Avis juridique important

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31994D1110

Decision No 1110/94/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 April 1994 concerning the fourth framework programme of the European Community activities in the field of research and technological development and demonstration

Official Journal L 126 , 18/05/1994 P. 0001 - 0033 Finnish special edition: Chapter 13 Volume 26 P. 0055  Swedish special edition: Chapter 13 Volume 26 P. 0055

DECISION  No 1110/94/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 26 April 1994 concerning the fourth  framework programme of the European Community activities in the field of research and technological  development and demonstration (1994 to 1998)THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE  COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community and in particular Article 130i (1)  thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (2), Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 189b of the Treaty (3), Whereas Article 130f of the Treaty states the Community's objectives in the area of research and  technological development as being to strengthen the scientific and technological bases of  Community industry and to encourage it to become more competitive at international level while  promoting all research activities deemed necessary for the implementation of other Community  policies; Whereas it is important for the Community and the Member States to coordinate their research and  technological development activities so as to ensure that national policies and Community policy  are mutually consistent; Whereas, in accordance with Articles 130f (3) and 130i (1) of the Treaty, a multiannual framework  programme, setting out all the activities of the Community in the area of research and  technological development, including demonstration projects (hereinafter referred to as 'RTD'),  shall be adopted; Whereas by Decision 90/221/Euratom, EEC (4) the Council adopted a third framework programme for the  period 1990 to 1994, which is in the process of being implemented; whereas on 9 April 1992 the  Commission presented an assessment of progress in implementing the third framework programme;  whereas Decision 93/167/Euratom, EEC provided for supplementary financing for the last two years of  implementation of the third framework programme; Whereas on 18 November 1992 the Commission presented a document on the future of the ECSC Treaty  and its financial activities until the year 2002, the date on which it expires; Whereas Community RTD activities should continue to focus on generic and pre-competitive research  of multisectoral application; whereas more synergy between these activities and those undertaken in  the context of Eureka should be sought; Whereas the European Council of 12 December 1992 at Edinburgh stated that the development of  expenditure on R& D should be consistent with the overall development of expenditure on internal  policies pursuant to Category 3 of the Financial Perspective, remaining between one-half and  two-thirds of the overall figure; Whereas Community RTD activities must take ethical considerations into account; Whereas the Community should only support RTD activities of high quality; Whereas the purpose of Community RTD in accordance with the objectives laid down in the Treaty  should be to foster a prosperous Community based on industrial competitiveness, quality of life and  sustainable development; whereas it is also desirable that it contributes to supporting economic  growth and a high level of employment; Whereas small and medium-sized undertakings are able to make a significant contribution to the  innovation process and should play a substantial role in the implementation of Community RTD  activities; whereas, therefore, particular attention should be paid to the specific needs of such  undertakings in order to facilitate their access to information, encourage them to take part in  Community programmes and enhance their ability to exploit their results where appropriate; Whereas the formulation and implementation of the Community's policies and actions must take into  account the objectives related to economic and social cohesion; whereas the Community framework  programme should play its part, along with other Community instruments, in contributing to  strengthening scientific and technological capacity and potential throughout all parts of the  Community; Whereas, in conformity with the principle of subsidiarity, the Community should take action only if  and in so far as the objectives of the proposed action cannot be sufficiently achieved by the  Member States and can therefore, by reason of the scale or effects of the proposed action, be  better achieved at Community level; Whereas, furthermore, the Community RTD effort should concentrate on activities which are carefully  selected in accordance with well-defined criteria; Whereas Article 130g of the Treaty defines four activities to be carried out by the Community in  pursuing the objectives laid down in Article 130f; Whereas the first activity, which concerns the implementation of RTD programmes, should constitute  the main component of the framework programme; Whereas the second, third and fourth activities cover respectively international cooperation, the  dissemination and optimization of RTD results and the stimulation of the training and mobility of  researchers; whereas there may be similar activities in each of the specific programmes covered by  the first activity, in the manner appropriate to and to the extent required for proper  implementation of these programmes; Whereas the Joint