CELEX: 51990PC0673
Language: en
Date: 1990-12-14
Title: AMENDED PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION ADOPTING A SPECIFIC RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME IN THE FIELD OF INDUSTRIAL AND MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES ( 1990-1994 )

N o C 14/12                          Official Journal of the European Communities                                22. 1.91
                                                             II
                                                     (Preparatory Acts)
                                                COMMISSION
              Amended proposal for a Council Decision adopting a specific research and technological devel-
                opment programme in the field of industrial and materials technologies (1990 to 1994) (')
                                              COM(90) 673 final — SYN 261
              (Submitted by the Commission pursuant to Article 149 (3) of the EEC Treaty on 14 December
                                                           1990)
                                                       (91/C 14/04)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,                         Whereas the Joint Research Centre shall contribute
                                                                 through its own programme to the implementation of the
                                                                 aforesaid activities;
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Economic Community, and in particular Article 130q (2)
thereof,                                                         Whereas the EEC, and Europe as a whole, must provide
                                                                 an adequate response to the challenges issued in the field
                                                                 of innovative industrial technologies and materials, at
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,               international level;
In cooperation with the European Parliament,                     Whereas an estimate should be made of the amount of
                                                                 Community financial resources needed to carry out this
                                                                 specific programme; whereas the definitive amounts will
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and                 be fixed by the budgetary authority in line with the
Social Committee,                                                financial perspectives covering the period 1988 to 1992
                                                                 included in the interinstitutional Agreement of 29 June
                                                                 1988 (J) and with any future financial perspectives
Whereas, by Decision 90/221/Euratom, EEC (2), the                covering the period 1993 to 1994;
Council adopted a third framework programme for
Community activities in the field of research and techno-
logical development (1990 to 1994), specifying inter alia        Whereas fundamental research must be specifically
the activities to be pursued for contributing to the             encouraged Community-wide in each of the strategic
rejuvenation of European manufacturing industry by               research sectors of the framework programme;
strengthening its scientific and technological basis
through research and development work, and thereby
allowing, on the one hand, the harmonious, general
development of the 12 countries towards the objective of         Whereas, in addition to the specific programme on
economic and social cohesion and, on the other hand, a           human capital and mobility, training of researchers in
reduction in the environmental impact of the manufac-            each of the strategic research sectors of the framework
turing of material goods; whereas this Decision should           programme must be ensured;
be taken in the light of the grounds set out in the
preamble to that Decision;
                                                                 Whereas the social, human and ecological impact of the
                                                                 programme must be assessed by an independent panel
Whereas Article 130k of the Treaty stipulates that the           and a technological and risks assessment must be made;
framework programme is to be implemented through
specific programmes developed within each activity;
                                                                 Whereas, pursuant to Article 4 of and Annex I to
                                                                 Decision 90/221 /Euratom, EEC, the amount deemed
                                                                 necessary for the whole framework programme includes
(') OJ No C 174, 16. 7. 1990, p. 28.
(2) OJ No L 117, 8. 5. 1990, p. 28.                              O OJ No L 185, 15, 7. 1988, p. 33.
