on
   Member S t a t e ,            a t l e a s t one o f them b e i n g an i n d u s t r i a l o r g a n i z a t i o n .
                                                                 Article 2
   The a p p r o p r i a t i o n s n e c e s s a r y      f o r the implementation            o f t h e programme, t h e
   amount o f w h i c h i s e s t i m a t e d             t o be 135 m i l l i o n ECU, i n c l u d i n g           expenditure
   on a s t a f f o f 26, s h a l l be e n t e r e d i n t h e budget o f t h e E u r o p e a n
   Communities.                The f i g u r e s a r e g i v e n m e r e l y by way o f i n d i c a t i o n .
 ---pagebreak---                                                                       - 65 -
                                                               Article 3
   The programme s h a l l be r e v i e w e d                  d u r i n g i t s second year.            Such r e v i e w may
   Lead, i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e a p p r o p r i a t e p r o c e d u r e ,      to a r e v i s i o n of the
   programme t o t a k e e f f e c t d u r i n g t h e t h i r d                year.
                                                               Article 4
   The Commission s h a l l be r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e e x e c u t i o n o f t h e programme w i t h
   regard t o t h e c o n t r a c t r e s e a r c h and s h a l l be r e s p o n s i b l e f o r t h e c o - o r d i n a t i o n
   with r e g a r d t o c o n c e r t e d a c t i o n s .
  It shall d e c i d e , i n t h e framework o f t h e programme, on t h e d e t a i l e d
  i m p l e m e n t a t i o n , p a r t i c u l a r l y c o n c e r n i n g t h e breakdown o f t h e work between
  contract r e s e a r c h and c o n c e r t e d a c t i o n s , and t h e l a u n c h i n g o f c o n c e r t e d a c t i o n s .
                                                              Article 5
  The Commission w i l l be a s s i s t e d i n t h e t a s k s l i s t e d i n A r t i c l e 4 by t h e
   Management and Consultât!ve Committee ( I n d u s t r i a l T e c h n o l o g i e s ) (CGC)
  created by C o u n c i l D e c i s i o n             ...
                                                              Article 6
 With r e g a r d t o t h e c o n c e r t e d a c t i o n s i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h a p r o c e d u r e t o be
  Laid down by t h e C o m m i s s i o n , a f t e r c o n s u l t i n g t h e CGC t h e p a r t i c i p a t i n g
 Member S t a t e s and t h e Community s h a l l r e g u l a r l y exchange a l l u s e f u l
 information concerning                     t h e e x e c u t i o n o f t h e r e s e a r c h c o v e r e d by such
 activities.
 The p a r t i c i p a t i n g Member S t a t e s s h a l l p r o v i d e t h e Commission w i t h a l l
information relevant f o r c o - o r d i n a t i o n purposes.                            They s h a l l a l s o endeavour
to p r o v i d e t h e Commission w i t h i n f o r m a t i o n on s i m i l a r r e s e a r c h p l a n n e d o r
c a r r i e d o u t by b o d i e s which a r e n o t under t h e i r a u t h o r i t y .
Any i n f o r m a t i o n s h a l l be t r e a t e d as c o n f i d e n t i a l i f so r e q u e s t e d by t h e
Member S t a t e w h i c h p r o v i d e s i t .
 ---pagebreak---                                                   - 66 -
                                                          ANNEX
The programme i n c l u d e s work i n t h e f o l l o w i n g n i n e p r i n c i p a l r e s e a r c h
areas :
1. R e l i a b i l i t y , wear and d e t e r i o r a t i o n
    including i n particular,
    (a) Methods f o r s e r v i c e l i f e p r e d i c t i o n and t h e a s s e s s m e n t o f d e f e c t s
            i n e n g i n e e r i n g m a t e r i a l s , components and a s s e m b l i e s .
    (b) Wear r e s i s t a n c e o f m a t e r i a l s f o r use i n a b r a s i v e , e r o s i v e and c o r r o ­
           s i v e media and under o t h e r a d v e r s e c o n d i t i o n s and t r i b o l o g i c a l f a c ­
           t o r s concerned w i t h t h e f o r m i n g and m a c h i n i n g o f m a t e r i a l s .
    (c) Improved b e a r i n g m a t e r i a l s and s y s t e m s i n r e s p e c t o f f a t i g u e ,
            s e i z u r e and c a v i t a t i o n damage.
    (d) F r a c t u r e m e c h a n i c s i n e n g i n e e r i n g m a t e r i a l s and components, i n c l u ­
            d i n g u n s t a b l e f r a c t u r e , f a t i g u e , c r e e p and t h e e f f e c t o f c o r r o s i o n
            on u n s t a b l e and f a t i g u e f r a c t u r e .
    (e) F a t i g u e o f e n g i n e e r i n g m a t e r i a l s and components as f o n c t i o n s o f
            the a p p l i e d c y c l i c s t r e s s e s , t h e composition of t h e m a t e r i a l s
            and t h e t r e a t m e n t and q u a l i t y o f p r o d u c t i o n p r o c e s s . The r e l a t i o n ­
            ship of materials c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s t o f a t i g u e design behaviour.
    ( f ) C o r r o s i o n r e s i s t a n c e and c o r r o s i o n p r o t e c t i o n o f e n g i n e e r i n g ma­
            t e r i a l s and components i n a g g r e s s i v e media and o t h e r a d v e r s e c o n ­
            d i t i o n s and h y d r o g e n - e m b r i t t l e m e n t r e l a t e d t o c o r r o s i o n p r o c e s s e s .
    (g) M i c r o b i o l o g i c a l d e t e r i o r a t i o n o f e n g i n e e r i n g m a t e r i a l s .
    (h) B i o c o m p a t i b i l i t y o f m a t e r i a l s f o r use i n i m p l a n t s and t h e r e p l a c e ­
            ment o f o r g a n s .
 2. S u r f a c e s c i e n c e and t e c h n o l o g y
    including i n particular,
    (a) S u r f a c e t r e a t m e n t and p r o t e c t i v e c o a t i n g t e c h n o l o g y t o m o d i f y t h e
            p h y s i c a l and m e c h a n i c a l p r o p e r t i e s o f m a t e r i a l s , components and
            assemblies.
    (b) P r o d u c t i o n l i n e u t i l i z a t i o n o f p r o c e s s e s a v a i l a b l e on a l a b o r a t o r y
             scale.
    (c) S u r f a c e p r o p e r t i e s and phenomena a t i n t e r f a c e s .
 ---pagebreak---                                                  - 67     -
3. L a s e r t e c h n o l o g y and i t s a p p l i c a t i o n s and o t h e r new methods o f
   m e t a l s h a p i n g and f o r m i n g
    including i n particular,
    (a) Development and u s e o f h i g h power l a s e r s f o r m a t e r i a l s p r o c e s s i n g ,
            i n c l u d i n g t h e i n t e r a c t i o n o f l a s e r beams w i t h m a t e r i a l s .
    (b) S a f e t y and w o r k p r o c e d u r e s f o r t h e p r o d u c t i o n - l i n e use o f l a s e r s .
    (c) Near-net shape m a n u f a c t u r i n g t e c h n o l o g y , i n p a r t i c u l a r powder
            metallurgy.
4. J o i n i n g t e c h n i q u e s
    including i n particular,
    (a) New o r improved w e l d i n g t e c h n i q u e s , i n c l u d i n g e l e c t r o n beam^dif-
            f u s i o n and f r i c t i o n w e l d i n g .
     (b) Low-cost a u t o m a t e d w e l d i n g , i n c l u d i n g s e n s o r s and a d a p t i v e c o n t r o l
            systems.
     (c) New o r improved a d h e s i v e , s o l d e r i n g and b r a z i n g t e c h n i q u e s and
            t h e i r a d a p t a t i o n f o r use i n mass p r o d u c t i o n . J o i n i n g o f new and
            dissimilar materials.
 5. New t e s t i n g methods i n c l u d i n g n o n - d e s t r u c t i v e t e s t i n g , o n - l i n e t e s t i n g
     and c o m p u t e r - a i d e d t e s t i n g
     including             in particular,
     (a) F u n c t i o n - r e l a t e d t e c h n i q u e s f o r t h e measurement and t e s t i n g o f
             m a t e r i a l d e t e r i o r a t i o n p r o c e s s e s , i n c l u d i n g c o r r o s i o n , wear,
             f r a c t u r e and c r a c k - i n i t i a t i n g p r o c e s s e s , and b i o l o g i c a l l y i n d u ­
             ced damage.
