CELEX: 51991PC0290
Language: en
Date: 1991-07-25
Title: PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL DECISION CONCERNING THE CONCLUSION OF A MULTILATERAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT " COMMUNITY-COST " ON FIVE CONCERTED ACTION PROJECTS IN THE FIELD OF RESEARCH IN BIOTECHNOLOGY ( BRIDGE PROGRAMME ) BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY AND COST THIRD STATES

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
                                               C0MC91) 290 final-SYN 354
                                               Brussels, 25 July 1991
                                  Proposal for a
                                 COUNCIL DECISION
 concerning the conclusion of a multilateral Cooperation Agreement "Community-
 COST" on five concerted action projects in the field of research in biotechnology
 (BRIDGE programme) between the European Economic Community and COST third
 states.
                          (presented by the Commission)
 ---pagebreak---                           EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM
             Proposal for a Council Decision concerning the conclusion of a
             multilateral Cooperation Agreement "Community-COST" on five
             concerted action projects in the field of biotechnology - specific
             research and technological development programme : "BRIDGE" -
             between the European Economic Community and COST/EFTA third
             states (Austria, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland,
             Turkey, Yugoslavia)
1.    Pursuant to a Decision1 in the field of research in biotechnology, two
      Community-COST concertation Agreements on two concerted action projects
     in the field of Aquatic primary biomass2 and Plant in vitro culture3 were
     previously concluded between the Community and several third COST states.
     The research carried out under these two Agreements, the latter of which
     expired on 31.12.1989, has produced very encouraging results. Consequently,
     the current objectives of these two projects, taking into account the past
     research and cooperation in theses sectors, are included in the BRIDGE
     programme.
2.   Furthermore, since 1986, three Memoranda of Understanding (M.O.U.) have
     been signed by various countries in the framework of COST (Member States
     and COST third states) to carry out European research projects in the
     respective fields of "Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae" (COST project 810),
     "Methods for early detection and identification of plant diseases" (COST
     project 88) and "Coccidioses and Development of vaccines" (COST project
     89).
      Since 1/01/90, the research topics of these 3 projects have been included in
      the "BRIDGE" programme. Consequently, these above-mentioned M.O.U. are
      due to expire on the entry into force of a "Community-COST' Cooperation
     Agreement between the contracting parties (Community and participating
      non-Member states) having the same aim as of the M.O.U..
3.    By including these five concerted action projects in the BRIDGE programme,
      the Community has made it clear that it wishes to make the most of the
      cooperation in these five specific sectors where third state participation has
      already been substantial, in addition to the projects implemented by contracts
      and to training activities.
   1
     85/195/EEC of 25.03.1985
   2
     86/358/EEC of 14.07.1986 (COST 48)
   3
     86/359/EEC of 14.07.1986 (COST 87)
 ---pagebreak--- 4.     By its Decision of 27 November 1989, the Council adopted a specific
       technological development programme in the field of biotechnology
       ("BRIDGE" programme 1.01.1990 - 31.12.1993) which part of it is carried out
       by means of five concerted action projects.
5.     Article 8 of this Decision authorises the Commission to negotiate Agreements
       with third countries involved in European cooperation in the field of scientific
       and technical research (COST) or having concluded bilateral framework
       Agreements4 for scientific and technical cooperation with the Community.
6.     As third COST-EFTA states expressed their interest to participate in some of
       the above-mentioned concerted action projects, the Commission has
       negotiated a draft Community-COST Cooperation Agreement on the following
       five concerted action projects:
       COST 48 :      "Aquatic primary biomass (marine macroalgae)"
       COST 810 : "Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae (V-A mycorrhizae)"
       COST 87 :      "In vitro cultures for the purification and propagation of plants"
       COST 88 :      "Methods for early detection and identification of plant diseases"
       COST 89 :      "Basic research on coccidiosis of poultry and farm animals and
                      development of vaccines using biotechnological procedures
                      (short title : "coccidioses and development of vaccines")
7.     A formal meeting with invited representatives of the eight above-mentioned
       COST/EFTA third states, was held on 11 December 1990. During this
       meeting, the Commission proposed a multilateral Community-COST
       Agreement pattern introducing a new element "the Cooperation Committee"
       which did not exist in the S & T concertation Agreements previously
       concluded between the EC and third COST countries. At this meeting the
       same pattern was also proposed for the "FLAIR" programme (Draft
       Cooperation Agreement for concerted action projects).
