CELEX: 51987PC0307
Language: en
Date: 1987-09-28
Title: Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION amending Decision 85/196/EEC concerning a multiannual research and development programme of the European Economic Community in the fields of basic technological research and the applications of new technologies (Brite) (1985 to 1988) (presented by the Commission)

ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DE LA COMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEE DES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM (87) 307
Vol. 1987/0184
 ---pagebreak--- Disclaimer
Conformément au règlement (CEE, Euratom) n° 354/83 du Conseil du 1er février 1983 concernant
l'ouverture au public des archives historiques de la Communauté économique européenne et de
la Communauté européenne de l'énergie atomique (JO L 43 du 15.2.1983, p. 1) modifié en dernier
lieu par le règlement (UE) 2015/496 du Conseil du 17 mars 2015 (JO L79 du 25. 3.2015, p. 1), ce
dossier est ouvert au public. Le cas échéant, les documents classifiés présents dans ce dossier
ont été déclassifiés conformément à l'article 5 dudit règlement ou sont considérés déclassifiés
conformément aux articles 26(3) et 59(2) de la décision (UE, Euratom) 2015/444 de la
Commission du 13 mars 2015 concernant les règles de sécurité aux fins de la protection des
informations classifiées de l'Union européenne.
In accordance with Council Regulation (EEC, Euratom) No 354/83 of 1 February 1983 concerning
the opening to the public of the historical archives of the European Economic Community and the
European Atomic Energy Community (OJ L 43, 15.2.1983, p. 1), as last amended by Council
Regulation (EU) 2015/496 of 17 March 2015 (OJ L 79, 27.3.2015, p. 1), this file is open to the
public. Where necessary, classified documents in this file have been declassified in conformity
with Article 5 of the aforementioned regulation or are considered declassified in conformity with
Articles (26.3) and 59(2) of the Commission Decision (EU, Euratom) 2015/444 of 13 March 2015
on the security rules for protecting EU classified information.
In Übereinstimmung mit der Verordnung (EWG, Euratom) Nr. 354/83 des Rates vom 1. Februar
1983 über die Freigabe der historischen Archive der Europäischen Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft und
der Europäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI. L 43 vom 15.2.1983, S. 1), zuletzt geändert durch die
Verordnung (EU) Nr. 2015/496 vom 17. März 2015 (ABI. L 79 vom 25.3.2015, S. 1), ist dieser Akt
der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich. Soweit erforderlich, wurden die Verschlusssachen in diesem Akt in
Übereinstimmung mit Artikel 5 der genannten Verordnung freigegeben; beziehungsweise werden
sie auf Grundlage von Artikel 26(3) und 59(2) der Entscheidung der Kommission (EU, Euratom)
2015/444 vom      13.   März 2015     über die   Sicherheitsvorschriften für den Schutz von  EU-
Verschlusssachen als herabgestuft angesehen.
 ---pagebreak--- COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
REVISED VERSION                                       COM(87 ) 307 final / 2
THIS DOCUMENT CANCELS
AND REPLACES DOCUMENT
C0MC87) 307 final                                     Brussels , 28 September 1987
CONCERNS ALL THE
LANGUAGES
                                  Proposai for a
                                COUNCIL DECISION
   amending Decision 85 / 196 / EEC concerning a multiannual research and
    development programme of the European Economic Community in the
     fields of basic technological research and the applications of
                 new technologies ( Brite ) ( 1985 to 1988 )
                       (presented by the Commission )
C0M(87 ) 307 final / 2
 ---pagebreak---                                     г
                                                                               Cfinn %0 9"
                                  Proposai for a
                                COUNCIL DECISION
   amending Decision 85 / 196 / EEC concerning a multiannual research and
    development programme of the European Economic Community in the
      fields of basic technological research and the applications of
                    new technologies ( Brite ) ( 1985 to 1988 )
1.   In   its  communication   of   21  May   1986   ( C0M(86)271 ) the   Commission
    presented to the Council its review of the Brite             programme and the
     conclusions drawn from the review .
     In the light of the discussions in the Council and the Parliament
     concerning the proposal for a framework programme of Community
     activities in the field of research and technological development ,           the
     Commission has established and submits herewith a draft Council decision
    on the revision of the Council decision on Brite of 12 March 1985 .          Once
     the Framework Programme ( 1987-1991 ) for research and technological
     development ( COM(86)430 ) and The Single Act are in force , the decision
     on the Brite programme will have to be taken by the Council acting on a
     qualified majority and in co-operation with the European Parliament .