     (b) N o n - d e s t r u c t i v e t e s t i n g t e c h n i q u e s f o r t h e e x a m i n a t i o n , d e t e c t i o n
             and p r e s e n t a t i o n o f d e f e c t s and s t r e s s e s i n m a t e r i a l s , components
             and a s s e m b l i e s .
      (c) C o m p u t e r - a i d e d t e s t i n g t e c h n i q u e s and s y s t e m s , p a r t i c u l a r l y w i t h
             a v i e w t o use i n c o m p u t e r - i n t e g r a t e d m a n u f a c t u r e .
      (d) T e s t i n g methods f o r m a t e r i a l s , components and a s s e m b l i e s under
             service stresses includingsimulation.
 ---pagebreak---                                                   - 68 -
6. CAD/CAM and m a t h e m a t i c a l models
    including i n particular,
    (a) CAD/CAM t e c h n i q u e s f o r p r o d u c t i o n p r o c e s s e s i n n o n - e l e c t r o n i c
           manufacturing i n d u s t r i e s , i n p a r t i c u l a r low-cost techniques
           f o r s m a l l and m e d i u m - s i z e d e n t e r p r i s e s (SMEs).
    (b) M a t h e m a t i c a l m o d e l l i n g o f p r o d u c t i o n p r o c e s s e s and phenomena
           i n c l u d i n g m o d e l l i n g r e l a t e d t o f l e x i b l e manufacturing systems
           s u i t a b l e f o r SMEs.
7. P o l y m e r s , c o m p o s i t e s and o t h e r new m a t e r i a l s
   including i n particular,
   (a) P o l y m e r s and c o m p o s i t e s w i t h s p e c i a l and i m p r o v e d p h y s i c a l and
           m e c h a n i c a l p r o p e r t i e s and s t a b i l i t y f o r w i d e r a p p l i c a t i o n s i n
           e n g i n e e r i n g m e d i c a l and a g r i c u l t u r a l a p p l i c a t i o n s .
                                  y
   (b) C o s t - e f f e c t i v e p r o d u c t i o n and c o n v e r s i o n and j o i n i n g t e c h n i q u e s
           f o r p o l y m e r s and c o m p o s i t e s .
   (c) Bonding mechanismes and i n t e r a c t i o n s a t component i n t e r f a c e s o f
           composites.
   (d) M a t e r i a l s w i t h s p e c i a l e l e c t r i c a l , m a g n e t i c and o p t o - e l e c t r o n i c
          p r o p e r t i e s f o r use i n v a r i o u s e n g i n e e r i n g a p p l i c a t i o n s .
   N.B.: S p e c i a l i s t a p p l i c a t i o n s o f c o m p o s i t e m a t e r i a l s i n
               p a r t i c u l a r f o r t h e t r a n s p o r t i n d u s t r i e s a r e t o be
               c o v e r e d by a f u r t h e r programme on a d v a n c e d m a t e r i a l s .
8. Membrane s c i e n c e and t e c h n o l o g y and p r o b l e m s i n e l e c t r o c h e m i s t r y
   including i n particular,
   (a) A p p l i c a t i o n o f membranes i n c o n t i n u o u s s e p a r a t i o n               processes,
           in p a r t i c u l a r the application of reverse osmosis, u l t r a f i l t r a ­
          t i o n , m i c r o f i I t r a t i o n and d i a l y s i s f o r p r o c e s s s t r e a m s .
   (b) I n d u s t r i a l a p p l i c a t i o n s o f gas s e p a r a t i o n       by membranes i n c l u d i n g
          oxygen e n r i c h m e n t o f a i r , s e p a r a t i o n         o f a c i d gas components i n
          e x h a u s t g a s s e s and n a t u r a l g a s , s e p a r a t i o n      i n n a t u r a l gas and
          i n d u s t r i a l process gases.
 ---pagebreak---                                                     - 69 -
   (c) S e p a r a t i o n o f L i q u i d m i x t u r e s by p e r v a p o r a t i o n i n c l u d i n g r e ­
           moval o f water from o r g a n i c l i q u i d s , s e p a r a t i o n o f a r o m a t i c /
            a l i f a t i c l i q u i d m i x t u r e s and removal o f o r g a n i c components
            from w a t e r .
   (d) New membrane m a t e r i a l s i n c l u d i n g c e r a m i c m a t e r i a l s , f o r i n d u s ­
           t r i a l and m e d i c a l a p p l i c a t i o n s .
   (e) F o u l i n g and p r e v e n t i o n               o f f o u l i n g o f membranes.
   ( f ) I r r e v e r s i b l e phenomena o f a n o d i c systems i n e l e c t r o w i n n i n g o f
           non-ferrous metals.
   (g) Fused s a l t e l e c t r o l y s i s t e c h n o l o g y f o r t h e n o n - f e r r o u s m e t a l l u r g y
            industry.
9. C a t a l y s i s and p a r t i c l e t e c h n o l o g y
   including i n particular,
   (a) Z e o l i t e s as c a t a l y s t s i n o r g a n i c c h e m i c a l s i n d u s t r y , i n c l u d i n g
           t h e i r p r o d u c t i o n , c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n and s h a p i n g arid a p p l i c a t i o n , i n
          shape-selective catalysis.
   (b) I n d u s t r i a l homogeneous c a t a l y s i s , i n p a r t i c u l a r f o r o x i d a t i o n
           reactions.
   (c) C a t a l y t i c p u r i f i c a t i o n o f i n d u s t r i a l e f f l u e n t s , i n c l u d i n g SC>2
           and N 0 d i s p o s a l .
                        x
   (d) P a r t i c l e t e c h n o l o g y i n p a r t i c u l a r , t h e m a n u f a c t u r e o f p a r t i c l e s ,
           p a r t i c l e c o n t a m i n a t i o n and equipment d e s i g n .
 ---pagebreak---                                                                 - 70 -
                                                                                                       ANNEX I I I
                       APPLICATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES (CLOTHING MANUFACTURE)
                                                         PROGRAMME PROPOSAL
I. Introduction
   1. E n s u r i n g t h e c o m p e t i t i v i t y o f Community i n d u s t r y depends i n g r e a t
       p a r t on t h e development o f t h e b a s i c t e c h n o l o g i e s d e s c r i b e d i n
       Annex I I . These t e c h n o l o g i e s w i l l p r o v i d e an i m p o r t a n t base upon
       which i n d u s t r y can d e v e l o p t h e new p r o d u c t s and p r o c e s s e s f o r which
       t h e market i s l i k e l y t o d e v e l o p d u r i n g t h e c o u r s e o f t h e n e x t decade
       and p r o b a b l y beyond t o t h e end o f t h e c e n t u r y . But i n d u s t r i a l compe­
       t i t i v e n e s s a l s o depends on t h e a b i l i t y o f i n d i v i d u a l f i r m s and i n ­
       d u s t r i e s s u c c e s s f u l l y t o a p p l y new t e c h n o l o g i e s d e r i v i n g from o t h e r
       s e c t o r s t o t h e i r s p e c i f i c m a n u f a c t u r i n g , needs i n such a way t h a t
        i t can be used e f f e c t i v e l y a l s o by SMES.
   2. Compared w i t h o t h e r i n d u s t r i a l i z e d c o u n t r i e s , t h e b r i n g i n g t o g e t h e r of
       t e c h n o l o g i e s d e r i v i n g from d i f f e r e n t s e c t o r s f o r t h e b e n e f i t o f a
        s i n g l e s e c t o r i s l a g g i n g b e h i n d i n Europe c e r t a i n l y where c r o s s -
        f r o n t i e r cooperation i s concerned.                       Such c o o p e r a t i o n , however, i s
        e s s e n t i a l i f o p t i m a l b e n e f i t o f t h e t e c h n o l o g i c a l p o t e n t i a l o f Europe
        i s t o be e n s u r e d . E f f o r t s must be d i r e c t e d t o w a r d s t h o s e a r e a s o f
        Community m a n u f a c t u r i n g i n d u s t r y t h a t have t h e p o t e n t i a l t o be t r a n s ­
        formed by i n j e c t i o n o f h i g h t e c h n o l o g y and c o u l d t h e n be a b l e t o
        meet f o r e i g n c o m p e t i t i o n w i t h o u t p r o t e c t i v e measures.
