CELEX: 51988PC0385
Language: en
Date: 1988-07-25
Title: PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION ADOPTING A SPECIFIC RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY IN THE FIELDS OF INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES AND ADVANCED MATERIALS APPLICATIONS ( BRITE/EURAM ) ( 1989-1992 )

3. 9. 88                               Official Journal of the European Communities                             No C 228/3
                                                              II
                                                      (Preparatory Acts)
                                                 COMMISSION
             Proposal for a Council Decision adopting a specific research and technological development
             programme of the European Economic Community in the fields of industrial manufacturing
                              technologies and advanced materials applications (Brite/Euram)
                                                       (1989 to 1992)
                                               COM(88) 385 final — SYN 142
                                      (Submitted by the Commission on 29 July 1988)
                                                        (88/C 228/03)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,                          Whereas Council Decision 85/196/EEC (2) decided on a
                                                                  first multiannual research and development programme
                                                                  for the European Economic Community in the fields of
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
                                                                  basic technological research and the application of new
Economic Community, and in particular Article 130Q
                                                                  technologies (Brite, 1985 to 1988);
(2) thereof,
                                                                  Whereas Council Decision 86/235/EEC (J) decided on a
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
                                                                  research programme on materials (raw materials and
                                                                  advanced materials) (1986 to 1989);
In cooperation with the European Parliament,
                                                                  Whereas it is necessary to react adequately to the interest
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and                  shown by the industry in transnational cooperation;
Social Committee,
                                                                  Whereas it is necessary to involve small and
Whereas Article 130K of the Treaty stipulates that the            medium-sized enterprises to the maximum extent
framework programme shall be implemented through                  possible in the development of industrial technologies by
specific programmes developed within each activity;               taking into account their particular and specific
                                                                  requirements while respecting the objective of the
Whereas, by its Decision 87/516/Euratom, EEC ('), the             scientific and technical quality of the programme;
Council has adopted a framework programme of
Community research and technological development                  Whereas it is necessary to underline the industrial and
(1987 to 1991) providing for activities in the field of           transnational nature of the programme by requiring
science and technology for manufacturing industry and             applied research projects with at least two industrial
advanced materials;                                               partners from two different Member States;
Whereas that Decision provides that a particular aim of           Whereas it is necessary to ensure the industrial nature of
Community research shall be to strengthen the scientific          the programme by requiring focussed fundamental
and technological basis of European industry and to               research projects with industrial endorsement from at
encourage it to become more competitive at international          least two independent enterprises;
level and that Community action is justified where
research contributes inter alia to the strengthening of the
economic and social cohesion of the Community and the             Whereas the participation of organizations from EFTA
promotion of its overall harmonious development, while            countries in industrially-oriented research and devel-
being consistent with the pursuit of scientific and               opment (R&D) projects, under appropriate conditions,
technical quality; whereas it is intended that the                may contribute to the competitiveness of manufacturing
Brite/Euram programme should contribute to the                    industry as a whole;
achievement of these objectives;
                                                                  O OJ No L 83, 25. 3. 1985, p. 8.
O OJ No L 302, 24. 10. 1987, p. 1.                                O OJ No L 159, 14. 6. 1986, p. 36.
 ---pagebreak--- No C 228/4                             Official Journal of the European Communities                                 3. 9. 88
Whereas it is in the Community's interest to consolidate          3.     The abovementioned reports shall be established
the scientific and technical basis of European research by        having regard to the objectives set out in Annex III to
means of the involvement to a greater extent of the               this Decision and in conformity with the provisions of
EFTA countries in certain Community programmes,                   Article 2 (2) of the framework programme.
particularly in programmes involving cooperation in
research and development of basic industrial tech-
nologies including advanced materials;                                                       Article 5
                                                                  1.     The Commission shall be responsible for the
Whereas the implementation of concerted actions in the            execution of the programme and shall be assisted in its
COST framework is an essential element to complement              implementation by the Management and Coordination
industrially-oriented R&D projects;                               Advisory Committee (CGC) on Industrial Technology,
                                                                  set up by Council Decision 84/338, Euratom, ECSC,
Whereas the Scientific and Technical Research
                                                                  EEC O . '
Committee (Crest) has been consulted on the following
measures,
                                                                  2.     The contracts entered into by the Commission shall
                                                                  regulate the rights and obligations of each party,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
                                                                  including the methods of disseminating, protecting and
                                                                  exploiting the research results.
                          Article 1
A specific research and technological development                                            Article 6
programme for the European Economic Community in
the fields of industrial manufacturing technologies and           1.     Where framework agreements for scientific and
advanced materials applications, as defined in Annex I,           technical      cooperation      between   non-Community
is hereby adopted for a period of four years, from                European countries and the European Communities have
1 January 1989.                                                   been concluded, organizations and enterprises estab-
                                                                  lished in those countries may, under appropriate
                          Article 2                               conditions to be defined by the Commission, become
                                                                  partners in a project undertaken within the programme.
The funds estimated as necessary for the execution of             For each such project, the committee referred to in
the programme amount to 439,5 million ECU, including              Article 5 shall assist the Commission in defining those
expenditure on staff whose cost shall not exceed 4,5 °/o          conditions.
of the Community contribution.
