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The main purposes of this horizontal theme are to promote scientific
and technological cooperation internationally; to reinforce Community capacities in the
fields of science and technology; to provide general support for the achievement of
scientific excellence within the wider international framework; and to contribute to the
implementation of the Communitys external policy also with the accession of new
Member States in mind.
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The general objectives of international scientific cooperation are:
to promote scientific and technological cooperation between undertakings,
organisations and researchers from third countries and from the Community, which is likely
to produce significant, mutual and balanced benefits, taking into account the different
needs and circumstances of individual groups of countries and regions whilst respecting
the protection of intellectual property,
to facilitate access for research centres and undertakings established in the
Community to scientific and technological knowledge available outside the Community which
serves the Communitys interests,
to enhance the position and role of Community research in the international
scientific and technological arena and promote a European scientific and technological
culture,
to prepare for the accession of new Member States for example by encouraging
their full association with the framework programme; to contribute to the stabilisation of
the RTD potential of the CEECs in general and of the newly independent States of the
former Soviet Union (NIS), to support and develop the Euro-Mediterranean partnership and
to contribute to the sustainable economic, social and scientific development of developing
countries,
to help European research players acquire information and gain experience of
research capacity, activity and priorities of industrialised third countries and
emerging economy countries, so as to make Community industry more competitive
and enhance its presence on new markets.
International scientific and technological cooperation will be implemented on the basis
of cooperation agreements, where these exist, and through this horizontal international
cooperation programme, as well as through activities undertaken within the other
programmes of this framework programme.
1. Specific actions in the international cooperation programme
On the basis of the cooperation policies in specific areas which the Community pursues
with its various potential partners, three categories of action will be implemented with a
specific international dimension, linked to specific problems facing these countries and
not addressed by the other activities of the framework programme. Only these actions will
be financed through the specific international cooperation programme.
(a) Cooperation with certain categories of third country
States in the pre-accession phase: promotion of their centres of excellence,
accompanying measures to facilitate participation in the other programmes of the framework
programme, including through cooperation networks,
NIS and CEECs not in the pre-accession phase: support for their research and
technological development potential (including through INTAS for the NIS, provided that a
new agreement is reached between its members on its continuation), cooperation in areas of
mutual interest (including satellite applications, regional problems linked to the
environment and health),
Mediterranean partner countries: improving through joint activities their RTD
capacities and promoting innovation; cooperation in areas of mutual interest, notably
regional aspects of the Mediterranean, including environmental aspects, support for
socio-economic development, including the urban dimension, transition to the information
society and preservation of cultural heritage, accompanying measures to facilitate
participation in the other programmes of the framework programme, including through
cooperation networks,
developing countries: a policy dialogue on RTD needs and priorities with groups
of countries and regions will be developed. Cooperation activities will be envisaged, in
particular in the following areas: mechanisms and conditions for sustainable development;
sustainable management and use of natural resources, including agricultural production,
environmental and energy aspects; health, nutrition and food security,
emerging economy and industrialised countries: Exchanges of scientists;
organisation of workshops; accompanying measures to promote partnerships and to enhance
mutual access to each others RTD activities including, where appropriate, through
scientific and technological cooperation agreements.
(b) Training of researchers
A system of fellowships will be set up to give young researchers from developing
countries, Mediterranean and emerging economy countries the opportunity of
collaborating in laboratories in the Community on specific projects of the framework
programme. Another fellowship scheme will be provided for a limited number of young
Community researchers so as to enable them to work in industrially-oriented laboratories
of the highest quality in third countries in areas of particular interest to the
Community.
(c) Coordination
Coordination with COST actions, and support for COST administration, coordination with
Eureka and with international organisations involved in research activities; coordination
of activities pursued through the other programmes of the framework programme with
one another, with those pursued through the Communitys other cooperation actions
(notably PHARE, TACIS and MEDA) and with the Member States cooperation activities.
2. International cooperation pursued through the other framework programme activities
Participation by entities of third countries in the specific programmes may take
basically two forms:
programme participation based on full association with the framework programme:
participation for third-country entities under similar conditions to Member State
entities. Full association of States in the pre-accession phase could be facilitated
through appropriate degressive financing mechanisms, making use, where so decided, of
other relevant Community instruments (e.g. PHARE). For other States in the pre-accession
phase which indicate that full participation in the framework programme is not yet
feasible for them, partial association with one or more complete specific programmes could
be envisaged,
participation in specific programmes on a project-by-project basis: if a
bilateral or a multilateral cooperation agreement is necessary in the Communitys
interest in order to provide access to high-quality third-country programmes and suitable
IPR arrangements, project-by-project participation will be subject to the conclusion of
such an agreement. Participating entities of third countries will in principle not benefit
from funds under these programmes, except in cases duly justified as being in the
Communitys interest. The detailed conditions under which entities from third
countries and international organisations involved in research activities may participate
in the framework programme, including the financial arrangements, will be specified in the
decision which will be adopted pursuant to Article 130j of the Treaty.