     Révision
2.   In the attached draft decision , articles are included to give effect to
     the following changes which were indicated in the review document :
     - an increase in the funds estimated necessary for the execution of the
        programme ;
     - number of industrial organisations per project ;
     - participation of organisations established in EFTA countries .
3.    It is still too early to talk of real research results at a time when
     the nearly     100 projects   now underway have in most cases only been
      running for about one third of the time allotted to the projects .
     Nevertheless ,    the research reports received have indicated that on a
     number of projects substantial progress has been made .            All projects
 ---pagebreak---                                 -3-
   appear to be fulfilling their objectives and will help to strengthen the
   technological base of European industry in strategic areas and encourage
   it to become more competitive , e.g. experts claim that              the Brite
   projects in the field of clothing manufacture technology are better
   suited    to the   characteristics   of    the  European   industry   than   the
   competitive USA and Japanese programmes .          The first round of Brite
   moreover has stimulated the creation of a           habit of co-operation in
   manufacturing industry at European level which will contribute to the
   achievement of the common market ,          the unification of the European
   scientific and technological area           by helping to break down the
   long-established      traditions   in     Community    countries    of     tight
   relationships within a country and thus the more rational use of the
   valuable research resources available .
   This applies generally and that includes SMEs for which special efforts
   are made with a view to their participation in the programme and which
   are given      strong preference when a choice has to be made between
   projects of similar technical merit and likely industrial impact .
   Moreover , the Commission will facilitate , by means of new financial
   engineering mechanisms which are being prepared ,            the financing of
   co-operative , transnational projects , downstream the precompetitive R&D
   work undertaken in this programme .
4. Increase in the funds estimated necessary
   In preparation for the second call for proposals , the technical content
   of the programme was reviewed with independent experts , IRDAC and the
   CGC " Industrial Technologies ".      Their conclusion was that the overall
   content of the programme should not be changed as all of the subjects
   within Brite are still of major importance and should be maintained .         On
   the other hand ,    the priority themes within this overall content were
   substantially revised and involve now over 100 clearly defined technical
   subj ects .
   An advance notice for the second call for proposals was published in
   June 1986 - followed by an official call in January 1987 - in order to
   provide sufficient time for preparation .
   Major efforts have been undertaken by national authorities ,         industrial
   associations ,   etc . in close co-operation with the Commission      to inform
   SMEs in particular and provide assistance in the preparation of
   proposals , in particular for organisations which had previously not
   participated in Brite .
 ---pagebreak---                                 -4-
The last date to introduce proposals was 15 May 1987 .
Despite the delay in approving the Framework Programme and the
consequent reluctance on the part of many potential proposers to put in
proposals for Brite without the knowledge that the extra funds would be
available ,  the number of proposals involving the required transnational
co-operation received in the second round of Brite is 469 , involving
2229 partners , compared to 470 proposals with transnational co-operation
in the first 1985 round involving 1740 partners .    The participation of
industrial firms is of the same level as in 1985 , i.e. around 60% , of
which 544 are SMEs ( 361 in 1985 ).   It is also important to recall that
no less than some 850 partners had not earlier participated in BHte .
These second round proposals are in almost all cases presented far more
effectively and persuasively than those in the first round and it is
clear that the overall standard is very high . Moreover , the average size
of projects received is in excess of 2 Mio ECU compared with 1.6 Mio ECU
in the first round .
Of the 60 Mio ECU still available for the second round , around 10 Mio
ECU is already committed as in the first round some 100 proposals were
accepted only because :-
- a number of proposals were followed up only through contracts
  for feasibility studies ( and full contracts to follow up these studies
  will take part of the money of the second round );
- a number of projects were funded initially for only a first phase -
  usually the first two years of the work planned ( and the remainder of
  the work is to be financed from the money available for the second
  round ) .
Despite this , there was great disappointment at the low acceptance rate .
The second round must show that the Community is serious in wanting to
provide the kind of impetus to European cooperation in industrial
research which is at the centre of the Brite concept by :
 ---pagebreak---                                    -5-
   - offering the possibility of adequate coverage of technological themes
     considered as priority by industry , and
   - providing a reasonable chance of success for good innovative
     proposals and , given the high standard of the projects , it cannot be
     justified that some 9 out of 10 proposals will be rejected .
   The doubling of the figure of 60 Mio ECU to 120 Mio ECU is the minimum
   that will enable these objectives to be approached reasonably
   satisfactori ly .
   In line with the increase in the number of projects ,       an increase in the
   staff  from 27 to 40 is proposed ,         taking   into account    that sound
   management requires that an A-grade official should be responsible for
   between 10 and 15 projects and that the ratio be’tween A-grade and
   supporting staff should be in the order of 2:1 .             Staff costs will
   represent 4.5% of the costs of the Community participation in the
   programme .