    3. The ways and p o s s i b i l i t i e s t o s t i m u l a t e such c r o s s - s e c t o r and c r o s s -
        f r o n t i e r c o o p e r a t i o n i n t h e p r e - c o m p e t i t i v e s t a g e can o n l y be a s s e s s e d
        by u n d e r t a k i n g a t e s t case which w i l l c r e a t e an i m p o r t a n t model f o r
         c o n d u c t i n g m u l t i - d i s c i p l i n a r y and c r o s s - f r o n t i e r r e s e a r c h concerning
        t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f new t e c h n o l o g i e s , t o be u t i l i s e d f o r
 ---pagebreak---                                                   - 71 -
    the b e n e f i t o f a number o f Community m a n u f a c t u r i n g i n d u s t r i e s , t h o s e
    from which t h e r e l e v a n t t e c h n o l o g i e s w i l l be drawn ( e . g . the m i c r o ­
    e l e c t r o n i c s and m a c h i n e r y i n d u s t r i e s ) and t h o s e which w i l l use the
    technology.
4. C l o t h i n g m a n u f a c t u r e ( t h r o u g h o u t t h i s t e x t , t h e word " c l o t h i n g "
    s h o u l d be r e a d t o i n c l u d e k n i t wear ) has been chosen as t h e t e s t
    a r e a f o r t h i s programme because o f i t s economic i m p o r t a n c e , t h e r e a l
     p o s s i b i l i t y which e x i s t s o f r e v e r s i n g an o v e r a l l t r e n d of d e c l i n e i n r e c e n t
    y e a r s t h r o u g h a major t e c h n o l o g i c a l boost and because i t s need t o
     e x p l o i t new t e c h n o l o g i e s f o r improved c o m p e t i t i v i t y i s t y p i c a l of
     t h a t o f a number o f Community m a n u f a c t u r i n g i n d u s t r i e s .
 5. C l o t h i n g m a n u f a c t u r e t o d a y p r o v i d e s employment f o r o v e r 850.000
     Community w o r k e r s , and a f u r t h e r 1,2 m i l l i o n p e r s o n s a r e employed
     by t e x t i l e i n d u s t r i e s which g r e a t l y depend on t h e c l o t h i n g i n d u s t r y
     f o r t h e i r economic s u r v i v a l . T o g e t h e r , t h e s e e n t e r p r i s e s employ
     over 8 % o f t h e Community w o r k f o r c e i n t h e m a n u f a c t u r i n g i n d u s t r i e s
      and a c c o u n t f o r some 6,4 % o f added v a l u e t h r o u g h o u t Community
      i n d u s t r y and f o r 6 % o f Community e x p o r t s o f m a n u f a c t u r e d p r o d u c t s .
      While c l o t h i n g m a n u f a c t u r e i s t h u s v e r y i m p o r t a n t i n economic
      t e r m s , i t must be n o t e d t h a t s i n c e 1975 t h e i n d u s t r y ' s t u r n o v e r i n
      r e a l terms has d r o p p e d s u b s t a n t i a l l y and i t s w o r k f o r c e has d i m i ­
      n i s h e d by some 26 %. And u n l e s s t h e means a r e q u i c k l y found t o
      boost c o m p e t i t i v i t y v i s - a - v i s p r o d u c e r s e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e Far E a s t ,
      the d e c l i n e o f Community c l o t h i n g m a n u f a c t u r e i n r e c e n t y e a r s may
      a c c e l e r a t e i n t h e near f u t u r e and t h e employment and o u t p u t d i r e c t l y
      and i n d i r e c t l y g e n e r a t e d w i l l be put a t s e r i o u s r i s k . Only a compe­
      t i t i v e i n d u s t r y can o f f e r t h e g u a r a n t e e of employment.
  6. I t s h o u l d be n o t e d t h a t c l o t h i n g m a n u f a c t u r e R & D programmes a r e
       a l r e a d y underway i n c o m p e t i t o r c o u n t r i e s . In J a p a n , f o r example.
 ---pagebreak---                                                                     - 72 -
         an 80 Mio ECU, M I T I - f u n d e d programme i s aimed a t d e v e l o p i n g f u l l y
         automated c l o t h i n g m a n u f a c t u r i n g s y s t e m s .           S u b s t a n t i a l work i s
         a l s o g o i n g on i n Sweden and i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s .
      7. The f o l l o w i n g p a r a g r a p h s s e t o u t t h e t e c h n i c a l and a d m i n i s t r a t i v e
         c o n t e n t o f t h e programme d e v e l o p e d i n c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h i n d u s t r i a l
         and o t h e r e x p e r t s .
I I . The r o l e o f t h e Community
      8. The programme p r o p o s e d w i l l have a c a t a l y t i c e f f e c t on m u l t i d i s c i p l i n a r y
         and c o o p e r a t i v e r e s e a r c h e f f o r t s w i t h t h e i n t e n t i o n o f a p p l y i n g new
         t e c h n o l o g i e s aimed a t a major b r e a k t h r o u g h i n t h e c o m p e t i t i v i t y o f
         c l o t h i n g m a n u f a c t u r e i n t h e Community. I t w i l l p r o v i d e a w o r k i n g model
         f o r c r o s s - s e c t o r and c r o s s - f r o n t i e r c o o p e r a t i o n . I t f a l l s e n t i r e l y
         w i t h i n t h e framework programme o p t i o n c o n c e r n i n g t h e p r o m o t i o n o f i n ­
         d u s t r i a l competitiveness.
      9. The programme i s n o t aimed a t s u b s i d i z i n g r e s e a r c h i n t h e c l o t h i n g ' i n ­
         d u s t r y . Such r e s e a r c h i s e s s e n t i a l l y t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y o f t h e industry.The
         programme i s i n t e n d e d t o a d d r e s s t h e f a c t o r s where Europe i s l a g g i n g
         b e h i n d : c r o s s s e c t o r and c r o s s - f r o n t i e r c o o p e r a t i o n . The programme
         s h o u l d ensure t h a t f u l l a d v a n t a g e i s t a k e n o f t h e t e c h n o l o g i c a l p o t e n ­
         t i a l o f Europe and t h a t more e f f e c t i v e u s e i s made o f t h e r e s o u r c e s
         a v a i l a b l e t h r o u g h t h e r e d u c t i o n o f o v e r l a p p i n g e f f o r t s and t h e
         b r i n g i n g t o g e t h e r f o r more e f f e c t i v e f u r t h e r d e v e l o p m e n t o f complemen­
         t a r y but c u r r e n t l y s e p a r a t e d      efforts.
         In t h i s p a r t i c u l a r a t t e n t i o n w i l l be g i v e n t o t h e i n v o l v e m e n t o f
         SMES ( s e e V ) .
 ---pagebreak---                                                                  - 73 -
        10. R e l a t i o n t o n a t i o n a l programmes
              A c t i v i t i e s e x i s t o r a r e under p r e p a r a t i o n i n e.g. F r a n c e , Germany,
              t h e N e t h e r lands and t h e U n i t e d Kingdom.
              There w i l l be no d u p l i c a t i o n of p r o j e c t s which c l e a r l y a l r e a d y form
              p a r t o f a c t i v i t i e s i n a M e m b e i — S t a t e . Such p r o j e c t s may, however,
              be i n t e g r a t e d w i t h i n t h e work of t h e programme by agreement as
              appropri ate.
               The e x p r e s s i o n s o f i n t e r e s t and c o n s u l t a t i o n s w i t h the CGC          will
               provide the b a s i s f o r a v o i d i n g o v e r l a p p i n g .
I I I . Management of t h e programme
    A. N a t u r e o£ Communvty^ act_ions_
         11. P r o j e c t s u n d e r t a k e n under t h i s programme w i l l be implemented                        through
               shared cost c o n t r a c t s .