Innovation is a key factor in industrial competitiveness, sustainable social and
economic development and job creation. The aim is to promote innovative activities,
including the creation of innovative enterprises, and to facilitate the dissemination and
exploitation of research results and support technology transfer.
Small and medium-sized businesses are important vectors and actors in innovation. The
development of SMEs can make a vital contribution to economic and social development, new
economic activities, job creation and competitiveness. SMEs must therefore be provided
with easier access to the advanced technologies which they need, and to the opportunities
offered by the Communitys as well as the Member States research programmes.
Promotion of innovation and SME participation, although not synonymous, are closely
linked. As far as possible, this theme will therefore be implemented by means of joint
action covering both areas. Furthermore, the activities carried out in this programme will
be complementary to activities undertaken within Member States and to activities to
promote innovation and encourage SME participation carried out elsewhere in the framework
programme, and will therefore support, supplement and, as appropriate, give direction to
these various efforts.
1. General objectives
(a) Promotion of innovation
to help implement innovation policies in the European Union, in particular by
contributing to the creation of an environment conducive to innovation,
to enhance public awareness of the benefits of innovation,
to improve the economic and social impact of framework programme research
activities by ensuring better dissemination and exploitation of their results, as well as
the transfer and dissemination of technology from various sources, taking account of the
needs of customers and users,
to facilitate access of programme participants (particularly SMEs), through
provision of information and advice, to instruments which support innovation.
(b) Encouraging SME participation
to stimulate SME participation in the research programmes and technology
transfer to SMEs
both SMEs active in research and high technology and those with little or no
research capability but with substantial technological needs and a capacity to absorb new
technologies; to help SMEs throughout the European Union to develop their technological
capabilities, taking into account also specific problems of SMEs in less-favoured regions,
to assist SMEs in setting up transnational networks and partnerships for the
absorption and diffusion of new technologies,
to encourage the development of transnational links between SMEs, large
companies, research centres and universities.
2. Actions specific to the horizontal programme
(a) Promotion of innovation
identification and dissemination, in concert with the other programmes of the
framework programme, of adequate mechanisms to facilitate, in the life-cycle of projects,
the exploitation, private financing and transfer of technologies and results produced,
while guaranteeing protection of the knowledge acquired,
development, validation and implementation of methodologies for technology
transfer actions integrating the technological, economic and social aspects of innovation
and, where necessary, transnational dissemination and exploitation of results not stemming
from the thematic programmes (taking account of the particular characteristics of each
sector of activity),
coordination of studies and analyses carried out in various fora and integration
of their results, with a view to establishing a common reference framework in the area of
innovation policy.
(b) Encouraging SME participation
management of a single complementary entry point for SMEs for all the
research programmes in the Commissions departments, making use of existing
support networks in Member States; definition and management of common tools facilitating
SME participation in the programmes (fullest possible use of electronic methods for
information dossiers, submission of proposals, help line, specialised
Intranets to stimulate SME participation in innovation, etc.); provision of information on
programmes and training on proposal preparation;
increasing involvement of SMEs at all stages in the consultation/assessment
process; where appropriate, their representative associations may also be consulted;
ensuring a structured and rapid feedback system for all applicants; assistance for the
establishment of consortia; simplifying procedures and further increasing the efficiency
of contract and payment arrangements; and improving transparency,
permanently open calls for proposals for measures specific to SMEs, such as
exploratory awards or cooperative research activities,
assistance to SMEs in identifying their current and future technological needs
and provision of information and advice with a view to meeting those needs.
(c) Joint actions for innovation/SMEs
actions at Community level for the rationalisation and coordination of networks
providing information and assistance on the Communitys research and innovation
activities; management, in concert with the other programmes of the framework
programme, of the support network for innovation and technology transfer, making best
use of the innovation relay centres and the CRAFT focal points; consolidation of
mechanisms for gathering and disseminating information, such as the Cordis information
service,
provision of information and advice, as well as pilot activities, in the areas
of:
intellectual property rights,
access to private finance, notably venture capital funds,
the creation of innovative start-ups, principally via European organisations and
funds (European Investment Fund, European Investment Bank, and the Eurotech Capital
scheme).
The objective of the pilot activities will be to improve the existing capacities for
information, advice and analysis and to facilitate access to existing public and private
instruments at national or Community level without providing financial subsidies to
enterprises or creating a competing financial instrument;
identification and promotion, in concert with the other programmes of the
framework programmes, of best practices in innovation.
3. Interaction with related actions in the other framework programme activities
(a) Promotion of innovation
encouraging preparation for the exploitation and dissemination of results during
the research phase,
ensuring consistency between activities to foster innovation under the other
programmes and those carried out in this programme,
coordination of the activities of the innovation units to be set up
under the thematic programmes, with the aim of supplementing the innovation dimension of
the implementation of programmes (e.g. in the selection and monitoring of projects) and
securing, as appropriate, the follow-up of technology transfer, including technology
transfer projects with a demonstration effect.