 ---pagebreak--- 22. 1.91                                 Official Journal of the European Communities                           N o C 14/13
an amount of ECU 57 million for the centralized                    transnational nature of the projects, projects with a
dissemination and exploitation of results, to be divided           reduced impact on the environment, and the support to
up in proportion to the amount envisaged for each                  be given to small- and medium-sized enterprises;
activity; whereas in view of the importance of this
specific programme within the 'industrial and materials
technologies' action the estimate of the financial                 Whereas it is only in the light of experience gathered in
resources needed by this programme is to be reduced by             the course of this programme that the Commission will
ECU 6,7 million, which amount is to be allocated to the            be able to propose and the Council to adopt
centralized activities, in order to comply with the second         supplementary programmes by having recourse to the
sentence of Article 130p (2) of the Treaty;                        means provided for in Articles 1301, 130m, 130o of the
                                                                   Treaty. If they contribute to the achievement of the
                                                                   programme's objectives. In accordance with the option
                                                                   made available by Article 2 (2) of Decision
Whereas the international challenge, in both science and           90/221/Euratom, EEC;
technology and trade, cannot be met if the EEC relies on
the current processes of the merging of major under-
takings, and requires, above all, the promotion of the             Whereas, in accordance with Article 130g of the Treaty,
balanced development of a new and more extensive                   the Community's activities aimed at strengthening the
network of innovative small- and medium-sized                      scientific and technological basis of European industry
industries and a harmonious set of R&TD structures                 and encouraging it to become more competitive include
capable of cooperating with each other;                            promoting cooperation on research and technological
                                                                   development with third countries and international
                                                                   organizations; whereas such cooperation may prove
                                                                   particularly beneficial for the development of this
Whereas this programme must be implemented by the                  programme;
Commission; whereas to help accomplish this, the
Member States are bound, pursuant to Article 5 of the
Treaty, to facilitate the achievement of its tasks where
                                                                   Whereas it is necessary, as Annex II to Decision
necessary, notably within a committee;
                                                                   90/221/Euratom, EEC, provides, to promote the basic
                                                                   technical research, the integration of the new techno-
                                                                   logies for the user industries and the acquisition of the
                                                                   scientific and technical knowledge necessary for estab-
Whereas this programme must be implemented essen-
                                                                   lishing standards and codes of good practice facilitating
tially by the selection of research and development
                                                                   the transfer of these technologies;
projects to enable them to benefit from Community
participation; whereas the Commission should encourage
the submission of such projects by the usual means of
publishing calls for proposals in the Official Journal of the      Whereas the Scientific and Technical             Research
                                                                   Committee (Crest) has been consulted,
European       Communities;     whereas     an     exceptional
procedure should also be devised to come into effect
between calls for proposals so as to maintain a degree of
flexibility enabling the Commission, in the face of the            HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
continuous evolution and gradual acceleration of techno-
logical progress, also to take into consideration spon-
taneous proposals consistent with the objectives of the                                      Article 1
programme;
                                                                   A specific research and technological development
                                                                   programme in the field of industrial and materials tech-
                                                                   nologies, as defined in Annex I, is hereby adopted for
Whereas support for the international competitiveness of           the period from the date of publication of this decision
European industry, through Community research and                  in the Official Journal of the European Communities to 31
technological development programmes, is linked with               December 1994.
the Community's external relations policy based on the
principle of 'the global equilibrium of opportunities', and
that it is also in the light of this policy that participation                               Article 2
of European companies owned by citizens of
non-Community countries must be considered;                        1.    The Community funds estimated as necessary for
                                                                   the execution of the programme under this Decision
                                                                   amount to ECU 748 million. This amount includes ECU
                                                                   670 million for the execution of the activities approved
Whereas the projects to be carried out under the                   by the present decision, and ECU 78 million for the acti-
programme must be selected with special attention to the           vities which the JRC will contribute to the programme
principle of respect for environmental compatibilities,            and which will be subject to a separate decision of the
economic and social cohesion in the Community, the                 Council.
 ---pagebreak--- N o C 14/14                           Official Journal of the European Communities                                 22. 1.91
2.    From the above sum of ECU 670 million, an                 including the procedures for disseminating, protecting
amount of ECU 6,7 million is drawn for the centralized          and exploiting the research results, in accordance with
action of dissemination and exploitation. The funds thus        the arrangements adopted pursuant to the second
reduced to ECU 663,3 million include staff costs, which         paragraph of Article 130k of the Treaty and, where
may amount to a maximum of 3 %.                                  appropriate, procedures for training and evaluation.
3.    An indicative allocation of funds is set out in Annex      3.   A work programme shall be drawn up at the start
II.                                                             of the programme and shall be regularly revised. It shall
                                                                set out the detailed objectives and types of project to be
                                                                undertaken, and the financial arrangements to be made
4.    If the Council takes a decision in implantation of        for them.
Article 1 (4) of Decision 90/221/Euratom, EEC, this
decision shall be adapted to take into account the
aforementioned decision.                                        The Commission shall make calls for proposals for
                                                                projects on the basis of the work programmes.
5.    The budgetary authority shall lay down             the
available appropriations for each financial year.               4.    The information packs providing back-up material
                                                                for the calls for proposals shall be distributed by the
                                                                Commission in all the Community languages, in order to
                         Article 3                              ensure conditions of equality for the participation of
                                                                companies, universities and other research centres in the
Rules for the implementation of the programme are set           Member States.
out in Annex III.