    4
      As an EFTA state, Iceland has concluded a S/Tframeworkbilateral Agreement
with the Community but has also formally requested to become a new Member of
the COSTframework(formal adhesion planned in 1991).
 ---pagebreak---                                     - / / -
8.  This new pattern allows the COST/EFTA third states to participate in the
    Community R&D programmes which are managed by Committees laid down
    in the Council Decision 87/373/EEC of 13 July 1987 and takes into account
    the three-phase procedure described in the statements included in the minutes
    of the Research Council meeting of 20 June 1989 when a common position
    on the BRIDGE programme was adopted.
9.  The Commission will endeavour to achieve consistency between the functions
    of the Cooperation Committee offered to individual third
    COST/EFTA states and the coordination requirement provided for in Article
    3.4 of the proposed draft Agreement.
10. The COST/EFTA third states having accepted as a fundamental criterion of
    reference the principle that BRIDGE was, and has to remain, a Community
    programme in which the Community interests have to be safeguarded, this
    draft Agreement has been agreed on by the contracting parties.
11. The draft Agreement, which is annexed to the attached proposal for a Council
    Decision, provides for :
    -   the association of the interested COST/EFTA third states with the
        implementation of one or several concerted action projects of the
        Community programme;
        a financial contribution of each third state to each of the concerted action
        projects in which it participates, amounts to one twelth of the Community
        contribution to the project, i.e. for the period 1990-1993 :
        8500 Ecus per project per year.
        the establishment of a Cooperation Committee with representatives of the
        Community and of the participating third COST/EFTA States to ensure a
        proper implementation of the Agreement and mutual coordination and
        information on the development of the concerted projects of the BRIDGE
        programme. The Committee shall adopt its own rules of procedure.
12. In view of the nature of the cooperation, any additional expenditure paid
    from the Community budget (relevant budget heading B6-8004) resulting
    from the implementation of this draft Agreement will be covered by the
    financial contribution from the participating COST/EFTA third states.
13. Several COST third states have already expressed their willingness to
    participate in one or more of the five concerted action projects.
14. The Commission proposes that the Council adopt the attached proposal for a
    Decision.
                                                                                    *
 ---pagebreak---                                            -9-
                                   Proposal for a
                                 COUNCIL DECISION
concerning the conclusion of a multilateral Community-COST Cooperation
Agreement on five concerted action projects in the field of research in biotechnology
("BRIDGE" programme) between the European Economic Community and COST
third states.
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Commumty, and in
particular Article 130 Q2 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission1,
In cooperation with the European Parliament2,
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee3,
WHEREAS by Decision 89/621/EEC4, the Council adopted a specific research and
technological development programme in the field of biotechnology ("BRIDGE"
programme) (1/01/1990 - 31/12/1993); whereas Article 8 of this Decision
authorises the Commission to negotiate agreements with, third countries involved in
European cooperation in the field of scientific and technical research (COST) and
those European countries having concluded framework agreements in scientific and
technical cooperation with the Community,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS :
Article 1
The Community-COST Agreement between the European Community and COST
third states on concerted action projects in the field of research in biotechnology is
hereby approved on behalf of the European Economic Community.
The text of the Agreement is attached to this Decision.
     1
       O.J. No C
     2
       O.J. No C
    3
       O.J. No C
     4
       O.J. No L 360, 09.12.1989 - p.32
 ---pagebreak---                                      6
Article 2
The President of the Council is hereby authorized to designate the persons
empowered to sign the Agreement in order to bind the Community.
