CELEX: 51989PC0077
Language: en
Date: 1989-02-16
Title: MODIFIED PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION adopting a research and technological development programme in the field of food science and technology (1989 to mid-1993) "FLAIR" Food-Linked Agro-Industrial Research (presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 149 (3) of the EEC Treaty)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (89) 77
Vol. 1989/0025
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 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                                  COM ( 89 ) 77  final - SYN 140
                                                   Brussels ,     February   1989
               MODIFIED PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION
      adopting a research and technological development programme
   in the field of food science and technology ( 1989 to mid-1993)
                                 ■ FLAIR "
                  Food-Linked Agro-Industrial Research
    ( presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 149 ( 3 )
                         of the EEC Treaty )                         /
                                                    'V
                                                o/            hJ
                                                < ггптп ' ;
 ---pagebreak---                      MODIFIED PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISIP”
           iJcpt ing a research and technological development pmnraKjj
         in the field of food science and technology ( 1989 to aid-1993)
                                      ■ FLAIR "
                       Food-Linked Agro-Industrial Research
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community , and
in particular to Article 130 Q ( 2 ) thereof
                                                                           /
                                                    % 1
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ,                      l/
                                                2
In cooperation with the European Parliament ,
                                                        : . .  ...  3
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee ,
whereas Article 130 K of the Treaty stipulates that the framework programme
shall be implemented through specific programmes developed within each of its
activities ;
                                                  4
whereas by its Decision of 28 September 1987 , the Council adopted a framework
programme of Community research and technological development ( 1987-1991 ),
providing for activities to be implemented to ensure the exploitation and
maximum use of biological resources ;                   '
whereas the framework programme sets out criteria to evaluate each specific
programme and to select Community actions , which include that of contributing
to the strengthening of the economic and social cohesion of the Community ,
consistent with the pursuit of scientific and technical quality ;
whereas a multiannual programme of research and development in the field of
food science and technology ( FLAIR ) will assist in the combined progress in
public health and consumer protection with industrial and economic development
within the Community ;
whereas having regard to the fact that the specialised skills and capabilities
 relevant to food technology are numerous , and Europe 's most internationally
competitive capabilities are located in diverse Member States , general benefit
shall be derived from collaboration in a Community programme ;
 * Original COM ( 88) 351 final of June 24, 1988 .
 1 O.J. N° C
2 O.J. N° C
3 O.J. M° C
4 O.J. M° L 302, 24.10.1987. p. 1
4
                                                                                i£
 ---pagebreak---                                         - 2 -
whereas four Communi ty-C33T concertation Agreements gn four concerted action
projects in the field of food science and technology have produced
encouraging results , and further initiatives in the COST framework in this
field , are underway ;
whereas the participation of European non-Member States wholly or partially
with projects in this programme is desirable ;
whereas it is desirable to involve small - and medium-sized enterprises ( SME 's )
to the maximum extent possible in this food science and technology research
and development programme ; and to provide SME 's and cooperatives particularly
in the Community 's less favoured regions with a maximum amount of information
on the results of that programme ;
whereas the Scientific and Technical Research Committee ( CREST ) has expressed
its opinion on the Commission 's proposal ;
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION :
                                      ARTICLE 1
A specific research and technological development programme for the European
Economic Community in the field of food technology , as defined in the Annex ,
is hereby adopted for a period of four years , from 1 July 1989 .
                                      ARTICLE 2
The funds estimated as necessary for the execution of the programme amount to
25 MECU , including expenditure on a staff of 5 .
                                      ARTICLE 3
The programme shall consist of work carried out as concerted and shared-cost
actions , and by training / mobility grants .
Detailed rules for implementing the programme are set out in the Annex .
                                      ARTICLE 4
In the third year of the programme implementation and in the light of the
 interim results achieved , the Commission shall undertake a review and report
to the Council and the European Parliament on the results thereof , together ,
 if necessary , with any proposals for modification of the content and funding
or prolongation .
An evaluation of the results achieved shall be conducted by independent
experts and published in the form of a communication to the Council and the
 European Parliament .
 The above mentioned reports shall be established having regard to the
objectives set out in the Annex to this Decision , in particular for the
 improvement of food safety and quality for the consumer , and in conformity
 with the provisions of Article 2 ( 2 ) of the framework programme .
    O.J. N° L 54 ( p. 25 ), 25.02.1978 ; O.J. N° L 270 ( P. 53 ), 27.!tOJ9?9 y O.J.