               Because t h i s programme c o n c e r n s a p p l i c a t i o n o f new t e c h n o l o g i e s , the
                r e s e a r c h w i l l i n most c a s e s be t a k e n t o t h e p o i n t of p i l o t and de­
               m o n s t r a t i o n p r o j e c t s t o d e m o n s t r a t e t h e new t e c h n o l o g i e s under f u l l
               operating conditions.                       These p i l o t p r o j e c t s a r e c o n s i d e r e d most im­
                p o r t a n t as f i r s t l y t h e y w i l l a s s i s t e v a l u a t i o n o f the p r a c t i c a l
                f e a s i b i l i t y o f t h e new t e c h n o l o g i e s and the p o t e n t i a l e f f e c t s on o t h e r
                a s p e c t s o f t h e p r o d u c t i o n p r o c e s s , and s e c o n d l y they w i l l p r o v i d e
                t h e i n d u s t r y and e s p e c i a l l y i t s SMES an o p p o r t u n i t y t o c a l c u l a t e the
                l i k e l y c o s t s and p r o d u c t i v i t y b e n e f i t s o f i n t r o d u c t i n g the new
                technologies.
 ---pagebreak---                                                               - 74 -
        S i n c e the programme aims at a major b r e a k t h r o u g h i n p r o d u c t i v i t y ,
        i n d i v i d u a l p r o j e c t s w i l l n o r m a l l y be s u b s t a n t i a l and m u l t i d i s -
        c i p l i n a r y . The i n d i v i d u a l p r o j e c t s must a l s o f i t i n t o a c o n c e p t u a l
        framework as i s o l a t e d d e v e l o p m e n t s may even be c o u n t e r p r o d u c t i v e i f
       they m e r e l y t r a n s f e r t h e p r o b l e m o r c r e a t e a n o t h e r one e l s e w h e r e .
B. Mariageme£t_and e v a l u a t i o n
   12. In t h e management of t h e programme, t h e Management and C o o r d i n a t i o n
       C o n s u l t a t i v e Committee (CGC) - I n d u s t r i a l T e c h n o l o g i e s w i l l a s s i s t
       t h e Commission i n e x a m i n i n g t h e p r o j e c t s , i n m o n i t o r i n g t h e work as
       t h e programme p r o c e e d s , s u g g e s t changes t o t h e programme and i n
       g e n e r a l a d v i s e t h e Commission i n t h e management of t h e work. However,
       as t h i s programme i s s t r o n g l y i n d u s t r y - o r i e n t a t e d , t h e Commission
       w i l l e s t a b l i s h c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h i n d u s t r y and, where a p p r o p r i a t e , w i t h
       academic and r e s e a r c h i n s t i t u t i o n s t o e n s u r e t h e i r i n v o l v e m e n t and
       t h e use of t h e i r t e c h n i c a l e x p e r t i s e i n t h e programme, i n p a r t i c u l a r
       on t h e management and p o s s i b l e a d a p t a t i o n s of t h e programme.
       The c l o t h i n g i n d u s t r y and o t h e r s e.g. t h e m a c h i n e r y and computer
       i n d u s t r i e s w i l l be i n c l u d e d i n t h e s e c o n s u l t a t i o n s i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h
       t h e i m p o r t a n c e of the programme f o r t h e i r s e c t o r .
   13. The programme w i l l be s u b m i t t e d t o e v a l u a t i o n p r o c e d u r e s i n a c c o r ­
       dance w i t h the "Community p l a n of a c t i o n r e l a t i n g t o t h e e v a l u a t i o n
       of Community r e s e a r c h and development programmes" (COM (83) 1 ) . -
 ---pagebreak---                                                          - 75 -
C. P a r t i c i p a n t s a n d p r o j e c t s
   14. P a r t i c i p a n t s i n a p r o j e c t c a n b e i n d u s t r i a l f i r m s , r e s e a r c h             ins­
         t i t u t e s a n d u n i v e r s i t i e s e s t a b l i s h e d i n t h e Community.                    As a
         general          r u l e , the prime contractor or leader i n a project                                      partnership
         or c o n s o r t i u m     '       should      be a n i n d u s t r i a l f i r m h a v i n g         a major
         interest i n the anticipated results.                                  S p e c i a l a t t e n t i o n w i l l be
         g i v e n t o an a p p r o p r i a t e       i n v o l v e m e n t o f SMEs ( s e e V ) .
   15. P r i o r i t y w i l l b e g i v e n t o p r o j e c t s u n d e r t a k e n by p a r t i c i p a n t s i n
          more t h a n o n e Member S t a t e .                    Few i n d i v i d u a l Member S t a t e s p o s s e s s t h e
          complete range o f technologies                             required.
 D. F i n a n c i a l     support
    16. Community f i n a n c i a l s u p p o r t             w i l l as a general              r u l e n o t e x c e e d 50 % o f
          t h e t o t a l c o s t o f t h e p r o j e c t , t h e r e m a i n d e r t o be p r o v i d e d               by t h e
          industrial firms p a r t i c i p a t i n g i n the project.                               The amount o f
          Community f i n a n c i a l s u p p o r t            w i l l be d e c i d e d      i n d i v i d u a l l y f o r each
          project i n the light of i t s character!stics,degree                                           of conformity            with the
          s e l e c t i o n c r i t e r i a a n d t h e amount o f r i s k a c c e p t e d                by t h e . p r o p o s e r s o f t h e
          projects.              The Commission w i l l t a k e due a c c o u n t o f a l l o t h e r a i d
           r e c e i v e d o r e x p e c t e d s o t h a t t h e g l o b a l amount o f n a t i o n a l o r Com­
           munity support              w i l l n o t , as a general               r u l e , e x c e e d 50 % o f t h e
           total costs.              F o r d e m o n s t r a t i o n p r o j e c t s , a maximum o f 50 % o f
           the grant            i s repayable        i n t h e event of commercial e x p l o i t a t i o n .
  E. S e j ^ t j o r i c r i t e r i a
     17. The s e l e c t i o n c r i t e r i a f o r i n d i v i d u a l p r o j e c t s must r e f l e c t t h e
           n e c e s s i t y t o u n d e r t a k e a p r o j e c t o n Community l e v e l a n d e n s u r e
           that i t i s aimed a t s t i m u l a t i n g intra-Community                                co-operative
            research          efforts.         Next t o t h e g e n e r a l         conditions            ( s e e C and
            D) a n d t h e t e c h n i c a l c o n t e n t        o f t h e programme, c r i t e r i a f o r s e ­
            l e c t i o n w i l l be t h e f o l l o w i n g :
 ---pagebreak---                                                       - 76        -
          1) t h e r e s e a r c h proposed             i s n o t a d e q u a t e l y c o v e r e d by o t h e r
                 Community programmes,by p r i v a t e r e s e a r c h o r by n a t i o n a l programmes,
          2) t h e r e s e a r c h i s m u l t i - d i s c i p l i n a r y and t h e work w i l l c o n t r i b u t e t o
                 a better cross f r o n t i e r cooperation,
         3) t h e p o t e n t i a l i n d u s t r i a l a p p l i c a t i o n s o f t h e r e s e a r c h a r e
               evident           b u t t h e r e s e a r c h e n t a i l e d must i t s e l f be p r e -
               c o m p e t i t i v e , i . e . even a f t e r s u c c e s s f u l         completion of the
                r e s e a r c h t h e r e w i l l be f u r t h e r R 8 D work r e q u i r e d by i n d u s t r y
               w i t h i t s own f i n a n c e b e f o r e t h e r e s u l t s c a n be s u c c e s s f u l l y em­
               bodied i n marketable products o r processes,
         4) t h e r e s e a r c h s h o u l d p o t e n t i a l l y l e a d t o t e c h n o l o g i c a l b r e a k ­
               throughs          r e l a t i n g t o i n d u s t r i a l p r o d u c t i v i t y , product   reliability,
              o r i g i n a l i t y o f d e s i g n and o v e r a l l q u a l i t y , each i n i t s e l f a
               key t o g r e a t e r c o m p e t i t i v e n e s s .
        5) p r o j e c t s s h o u l d f i t i n t o a c o n c e p t u a l framework a s i n d i c a t e d
              in the t e c h n i c a l content.
               1          n
F. 2i£ £ 2/ £tJL°. _ 2.^^11^— H l?2Pz.
      s   m                                 r a              c  e   s
                                                          ^ ^ £ _ t £ £nd_ £X£loit_at^ion_ojf               £esult£._
  19. The r u l e s f o r d i s s e m i n a t i o n o f i n f o r m a t i o n and a c c e s s t o and e x ­
        p l o i t a t i o n of r e s u l t s w i l l f o l l o w the p r i n c i p l e s as set out i n
        t h e document on t h e A c t i o n Programme.