                                                                                         Article 7
                         Article 4
                                                                 1.   In the cases referred to in Article 8 (1), the
The rate of the Community financial contribution shall          representative of the Commission shall submit to the
be laid down in accordance with Annex IV to Decision            committee a draft of the measures to be taken. The
90/221/Euratom, EEC.                                            committee shall deliver its opinion on this within a time
                                                                limit which the chairman may set in accordance with the
                                                                urgency of the matter. The opinion shall be delivered by
                         Article 5                              the majority provided for in Article 148 (2) of the Treaty
                                                                for the adoption of decisions which the Council is called
1.    During 1992 the Commission shall review the               upon to make on a proposal from the Commission.
programme and address a report on the results of the            When voting takes place in the committee, the votes of
review to the Council and the European Parliament,              the representatives of the Member States shall be
together with proposals for any necessary changes.              weighted as specified in the abovementioned Article. The
                                                                chairman shall not take part in the voting.
2.    At the end of the programme the Commission shall
assess the results obtained. It shall address a report
                                                                2.    The Commision shall adopt the measures envisaged
thereon to the Council and the European Parliament.
                                                                when they conform to the opinion of the committee.
3.    The reports shall be drawn up having regard to the
                                                                3.    When the measures envisaged do not conform to
objectives set out in Annex I to this Decision and in
                                                                the opinion of the committee, or when no opinion has
accordance     with    Article    2   (4)     of    Decision
                                                                been delivered, the Commission shall without delay
90/221/Euratom, EEC. These reports shall assess the             submit to the Council a proposal on the measures to be
coherence of the programme's measurable implemen-               taken. The Council shall act by a qualified majority.
tation with the six major concerns set out in Annex II to
Council Decision 90/221/Euratom, EEC.
                                                                 4.   If the Council has not acted within one month of
                                                                submission of the proposal, the measures proposed shall
                         Article 6                              be adopted by the Commission.
1.    The Commission shall be responsible for the
execution of the programme. It shall be assisted by a
committee, hereinafter referred to as 'the committee',                                   Article 8
composed of representatives of the Member States and             1.   The procedure laid down in Article 7 shall apply
chaired by a representative of the Commission.                  to:
2.    The contracts concluded by the Commission shall           — the presentation and updating of              the   work
govern the rights and obligations of each party,                    programme referred to in Article 6 (3),
 ---pagebreak--- 22. 1.91                              Official Journal of the European Communities                           N o C 14/15
— the presentation and updating of              the    work                              Article 9
    programme referred to in Article 6 (3),
                                                                In implementing this programme,            supplementary
                                                                programmes within the meaning of Article 1301, partici-
— evaluation of the projects referred to in point 2 of          pation within the meaning of Article 130m and joint
   Annex III, as well as the estimated amount of the            undertakings or any other structures within the meaning
    Community's financial contribution when these               of Article 130o of the Treaty may also be decided on as
    projects are submitted through the ordinary                 the need arises.
    procedure referred to in point 4 of Annex III and the
    abovementioned amount is more than ECU 5 million,
                                                                                        Article 10
— evaluation of all projects submitted through the              Where cooperation with third countries and international
    exceptional procedure referred to in point 4 of Annex       organizations aiming at achieving the objectives of this
    III, as well as the estimated amount of the                 programme requires legal undertakings between the
    Community's financial contribution,                         Community and the third parties concerned, the
                                                                Commission shall be authorized to negotiate, in
                                                                accordance with Article 130n of the Treaty, international
— measures for evaluating the programme.                        agreements laying down the terms of such cooperation.
2.    The Commission may consult the committee on               Priority will also be given to cooperation with EFTA
any matter falling within the scope of the programme.           countries groupings and other European countries not
                                                                members of the European Community and in accordance
                                                                with the guidelines agreed between the Council and the
3.    The Commission shall inform the committee with            European Parliament during the conciliation procedure
regard to:                                                      which had preceded the adoption of the third framework
                                                                programme.