Research Centre (JRC) contributes to the implementation of the framework  programme, particularly in those fields where it has the appropriate competence to offer impartial  and independent expertise for the benefit of Community policies; whereas the JRC will also  progressively compete for the funds available through indirect action and for scientific and  technical support activities which are suited to a competitive approach; Whereas rules for the participation of undertakings, research centres and universities as well as  rules governing the dissemination of results shall be determined in a separate Council decision  according to Article 130j of the Treaty; Whereas, in accordance with Article 130i (3) of the Treaty, the framework programme shall be  implemented through specific programmes; whereas the framework programme may also be implemented  through the means provided for in Articles 130k to 130n of the Treaty; Whereas the interdisciplinary nature of the activities to be undertaken in this framework programme  requires close coordination between the different cross-discipline research programmes; Whereas assessment and monitoring operations should be intensified and expanded to maximize the  effectiveness of RTD policy; Whereas there should be continual and systematic monitoring of progress with the fourth framework  programme; whereas the Commission shall provide the European Parliament and Council with  information on the implementation of the framework programme at the beginning of each year, in  accordance with Article 130p of the Treaty; whereas there should also be an independent assessment  of management of the programme and of progress with the activities undertaken, before the  presentation by the Commission of its proposal for the fifth framework programme; Whereas there should also be technology assessment monitoring the possible risks, advantages and  disadvantages of new technologies developed in this framework programme; Whereas, in accordance with Article 130i (1) of the Treaty, it is necessary to fix the maximum  overall amount and the detailed rules for Community financial participation in the framework  programme and the respective shares in each of the activities provided for; Whereas, in order to ensure coherence between Community RTD activities and those undertaken by  virtue of the EAEC Treaty, the decision relating to the framework programme of Community activities  in the field of nuclear research and training should be adopted simultaneously with this framework  programme and for the same period; Whereas the Scientific and Technical Research Committee (Crest) has been consulted, HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Article 1 1. A multiannual framework programme for Community activities in the field of research and  technological development and demonstration, hereinafter referred to as the 'fourth framework  programme', is hereby adopted for the period 1994 to 1998. 2. The fourth framework programme shall include all Community activities in the area of research  and technological development, including demonstration projects. The definition of demonstration  projects is set out in Annex III. 3. The maximum overall amount for Community financial participation in the fourth framework  programme shall be ECU 11 046 million. Of this, ECU 5 472 million is for the period 1994 to 1996  and ECU 5 574 million is for the period 1997 to 1998. Not later than 30 June 1996, in the light of  an assessment of value for money, of the state of implementation of the framework programme, of its  contribution to the competitiveness of Community industry at international level, of value for  money and of the development of the financial perspectives of the European Union, the European  Parliament and the Council, acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 130i (1)  of the Treaty, shall review the maximum overall amount, with the possibility of increasing it to  ECU 11 641 million. Annex I fixes the respective shares in each of the activities provided for and indicates the  breakdown between themes in the first activity. 4. The selection criteria to be applied in the implementation of the fourth framework programme are  laid down in Annex II. 5. Annex III establishes the scientific and technological objectives to be achieved by the  activities, in accordance with the abovementioned criteria, fixes the relevant priorities and  indicates the broad lines of such activities. Article 2 1. The fourth framework programme shall be implemented through specific programmes developed within  each activity, each of which shall specify its precise objectives on the lines of the scientific  and technological objectives in Annex III, define the detailed rules for implementing it, fix its  duration and provide for the means deemed necessary. 2. The implementation of the fourth framework programme may also give rise, as necessary, to  supplementary programmes within the meaning of Article 130k, to Community participation in RTD  programmes undertaken by several Member States within the meaning of Article 130l, or to the  setting up of joint undertakings or any other structure within the meaning of Article 130n. It may  also give rise to cooperation agreements with third countries or international organizations,  within the meaning of Article 130m, second subparagraph. Article 3 The detailed rules for financial participation by the Community in the fourth framework programme  shall be those provided for by the specific provisions regarding RTD funding of the Financial  Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities, as supplemented by Annex  IV to this Decision. Article 4 1. The