CELEX: 51989PC0051
Language: en
Date: 1989-02-07
Title: RE-EXAMINED PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION TO ADOPT A FIRST MULTIANNUAL PROGRAMME ( 1988-1993 ) FOR BIOTECHNOLOGY-BASED AGRO-INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT " ECLAIR " EUROPEAN COLLABORATIVE LINKAGE OF AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY THROUGH RESEARCH

28. 3. 89                                Official Journal of the European Communities                                No C 76/13
              Re-examined proposal for a Council Decision to adopt a first multiannual programme (1988 to
              1993) for biotechnology-based agro-industrial research and technology development (!) —
                    European collaborative linkage of agriculture and industry through research (Eclair)
                                                  COM(89) 51 final — SYN 113
                        (Submitted by the Commission pursuant to Article 149 2(d) of the EEC Treaty
                                                       on 9 February 1989)
                                                           (89/C 76/03)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,                            Whereas the activities undertaken in the programme need
                                                                    to be accompanied by ongoing analysis of their associated
                                                                    costs and benefits to avoid them giving rise to new
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European               industries, which can only survive on the basis of
Economic Community, and in particular Article 130Q(2)               permanently subsidised sales of agricultural products, or to
thereof,                                                            agricultural surpluses;
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
                                                                    Whereas such activities should constitute a logical
                                                                    complement to the Community research programmes in
In cooperation with the European Parliament,                        the areas of biotechnology and of agriculture, promoting
                                                                    the application of their results to the social and economic
                                                                    objectives of the Community;
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social
Committee,
                                                                    Whereas the European Parliament has called for a study to
Whereas Article 130K of the Treaty stipulates that the              be conducted into the structural and social consequences of
framework programme shall be implemented through                    promoting biotechnologies and genetic engineering and has
specific programmes developed within each of its activities;        also pointed to the risks associated with the use, especially
                                                                    the release, of genetically engineered organisms; whereas
                                                                    the revised Community biotechnology R&D programme
Whereas, by its Decision of 28 September 1987, the                  adopted on 29 June 1988 (3) is undertaking research into
Council has adopted a framework programme of Com-                   these risks;
munity research and technological development (1987 to
1991) (2), providing for activities to be implemented to
ensure the exploitation and optimum use of biological
                                                                    Whereas development activities at the interfaces between
resources;
                                                                    agriculture and industry could contribute to the solution of
                                                                    some of the problems which agriculture is currently facing
Whereas the said Decision of 28 September 1987 stipulates           within the Community;
that a specific objective of Community research must be to
strengthen the scientific and technological basis of
European industry, particularly in strategic sectors of             Whereas the principal and most urgent requirements that
advanced technology, and to encourage industry by                   must be satisfied centre on the development of types of
making it more competitive at the international level, and          agricultural production suitable for industrial purposes, of
whereas the same Decision also lays down that Community             transformation technologies, and of industrial inputs in
action is justified if it contributes, among other things, to       agriculture, such as pesticides or fertilisers less harmful to
enhancing the Community's economic and social cohesion              the environment;
and to encouraging its overall harmonious development,
while at the same time being consistent with the pursuit of
scientific and technical excellence; whereas the Eclair             Whereas it is important to avoid any adverse effects for
programme is planned to contribute to the pursuit of these          small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises which
objectives;                                                         may be caused by a concentration of agricultural structures
                                                                    and further specialization;
Whereas the specialised skills and capabilities relevant to
agro-industrial development are numerous, and Europe's
most internationally competitive capabilities are located in        Whereas it is necessary to involve small and medium-sized
diverse Member States, mutual benefit shall be derived              agricultural and industrial enterprises to the maximum
from collaboration in a Community programme;                        extent possible in this biotechnology-based agro-industrial
                                                                    technological development programme;
(!) OJ No C 294, 18. 11. 1988, p. 7.
(2) OJ No L 302, 24. 10. 1987.                                      (3) OJ No L 206, 30. 7. 1988.
 ---pagebreak--- No C 76/14                             Official Journal of the European Communities                                  28. 3. 89
Whereas the Scientific and Technical Research Committee                                     Article 4
(Crest) has expressed its opinion on the Commission's
proposal,                                                         The Commission shall be responsible for implementing the
                                                                  programme.
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:                                        The Commission shall be assisted by a committee of an
                                                                  advisory nature, hereinafter referred to as 'the Committee',
                          Article 1                               composed of the representatives of the Member States and
                                                                  chaired by the representative of the Commission.
A research and development programme in the field of
biotechnology-based agro-industrial development is                                          Article 5
hereby adopted in the form set out in Annex I for a five-
year period starting on 1 July 1988.                              1. The Commission shall submit to the Committee a draft
                                                                  of the measures to be taken. The Committee shall deliver its
The programme shall consist of work carried out as                opinion within a time limit which the Chairman may lay
contract research and as coordination actions and by              down according to urgency of the matter, if necessary by
training/mobility grants. Participants may be industrial          taking a vote.
and agricultural enterprises — individual enterprises,
associations or co-operatives — research institutions,            2. The opinion shall be recorded in the minutes of the
universities or combinations of them, established in the          Committee; in addition, each Member State shall have the
Community.                                                        right to have its position recorded in the minutes.