    N° L 39 ( P. 30 ), 15.02.1980 ; O.J. H° L 350 ( p. 54 ), 23.12.1980 ; O.J. N° L
    353 ( p. 25 ), 15.12.1982 ; and O.J. N° L1 151 ( p. 46 ), 07.06.1934 s „ .
 ---pagebreak---                                      ARTICLE 5
The Commission shall be responsible for implementing the programme .
The Commission shall be assisted by a committee of an advisory nature ,
hereinafter referred to as " the Committee ", composed of the representatives of
the Member States and chaired by the representative of the Commission .
                                     ARTICLE 6
1.     The Commission shall submit to the Committee a draft of the measures to
be taken .   The Committee shall deliver its opinion within a time limit which
the Chairman may lay down according to the urgency of the matter , if necessary
by taking a vote .
2.     The opinion shall be recorded in the minutes of the Committee ; in
addition , each Member State shall have the right to have its position recorded
in the minutes .
3.     The Commission shall take the utmost account of the opinion delivered by
the Committee .    It shall inform the Committee' of the manner in which its
opinion has been taken into account .
                                     ARTICLE 7
The Commission is authorised to negotiate , in accordance with Article 130 N of
the Treaty , agreements with international organisations , with those non-Member
States participating in European cooperation in the field of Scientific and
Technological Research ( COST ) and with those European countries having
concluded framework agreements in S / T cooperation with the Community , with a
view to involving them wholly or partially in the concerted actions within
this programme .
Where Framework Agreements for scientific and technical cooperation between
non-Community European countries and the European Community have been
concluded , organisations and enterprises established in these countries may ,
under appropriate conditions to be defined by the Commission , become partners
to a shared-cost project within this programme .
No participant in shared-cost projects , who is established outside the
Community , shall be entitled to Community financing .
                                     ARTICLE 8
This Decision is addressed to the Member States .
 Done in Brussels ,                                 For the Council ,
                                                     The President
 ---pagebreak---                                             4
                                          ANNEX
         for a specific research and technological development programme
                    in the field of food science and technology
                                  ( 1989 to mid-1993 )
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the programme are to contribute to Europe 's competitiveness
in the food industry , to the improvement of food safety and quality for the
consumer and to the strengthening of the food science and technology
infrastructures in Europe .     The programme will also contribute , in the
context of the harmonious development of the Internal Market and , in the
medium and longer terms , to strengthening economic and social cohesion in the
Community .
The Programme is targetted at complementing existing initiatives in Member
States through the development of further collaborative linkages between
different research groups and industries , and shall concentrate on the
interface between food processing , food distribution and the consumer .     The
consumer demands for more natural and healthy foods with greater diversity ,
shall be met by the combined efforts of researchers and the food industry .
This should contribute also to a better control of processes ( including
chemical treatment and additives ) and a reduction of harmful residues while
safeguarding food safety and quality .
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 .
CONTENT
The research activities in this programme have been divided into three
sectors .    New or improved technologies and processing innovations , which
enhance food quality , safety and nutritive values , shall also be supported in
each sector .
1.     ASSESSMENT AND ENHANCEMENT OF FOOD QUALITY AND DIVERSITY shall consist
      of research and development on :
      - quantitative measures of " quality” ;
      -    objective organoleptic and sensory criteria and their relationship to
           quality ;
       -   quantitative measurement of " freshness " of processed foods ;
       -   the quality aspects of raw materials as they affect processing and
           end products ; and
       -   new or improved technologies and processing innovations which enhance
           food quality while also facilitating processing , and building
           consumer confidence , or which make possible greater diversity in the
           supply of foodstuffs .
2.     FOOD HYGIENE , SAFETY AND TOXICOLOGICAL ASPECTS shall concern research
       and development on :
           improved rapid screening tests to predict potential toxicity factors ,
           for example residues from agricultural production , processing and
           environmental pollution ;
           the occurence of natural plant toxins and their effects on food ;
       -   predicting microorganism growth rates , accelerated methods for
           specific organisms and total counts ;
 ---pagebreak---                                            ь
       - improved understanding of the relationship between food constituents
           and food allergies ; and
       - the application of these tests in food processing and new food
           product development to ensure the safety of both processes and
           products .