       Because t h e c l o t h i n g programme c o v e r s a wide range o f t e c h n i c a l
       s u b j e c t s and may n o t i n a l l c a s e s i n v o l v e p r o j e c t s c a r r i e d o u t
      through t o demonstration                       thepreci:               r u l e s w i l l need t o be a d ­
      j u s t e d on a case by case b a s i s w i t h t h e l e g a l t e r m s and c o n d i t i o n s
      incorporated i n the individual contracts.
 ---pagebreak---                                                        - 77 -
IV. E x p r e s s i o n s o f i n t e r e s t and t e n d e r .
 19. E x p r e s s i o n s o f i n t e r e s t a r e now b e i n g sought from companies and r e s e a r c h
     • o r g a n i z a t i o n s . T h o s e w h i c h respond w i l l not be c o m m i t t i n g themselves
      i n any way but must p r o v i d e t h e f o l l o w i n g i n f o r m a t i o n :
      - i d e n t i t y o f t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n and i n f o r m a t i o n about who would be
          involved i n the research,
      - a s h o r t d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h e p r o j e c t proposed t o g e t h e r w i t h the
          t e c h n i c a l o b j e c t i v e s which w i l l be s o u g h t ,
      - t h e d u r a t i o n p r o p o s e d f o r t h e work and t h e b u d g e t ,
      - f i r s t i n d i c a t i o n s as t o o t h e r o r g a n i z a t i o n s t h a t might c o l l a b o r a t e ,
      - where a p p r o p r i a t e , a r e q u e s t t o t h e Commission t o c i r c u l a t e t h e
           above i n f o r m a t i o n t o o t h e r s e x p r e s s i n g an i n t e r e s t i n s i m i l a r work
           and who might be i n t e r e s t e d i n c o l l a b o r a t i n g i n a p r o j e c t .
  20. The e x p r e s s i o n s o f i n t e r e s t w i l l be r e v i e w e d by t h e Commission i n
       c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h t h e CGC.          On t h e b a s i s of t h e e x p r e s s i o n s of
       i n t e r e s t r e c e i v e d , t h e Commission w i l l c a l l t o g e t h e r groups of po­
       t e n t i a l p a r t i c i p a n t s with a view t o encouraging c o l l a b o r a t i v e
       arrangements.
  21. Upon C o u n c i l a p p r o v a l o f t h e               .programme, t h e Commission w i l l i s s u e
       a formal c a l l for proposals.                        I t i s a n t i c i p a t e d t h a t the p r o p o s a l s
       t h e n r e c e i v e d w i l l t o a s u b s t a n t i a l degree come from t h e groups of
       o r g a n i z a t i o n s i n t e r e s t e d i n c o l l a b o r a t i n g t o g e t h e r and s e t up d u r i n g
       the course of the p r e c e d i n g                   arrangements.
 ---pagebreak---                                                                 - 78 -
V . S m a l l and medium-sized e n t e r p r i s e s
    22. Because much o f t h e work p r o p o s e d                      i s l i k e l y t o be o f d i r e c t i n t e r e s t
            o r b e n e f i t t o SMES, t h e y w i l l be i n v o l v e d i n t h e a c t u a l e x e c u t i o n
            o f t h e programme t o t h e maximum d e g r e e p o s s i b l e . Every encouragement
            w i l l be g i v e n t o SMES t o submit r e s e a r c h p r o p o s a l s and t o be a c t i v e
            p a r t i c i p a n t s i n t h e r e s e a r c h e f f o r t a n d / o r t o make a f i n a n c i a l con­
            t r i b u t i o n t o r e s e a r c h o f i n t e r e s t t o them t o be done e l s e w h e r e .
    23. As s e t o u t i n t h e main document, t h e i n v o l v e m e n t o f SMES i s o f t e n
           d i f f i c u l t t o r e a l i s e . The f o l l o w i n g mechanisms s h o u l d , between them,
           encourage t h e i r i n v o l v e m e n t and o n l y e x p e r i e n c e c a n p r o v i d e t h e
           answer as t o which way o r ways w i l l be t h e most a p p r o p r i a t e :
           - many SMES a r e members o f t h e c o - o p e r a t i v e o r c o l l e c t i v e
                o r g a n i z a t i o n s which e x i s t i n a number o f Member S t a t e s ; such
                o r g a n i z a t i o n s can t h e m s e l v e s do r e s e a r c h i n t h e programme on b e h a l f
               o f SMES o r c a n h e l p t o i d e n t i f y SMES which might i n d i v i d u a l
               parti cipate,
           - l a r g e r f i r m s which n o r m a l l y u s e SMES as s u b c o n t r a c t o r s o r which
               market t h e i r p r o d u c t s c a n b r i n g t h e programme t o t h e a t t e n t i o n o f
               SMES o r i n v o l v e them as r e s e a r c h p a r t n e r s ,
          - u n i v e r s i t i e s a l r e a d y w o r k i n g on p r o b l e m s o f c o n c e r n t o SMES c a n
               b r i n g SMES i n t o groups f o r j o i n t l y s u b m i t t i n g p r o p o s a l s ,
          - Trade a s s o c i a t i o n s , chambers o f commerce, r e g i o n a l o f f i c e s o f
               government d e p a r t m e n t s c o n c e r n e d w i t h R & D and o t h e r l o c a l b o d i e s
               who c a n be a p p r o a c h e d t h r o u g h government o r t h r o u g h i n d u s t r y
               c h a n n e l s can seek o u t s m a l l f i r m s w i t h an i n t e r e s t i n t h e r e s e a r c h
              f i e l d s i n c l u d e d i n t h e programme.
 ---pagebreak---                                                             - 79 -
     24. The e x p r e s s i o n s o f i n t e r e s t w i l l be a major h e l p i n t h e e n c o u r a ­
          gement o f t h e p a r t i c i p a t i o n o f SMES and i n f o r m i n g s u i t a b l e
          groups f o r p r o j e c t implementation.
VI. The t e c h n i c a l c o n t e n t o f t h e programme
    25. At t h e r e q u e s t o f t h e C o m m i s s i o n , K u r t Salmon A s s o c i a t e s produced
          a r e p o r t on t h e e x i s t i n g l e v e l o f t e c h n o l o g y i n t h e European
          C l o t h i n g I n d u s t r y . Among i t s c o n c l u s i o n s , l a r g e l y s u p p o r t e d by
          t h e i n d u s t r y i t s e l f , was t h a t t h e i n d u s t r y needs new t e c h n o l o g i e s
         not o n l y t o m o d e r n i z e p r o d u c t i o n o p e r a t i o n s ( p a r t i c u l a r l y t o move
         t o w a r d s f u l l s e q u e n t i a l a u t o m a t i o n ) b u t a l s o t o improve t h e mana­
         gement and c o o r d i n a t i o n o f p r o d u c t i o n o p e r a t i o n s ( p a r t i c u l a r l y more
         e x t e n s i v e use of computers).                    The r e p o r t f u r t h e r recommended c e r t a i n
         a r e a s o f r e s e a r c h which would c o n t r i b u t e t o a c h i e v e a major b r e a k ­
         through i n p r o d u c t i v i t y .
    26. A c o n s t r u c t i v e d i a l o g u e t o o k p l a c e between r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f t h e
         c l o t h i n g i n d u s t r y ( l a r g e f i r m s , medium s i z e d f i r m s and o r g a n i z a t i o n s
         r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e i n t e r e s t s o f s m a l l f i r m s ) and m a n u f a c t u r e r s o f
         c o m p u t e r s , m e c h a n i c a l ( r o b o t i c ) h a n d l i n g equipment and s p e c i a l
         m a c h i n e s f o r t h e c l o t h i n g i n d u s t r y , t o g e t h e r w i t h academics h a v i n g
         a s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t i n t h e a p p l i c a t i o n o f new t e c h n o l o g i e s .
    27. The    a i m o f t h e above m e e t i n g s was t o d e f i n e more c l o s e l y t h e s i t u a t i o n
         and     needs o f t h e Community c l o t h i n g i n d u s t r y , as w e l l as t h e s p e c i ­
         fic     t y p e s o f t e c h n o l o g i e s which might be a p p l i e d t o meet t h e s e needs.