                                                                  3. The Commission shall take the utmost account of the
                          Article 2                               opinion delivered by the Committee. It shall inform the
                                                                  Committee of the manner in which its opinion has been
1. In the case of projects carried out by shared-cost
                                                                  taken into account.
contracts, the Community contribution will not normally
exceed 50 % of the total expenditure, the remainder to be
provided by the partners, predominantly from industrial or                                  Article 6
agricultural sources.                                             1. In the third year of the programme implementation,
Alternatively, in respect of projects carried out by              the Commission shall undertake a review of the pro-
universities and research institutes, the Community may           gramme and it shall report to the Council and the European
bear up to 100 % of the additional expenditure involved.          Parliament on the results thereof, together, if necessary,
                                                                  with any proposals for modification of the content and
2. The proposals for projects shall be submitted in reply         funding, or for prolongation.
to a call for proposals and involve, as a rule, the
participation of at least two independent partners not            2. After the completion of the programme, an evaluation
established in the same Member State. As a rule, research         of the results achieved shall be conducted by the
institutes and universities should participate in a group         Commission, which shall report to the Council and the
together with one or more industrial or agricultural              European Parliament. The report shall be drawn up by
organization(s). Research institutes which are funded             independent experts.
principally or exclusively by industrial organizations shall      3. The abovementioned reports shall be established
be considered as industrial partners.                             having regard to the objectives set out in Annex II to this
                                                                  Decision and in conformity with the provisions of
                          Article 3                               Article 2(2) of the framework programme.
The funds estimated as necessary for the execution of the                                   Article 7
programme amount to ECU 80 million, including expendi-
ture on a staff of 13.                                            This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
 ---pagebreak--- 28. 3. 89                                Official Journal of the European Communities                                           No C 76/15
                                                              ANNEX I
            Programme for the first multiannual action programme for biotechnology-based industrial research and
                                              technological development (1988 to 1993)
                                                                AIMS
          The objective of the programme here proposed is to promote in Europe the useful application of recent
          developments in the life sciences and biotechnology. This shall be achieved by a programme of precompetitive
          research and technical development projects and coordination activities, based on close collaboration between
          agriculture and industrial activities, and supported by training/mobility grants. The programme will contribute
          in the medium and longer terms to enhancing Europe's competitiveness in the economic activities which will be
          based on these developments and to strengthening economic and social cohesion in the Community.
          The programme shall avoid adverse effects on public health and the environment, and the creation of problems
          in respect of the protection and enhancement of nature.
          The principle objectives of this programme are enumerated below:
          (i) research, adaptation and development of agricultural products destined for industrial use, as well as the
               research and promotion of new industrial techniques for processing and transforming agricultural raw
               materials with a view to obtaining, under economically viable conditions, industrial products which
               respond to the needs of the market;
          (ii) research and development of industrial inputs in agriculture, such as pesticides, fertilizers and of eradication
               and disease control systems less harmful or better adapted to the environment; the reduction and
               elimination of by-products of processing by recovering resources and reducing waste.
                                                              CONTENT
          The programme shall be pursued through the measures set out below:
           1.    EVALUATION         TRIALS AND PRODUCTION            OF NEW SPECIES OR           ORGANISMS
                 This sector shall consist of test trials at appropriate scale and under various conditions of novel or
                 modified species or organisms (plants, livestock, others) in order to test performance, pest resistance,
                 input requirements, and aspects relevant to suitability for industrial processing, animal nutrition and
                 market acceptability of the organism, its constituents, and the products derived from them with special
                 emphasis on the use of new biotechnological methods in the identification, characterisation, selection,
                 modification, propagation, cultivation or other aspects of developing and appraising the candidate
                 organisms.
          2.     INDUSTRIAL       PRODUCTS      AND    SERVICES
                 This sector shall consist of:
          2.1. more precise and effective inputs to agriculture through research and development work, based on the use
                 of life sciences and biotechnology, aiming at the creation of products and services for use in agriculture,
                 offering advantages in terms of precision, cost-effectiveness, enhanced plant or animal performance,
                 suitability for subsequent product processing and/or marketing, and avoiding possible undesirable side
                 effects;
 ---pagebreak--- No C 76/16                                Official Journal of the European Communities                                            28. 3. 89
           2.2. more precise and effective extraction, transformation and production processes through research and
                 development work on methods to increase the use and value of agricultural produce, by extraction,
                 transformation or other processes, in industry or elsewhere, which by biotechnological or other means
                  make greater or more valuable use of the intrinsic properties of these materials.