— the progress of the programme,
                                                                The negotiations for such international agreements may
— draft calls for proposals, referred to in Article 6 (3),      only be initiated with third countries which are already
                                                                signatories of a cooperation agreement with the
                                                                Community which explicitly cites research and techno-
— projects, referred to in point 2 of Annex III,                logical development or scientific progress as one of the
   submitted through the ordinary procedure, for which          objectives of cooperation.
   the participation of the Community will not exceed
   ECU 5 million as well as the estimated amount of the
   Community's financial contribution,                          Decisions on the conclusion of such agreements shall be
                                                                adopted in accordance with the procedure referred to in
                                                                Article 130q (2) of the Treaty.
— accompanying measures, referred to in point 2 of
   Annex III,
                                                                                        Article 11
— concerted actions, referred to in point 2 of Annex III.       This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
 ---pagebreak--- N o C 14/16                              Official Journal of the European Communities                                     22. 1. 91
                                                                ANNEX     I
                                SCIENTIFIC A N D TECHNICAL OBJECTIVES A N D C O N T E N T
            This specific programme fully reflects the approach embodied in the third framework programme in terms
            of scientific and technical goals.
            Paragraph 1.2 of Annex II to Council Decision 90/221/Euratom, EEC on the framework programme of
            Community activities in the field of research and technological development (1990 to 1994), with the
            exception of the conditions relating to measurement and testing (for which another specific programme
            exists), forms an integral part of the present specific programme.
            The environmental aspects of products and processes and the working environment will be included as
            strategic elements in all parts of the programme. This will require links with other programmes covering
            the environment, health, and measurement and testing to take account of advances in risk assessments and
            toxicology.
            Integrated activities or projects will be financed in particular areas where many different technologies need
            to be made to converge. A particular example is specific research in aeronautics — taking particular
            account of the logistical aspects of harmonization, standardization, safety and the environment.
            Other important integrated activities or projects, for example in the transport sector, construction 'clean'
            manufacturing processes, and textiles, should be preceded by a definition phase (as in aeronautics).
            Particular attention will be given to ensuring that maximum advantage of the integrated activities is derived
            for the other sectors with are not included. Links with Eureka projects will be encouraged in line with the
            Brite/Euram experience of integrating certain results with Eureka projects.
            The aeronautics research action, to be undertaken under the 'integrated project' instrument, will be
            allocated, on an annual basis, funds not exceeding, in real terms, the average amount used for aeronautic
            research activities undertaken in Brite/Euram.
            The following presents an indicative and not exhaustive description of the content of the programme,
            based on and taking account of the above elements.
            In the listed areas, the level of research will be commensurate with strategic and economic interest and the
            foreseeable development thereof.
            Area 1: Materials — Raw materials
            The objective is to contribute, having particular regard to the contents of the third paragraph of the intro-
            duction (scientific and technical objectives and content) to improving the performance of materials at a cost
            which permits competitive industrial exploitation over a broad range of applications not restricted to a few
            high performance items. Research aimed at the use at more advantageous costs of advanced materials over
            a broad range of products and applications will be supported in accordance with the distribution of these
            materials beyond the original areas of application. The accent is on the innovative use of industrial
            minerals, and dimension stone (e.g. decorative stone, marble) metals and materials, including their
            exploration, exploitation, recovery, transformation, production.
            Raw materials
            Here the goal is improvement of existing processes and mastering of new and competitive technologies.
            Research will address the development of methods for process application and testing of technologies so
            improving yield and enabling new mines to open and others to become more economic.
 ---pagebreak--- 22. 1. 91                              Official J o u r n a l of the E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t i e s              N o C 14/17
          Special attention will be given to integrated techniques and modelling for the exploration of mineral
          deposits and for the exploitation and processing of minerals and rocks, and in particular, of those resources
          of complex nature containing basic and strategic metals.
          Research will be pursued to provide a better understanding of integrated systems to underpin advanced
          exploration methods for hidden deposits. Work on new and improved drilling technologies for cost-
          effective exploration and exploitation will be undertaken as well as for automation of extracting processes
          and metallurgical/mineralogical treatment (pyro- and hydrometallurgical processing). Also research to
          improve mining and quarrying technologies should be done. Research is needed for the production of basic
          and strategic metals and of high purity metals, fired clay, industrial minerals and dimension stone.
          Research should be carried out in the areas of chemical-physical and biological separation technologies.
          Special attention will be directed to prenormative research concerned with occupational safety conditions
          and the environmental impact of the exploitation technologies to be developed.