3.     NUTRITION AMO WHOLESOMENESS ASPECTS shall consist of research and
       development on :
       - the evaluation of the effects of new or improved processing
           technologies and / or ingredient substitution on dietary , nutritional
           values and wholesomeness aspects of food ;
       - methodologies for the nutritional evaluation of foods ;
       - the bioavailability of the nutritional constituents ( e.g. vitamins
           and minerals ) and the effects of processing , distribution , catering ,
           storage and domestic use :
       -   the nutritional and wholesomeness value of foods designed for
           particular uses ( e.g. slimming or athletics ) or important to
           sub-groups in the population ( e.g. infants and the elderly ) ; and
       - those new or improved processes and technologies which enhance the
           nutritional value and wholesomeness of foods .
IMPLEMENTATION
The programme shall consist of work carried out as concerted and shared-cost
actions , and by training / mobility grants .   All projects shall be carried out
by participants from more than one Member State ( irrespective of participants
from third countries ), and shall aim at the creation of European networks of
centres investigating the properties of foodstuffs .
Participation in a concerted action is open to alt Member States , to
non-Member European States which have concluded framework agreements in S / T
cooperation with the Community and COST participating States .
Participants in a project conducted as a shared-cost action , may be industrial
enterprises , research institutions , universities or combinations of them ,
established in the Community or in those non-Member European States which have
concluded framework agreements in S / T cooperation with the Community .
As a general rule , research institutes and universities shall participate in a
group together with one or more industrial organisations .      Research
institutes which are funded principally or exclusively by industrial
organisations shall be considered as industrial participants .
For those actions which are conducted on a shared-cost basis , the Community
contribution shall not normally exceed 50% of the total expenditure , the
remainder to be provided mainly from industrial sources .      In the case of
universities and similar institutions this contribution alternatively may be
up to 100% of the marginal costs .
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 coordination activities such as the organisation
of meetings , consultation with national experts and studies on related topics ,
 such as structural and social effects of applications of the programme
 results .
 ---pagebreak---                                         - 6 -
Special attention will be paid to the dissemination of the programme results ,
in order to maximise the effects of this work , and to allow all enterprises ,
particularly SME 's , in all Member States to benefit directly .    In this
respect special efforts will be devoted to the less-favoured regions of the
Community .
The contracts entered into by the Commission shall regulate the rights and
obligations of each party , in particular the methods of disseminating ,
protecting and exploiting the research results .
Cooperation between the participants in a project and consumer protection
groups shall be encouraged .
EVALUATION CRITERIA
The Commission 's 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 .    These are set out below .
1.    The long term objective of this programme is to contribute to the
      competitiveness of Europe 's food industries , and to improved consumer
      protection and confidence , by strengthening the links between them
      through research and development .      The Commission proposes to achieve
       this objective by launching a programme of concerted actions and
       shared-cost actions .    The projects seek to promote the close
       collaboration between research and industrial groups , by their
       participation in research and technological development on food quality ,
       hygiene , safety , toxicology , nutritional and wholesomeness values .
2.     The primary short term objective is that the programme should succeed in
       eliciting proposals , for concerted actions ( with national agreements )
       and for R&TD shared-cost projects ( with commitments to co-finance from
       industry ), 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 intei–sectoral collaboration across the Member States
       and in Europe , in particular between enterprises including SME 's .
3.     Particular objectives to be attained within three years of the programme
       implementation are as follows :
3.1    that improved food evaluation and assessment techniques have been
       developed , in particular sensory analysis , and that the results have
       given grounds to expect that they will find applications which will
       benefit industry and / or the consumer ;
3.2    that new or improved , rapid tests for food hygiene , safety and
       toxicological aspects have been developed ; 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 for
       industry and / or the consumer ;
 ---pagebreak---                                       I
3.3 that research and development has been conducted on the nutritional
    value of foods ; that useful tests have been developed to measure the
    nutritional value of food constituents , including the effects of
    processing ; and that as a result the nutritional and wholesomeness
    values of those foods are enhanced ; and
3.4 that studies and tests have been conducted for the development of new or
    improved , novel processing technologies or innovations which enhance
    food quality , safety and nutritional value and that , as a result of such
    studies and projects , new applications have been found .
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 ;
4.2 that the consumer confidence in food research and industry is encouraged
    and high standards for consumer protection are maintained ;
4.3 that studies have been carried out on thfe potential structural and
    social effects of the application of the results ;
4.4 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 ;
4.5 taking account of the results of Community , national or private sector
    research activities in food science and technology , the Evaluation Panel
    shall consider whether the FLAIR programme has contributed to the
    application of the results of the said research activities in regions of
    the Community other than those in which the research was conducted , and
    has produced added value attributable to the Community character of the
    programme ( i.e. not readily obtainable via Member State actions alone ).