5. Number of industrial organisations per project
   The conditions for participation ( i.e. trans-frontier co-operation , 50%
   industrial financing , at least one industrial firm per project ) have
   ensured the industrial nature of the programme .        90% of all successful
   projects in the first round had at least two industrial partners from
   two  different    Member   States .    In  order  to   reinforce  further    the
   industrial nature of the programme ,      it is therefore planned      ( without
   changing the present legal conditions ) that a clear preference will be
   given to projects involving at least two industrial partners from two
   Member States .     In fact , more than 86% of the proposals received in the
   second round do involve two or more industrial participants from two or
   more Member States .
6. Participation of organisations established in non-Member States
   It is proposed , because of the strong interest expressed in the 'IFTA
   countries , particularly by industry , in broadening European co-operation
   in technological research and development , to extend the criteria for
   participation in the second phase of Srite to accommodate them .         Despite
 ---pagebreak---                                  - * -
   the fact that organisations from EFTA countries cannot yet officially
   participate in Brite , organisations from EFTA countries are represented
   in 16 proposals received for the second round .
   Since it is of overall strategic interest with respect to the
   competitivity of European industry as a whole and in the spirit of the
   Framework Agreements on R&D Co-operation being concluded with a number
   of EFTA countries , it is intended that industrial firms , universities
   and    research   institutes from   those countries  should be admitted as
   partners in Brite projects .
   Organisations selected will have to cover all their costs and , in
   addition,      where appropriate ,     a contribution towards operational
   expenses .
   Projects with participation by above-mentioned organisations from the
   EFTA countries will of course have to comply with normal Brite programme
   criteria , i.e. at least two organisations from two different Member
   States will also be required to participate and at least 50% of the
   costs of every project should normally be covered by industry .      Normal
   Community contract conditions ,         in particular regarding industrial
   property rights , will also apply . As for access to and exploitation of
   foreground and background information in the same or related projects ,
   organisations from non-Member States will be treated in the same way as
   other organisations participating in Brite .
7. Préparation of BRITE II
   For the information of the Council , it seems useful to summarise the
   preparatory work for Brite II , the follow-on programme .
   Preparatory work is in progress through discussions with trade
   associations covering the various industrial sectors , on the basis of
   the results of a questionnaire sent to 1,000 firms and in workshops on
   individual subjects , such as membrane technology , laser technology , etc .
    ( The workshops also provide the opportunity to bring partners in EEC and
   EUREKA projects together ).      The work is co-ordinated through a special
   working group of IRDAC and will be reported on during two ’'Brite days "
    in December 1987 in which all interested parties should have the
 ---pagebreak---                                      »
     possibility to discuss the proposed content of the follow-on programme .
     It should be noted that Brite      II and the revision of EURAM will be
     prepared in parallel in order to ensure complete co-ordination between
     the two programmes .
    The preparation for Brite II so far has reconfirmed not only the
     strategic importance of the subjects included in the present BRITE
    programme but also the need to include in future a number of technical
    subjects at present not thoroughly covered within Brite .
    Brite   II   will also   take into account a mid-term evaluation of the
    on-going Brite programme . It is necessary that the evaluation looks at
    BRITE projects from two related standpoints .      The first is , as always
     for Community R&D programmes , the technical quality of the work carried
    out .      The second aspect , which is particularly appropriate for
    programmes intended to benefit industry , is the likely impact on
     industry of projects should they be successful .     In addition , because
     Brite already involves in its projects a high proportion of the best
    companies , research institutes and universities in the fields it covers ,
     it is particularly difficult to find sufficient suitable experts who can
    evaluate Brite from these two standpoints who are , nevertheless ,
     sufficiently independent to be able to form an unprejudiced view .      The
    Commission has , accordingly , taken the step of employing a firm of
    consultants     to undertake   a study as   to how best    to carry out an
    objective evaluation of Brite at mid-term , the results of which have
     just become available .    The actual evaluation will follow and should be
     available before Brite II is presented to the Council .         Its cost is
     estimated , for the time being , at approximately 300.000 , – ECU .
Conclusion
The Council is accordingly invited to approve the attached draft decision
which takes the form of an amendment to Council Decision 85 / 196 / EEC of 12
March 1985 .     The Commission underlines the need for an early decision to
ensure that there is no gap between the placing of contracts for those
projects which can be funded from the 60 Mio ECU currently available and
those which have to await this decision . In addition , a number of proposals
have been received which involve participation from EFTA countries and
 ---pagebreak--- clearly such projects cannot be officially accepted until the attached draft
decision is approved and a legal basis thereby established for the
involvement of participants from EFTA countries .