         In    t h e l a t t e r r e g a r d e s p e c i a l l y , v a l u a b l e a d v i c e was p r o v i d e d
 ---pagebreak---                                                   - 80 -
    not o n l y by the range of s p e c i a l i s t s from t h e d i f f e r e n t f i e l d s
    of t e c h n o l o g y but a l s o by s e v e r a l l a r g e c l o t h i n g r e t a i l e r s which
    have c o n s i d e r a b l e e x p e r i e n c e i n a d v i s i n g t h e i r s u p p l i e r s ( o f t e n
    s m a l l and m e d i u m - s i z e d f i r m s ) on t h e t e c h n o l o g y needed t o improve
    the d e s i g n and q u a l i t y of t h e i r p r o d u c t s . The Commission c o n s e ­
    q u e n t l y f e e l s t h a t t h e c o n c l u s i o n s drawn f r o m t h e s e m e e t i n g s
    r e f l e c t t r u l y expert o p i n i o n .
28- I t became c l e a r f r o m t h e s e d i s c u s s i o n s t h a t :
    - advanced t e c h n o l o g y now p l a y s o n l y a minor r o l e i n Community
         c l o t h i n g p r o d u c t i o n o p e r a t i o n s - s i n c e t h e i n v e n t i o n of t h e
         s e w i n g machine and t h e a p p l i c a t i o n of power t o i t , no r a d i c a l
         t e c h n i c a l d e v e l o p m e n t s have o c c u r r e d i n t h i s a r e a of m a n u f a c t u r e ,
     - s u p p l i e r s of e x i s t i n g m a c h i n e r y t h i n k p r i m a r i l y of i m p r o v i n g
         t h a t m a c h i n e r y r a t h e r t h a n d e v e l o p i n g new t y p e s of m a c h i n e r y o r
         p r o d u c t i o n methods, e.g. s e w i n g machines and p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e i r
         speeds have i m p r o v e d , but not much has been d e v e l o p e d t o speed
         up i n t e r m e d i a t e p r o c e s s e s ,
     - one of t h e major i n e f f i c i e n c i e s i n t h e p r o d u c t i o n p r o c e s s i s t h e
          s u b s t a n t i a l t i m e wasted i n m a n i p u l a t i n g f a b r i c s at and a r o u n d
          work s t a t i o n s , t h i s i s s t i l l done p r i m a r i l y by human h a n d ,
     - t h e e x i s t i n g m a n u f a c t u r i n g f i r m s a r e i n g e n e r a l s m a l l and l a c k i n g
          t h e f i n a n c i a l r e s o u r c e s or t e c h n i c a l e x p e r t i s e t o u n d e r t a k e a l o n e
          s i g n i f i c a n t modernization                  R&D,
      - t h e s m a l l s i z e o f many o f t h e f i r m s r e q u i r e s t h a t any new
          t e c h n o l o g i e s which may d e r i v e f r o m t h i s programme must be adap­
          table to small scale production operations,
 ---pagebreak---                                                 - 81 -
        - among t h e most s u c c e s s f u l f i r m s at p r e s e n t , a r e t h o s e p o s s e s s i n g
            t h e f l e x i b i l i t y t o adapt t h e i r p r o d u c t i o n q u i c k l y i n response
            to market demand and f a s h i o n change.
    The Main R e s e a r c h           Areas
29. In o r d e r t o meet t h e i n d u s t r y needs as e l a b o r a t e d d u r i n g t h e
    Commission's c o n s u l t a t i o n s , t h r e e g e n e r a l a r e a s o f r e s e a r c h have
    been s e l e c t e d f o r s u p p o r t under t h i s programme.                    These a r e a s ,
    b r i e f l y explained below, r e l a t e to :
    1) M a t e r i a l s h a n d l i n g      technology,
    2) Sewing s t a t i o n t e c h n o l o g y ,
    3) A l t e r n a t i v e p r o d u c t i o n p r o c e s s e s and i n t e g r a t i o n .
    - Materials handling
30. R e s e a r c h i n t o b e t t e r methods o f f a b r i c h a n d l i n g i s p r o b a b l y t h e
    most i m p o r t a n t a r e a o f r e s e a r c h needed t o improve p r o d u c t i v i t y i n
    Community c l o t h i n g m a n u f a c t u r e .           Some 90 % o f w o r k e r s ' t i m e i s
    c u r r e n t l y spent s i m p l y on m a n i p u l a t i n g f a b r i c and garment p a r t s i n t o
    and out o f t h e s e w i n g m a c h i n e r y and on t o t h e next s t a g e o f
    production.
31. S p e c i f i c a l l y , r e s e a r c h i s needed on how t o a p p l y m e c h a n i c a l hand­
     l i n g ( e s p e c i a l l y r o b o t i c s ) and magnetic and/or o p t i c a l r e c o g n i t i o n
    t e c h n o l o g i e s f o r t h e p u r p o s e s of i d e n t i f y i n g , s e p a r a t i n g , g r i p p i n g ,
    o r i e n t i n g and i n t r o d u c i n g i n t o sewing m a c h i n e r y v a r y i n g t y p e s
    of f a b r i c s , as w e l l as f o r a d v a n c i n g (and o f t e n t u r n i n g i n s i d e o u t )
    s e m i - f i n i s h e d p a r t s f o r subsequent p r o d u c t i o n . A c r u c i a l aspect
    o f t h e r e s e a r c h w i l l be l e a r n i n g how t o adapt t h e component
 ---pagebreak---                                                           -   82    -
     technologies           to    make them s e n s i t i v e          to   the     special       characteris­
     tics      of   fabric,       especially           its    lack     of    rigidity.          Mechanical
     handling technology                  suited       to    sheet     metals,        for   example,      would
     have t o       be   drastically             adapted.
     -    Se^ing_tec^n£logy
32-  It    will     be a m a j o r      objective         of   this      programme         to   achieve      signi­
     ficant        productivity           and q u a l i t y    improvements            at   the    sewing
     station.           The s e w i n g m a c h i n e r y     in   most      clothing       factories       is    in
     use o n l y      for   a small          proportion        of     the    total     working       time.
33.   Research i s        needed         in    particular         to    develop       multi-purpose          sewing
      h e a d s and new t y p e s          of    lock-stitches           capable       of    being     made    from
      one s i d e o n l y ,      and a l s o m e t h o d s      for     automatic         re-spooling        and
      re-threading,            for     fixed       fabric     s e w i n g and f o r      3-dimensional          sewing.
 34.   An o v e r a l l  r e - d e s i g n i n g of     sewing      stations        would      be  appropriate        in
      many c a s e s ,     too,      in    order      to    increase        both    worker      comfort      and    con­
       trol     of   output.         Existing technology                  c o u l d be a d a p t e d ,  for    example,
       to   allow     workers        to    control       the    operation          of   several      machines
       simultaneously.               At    present,         a one      worker      to   one machine         relationship
       is    almost     universal           in   clothing        manufacture.
       ~ hSl^LPB^iyi.              r
                                 £ £ducInon_p£ocess£S_and_i£t egra tHon_
 35.   Not     well    defined        as y e t      but   generally         acknowledged          a s an    area
       of    endeavour        which       s h o u l d be o p e n e d t o      research        proposals       is
       that     concerning potential                  alternative           production processes.                  These
       may b r o a d l y    concern r e - o r g a n i z i n g        the    whole      clothing       production
 ---pagebreak---                                                    -    83   -
    operation           or   may    concentrate             on s p e c i f i c a s p e c t s , e . g .       applica­
    tion     of    new     joining        techniques.             A l s o of      interest          would be        research
    proposals           concerning alternative                    clothing          design techniques                and
    related         pattern       production.               For e x a m p l e ,     technology            allowing
    new d e s i g n s t o        be   f a s h i o n e d on c o m p u t e r       and d i r e c t l y       translated
    into     patterns          for    automated            production         would       contribute             signi­
    ficantly          to   achieving          greater         flexibility           in    clothing           manufacture.