Done at
                                                For the Council
                                                The President
 ---pagebreak---              ~ ^ ^
           COOPERATION AGREEMENT
               "COMMUNITY-COST'
BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY
            AND COST THIRD STATES
     ON FIVE CONCERTED ACTION PROJECTS
       IN THE FIELD OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
   (SPECIFIC RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGICAL
     DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME "BRIDGE")
 ---pagebreak---                                   -p
               COOPERATION AGREEMENT "COMMUNITY-COST' ON
    FIVE CONCERTED ACTION PROJECTS IN THE FIELD OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
                                      (BRIDGE)
THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY, hereinafter called "the Corfimunity"
and
THE SIGNATORY STATES TO THIS AGREEMENT, hereinafter called "the participating
non-Member States",
both hereinafter called "the Contracting Parties",
WHEREAS two Community-COST concertation agreements on two concerted action
projects in the research sectors of aquatic primary biomass (COST 48) and plant in
vitro culture (COST 87) were concluded by the Council on 14 July 19861 and signed
- respectively by Norway (COST 48) and Finland, Sweden, Switzerland (COST 87);
WHEREAS a memorandum of understanding in the framework of COST for carrying
out a European research project on vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae
(VA-MYCORRHIZHAE) (COST 810) entered into force on 26 January 1989 for a
period extending until 25 January 1994 and was signed by Denmark, the Federal
Republic of Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, Austria, Finland and
Switzerland;
WHEREAS a memorandum of understanding in the framework of COST for carrying
out a European research project on methods for early detection and identification of
plant diseases (COST 88) entered into force on 27 November 1986 for a period
extending until 26 November 1991 and was signed by Belgium, Denmark, the Federal
Republic of Germany, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Spain,
Austria, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey;
WHEREAS a memorandum of understanding in the framework of COST for carrying
out a European research project on coccidioses and development of vaccines (COST
89) entered into force on 22 March 1989 for a period extending until 21 March 1994
and was signed by Belgium, Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Spain
and Switzerland;
WHEREAS a memorandum of understanding in the framework of COST may expire
on the entry into force of a "Community-COST' Agreement between the contracting
parties having the same aim as that of the memorandum of understanding;
     1
       OJ N° L 216, 05.08.1986, p.12 and 18
 ---pagebreak---                                      - * -
WHEREAS, by its Decision of 27 November 19892, the Council of the European
Communities adopted a specific research and technological development programme
in the field of biotechnology "BRIDGE" for the period 1/01/1990 - 31/12/1993,
hereinafter called "the Commumty programme", covering among other possibilities,
the implementation of concerted action projects;
WHEREAS the Member States of the Commumty and the participating non-Member
States intend, subject to the rules and procedures applicable to their national
programmes, to carry out the research described in Annex A and are prepared to
integrate such research into a process of concertation which they consider will be of
mutual benefit,
HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS :
ARTICLE 1
The Contracting Parties shall participate for a period extending until 31 December
1993 to one or several of the following concerted action projects :
- COST 48 :          Aquatic primary biomass (Marine Macroalgae)
- COST 810 :         Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae (VA-Mycorrhizae)
- COST 87 :          In vitro cultures for the purification and propagation of plants
- COST 88 :          Methods for early detection and identifications of plant diseases
- COST 89 :          Basic research on coccidioses of poultry and farm animals and
                     development of vaccines using biotechnological procedures (short
                     title : Coccidioses and Development of Vaccines)
These projects consist in concertation between the Community concerted action
projects and the corresponding programmes of the participating non-Member States.
The content of research topics covered by this Agreement is specified in Annex A.
The Member and non-Member States of the Commumty shall remain entirely
responsible for the research carried out by their own institutions or bodies.