Commission shall continually and systematically monitor the progress of the fourth framework  programme as regards the criteria set out in Annex II, which include that of contributing to the  economic and social cohesion of the Community, and the scientific and technological objectives set  out in Annex III. It shall examine in particular whether the objectives, priorities and financial  resources are still appropriate to the changing situation. If necessary, it shall make proposals to  adapt or supplement the framework programme according to the results of this assessment. At the beginning of each year the Commission shall submit a report to the European Parliament and  the Council with information on RTD activities and the dissemination of results during the previous  year, and the work programme for the current year. 2. The Commission shall have an external assessment conducted by independent qualified experts into  the management of and progress with Community activities carried out during the five years  preceding this assessment. It shall communicate this assessment and conclusions, accompanied by its  comments, to the European Parliament, the Council and the Economic and Social Committee prior to  presenting its proposal for the fifth framework programme. 3. In order to help ensure, inter alia, cost-effective implementation of the framework programme,  each specific programme shall provide for systematic monitoring and, on completion of the  programme, independent evaluation against the precise objectives referred to in Article 2; the  modalities of such evaluation shall be laid down in each specific programme. Done at Brussels, 26 April 1994. For the European Parliament The President E. KLEPSCH For the Council The President C. SIMITIS (1) OJ No C 230, 26. 8. 1993, p. 4. (2) OJ No C 34, 2. 2. 1994, p. 90. (3) Opinion of the European Parliament of 18 November 1993, OJ No C 329, 6. 12. 1993, p. 264.  Council common position of 14. 1. 1994, OJ No C 101, 9. 4. 1994, p. 21 and Decision of the European  Parliament of 9. 2. 1994 (OJ No C 61, 28. 2. 1994). (4) OJ No L 117, 8. 5. 1990, p. 28. Decision as amended by Decision 93/167/Euratom, EEC (OJ No L  69, 20. 3. 1993, p. 43).  ANNEX I FOURTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME (1994 to 1998): AMOUNTS AND BREAKDOWN >TABLE  POSITION> Indicative breakdown of the themes and subjects in the first activity ECU million (current prices) A. Information and communication technologies 3 405 1. Telematics 843 2. Communication technologies  630 3. Information technologies 1 932 B. Industrial technologies 1 995 4. Industrial and material  technologies 1 707 5. Measurements and testing 288 C. Environment 1 080 (7) 6. Environment and  climate 852 7. Marine sciences and technologies 228 D. Life sciences and technologies 1 572 8.  Biotechnology 552 9. Biomedicine and health 336 10. Agriculture and fisheries (including  agro-industries, food technologies, forestry, aquaculture and rural development) 684 E. 11.  Non-nuclear energy 1 002 F. 12. Transport 240 G. 13. Targeted socio-economic research 138 9 432 (1)  (2) (1) Of which ECU 600 million for the operational budget of the JRC. (2) Of which ECU 91 million for programmed scientific and technical support activities suited to a  competitive approach. (3) Apart from the funds allocated to the third activity, an average of 1 % of the total budget of  the fourth framework programme will be allocated to dissemination and optimization of results in  the framework of the first activity. Close coordination of dissemination and optimization  activities carried out under the specific programmes of the first activity with those carried out  under the third activity will be ensured. (4) Of which ECU 37 million for ad hoc scientific and technical support to other Community policies  which will be allocated on a competitive basis. (5) A framework programme for research and training for the European Atomic Energy Community (1994  to 1998) is decided along with this programme, for a total of ECU 1 254 million, taking the total  for Community RTD activity to ECU 12 300 million. (6) With the possibility of an increase to ECU 11 641 million, in accordance with Article 1 (3). (7) Environment-related research projects will also be conducted within several other lines of the  first activity, in particular in the fields of industrial technologies, energy and transport.  ANNEX II SELECTION CRITERIA FOR COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES Community research, technological  development and demonstration activities should complement the activities undertaken in the Member  States and focus on clearly defined objectives. The projects will be selected on the basis of their  scientific and technical excellence. The activities should: - strengthen the technological base of Community industry and provide it with the knowledge and  know-how required to make it more competitive at international level, and/or - contribute to the implementation of other Community policies. The Community shall take action, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, only if and in  so far as the objectives cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States and can therefore, by  reason of the scale or effects of the proposed action, be better achieved by the Community. Any  action by the Community shall not go beyond what is necessary to achieve the objectives of the  Treaty. Activities should contribute to meeting the general objectives of the Community, such as promoting  sustainable development and improving the quality of life of the Community's citizens. Activities  should be selected on the basis of thorough prior