(b) Encouraging SME participation
Support for SME participation in RTD and demonstration activities to be carried out in
the programmes:
cooperative research activities enabling at least three mutually
independent SMEs from at least two Member States jointly to seek the resolution of their
common technological problems internally or by entrusting it to third legal entities with
appropriate research capacities,
activities to support and encourage SME participation in collaborative and
cooperative research projects (for example on the basis of exploratory awards
respecting the needs of SMEs for a flexible and easily accessible support system.
Support for ensuring and improving dissemination and exploitation of results within the
thematic programmes.
The world is increasingly based on knowledge. The Communitys prime asset in
this area is the quality of its researchers, engineers and technicians. The aim is to
preserve and help develop this knowledge potential through greater support for the
training and mobility of researchers and by enhancing access to research infrastructures.
The Community also has a solid tradition of research in social and economic science and
the humanities, which needs to be mobilised to identify economic and social trends and
requirements, both current and future, in order to contribute to the Communitys
competitiveness and the quality of life of its citizens.
1. General objectives
The general objectives of this activity, to be realised in concert with related actions
elsewhere in the framework programme, are centred on two main areas of activity, namely
improving the human research potential and strengthening the socioeconomic knowledge base.
To this end, actions will be undertaken:
to develop the Communitys human research potential, making special efforts
to ensure equality of access and a better balance between men and women, notably through
the training and mobility of researchers so as to contribute, inter alia, to efforts for
creating new jobs,
to enhance access to research infrastructures,
to help make the Community an attractive location for researchers and to promote
European research in the international arena and to promote a European scientific and
technological culture,
to strengthen, through a specific key station, the socioeconomic knowledge base
for a better understanding of key problems facing European society,
to help develop scientific and technological policies and other Community
policies.
2. Actions specific to the horizontal programme
(a) Improving human research potential
Supporting training and mobility of researchers
Actions will cover:
the establishment of research training networks on high-quality projects,
including those in emerging fields of research, on topics freely chosen by the
researchers. The accent will be placed on the training and development of young
researchers at pre-doctoral and at post-doctoral level,
the establishment of a coherent system of Marie Curie fellowships
centred on individual fellowships for young high-quality researchers with the necessary
research experience, awarded for topics chosen by the researchers themselves.
Additional and complementary schemes include:
industrial host fellowships awarded to, and jointly funded by, enterprises
(including SMEs) for the training of young researchers,
development host fellowships to help develop high-level research capacity in the
less favoured regions of the Community,
experienced researchers fellowships to promote mobility between industry
and academia,
support for short stays by doctoral students at training sites.
Enhancing access to research infrastructures
The main aim is to enhance access to research infrastructures (large facilities,
networks of distributed facilities, infrastructural centres of competence) to the extent
that such measures are not undertaken by other activities of the framework programme. To
this end, measures are envisaged to help researchers with transnational access to
infrastructures which are of Community-wide interest on account of their rarity and/or
specialisation, including, where relevant, complementary measures to support the setting
up of networks between infrastructure operators and related research projects.
Promoting scientific and technological excellence
The objective here is to stimulate, through exchange, scientific and technological
excellence and to make the most of the achievements of research. Activities will build on
and complement national activities and will include support for high-level scientific
conferences, the networking of Community researchers active outside the Community with
their Community colleagues, distinctions for high-level research work, including a
European Descartes prize awarded to researchers for outstanding scientific and
technological achievements resulting from European collaborative research, and actions to
raise public awareness and making information on important scientific issues available to
the public at Community level, including via electronic networks.
(b) Key action: improving the socioeconomic knowledge base
The aim of this key action is to define the base for employment-generating social,
economic and cultural development and for building a European knowledge society. It covers
a number of subjects linked to the general objectives of the framework programme. Work
will focus on:
analysing structural, demographic and social changes, including the phenomena of
xenophobia, racism and migration in Europe, and their impact on economic development,
social integration and social protection,
the relationship between technological development, employment and society,
including working conditions and workforce skills and on innovation in education and
training, including for newly emerging professions,
analysing the changing role of European institutions, systems of governance and
citizenship in the process of European integration, taking account of the impact of
culture, the media and the social and legal environment,
validating new development models, fostering growth, employment, social and
economic cohesion and the quality of life, taking account of the development of services
and the non-tangible economy.
(c) Other activities will be undertaken in support of the development of science and
technology policies.
The aim is to support the development of the specific knowledge base needed by
policy-makers and other users on European science and technology policy issues. Building
on and complementing national and international activities, this action will cover the
development of appropriate and comparable indicators, technology watch and assessment,
strategic analysis of specific policy issues and, where appropriate, promotion of exchange
of information and experience between policy-makers and researchers.
3. Interaction with related actions in the other framework programme activities
This activity will include the coordination, support and accompanying actions needed to
ensure consistency with actions undertaken elsewhere in the framework programme on the
aspects related to the objectives and activities of this programme. The programme will
also ensure, through appropriate monitoring and coordinating mechanisms, the adequate
incorporation of socioeconomic and strategic considerations into the research activities
of the thematic programmes.
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