      OJ N° L 360, 09.12.1989, p. 32
 ---pagebreak---                                  10-
ARTICLE 2
The estimated financial contributions of the Contracting Parties to the coordination
costs for the period referred to in the first paragraph of Article 1 shall be, for each
of the five concerted action projects :
- COST 48 :          400,000 ecus from the Commumty
                      34,000 ecus from each participating non-Member State
- COST 810 :         400,000 ecus from the Community
                      34,000 ecus from each participating non-Member State
- COST 87 :          400,000 ecus from the Community
                      34,000 ecus from each participating non-Member State
- COST 88 :          400,000 ecus from the Community
                      34,000 ecus from each participating non-Member State
- COST 89 :          400,000 ecus from the Community
                      34,000 ecus from each participating non-Member State
The rules governing the financing of this Agreement and the timetable of the
commitment estimates are set out in Annex B.
ARTICLE 3
1. For the purposes of this Agreement, a Cooperation Committee to assist the
   Commission in the implementation of the concerted action projects of the specific
   research and technological development programme in the field of biotechnology
   ("BRIDGE" programme), adopted by Decision of the Council of the European
   Communities of 27 November 1989, hereinafter referred to as "the Committee", is
   hereby established.
2. The Committee shall consist of representatives of the Community and the
   participating non-Member States for the implementation of the concerted action
   projects.
3. The Committee shall be consulted on all the matters concerning the implemen-
   tation of this Agreement. For this purpose, it shall make recommendations.
4. The representative of the Community shall take the appropriate steps to ensure
   coordination between the implementation of this Agreement and the decisions taken
   by the Commumty in respect of the implementation of the Commumty programme.
 ---pagebreak---                                       -H-
5. For the purpose of the proper implementation of this Agreement, the Contracting
   Parties shall exchange information and, at the request of any of the parties, shall
   hold consultations within the Committee.
6. The Committee shall adopt its own rules of procedure and it shall meet, at the
   request of any of the Contracting Parties, in accordance with the conditions to be
   laid down in its rules of procedure.
ARTICLE 4
1. The Contracting Parties shall regularly exchange all useful information resulting
   from the carrying out of the research covered by the concerted action projects.
   They shall also endeavour to provide information on similar research planned or
   carried out by other bodies. Any information shall be treated as confidential if the
   Contracting Party which provides it so requests.
2. The scientific results of the concerted action projects shall be published by the
   Commission, except in so far as they are declared confidential by one of the
   Contracting Parties.
3. The Commission shall prepare activity reports on the basis of the information
   supplied and shall forward them to the Member and non-Member States of the
   Community.
4. At the end of the period of the BRIDGE programme, the Commission shall forward
   to the Member and non-Member States of the Community the general reports on
   the execution and results of these concerted action projects.
ARTICLE 5
1. This Agreement shall be open for signature by the Community and by the
   participating non-Member States which took part in the ministerial conference held
   in Brussels on 22 and 23 November 1971.
2. As a condition precedent to its participation in the concerted action projects defined
   in Article 1, each of the Contracting Parties shall, when signing this Agreement,
   have notified the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Communities
   of the concerted action projects in which it intends to participate and, after signing
   this Agreement, have notified the Secretary-General of the Council of the European
   Communities of the completion of the procedures necessary under its internal
   provisions for the implementation of this Agreement.
 ---pagebreak---                                               \z~
3. For the Contracting Parties which transmit the latter notification, provided for in
    the paragraph 2, this Agreement shall come into force on the first day of the
    month following that in which the Community and at least one of the participating
    non-Member States transmitted these notifications.
    For those Contracting Parties which transmit the notification after the entry into
    force of this Agreement, it shall come into force on the first day of the second
    month following that in which the notification was transmitted. Contracting
    Parties which have not transmitted this notification when this Agreement comes
    into force shall be able to take part in the work of the Committees without voting
    rights.
4. The Secretary-General of the Council of the European Coiia^unities shall inform
    each of the Contracting Parties of the notifications made pursuant to paragraph 2
    and of the date of entry into force of this Agreement.