appraisal. They should also yield short-term,  medium-term or long-term advantages (added value) and contribute to achieving maximum  cost-efficiency, the means being commensurate with the objectives set. Research activities should continue to focus on generic and precompetitive research of  multisectoral application. The following criteria in particular should be used to justify Community action: - research on a very large scale for which Member States could not, or could only with difficulty,  provide the necessary finance and personnel, - research, the joint execution of which would offer obvious benefits, even after taking account of  the extra costs inherent in all international cooperation - research which, because of the complementary nature of work being done nationally in part of a  given field, enables significant results to be obtained in the Community as a whole in the case of  problems whose solution requires research on a large scale, particularly geographical, - research which contributes to the completion of the internal market and research leading, where  the need is felt, to the establishment of uniform norms and standards, - research which contributes to the strengthening of the economic and social cohesion of the  Community and the promotion of its overall harmonious development, while being consistent with the  pursuit of scientific and technical quality, - research actions which contribute to the mobilization or improvement of European scientific and  technical potential and actions which improve coordination between national RTD programmes, between  national and Community RTD programmes, and between Community programmes and work in other  international fora.  ANNEX III SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL OBJECTIVES This Annex describes the scientific  and technical objectives, including the mechanisms for implementing them. The activities covered by the framework programme encompass all the Community's RTD effort. They  aim at improving the competitiveness of European industry and the quality of life and are designed  to provide the scientific and technical bases needed to support sustainable development,  environmental protection and other common policies. In keeping with the Community's industrial policy and in order to meet society's growing needs,  these activities must in particular contribute to a series of more specific objectives: - efficient and safe infrastructures, for instance as regards information and communications, as  well as infrastructure responding to the requirements of the Community's transport and energy  policies, - to produce efficiently, cleanly, safely and in a way which is environment friendly on the basis  of modern organization of production taking into account human factors, - to promote protection of the environment as an opportunity for industry to increase its  competitiveness, - to promote quality of life, with emphasis on health care and hygiene, - to ensure technological and industrial integration within the internal market (in particular by  strengthening coordination between RTD policy and standardization policy), - to anticipate technological and industrial changes so as to ensure that greater account is taken  of market and society's needs, such as for instance a high level of employment, - to increase the synergies between international cooperation in science and technology and the  Community's external activities, - to ensure efficient dissemination, throughout the whole economic and social system, in particular  to small and medium-sized undertakings, of the scientific and technological advances made, - to encourage the mastering of new technologies. In pursuing these objectives, the Community undertakes four activities: - the first activity covers the research, technological development and demonstration programmes, - the second activity aims at promoting cooperation in the field of Community RTD with third  countries and international organizations, - the third activity deals with the dissemination and optimization of results of Community's RTD  activities, - the fourth activity covers stimulation of the training and mobility of researchers in the  Community. The selection of RTD actions in the context of these activities must take into account the need for  greater focusing in order to increase the value of the Community's RTD effort. The Community must aim at ensuring harmonious development of its scientific and technological  resources. The research priorities set for the first activity must take account of the interests  and capacities of all Member States, including the less advanced ones. The third and fourth  activities will have a growing impact on the less developed regions and countries. The Community support for RTD activities covered by the first activity will continue to focus on  generic, precompetitive research of multisectoral application. This activity also includes the  JRC's research and support activities of an institutional character as well as scientific and  technical support activities suited to a competitive approach. Further, Community actions will be  orientated towards certain major topics in order that European research is able to contribute, in  the most effective way, to the solution of problems with which industry and society are faced.  