          Recycling
          Research will be directed to a comprehensive analysis of the cycles from the raw material to recycling,
          including the finished product, and taking into account the economic and energy aspects as well as envi-
          ronmental problems. It will relate to industrial waste.
          Here one of the goals is to reinforce the scope and effectiveness of recycling technologies. The economic
          and strategic consequences of the loss of many metals and materials, including those in short supply, will
          be minimized. The environmental damage arising from harmful effluents will be reduced.
          A particular goal is the development of new process technologies for facing the challenge of exploiting the
          residues, particularly waste and scrap, containing conventional as well as precious and strategic metals,
          arising from the major branches of the manufacturing industry such as electronics, electromechanics, auto-
          mobile, aeronautical, metallurgy, petrochemical, construction, etc. Attention will also be directed to the
          complex challenge of recycling composite and advanced materials.
          Research on technologies for physical and/or chemical treatment of residues containing metals will be
          encouraged in order to increase the scale and efficiency of recycling and increase the applicability of
          recycled materials. Research will also cover pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy and refining applied to
          processing of complex residues, composites and other new materials, alloys and multi-element scraps.
          New and improved materials and their processing
          Here the goals are developments in materials and processes including conventional mass commodity
          materials with enhanced properties and performance at a reasonable cost; advanced structural materials for
          high performance systems, advanced functional materials, surface engineering and joining technology.
          Encouragement will also be given to research directed to:
          — the development or improvement of the performance of materials, by improving the properties for
              application and use, providing a more accurate description and specifying a more appropriate use, with
              the aid, in particular, of a reliable data base,
          — the development of combinations of advanced materials; the research themes will be based on combi-
              nations with probable strategic industrial applications.
          In the field of conventional mass commodity materials, including materials for the construction industry,
          attention will be applied to production and quality control technologies, to new applications and materials
          improvements and to the rules for long-term behaviour prediction including reliability. Methods will be
          developed to enable the designer to take into account, from the outset, environmental and consumer accep-
          tability.
 ---pagebreak--- N o C 14/18                              Official J o u r n a l of the E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t i e s              22. 1.91
            Research will be directed to new developments or radical innovations in advanced materials for key
            applications which may also have important spin-off effects in other industrial areas.
            It will regard also the use of advanced materials in a broad range of products and applications.
            A particular emphasis will be placed on developing materials with specified properties, exploiting advances
            in understanding of the effects of structure. Techniques for tailoring materials towards precise requirements
            will be addressed and should result in an improvement of R&D effectiveness in this field.
            The following presents an indicative and not exhaustive set of topics to be included in the programme
            based on and taking account of the above elements.
            For metallic materials efforts will be directed to open new markets for high value materials (e.g. speciality
            ferrous and non-ferrous alloys, superalloys, intermetallic compounds, refractory metals) customized for
            complex design specifications and severe service conditions.
            With regard to technical ceramics, attention will be directed to the improved control of microstructure and
            processing technologies and to the fundamental problems associated with reliability and brittleness.
            For polymer materials, research will aim at a better understanding of the relationships between structure,
            morphology and properties. The development of new and improved processing technologies for producing
            reliable component will also be addressed in order to extend the application of this class of materials. In
            particular, research will aim at developing technical thermoplastics which retain their mechanical properties
            at higher temperature and which can be produced through the lower cost thermal processing routes.
            In research into composite engineering the technologies needed to address the problems associated with
            series production will be tackled.
            In the case of superconductors, the challenge is to increase the maximum critical current density and
            capacity together with advances in application technologies including production, formation and reliability
            of cables.
            These activities will be complementary to the CIM aspect of the specific programme on information tech-
            nology (IT) foreseen in Decision 90/. . ./EEC, Euratom on materials for specific IT applications.
            Research will also be directed to the study and development of new bioactive and biomedical materials.
            Prenormative work needed to accelerate the applicability of new materials will include research relating to
            their classification together with their characterization to establish performance and minimize their impact
            on health and the environment.
            Area 2: Design and manufacturing
            All forms of industrial production are part of a system, in which the needs of users, design, materials,
            production equipment and the manufacturing process interact. For any given application, the system must
            be optimized so that the required quality and reliability of a product may be obtained at a minimum cost.
            The objective is to improve the capability of industry to design and manufacture products which are, at the
            same time, of high quality, easy to maintain, highly competitive and environmentally and socially
            acceptable.