 ---pagebreak---                                           6
                                        Proposai for a
                                      COUNCIL DECISION
         amending Decision 85 / 196 / EEC concerning a multiannual research and
          development programme of the European Economic Community in the
           fields of basic technological research and the applications of
                        new technologies ( Brite ) ( 1985 to 1988 )
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES :
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,
and in particular Article 130 Q ( 2 ) thereof ,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission , ( 1 )
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Commi ttee , ( 2 )
In co-operation with the European Parliament, ( 3 )
(1 )  0J
(2)   0J
(3)   0J
 ---pagebreak---                                        - iû-
Whereas Article 130K of the Treaty provides that the framework programme
 is to be implemented through specific programmes developed within each
activity and whereas the Counc i l,by decidi ng on a Framework Programme of Community
Activities in the Field of Research and Technological Development
( 1987-1991 ), recognises the interest of an action aimed at science and
technology for manufacturing industries /
Whereas Council Decision 85 / 196 / EEC ( 1 ) decided on the multiannual
research and development programme for the European Economic Community in
the fields of basic technological research and the applications of new
technologies ( Brite ) ( 1985-1988 ); whereas in particular Article 3 provided
that the Brite programme should be reviewed during 1986 ;
Whereas the review which it has undertaken , the conclusions of which
were forwarded to the Council on 21 May 1986 led the Commission to present
a proposal for the revision of the Brite programme in order to ensure an
adequate fulfilment of its objective ;
Whereas it is necessary to react adequately to the interest shown by the
industry in transnational co-operation ;
Whereas it is necessary to involve small and medium-sized enterprises to
the maximum extent possible in the development of industrial technologies ;
Whereas it is necessary to ensure an adequate coverage of the technical
areas as defined in Decision 85 / 196 / EEC ;
Whereas it is necessary to underline the industrial nature of the programme
by giving priority to projects with at least two industrial partners from
two different Member States;
Whereas the participation of organisations from EFTA countries in Brite
projects , under appropriate conditions , may contribute to the
competitiveness of manufacturing industry as a whole ;
Whereas it is in the Community 's interest to consolidate the scientific and
financial basis of European research by means of the involvement to a
greater extent of the EFTA countries in certain Community programmes ,
particularly in programmes involving co-operation in research and
development of basic industrial technologies ;
( 1 ) OJ No L 83 , 25.3.1985 , p. 8 .
 ---pagebreak---   Whereas the Scientific and Technical Research Committee was consulted on
   the     following measures ,
   HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS :
                                     Sole Article
   Decision 85 / 196 / EEC is hereby amended as follows :
  Article 1(2 ) is amended as follows :
   ( a ) the following is added to the second subparagraph :
" Where Framework Agreements for     scientific and technical co-operation
  between non-Community European     countries as referred to in Annex 1 and the
  European Communities have been     concluded , organisations and enterprises
  established in those countries     may , under appropriate conditions to be
  defined by the Commission , become partners in a project undertaken within
  the programme . The Committee mentioned in Article 5 shall assist the
  Commission in defining those conditions ."
   ( b ) the following is added to the third subparagraph :
" Research institutes which are funded entirely or mainly by industrial
  organizations shall be considered as industrial organizations . As far as possible ,
  priority will be given to projects involving at least two independent
  industrial organizations established in different Member States ."
   ( c ) the following is added to the fourth subparagraph :
"The Community will not contribute to the costs of a contractor established
  outside the Community ."
  Article 2 is replaced by the following :
                                      " Article 2
 The funds estimated to be necessary for the execution of the programme
  ( 1985 to 1988 ) amount to 185 million ECU ( including expenditure on a staff
 of 40 )."
  Done at Brussels , 28 September 1987
                                                       For the Counc i l
                                                      The President
 ---pagebreak---                                                      Annex 1
The non-Member States referred to in Article 1 are :
   - Republic of Austria
   - Republic of Finland
   - Republic of Iceland
   - Kingdom of Norway
   - Kingdom of Sweden
   - Swiss Confederation
 ---pagebreak---              COMPETITIVENESS AND EMPLOYMENT IMPACT STATEMENT
I   What is the main reason for introducing the measure ?
    8RITE is aimed at promoting technological research , which although
    not related to the development of marketable products or processes ,
    pursues clear cut industrial objectives defined in over 120
    technical subjects .  The main purpose of this European Community
    programme is to bring together complementary research of industrial
    firms , research institutes , universities and other interested
    organisations from different countries in the Community through
    transnational co-operation .