There will be no financing of product or process development. The need is to develop an operational approach in order to establish an effective interface between  cross discipline research programmes and the needs of industry. To this purpose, the Commission  will consult representatives of industry, research bodies and users. The Commission will also  coordinate the activities in the different cross discipline research programmes. Eureka will remain the principal vehicle for supporting RTD activities which are nearer to the  market. The synergy between the Community's activities and Eureka will be improved. To this end,  while preserving the specific features of each framework, the following objectives will be pursued:  flexible and active cooperation between representatives of Eureka projects and of Community  projects through regular exchange of information, guidance of proposed R& D projects towards the  most appropriate framework and improved interaction between Community policies and Eureka projects,  in particular through greater Community participation in these projects whilst respecting Community  procedures. Particular attention will be paid to the research, development and innovation capacities of small  and medium-sized undertakings, of institutes of higher education and of research centres.  Partnerships between them will be encouraged. Particular attention will be given to encouraging access to Community programmes by small and  medium-sized undertakings by extending the approach whereby a rapid response can be given to their  spontaneous proposals (technology stimulation) building on the experience of the Craft action and  of the Brite-Euram feasibility awards. With respect to demonstration projects, the objective is to prove the technical viability of a new  technology, together with, as appropriate, its possible economic advantages. The projects will be  pre-competitive, and should as such focus on the application of new technologies and involve  participation by both producers and users. Within the different activities attention will also be given to basic research where appropriate. Within each research area, particular attention has been paid to the opportunities for cooperation  and coordination between national, Community and, where appropriate, European activities. Other  than shared cost action centred on selected research, increased use of concerted actions will allow  promotion of this cooperation in a wider range of areas, while always respecting the criteria  listed in Annex II. Similar attention must be given to ensure complementarity between JRC  institutional research activities and shared cost ones. Moreover, the JRC will progressively compete for the funds available under the activities of the  framework programme other than direct action, including support activities which are suited to a  competitive approach. In the framework of the transnational character of Community research, the  JRC institutes can cooperate with one or more partners situated in any Member State. Closer consultations will be held with bodies representing scientific, technical and industrial  circles in the Community, particularly to define the science and technology policy options at  European level. In addition to targeted socio-economic research under the first activity, research in the human and  social sciences under every theme in the first activity, and also under the second, third and  fourth activities, will be coordinated with research in the exact sciences, natural sciences and  engineering with a view, in particular, to exploring the socio-economic context of the activities  planned and possible consequences thereof. Research activities which may also be of interest to the coal and steel industries will be  incorporated into the relevant themes under the first activity, on condition that they comply with  the eligibility criteria of the framework programme, in particular as regards their precompetitive  and multisectoral nature. Scientific and technological cooperation with third countries and international organizations on  subjects of mutual interest will be organized partly on a centralized basis (as the second  activity) and partly under the individual themes in the first activity, in so far as they help to  attain the relevant objectives of these themes. International scientific and technological  cooperation can be one factor determining the economic efficiency of the Community's RTD  activities. Consistency must be ensured in this area between national and Community policies. The Council will lay down the rules governing dissemination of the know-how acquired under the  specific programmes and the other arrangements for implementing the framework programme. Within  this legal framework, the dissemination activities must be consistent and coordinated. This implies  not only centralized management (as the third activity) but also dissemination arrangements within  the specific programmes under the first activity. The dissemination activities also include measures to provide small and medium-sized undertakings  and private or public research laboratories with greater access to information on Community  programmes and activities. To the same end, the third activity will encourage the establishment or  expansion of national or regional relay centres to disseminate and optimize the results. Although application of the results is clearly primarily up to businesses and laboratories, in  certain cases it will require concerted action by the Community and the players involved and by the  relevant public- or private-sector organization, particularly at national or regional level  (including, in particular, the abovementioned relay centres) in order to protect certain results  and to facilitate the absorption of technologies and to ensure the best possible degree of transfer  of innovations. The third activity also includes ad hoc scientific services on a competitive basis  for the benefit of other Commission services in support of Community