            This work will be in coordination with the computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) element of the
            specific programme on information technology (IT) foreseen in Decision 90/. . ./EEC Euratom on
            materials for specific IT applications.
 ---pagebreak--- 22. 1.91                              Official J o u r n a l of the E u r o p e a n C o m m u n i t i e s             N o C 14/19
         Research will be directed to the application of advanced enabling disciplines such as physics and chemistry,
         mechanics, optics, acoustics, fluid dynamics, mathematical modelling and process engineering, and their
         integration into new technological developments such as optomatronics (optics, materials and electronics),
         mechatronics (mechanical engineering, computing and electronics) microtechnology and micro- and nano-
         structural engineering, including molecular engineering.
         Special consideration will be given to active involvement of SMEs with their particular know-how and as
         experimental shop-floors and to the modernization of traditional industry.
         Design
         Research on design   will address the impact on product performance, the length of time needed for design,
         manufacturing and    life-cycle costs. This approach will link the information requirements inherent in the
         engineering design   process (material products form, fabrication and function) with the organizational
         procedures and the   human factors that underlie the process.
         Research will address failure modes and defect analysis, by modelling techniques based on fracture
         mechanics, tribology, fluid dynamics, corrosion analysis, etc. Implementation of these design approaches
         may require the adaptation of software tools for specific applications.
         Design research will be directed towards design for ease of manufacturing, quality control, maintenance,
         recycling or reuse with a view to reducing whole life costs. Research on improved modelling/simulation
         and rapid prototyping techniques, with a broad application field, will support the engineering design
         process addressing product validation, optimization and prediction of service behaviour. In acknowledging
         the advantages of the spread of best practice, projects will wherever possible, contribute to the generation
         and development of standards and good design practice.
         Manufacturing
         Research on the quality of manufacturing will address the use of efficient and cost-effective manufacturing
         processes and integrate other aspects including the design interface, quality control, maintenance of
         facilities and the working environment.
         Attention will be directed to flexible small-batch production technologies and also to mass production
         technology in order to meet an emerging need for identical technical products in large quantities. In
         particular, appropriate materials application and related technologies, such as those for precision engin-
         eering or incorporation of speciality materials into a mass production environment, will be addressed as
         well as technologies for shaping, machining and assembly of miniaturized and/or complex components.
         Research will be directed to the adaptation of established CIM systems to meet the special needs of
         industry and particularly those of small- and medium-sized undertakings. Research on net or near net
         shaping and forming processes will be supported in order to reduce costly and environmentally damaging
         wastes.
         Research in chemical engineering will develop integrated approaches. Subjects of study could include
         process modelling, separation technology, molecular engineering, catalysis and surface science and tech-
         nology and chemical sensors. Fundamental research into mixing and stirring, and particle and powder
         technology will be supported in order to develop a better understanding than is provided by current
         empirical approaches. Research will also be directed to providing the understanding of particular processes
         as a basis for software tailored to particular needs.
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                                                                 ANNEX         II
                                       INDICATIVE BREAKDOWN O F EXPENDITURES
            In % for the period 1990 to 1994:
            Area 1: Materials — Raw materials
            — Raw materials and recycling                                12
            — Materials                                                  44
            Area 2: Design and manufacturing                             44
            The breakdown between different areas does not exclude the possibility that projects could cover several
            areas.
            1. An amount equivalent to 1 0 % of the total, is earmarked for clearly defined projects, designed to
               promote fundamental research.
            2. An amount equivalent to 2 % of the total, is earmarked for projects designed to promote the training of
               researchers in sectors included in the present specific programme.
            3. An amount equivalent to 2 % of the total amount deemed necessary, is earmarked for technological
               options and risk assessment, the results of which shall be communicated to Parliament in assessment
               reports.
            4. An amount equivalent to 2 % of the total amount, is earmarked for support for the feasibility premiums
               for SMUs.
                                                                 ANNEX        III
            RULES FOR IMPLEMENTING T H E PROGRAMME A N D ACTIVITIES FOR DISSEMINATION
                                           A N D EXPLOITATION O F T H E RESULTS
            1. The Commission shall implement the programme on the basis of the scientific and technical content
               described in Annex I.
            2. The rules for implementing the programme, referred to in Article 3, comprise research and techno-
               logical development projects, accompanying measures and concerted actions.