36. In   addition,once              initial           results      are    obtained           from the         above    areas
    of    research         it    will      be    important         to    study      how t h e        anticipated
    new m a t e r i a l s      handling          and sewing t e c h n o l o g i e s            and/or         alternative
    processes           of   clothing          manufacture           c a n be i n t e g r a t e d       to     create
     a more       efficient          factory          organization          overall.             It    s h o u l d be em­
     phasized          that     research         efforts        in   this      s p e c i f i c area        will     first
     be d i r e c t e d     towards        integrating           p r o d u c t i o n p r o c e s s e s one by         one,
     and o n l y       during      the     latter        stage     of    the      programme          will       thoughts
     turn     towards         full     systems i n t e g r a t i o n         e.g.      complete           sequential
     automation.              Given the          very      wide     range      of    production             structures,
     sizes      and s p e c i a l      needs of           firms     within        the    existing          European
     clothing          industry,         there        will     be no one u n i v e r s a l           technical        or
     organization             solution          possible.          On t h e       other       hand, a         breakthrough
      in  any o n e o f         the     research          areas     or    an a d v a n c e      in   the     direction      of
      integrated           manufacture            which      falls      short       of   a completely              integra­
      ted    s y s t e m may p r o v i d e        immediate         benefits         throughout            the     industry
      and p a r t i c u l a r l y     for    the       many    SMEs     involved.
37.   It   s h o u l d be n o t e d       that,        as   regard      all     of   the      research areas,             the
      Commission e x p e c t s            work       to   emphasize        application              of    microlectro-
      nics     and c o m p u t e r i z e d      systems c o n t r o l .            This     is    of    c o u r s e most   im­
      portant         relating        to    production           processes integration                      and    essential
 ---pagebreak---                                                      -    84   -
        c o n c e r n i n g new d e s i g n t e c h n i q u e s ,   but   is  relevant        as    well     to   the
        research           for    improving     materials         handling     and s e w i n g      stations       tech­
       nologies.               Overall,     application          of  computer     technology            can    serve
       to     increase dramatically                 the      clothing     producers'        speed of         response
       to     c h a n g i n g market      demand,        which    is   a  key  to   achieving            greater
        competitivity              and e s p e c i a l l y   important     for   SMEs.
       Relation            to   other    Community         R & D    programmes
  38.  £ s p r i _ t _ a n d BTR
       Although            both    in   the  Esprit        programme      and  in   the     BTR     programme
       work        will      be done on C A D / C A M ,       there   will    be no o v e r l a p       as   the
       clothing            programme      will    be     limited     to   the  application            in    the
       clothing             industry.
  39.  Second R & D              programme      in     the    field   of   textiles       and     clothing.
       Although            the   objectives       of     this    programme a r e      different,           an
       overlap           could occur        in  isolated         cases.      As b o t h   programmes
       are      included within             a single        action    programme,        unnecessary du­
       plication             of  work    will   be     easily     avoided.
VII.  Funding of             the   programme      and s t a f f i n g    needs.
  40-  The p r o p o s e d f u n d i n g     of   this      programme      must   be    c o n s i d e r e d as
       the      minimum n e c e s s a r y t o       generate        results    able     to   make       a  signifi­
       cant       impact        on t h e  competitivity           of  clothing     manufacture             in   the
       Community.
 ---pagebreak---                                                      -    85    -
41. It    is    proposed that           the   programme            have      a four-year       duration,         but
    it    is     clear    that     while     certain         of    the      research objectives            may
    be    reached       within       this    period        others        can o n l y    be  reached       in  a
    longer         period.       The    intention          therefore           is  that    the   programme         will
    assume t h e         form of       a 4-year        rolling         programme        with a review          and
    modification           of    the    programme          at    the     end o f     each    year.
42. The p r o j e c t e d    total       cost    of    the     programme          is  estimated        at
    70     MIO     ECU w i t h   an a p p r o x i m a t e l y     50 % Community            contribution
     (35     Mio     ECU).
     It    is    estimated       that      approximately              25     % of   the   funds    will     be
     absorbed         by e a c h o f     the   major        programme           work   areas    :
     -   materials         handling        technology,
     -   sewing        station      technology,
     -   alternative          processes        and       integration,
     -   pi lot       projects.
      But    at     this   stage,       no a l l o c a t i o n     is   made.        Flexibility       s h o u l d be
      maintained          because during            the     c o u r s e of      the   programme      and     de­
      p e n d i n g on t h e    success       of    initial         work,       there    may a r i s e   a need      to
      create        new p r o j e c t s   or  to    channel         greater        funding to        priority
      areas       or   specific        projects.          It    is     a l s o expected      that    during       the
       later      stages    of    the     programme         there        will     be a need t o        shift
       resources        in   the    direction          of    funding of           pilot    projects.
 ---pagebreak---                                                  -  86    -
      Commission        Staffing         Needs
  43. The C o m m i s s i o n f o r e s e e s a n e e d t o       e n g a g e a minimum o f            7 persons
      in  order     to   manage t h i s          programme        appropriately.                This     figure   is
      indeed   c o n s i d e r e d a minimum as              it   is    b a s e d on t h e      assumption       that
      certain    administrative                and t e c h n i c a l    support       c a n be p r o v i d e d   by
      the  staff     engaged f o r           the    BTR p r o g r a m m e .      The c o n t r a c t s     entailed
      would be s h o r t - t e r m ,       i.e.     at   the    maximum o n l y         c o v e r i n g the   span of
      the  programme.             The s p e c i f i c s t a f f i n g     needs are         as     foLLows    :
      A    Grade              4     (persons        knowledgeable             respectivety            in   robotics,
                                    information          technoLogy, cLothing manufacture                         and
                                    materials          handling)
      B    Grade              1
                                    (support        staff      in   normal       ratio      to     A grade     staff)
      C    Grade              2
      total                   7
VIII.  General
 44.  The c e n t r a l   objective           of   this     programme         is   to   stimulate          a
      multidisciplinary              and c o o p e r a t i v e    research effort                to   apply   new
      technologies          for     improving         competitivity             in   E u r o p e a n Community
      clothing      manufacture.               In   the     process,        however,         a practical        working
      model   for     c a r r y i n g out      this     type    of    research        c a n be d e v e l o p e d   for
      subsequent        utilisation            regarding        other       industries           which     also  need
      to  apply     new t e c h n o l o g i e s     in   order      to    boost     their         competitivity.
       These d u a l    objectives            must   be     kept    in    mind t h r o u g h o u t     the   programme
      and c o n t r o l   all     a s p e c t s of    its     management.
 ---pagebreak---                                             -  87  -
45 . The Commission i s            Looking f o r    major  industry   support   at  all
     stages    of    the   programme,         particularly   in  terms   of  financing
     and o n - g o i n g a d v i c e regarding      the management    of  the  programme.
     The Community         can p r o v i d e   certain   financial   support   and  coor­
     dination,       but   it    is  industry     which   must  carry  through   to  make
     the programme         a    success.
 ---pagebreak---                                                           - as -
                                                            Proposal        for   a
                                                             COUNCIL        DECISION
 Adopting a multiannual                research      and d e v e l o p m e n t   programme     of      the      European
 Economic      Community        in  the     field    of    the    applications        of  new    technologies
The   C o u n c i l of   the    European       Communities,
Having     regard       to   the   Treaty     establishing           the     European    Economic         Community,
and   in   particular         Article       235   thereof,
Having     regard       to   the   proposal       from    the     Commission,
Having     regard       to   the   opinion      of   the    European        Parliament            ,
 Having    regard       to   the   opinion      of   the    E c o n o m i c and   Social   Committee             '
Whereas      Article       2 of    the     Treaty    assigns to           the   Community    the      task     inter    alia
of  promoting         throughout         the  Community         a harmonious         development         of    economic
activities,          a continuous         and b a l a n c e d   expansion        and  an a c c e l e r a t e d   raising
of  the    standard        of    living;
Whereas      research        into   the     applications         of    new    technologies      contributes           to  the
attainment         of   these     objectives;
Whereas     in     order    to   secure the        full     economic        advantages     of   the      Common M a r k e t
it  is   necessary         to  encourage        the   applications            of  new  technologies            more   widely
throughout         the   Community;         whereas     it    is   similarly        necessary       to   bring     together
technologies          from    a variety       of   manufacturing            origins    for  the      benefit       of
specific      industrial          sectors;      whereas       it   is    necessary     to  encourage           the   applic­
ations    of    new t e c h n o l o g i e s  in  a way w h i c h w i l l      especially    benefit           small   and
medium-sized           enterprises;
 ---pagebreak---                                                                  -   89     -
    Whereas       promotion         of    European i n d u s t r i a l ,      competitiveness             is   one o f       the
   major     goats       of   the    Framework        Programme;
    Whereas       the     Research Action            Programme          Industrial          Technologies includes a
    number     of     research        programmes         of   value       to    European i n d u s t r y         but      does    not
    yet  include          a programme          bringing       together          technologies           from      a number         of
    different         origins       for     the   benefit       of    specific          industrial         sectors;
    Whereas       the     clothing        sector     is    by   its     nature        and   its     current        economic
    situation         particularly            suited     for    a first         experimental           Community R&D
    programme         in   the     field      of  the    applications             of    new   technologies;
    Whereas      the      Treaty      does not       provide        the     specific        powers       of    actions         required
    for  those        ends;
    HAS DECIDED AS              FOLLOWS:
                                                           Article        1
1) A programme           of    research        and d e v e l o p m e n t    of    the    European        E c o n o m i c Community
    in the     field       of    applications          of   new     technologies            as d e s c r i b e d i n       the   Annex
    is  hereby       adopted        for    a period       of    four      y e a E S c o m m e n c i n g on t h e d a t e        when
    this   Decision          is    published       in   the     Official          Journal      of     the    European Communities.