                          Article 3                               2.     No contractor established outside the Community
                                                                  who participates as a partner in a project undertaken
1.    Detailed rules for the implementation of the                within the programme shall be entitled to Community
programme and the rate of the Community's financial               financing intended for the programme. The contractor
participation are set out in Annex II.                            will contribute to general administrative expenses.
                          Article 4
                                                                                             Article 7
1.    In the third year of the programme implementation,
the Commission shall undertake a review of the                    The Commission shall ensure that procedures are set up
programme and report to the Council and to the                    to allow for appropriate cooperation with COST ac-
European Parliament on the results of this review,                tivities related to the areas of research covered by the
together, if necessary, with any proposals for modifi-            programme, by ensuring regular exchanges of infor-
cation or prolongation.                                           mation between the Committee referred to in Article 5
                                                                  and the relevant COST Management Committee.
2.    An evaluation of the results achieved shall be
conducted before the end of the programme by the                                            Article 8
Commission which shall report thereon to the Council
and the European Parliament.                                     This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
                                                                  0) OJ No L 177, 4. 7. 1984, p. 25.
 ---pagebreak--- 3. 9. 88                                 Official Journal of the European Communities                                               No C 228/5
                                                               ANNEX       I
                                                        TECHNICAL ANNEX
         1. ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES
            The work in this area will focus on the development. of improved or new materials and material
             processing for a wide range of possible applications except those directly related to IT covered in
             Esprit (').
             Including in particular:
             1.1. Metallic materials and metallic matrix composites
                   Goals
                   — extended working life of components
                   — higher operating temperatures for increased thermal efficiency
                   — better and more effective material processing techniques
             1.2. Materials for magnetic, optical, electrical and superconducting applications
                   Goal
                   — improved materials and material processing for optical, magnetic, electrical and supercon-
                        ducting applications
              1.3. High temperature non-metallic materials
                   Goals
                   — design methodologies for products based on ceramics, glasses and amorphous materials
                   — improved monolithic and ceramic composites and metal/ceramic interfaces for industrial appli-
                        cations
                   — better processing techniques and quality control strategies
              1.4. Polymers and organic matrix composites
                    Goals
                   — development of polymers for specific applications
                   — more cost-effective process techniques for parts made from polymer and polymer matrix
                        composites
                   — design rules for the specification and manufacture of engineering polymers and composites
                   — new polymers with improved recycling attributes
                   — improved product assurance techniques
         (') Developments of materials already covered by Esprit are, for instance, dealing with magnetic, magneto-optical, optical
              thin films for sensors recording media and heads, optical layers and specific materials for opto-electronics, ceramics
              and polymers for IC packaging and specific substrates, superconducting thin films for low current applications and
              devices.
 ---pagebreak--- N o C 228/6                               Official J o u r n a l of the E u r o p e a n Communities                         3. 9. 88
               1.5. Materials for specialized applications
                    Goal
                    — improved materials and their processing for specialized applications
            2, DESIGN M E T H O D O L O G Y AND ASSURANCE FOR PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES
               The development of techniques to improve product quality and the reliability and maintainability of
               structures and manufacturing systems by clarification of the design aims for both product and process,
               and by refinement of the criteria against which the attributes are measured. The exploitation of
               materials for application in sensors, and the reduction in the whole life costs of sensors are also included
               in this section. This will complement work in Community IT programmes, where on-line control is
               treated, including monitoring and diagnostics, predictive maintenance and quality assurance.
               Including in particular:
               2.1. Quality and reliability and maintainability in industry
                    Goals
                    — improved performance measurement for manufacturing operations in a wide variety of
                        industries
                    — improved and more predictable physical and environmental behaviour of products
                    — improved quality control strategies
                    — design rules for reliability and maintainability of components, structures and systems including
                        machinery operating under varying conditions
               2.2. Process and product assurance
                    Goals
                    — reduction of whole life costs of sensor systems for process control                    *
                    — exploitation of materials properties for applications in sensors
                    — use of advanced measurement techniques for more cost effective examination of topology
                    — improved energy control for industrial applications
                    — improved non-destructive testing methods for product assurance
            3. APPLICATION OF MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES
               Here the task is to identify and address the needs of manufacturing industry and particularly the less
               advanced sectors, many of which have a major part made up of SMEs. It is to be expected that
               modelling of physical processes will be a valuable instrument for progress. Also addressed is the
               challenge to the industries based on the use of flexible materials. The work will mainly focus on product
               and process development, transferring and adapting technology already used in other sectors. This
               should complement work in Esprit where IT systems for advanced manufacturing and CIM are being
               developed.
               Including in particular:
               3.1. Advancing manufacturing practices
                    Goals
                    — identifying means for improving manufacturing practices in specific sectors
                    — transfer and adaptation of technology already used in other sectors
               3.2. Manufacturing processes for flexible materials
                    Goals
 ---pagebreak--- 3. 9. 88                             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 228/7
                 — increased process flexibility
                 — reduced waste of material
                 — improved process and product quality
         4. TECHNOLOGIES FOR MANUFACTURING PROCESSES
            Improved techniques for shaping, joining and assembly, surface treatment, chemical processes and
            particle technology are fundamental needs for industry. Advancement of these processes is essential for
            securing manufacturing competitiveness.