ARTICLE 6
1. This Agreement shall be concluded for the duration of the Community programme.
    Should the Community revise the Community programme, the Agreement may be
    denounced under mutually agreed conditions between the Contracting Parties.
2. Where the Community adopts a new R & D programme in the field of biotechno-
    logy, this Agreement may be renegotiated or renewed under mutually agreed
    conditions.
3. Subject to paragraph 1, any of the Contracting Parties may at any time terminate
    this Agreement with six months notice. The projects and work in progress at the
    time of termination and/or expiry of this Agreement shall be continued until they
    are completed under the conditions laid down in this Agreement.
ARTICLE 7
This Agreement shall apply, on the one hand, to the territories in which the Treaty
establishing the European Economic Community is applied and under the conditions
laid down in that Treaty and, on the other hand, to the territories of the participating
non-Member States.
ARTICLE 8
This Agreement, drawn up in a single original in the Danish, Dutch, English, French,
German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish languages, each text being equally
authentic, shall be deposited in the archives of the General Secretariat of the Council
of the European Communities which shall transmit a certified copy to each of the
Contracting Parties.
 ---pagebreak---                                           -    rt-
                                      ANNEX A
                RESEARCH TOPICS COVERED BY THE AGREEMENT
The Commumty programme includes the following five COST concerted action
projects :
COST PROJECT 48 :
"AQUATIC PRIMARY BIOMASS (MARINE MACROALGAE)"
Purification :
- Utilization of seaweeds as bio-indicators for radionucleids and pollution level
- Determination of the seaweed species and of the conditions required to achieve
   pollution abatement of waste waters throughout the year
Fermentations :
-   Means to treat the proliferating algae biomass
-   Use of seaweeds to purify the environment
Harvesting, food and technological processes :
    Study of the problems of harvesting connected with purification and fermentation
COST PROJECT 810 :
'VESICULAR-ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAE (V-A MYCORRHIZAEV
The importance of endomycorrhizae in a soil, their impact on plant nutrition, stress
tolerance and soil structure
The interaction between VAM and other soil organisms
The micropropagation, root morphology and VAM infections
 ---pagebreak---                                        - ^
COST PROJECT 87 :
"IN VITRO CULTURES FOR THE PURIFICATION AND PROPAGATION OF PLANTS"
The primary aims of this research consist of developing tissue culture methods for :
- Rapid multiplication of healthy plants
- Freeing plants from pathogens
- Safe long-term storage of plant cultures
The model plants selected are :
Apple rootstock M26, Betula and Quercus, Gerbera, Pelargonium.
COST PROJECT 88 :
"METHODS FOR EARLY DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATIONS OF PLANT DISEASES"
The main objective of COST 88 is to coordinate research on the early detection and
identification of plant diseases in Europe, in particular in the following fields :
   Molecular hybridization techniques
   Advanced immunochemical techniques
   Defining standards for the development of these techniques and diagnosis
   Setting up a European Bank for standards for the diagnosis of plant diseases
COST PROJECT 89 :
BASIC RESEARCH ON COCCIDIOSIS OF POULTRY AND FARM ANIMALS AND
DEVELOPMENT OF VACCINES USING BIOTECHNOLOGICAL PROCEDURES (SHORT
TITLE : "COCCIDIOSES AND DEVELOPMENT OF VACCINES")
The aim of this programme is to develop vaccines against coccidiosis of poultry and
farm animals.
Special attention will be paid to the criteria for vaccine evaluation and to several
species such as Eimeria intestinalis, Eimeria stiedae, Isospora suis, Cryptosporidium
parvum etc.
 ---pagebreak---                                              — 15
                                       ANNEX B
                                  FINANCING RULES
1. These provisions lay down thefinancialrules referred to in Article 2 of the present
   "Community - COST' Agreement.