               The direct research activities carried out by the JRC will be the subject of a separate Council Decision.
               The projects shall be the subject of shared-cost research and technological development contracts.
               The accompanying measures consist of applying the means to ensure proper technical execution,
               management and evaluation of the programme, as well as adequate dissemination and accessibility of
               the results, and coordination, training and consciousness-raising of the participants in the programme.
               The concerted actions are those defined in Article 92 of the Financial Regulations.
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         3. The participants in the projects must be natural or legal persons established in the Community ('), such
             as universities, research organizations and industrial firms, including small and medium-sized enter-
             prises, or associations thereof, in particular European Economic Interest Groupings (EEIGs).
             Natural or legal persons established in countries which have concluded agreements with the Community
             foreseeing scientific and technical research, may, based on the criterion of mutual advantage, take part
             in the projects undertaken in the context of this programme. The contracting parties under such
             arrangements shall not benefit from Community financing under the framework programme. They shall
             contribute to the general administrative costs.
         4. The choice of projects shall be carried out according to the following order of priority, the first method
             being the rule, the second the exception.
             The participants in the projects shall be selected on the basis of the ordinary procedure of calls for
             proposals referred to in Article 6 (4) and published in the Official Journal of the European Communities.
             Where other criteria of scientific excellence are satisfied, and in accordance with the guidelines agreed
             between Council and the European Parliament, in the case of a number of project proposals of equal
             scientific value, preference shall be given:
              (i) to project proposals whose implementation involves project participants in less-developed regions
                  and/or regions in industrial decline as defined by Articles 8 and 9 of Council Regulation (EEC) N o
                   2052/88;
             (ii) to project proposals involving small- and medium-sized enterprises or an association of such enter-
                  prises.
             The Commission shall determine in each case whether the management of the programme, or parts
             thereof, can be undertaken by organizations or institutions outside the Commission, without delegating
             its decision-making powers.
             The Commission may also accept proposals, according to an exceptional procedure and under the
             conditions mentioned below, when they make a particularly promising and significant contribution as
             regards the originality of the theme proposed, the novelty of the scientific and technical approach and
             the methodology of execution, also taking into account the particular nature of the proposers.
             A favourable technical evaluation of such proposals shall not by itself be a sufficient justification for
             accepting a project; this exceptional procedure may only apply after verification that the nature of the
             project, as defined above, does not justify the use of the normal procedure for calls for proposals.
             The exceptional procedure shall come into effect after the first call for proposals and must be completed
             before the ordinary procedure in such a way that the available amount for the Community's financial
             participation in projects retained by the ordinary procedure can be determined precisely. The closing
             date for the exceptional procedure shall be published each year in the Offical Journal.
             When it submits the preliminary draft budget the Commission shall inform the budgetary authority
             whether the appropriations approved in the budget of the previous year have also financed projects
             retained by the exceptional procedure and the amounts allocated. Should these projects cover several
             programmes, it shall state the type of committee which assisted it.
             The amount of the financial participation of the Community for all the projects retained by the excep-
             tional procedure will be decided each year, in relation to the projects selected according to particularly
             strict criteria of excellence. In any case this amount may not exceed 10 % of the annual budget appro-
             priation it may be revised each year in the light of experience.
         (') In the context of the present programme, the European Centre for Nuclear Research (CERN), based in Geneva, most
             of whose installations are located in the Community, may participate in contracts.
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               A new two-stage selection procedure for projects shall be introduced, on an exceptional and partial
               basis. The results of this new selection procedure shall be assessed in the evaluation report half-way
               through the programme.
               The Commission shall draw up a vade-mecum setting out all the rules applicable to this exceptional
               procedure in order to guarantee full transparency.
            5. The projects must involve for participation at least two mutually independent partners established in
               different Member States.
            6. The Commission may encourage the participants to form a European Economic Interest Grouping
               (EEIG) or make other arrangements for carrying out projects, such as those on a large scale, permitting
               decentralized management adapted to the specific requirements of the project.
            7. The knowledge acquired during the course of the projects shall be disseminated on the one hand, by the
               specific programme and on the other hand by means of a centralized activity, pursuant to the decision
               referred to in the third paragraph of Article 4 of Decision 90/221/Euratom, EEC.