            Including in particular:
            4.1. Surface techniques
                 Goals
                 — cost-effective surface treatments for industrial applications
                 — techniques for quality assurance and control of the treatment process
            4.2. Shaping, assembly and joining
                  Goals
                 — improved methodologies for shaping processes and assembly
                 — improved joining techniques to improve reliability and reduce defect levels
                 — methods for testing welded and bonded joints to improve reliability of results and service
                      predictability
                 — design methodology for joining
                  — better understanding of beam/workpiece interactions for industrial power beam processes
            4.3. Chemical processes
                  Goals
                  — improved predictability and yield in chemical processes
                  — membrane materials with improved characteristics
                  — improved performance of membrane processes
                  — new systems for separation in hostile environments
            4.4. Particle and powder processes
                  Goals
                  — improved techniques for particle production to optimise product shape, structure and stability
                  — cost-effective techniques for particle categorization and process performance
                  — better approaches to handling and separation
                  — cost-effective routes for small lots of high quality powder
 ---pagebreak--- N o C 228/8                              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                3. 9. 88
                                                                  ANNEX      II
                                                 RULES FOR IMPLEMENTATION
            Participants may be industrial organizations, research institutes and universities, established in the
            Community. The Community contribution shall not normally exceed 50 % of total expenditure, the
            remainder in principle to be provided by the industrial participants. Industrial participants shall include any
            research institute which is funded entirely or mainly by industrial organizations.
            Industrial applied research
            The principal form of support for industrial applied research of a pre-competitive character will be through
            cost shared action. The conditions for participation will be that in each project there will be 50 %
            financing from industrial partners and at least two legally independent industrial enterprises from different
            Member States per project. T o be classified as an independent enterprise, research organizations should
            normally receive the industrial 50 % in direct payments from nominated companies involved in steering the
            project.
            Recognizing the important role of SMEs in developing the manufacturing base of the Community and the
            merits of their participation in the programme, the Commission is considering, in conjunction with Irdac,
            how best research organizations can act within the programme as a focus for meeting the R&D needs of
            SMEs. Projects should include at least 10 man years of activity, the realistic minimum for an effective
            collaborative project, and the total project costs should fall in the range 1 to 3 million ECU. Subsidiaries of
            multinational companies based outside the Community may participate if the R&D and exploitation takes
            place within the Community.
            Focussed fundamental research
            Focussed fundamental research projects shall involve at least two partners established in different Member
            States. When the partners are universities or research institutes, the project should be endorsed by at least
            two legally independent industrial enterprises and the Community could bear up to 100 % of the marginal
            costs of such partners. Projects should include at least 10 man years of activity and fall in the range of 0,4
            to 1 million ECU total project costs.
            Feasibility awards for SMEs
            The Commission will introduce a pilot scheme of feasibility awards aimed at assisting SMEs establish the
            feasibility of a device, process or concept as a means of enhancing their stature in finding a partner in a
            subsequent call for proposals under the shared cost action. The Commission will support up to 75 %
            (maximum 25 000 ECU) of the cost of research lasting up to six months. High standards of evaluation will
            ensure that the awards are highly competitive and recognized as prestigous. This scheme will be
            co-financed by the task force SME.
            Coordinated activities
            In cases where work, supported by national funds or entirely privately funded is already going on, the
            Commission's role may be limited to simply organizing the coordination of the work and the Community
            funding confined to covering the cost of such coordination activities. However, in certain cases where it is
            clear that strategically important work requires more than simple coordination, the Commission could, in
            consulation with CGC, consider a higher Community funding.
 ---pagebreak--- 3. 9. 88                              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 228/9
                                                              ANNEX       III
                                         PROGRAMME EVALUATION CRITERIA
         The results against which the programme should be evaluated must reflect its objectives and the wider
         objectives of the framework programme.
         1. As the principal objective is to enhance the competitive position of the Community's manufacturing
            industries, the evaluation should determine:
            — the extent to which the projects were selected against credible and measurable industrial criteria,
            — the extent to which substantial product or process development has resulted from the work
                supported.
         2. A further objective is to encourage transfrontier collaboration in strategic industrial research. The
            evaluation should determine:
            — to what extent, before and after project completion, there were continuing links between partners
                for research, development, manufacturing, marketing or staff formation.
         3. A further programme objective is to encourage transfer of technology across Community frontiers and
            between sectors, particularly those with a high predominance of SMEs. The evaluation should
            determine:
            — the extent to which SMEs have exploited technologies and new materials arising from successfully
                completed projects,
            — the extent to which accomplishments are protected by patent action or are disseminated to raise
                awareness in the European research and technology community.
         4. In the wider context of the framework programme, the evaluation should determine:
            — the extent to which the projects have contributed to the harmonization of the Community by
                reducing the technical barriers to trade.
         The evaluation will be undertaken by independent evaluators.