2) The work        is    to    be   carried       out   as    contract          research.
   The work                  will    be    carried      out    by means o f            shared      cost     contracts          to    be
   placed     with       appropriate           industrial        organizations,              research         laboratories            or
   university          institutes          or    combinations            thereof.
    Priority       shall       be g i v e n   to   projects        carried        out    by p a r t i c i p a n t s   f r o m more      than
    one Member          State,         at    least    one o f      them     b e i n g an    industrial           organization.
                                                            Article        2
   The a p p r o p r i a t i o n s     necessary        for    the    implementation              of    the    programme,            the
   amount     of    which       is   estimated        to   be    35 m i l l i o n      ECU, i n c l u d i n g     expenditure          on
   a staff      of     7,   shall      be    entered      in   the    budget         of   the   European          Communities.
    The f i g u r e s   are     given     merely      by way o f         indication.
 ---pagebreak---                                                          -  90   -
                                                        Article      3
The programme         shall       be  reviewed       during    its     second y e a r .   Such r e v i e w  may
lead,  in   accordance            with   the      appropriate      procedure,     to    a revision      of   the
programme     to    take      effect     during      the   third     year.
                                                        Article      4
The  Commission s h a l l          be   responsible        for  the     execution     of  the  programme.
It  shall d e c i d e ,   in     the  framework       of   the  programme,      on t h e    detailed
implementation,          particularly            concerning the         breakdown     of  the  work.
                                                      Article      5
The  Commission         s h a l l be a s s i s t e d in  the   task     listed  in    Article   4 by      the
 Management    and                               Consultative       Committee    (Industrial     T e c h n o l o g i e s ) (CGC)
created   by   Council           Decision
 ---pagebreak---                                                    -   91   -
                                                                  ANNEX
        COMMUNITY         PROGRAMME I N        THE F I E L D    OF THE A P P L I C A T I O N S       OF NEW T E C H N O L O G I E S
                                                  (CLOTHING       MANUFACTURE)
   An a m o u n t   of  35     MioECU    is   estimated        to    be r e q u i r e d      for   the      implementation
   of  this     programme        which     is   to    include      work      in    the     following         four     princi­
   pal   areas.      In    all   of   these     areas,      the    r e s e a r c h and development                may   relate
   to  any    type     of   clothing       from      simple    undergarments               to    complex       outer    fashion
   garments.        All    types    of   fabric       may b e     considered           including        both       woven ? p d
   knitted        fabrics.
1. Materials        Handling
   Problems        related      to   the   transfer        of  individual            p i e c e s of    fabric       or  garment
   parts    to     each    successive        sewing       station      in    the     right       numbers       and at     the
   correct      speed to        ensure     optimum        production.          W o r k may       include       research     and
   development         on    :
   (a)   mechanical         transport        systems       of  belts,        rails,        chains,      cables,        etc.
         on   which     the     components         are    carried,       singly        or     in  batches        ;
   (b)   control       systems       with    continuous        feedback           which      monitor       and      adjust
         the    flow    of     materials       along      this    system        ;
   (c)   remote       controlled       or    pre-programmed            delivery          trolleys        ;
   (d)   collection         devices      which       assemble together               components         f r o m more     than
         one    flow     channel      and p r e s e n t    the    resulting          set     conveniently           to  the
         next      processing stage           >
   (d)   devices       to   assemble and           re-orientate          sets      of    parts,      for      example
         turning       one     piece   of    fabric       over    and a l i g n i n g      it    correctly         on  the
         piece      to  which      it   is   to    be   sewn    ;
   (f)   complete       "pick      and p l a c e " d e v i c e s   which       carry       out    the   essential
         operations         now p e r f o r m e d    by   the  human o p e r a t o r         i.e.    :
 ---pagebreak---                                                     -      92   -
       .  identify          two     or  more p i e c e s       or     parts
       .  grasp       them
       .  orientate           them
       .  put     them       together
       .  g r a s p and a l i g n       the  assembly
       .  place       the     assembly c o r r e c t l y          for    sewing
       .  remove       the      sewn component              and f e e d    to  the  next     transport      station
   (g) simplified           "pick      and p l a c e " d e v i c e s      restricted      to   one   fabric,    for
       example        in   turning       and s e w i n g t h e         hem o f  a garment        ;
   (h) various        subsidiary         elements           essential       or  useful      to  the   devices     al­
       ready      mentioned          :
       .  s e n s i n g d e v i c e s to    recognise a               part
       .  marking        techniques         to    help        sensing
       .  gripping          devices, pins,              s u c t i o n , magnets,     etc.
       .  aligning          devices to       put        two    or    more    fabrics    together      in  a   specific
          relationship              and   direction.
   (i) robots,        c o v e r i n g the   "pick          and p l a c e "  concept     but    with   much    broader
       implications             in   the   sense of           being     capable    of   being      taught   specific
       sequence of            operations        and c a p a b l e       of  moving    in    three    dimensions.
2. Sewing   Station         Technology
   The work e n v i s a g e d       includes      r e s e a r c h and d e v e l o p m e n t  on    :
   (a) programmable             sequences of            sewing,        extending    the     existing     applications  ;
   (b) work     related         to   the   automatic           sewing of       batches      of  parts    including
       automatic          feeding       devices          ;
   (c) interchangeable               sewing     h e a d s and m u l t i - p u r p o s e   sewing d e v i c e s  ;
   (d) moveable         sewing       heads    ;
   (e) three      dimensional           sewing        ;
   (f) stitch       technology,          new    stitch         techniques       to  enable      joining     from   one
       side     only      ;
 ---pagebreak---                                                           -   93     -
    (g)    sewing          station      organisation             including           :
           .    the      control      by t h e      operator         of    several         machines each            carrying
                out      the   same o p e r a t i o n       on a b a t c h      of     parts,the          operator      selecting
                the      correct      programme           for    each      machine
           .    the      operator       controlling             several        machines each c a r r y i n g out               a
                sequence of            operations
3.  Alternative              Processes        and      Integration
    Within        this       broad    field,        the     following          are      the    principal          areas   of    work
    for    which          research      and d e v e l o p m e n t      needs e x i s t          :
     (a)    production           of    finished         patterns         from the           d e s i g n e r ' s drawings      or   speci­
            f i c a t i o n s by t h e     use of       m i c r o p r o c e s s o r s to      include         the  creation       of
            all      the     required        pattern         variations          to     cover various             size   ranges        ;
     (b)    overall          organisation            of    the    manufacturing               process         particularly        where
            this        involves       p r o g r e s s towards          Computer          Aided Manufacture               ;
     (c)     research          and d e v e l o p m e n t     in   areas       not      specifically             referred     to    above
             notably         cutting,        finishing          and p a c k a g i n g on w h i c h             further    development
             may        be n e e d e d   if    p r o g r e s s towards          full      sequential automation                is   to
             be    realised;         processes           which       involve        keeping the             material     on t h e       roll
             until        a   later    stage       particularly             i n v o l v i n g delay          in  cutting     ;
      (d)    work on i n t e g r a t i o n         of    the     modules        into       fully      automated       systems        ;
      (e)    alternative           processes           for     joining        i.e.       other      than      sewing.
 4.   Pilot       and      Demonstration            Projects
      (a)    full-scale           operation           of    particular          new p r o c e s s e s        in order    to    demon­
             strate         economic f e a s i b i l i t y        in     a typical           factory         working    environment;
       (b)   demonstration              of    complete         systems         incorporating              varying      degrees       of
              automation          and     robotization             .