2. Annually, or whenever the Community programme is revised so as to involve an
   increase in the amount estimated as necessary for its implementation, the
   Commission shall send to the participating non-Member States a call for funds
   corresponding to its contribution to the costs under this Agreement.
   In particular at the beginning of each year, the Commission shall send to each
   participating non-Member State a call for funds corresponding to the number of,
   and the amount involved in, concerted action projects in which it participates and
   to its share of the annual coordination costs under this Agreement, calculated in
   proportion to the amounts laid down in Article 2 of this Agreement.
   This contribution shall be expressed both in ecu and the currency of the
   participating non-Member State concerned, the composition of the ecu being
   defined in Council Regulation (EEC) N° 3180/783 as amended by Regulation (EEC)
   N° 1971/894. The value of the ecu shall be determined on the date of the call of
   funds.
   The total contributions shall cover the travel and subsistence costs of the delegates,
   in addition to the coordination costs proper.
   Each participating non-Member State shall pay its annual contribution to the
   coordination costs under the Agreement at the beginning of each year, and by 31
   March at the latest. Any delay in the payment of the annual contribution shall
   give rise to the payment of interest by the participating non-Member State
   concerned at a rate equal to the highest discount rate obtained in the Member
   States of the Community on the due date. The rate shall be increased by 0.25 of
   a percentage point for each month of delay. The increased rate shall be applied
   to the entire period of delay. However, such interest shall be chargeable only if
   payment is effected more than three months after the issue of a call for funds by
   the Commission.
     3
       OJ N° L 379, 30.12.1978, p.l
     4
       OJ N° L 189, 04.07.1989, p.l
 ---pagebreak---                                     -H-
3. The funds paid by participating non-Member States shall be credited to the
   concerted action projects in which they participate as budget receipts allocated to
   a heading in the statement of the revenue of the general budget of the European
   Communities (Commission Section).
4. The financial plan for the coordination costs referred to in Article 2 of the
   Agreement is appended hereto.
5. The Financial Regulation in force applicable to the general budget of the European
   Communities shall apply to the management of the appropriations.
6. At the end of the programme, a statement of appropriations for each concerted
   action project shall be prepared and transmitted to the participating non-Member
   States for information.
COST/90-188
 ---pagebreak---                                                                              FINANCIAL APPENDIX
)
                                                          "BRIDGE" : CONCERTED ACTION PROJECTS COST 48. 810. 87. 88. 89
                          YEARLY FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS (ECU) OF THE COMMUNITY AND OF EACH PARTICIPATING NON-MEMBER STATE
                                                            FOR EACH OF THE 5 ABOVE-MENTIONED PROJECTS
                                                            1990           1991         1992          1993          Total
  1.     Community contribution :
         Estimate of administrative
         operating expenditure                              100.000        100.000      100.000       100.000       400.000
                            Total :                         100.000        100.000      100.000       100.000       400.000
         Contributions from
         participating non-Member States                    (nx8500)       (nx8500)     (nx8500)      (nx8500)      (nx34000)
                            New Total :                     100.000+       100.000+     100.000+      100.000+      400.000+
                                                            (nx8500)       (nx8500)     (nx8500)      (nx8500)      (nx34000)
  n      = number of participating non-Member States
  COST 48 :  Aquatic primary biomass (Marine Macroalgae)
  COST 810 : Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae (VA-Mycorrhizae)
  COST 87 :  In vitro cultures for the purification and propagation of plants
  COST 88 :  Methods for early detection and identifications of plant diseases
  COST 89 :  Basic research on coccidioses of poultry and farm animals and development of vaccines using biotechnological procedures
             (short title : Coccidioses and Development of Vaccines)
 ---pagebreak---  ---pagebreak---                                                                      ISSN 0254-1475
                                                              COM(91) 290 final
                                                      DOCUMENTS
EN                                                                              15
                                 Catalogue number : CB-CO-91-335-EN-C
                                                             ISBN 92-77-74750-1
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