II  Features of the businesses in question
    The programme is directed at traditional European industries where
    there is a need to improve technology in order to enhance
    efficiency .
    In the first round of BRITE , a total of 470 proposals with
    transnational cooperation , involving 1740 participants , were
    received by the Commission . The total value of proposals received
    amounted to nearly 900 Mio Ecu representing a Community contribution
    of 450 Mio Ecu . This has to be set against the 65 Mio Ecu Community
    contribution available for the first round . 99 projects are now
    being supported : 60% of the participants are from industry ( of
    which 30% are SMEs ), 21% from research institutes and 19% from
    universities .
    To ensure a more adequate coverage of the technical subjects , it is
    therefore proposed in the actual draft Council regulation to
    increase the funds by 60 Mio Ecu .   This will bring the total budget
    for new projects in the second round up to 105 Mio Ecu , taking into
    account that of the initial 60 Mio Ecu still available for the
    second round , around 15 Mio Ecu is already committed for the
    completion of projects which were only funded partially in the first
    round .
                                     «
III What obligations does this measure impose directly on business
    The conditions for participation ( i.e. transnational co-operation ,
    50% industrial financing , at least one industrial partner per
    project ) have ensured the industrial nature of the programme . In
    order to reinforce further the industrial nature of the programme in
    the second round , it is proposed ( without changing the present legal
    conditions ) that a clear preference should be given to projects
    involving at least two industrial partners from two Member States .
 ---pagebreak--- The first round of BRITE has stimulated the creation of a habit of
co-operation in manufacturing industry at European leve'l which will
contribute to the achievement of the Common Market , the unification
of the European scientific and technological area by helping to
break down the long established traditions in Community countries of
tight relationships within a country and thus the more rational use
of the valuable research resources available .
What indirect obligations are national , regional or local
authorities likely to impose on businesses
By implementing this draft council regulation no action is required
by national governments or local authorities . This proposal does
not have any disadvantage to firms , except for additional costs ,
quite minimal , relating to the preparation of unsuccessful
proposals .
Are there any special provisions in respect of SMEs ?
No special provisions in respect of SMEs are foreseen in this
proposal .
The advantages for SMEs in participating in the programme is that
all signatories to a BRITE contract are treated on an equal footing ,
so that even with a relatively small contribution to make , a
contractor has the right of full access to and exploitation of
results , known technically as " foreground information".
As the technical work develops , dissemination of information about
the research results will commence .   Special emphasis will be placed
on the availability of this information to SMEs .
For the second round of uRITE , special consideration will be given
to projects involving SMEs with the aim of increasing their
participation compared to the first round providing that the
technical quality of the proposal is satisfactory . This priority
 for projects with SMEs as partners will provide strong encouragement
to all proposers to seek out suitable SMEs to be their partners .
This should encourage SME participation even further .
Uhat is the likely effect on :
a)   the competitiveness of business
As BRITE is aimed at precompetitive research , not related to the
development of new commercial products or processes , there is no
 short term effect on the competitiveness of businesses .
 In the longer term BRITE is directed at improving the technological
 competences of European industry in general and of small and medium
 sized enterprises in particular . It must be pointed out that a
 number of projects in the first round of BRITE deal with problems
 specific to SMEs . The majority of the participants in these projects
 are SMEs . The results of these projects i f .successful .V.i ll be of.
 great value to SMEs in general in the longer term .
 ---pagebreak---                                         4
                                         I
                                           S-
    b)   on employtnent
    The effects on employment ( in as much as these can be measured ) of
    the BRITE programme are and will continue to be of an indirect and
    positive nature in the immediate term . BRITE has already encouraged
    over 60 SMEs to participate in research and development projects
    thereby enhancing their technological capabilities and their
    international market prospects . Without BRITE such firms would not
    have the funds available for research activity on the scale now
    possible nor would they benefit from international collaboration .
    For the reasons mentioned above the second phase of BRITE is
    expected to offer to a considerably larger number of
    high - tech -oriented SMEs chances to participate in international
    projects .
VII Have the relevant representative organisations been consulted ?
    The present draft Council regulation does not change the conditions
    as agreed by the Council on 12th March 1985 : no employers , small
    business or labour organisations have been consulted .
    Nevertheless , it has to be pointed out that the Industrial Research
    and Development Advisory Committee was consulted when the initial
    programme proposal was in preparation .
    On the other hand , the Industrial Research and Development Advisory
    Committee ( IRDAC ) composed of members representing all sectors of
    industry , industrial research institutes and trade unions , has been
    consulted on the technical subjects for the second round .