           3.    INTEGRATED          APPROACHES
                 This sector shall consist of:
           3.1. the improved utilization of the entire crop by the development, through trial systems, of systems for
                 harvesting the whole crop, its preservation and fractionation into constituents appropriate for subsequent
                  applications; such trial system(s) to be of adequate scale to provide a basis for economic appraisals, and
                 the significant participation of industrial and agricultural interests. Priority will be given to projects using
                 new biotechnology;
           3.2. studies and development projects for the integrated use of new technologies which shall focus on the joint
                 exploitation of progress in biological knowledge and techniques in conjunction with new-technology-
                 based agricultural systems.
                                                             IMPLEMENTATION
                 Implementation of the projects shall be through cost-shared research and development actions and
                 coordination activities. Training/mobility grants shall be included to facilitate the assembly of relevant
                 skills at appropriate locations for the work of the projects, and to promote effective diffusion of the
                 knowledge resulting from them. The programme shall also include the organization of meetings,
                 consultation of experts, studies on related topics, and diffusion of information on the progress and results
                 of the projects to all appropriate groups.
                 Each proposal shall include an environmental impact statement, indicating the possible effects of the
                 project on man, fauna, flora, soils, water, air and on the interactions between these different factors. This
                 statement must also include an undertaking to respect existing national safety regulations.
                 The contracts entered into by the Commission shall regulate the rights and obligations of each party,
                 including the methods of disseminating, protecting and exploiting of research results.
                                                               ANNEX II
              Evaluation criteria for the first multi-annual action programme for biotechnology-based agro-industrial
                                        research and technological development (1988 to 1993)
           The Commission communication to the Council concerning a Community plan of action relating to the
          evaluation of Community research and development activities for the years 1987 to 1991 [COM(86) 660 final]
          states that the objectives and milestones of each research programme have to be set out in a testable form. The
          objectives and milestones of the above programme are set out below.
           1.    The long-term objective of this programme is described in Annex I.
          2.     The primary short-term objective is that the programme should succeed in eliciting proposals, with
                 commitments to co-finance from industry and/or agriculture, for development projects on a scale
                 commensurate with the Community resources proposed. This objective shall be testable in 1991/1992.
                 At this time, the programme should also demonstrate its promotion and encouragement of intersectoral
                 collaboration across the Member States.
 ---pagebreak--- 28. 3. 89                               Official Journal of the European Communities                                         No C 76717
          3.    The criteria for the evaluation of the objectives to be attained during the first three years of the
                implementation of the programme are:
          3.1. that tests of new or modified species or organisms have been conducted, and have given grounds to expect
                that these organisms, or the processes used to produce or modify them, represent progress and could find
                applications;
          3.2". that tests have been conducted of new or modified products, techniques or services for use in agriculture;
                that advantages in terms of precision, effectiveness, or the avoidance of possible adverse side effects have
                been indicated; and that, as a result of the tests, the products, techniques or services have practical
                applications;
          3.3. that tests have been conducted of more precise and effective extraction, transformation and production
                processes, applying biotechnological and/or other methods to an agricultural output; and that, as a result
                of the tests, the processes are useful;
          3.4. that, through the programme, arrangements have been organised between farming and industrial/
                processing interests and facilities or equipment created, modified or made available, to test on one or more
                crops the technical feasibility of harvesting and using the whole plant; and that corresponding measures of
                performance have been, or are in the course of being, defined to provide a basis for further system
                improvements and a basis for decision on the replication and diffusion of similar larger scale activities;
          3.5. that studies have been financed and completed, and development projects supported, involving the use in
                agriculture of new technologies (e.g. involving sophisticated detection/measurement/recording
                techniques, information processing, automation of equipment and facilities), in conjunction with the
                application of biotechnology; and that, as a result of such studies and projects, new applications have been
                found;
          3.6. that studies have been carried out examining the socio-structural and ecological impact of promoting
                biotechnology and genetic technology in agriculture.
          4.    In addition, the programme should ensure that the following general criteria are met:
          4.1. that the potential increase in market opportunities, in the medium or long-term, as a result of the
                improvements or benefits demonstrated, is of a size to justify the Community expenditures committed,
                which imply an analysis of the costs and benefits of these activities and their possible applications;
          4.2. taking account of the final reports on the biotechnology action programme, which ends in December
                 1989, and of the biomolecular engineering programme (1982 to 1986), and of the evaluation report(s) on
                these programmes, consideration should be given to whether this programme is in fact effectively
                promoting the transfer towards application of the results of the earlier biotechnology (or biomolecular
                 engineering) research programmes;
          4.3. that the execution of the programme has avoided harmful effects on public health and the environment,
                 and has not created problems with respect to the protection and enhancement of nature;
          4.4. taking account of the results of Community, national or private sector research activities in
                 biotechnology, the evaluation panel shall consider whether the Eclair programme has given adequate
                 consideration to all the selection criteria set out in Annex III to the framework programme which includes
                 that of contributing to the strengthening of the economic and social cohesion of the Community, while
                 being consistent with the pursuit of scientific and technical quality.