policies and which are not  covered by the first activity. Activities on the training and mobility of researchers will be carried out within each theme in the  first activity in order to provide users in priority areas for the Community not only with the RTD  results they need but also with the human resources capable of using them. Such activities will  allow an increase in the economic impact of work undertaken within these priority areas. However, the European dimension must also be used for more general measures to develop the human  resources which make it possible to react in real time to scientific and technological developments  in emerging areas. The fourth activity, addressing advanced training and mobility in laboratories  throughout the Community, will therefore be open-ended and will also focus on partnership between  universities, research institutes and industry. Two main avenues will be used for the implementation of research supported by the Community; first,  focusing financial resources on a limited number of subjects selected on the basis of the criteria  detailed in Annex II (shared-cost activities), and secondly improving the coordination between  national RTD programmes and between national and Community RTD programmes by appropriate means. In particular, alongside the traditional networks established in the context of Community,  activities hitherto, the following means could be used: - thematic networks bringing together for a given technological or industrial objective  manufacturers, users, universities and research centres to facilitate the integration and transfer  of knowledge and technologies and to ensure that fuller account is taken of the needs of the  market. They would be organized, with support from the Community, along the lines already tested  during the implementation of the third framework programme in areas such as microsystems,  linguistics and flexible manufacturing. Their conception and management will be left to the  initiative of researchers, - concertation networks organized with the support of the Commission along the lines of what has  already been carried out in the past, for instance in the biomedical programmes, - consortia for integrated projects along the lines, in previous framework programmes, of the  fusion programme. The Member States will help the Commission in identifying the laboratories or  institutes which will be associated in an integrated project supported through the pooling of  financial resources within the Community. Major European research bodies such as CERN, ESA and EMBL  may apply for participation, on the understanding that there will be, in principle, no transfer of  funds from the Community. The JRC can make a contribution towards the implementation of this new approach. As it is itself  actively engaged in research and is closely involved in the formulation and implementation of  Community policies, it could play a role, in the scientific and technical areas which it covers, in  the organization of networks or consortia bringing together public and private laboratories in the  Member States. The following paragraphs set out the scientific and technological content of the activities to be  conducted and the reasons for including them in the framework programme for 1994 to 1998. FIRST ACTIVITY (a) Implementation of research, technological development and demonstration  programmes, by promoting cooperation with and between undertakings, research centres and  universities. This activity covers a major part of Community activities in the field of research and  technological development. The basic approach is the participation of transnational groupings of  organizations, research centres - including the Joint Research Centre (JRC) -, universities and  enterprises. It will develop in the fourth framework programme along the following lines. General objectives: three fundamental objectives form the basis of the fourth framework programme:  support for the competitiveness of European industry; the contribution of science and technology to  the satisfaction of society's needs; support for the various common policies. In addressing these  three objectives, an appropriate combination of continuity and novelty will be sought. Moreover,  research activities currently scattered either in common policies or in the category of activities  currently carried out outside the framework programme, will be unified in the single scheme of the  framework programme. 1. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES (ICT) The horizontal role of information  and communications technologies in all industrial and societal activities has become a factor of  crucial importance for RTD policy. The boundaries between ICT and other industrial sectors, between  suppliers and users, and between the professional and consumer markets are constantly being eroded,  as ICT increasingly underpins all service and production industries. A new 'digital industry' is  emerging. In the societal dimension, administration, health, education, transport, environment and  entertainment, the workplace and the home, all become increasingly dependent on ICT. As regards the  ICT industries themselves, the pace of technological advance demands ever greater efforts from  suppliers if they are to remain competitive, but the costs of RTD spiral out of reach of even the  largest companies. At the root of these changes is the emergence of a new information and  communications infrastructure, bringing together information content, information storage,  computation capacity, communications, services, and applications. The broad twofold objective of Community RTD in ICT in the 1990s is the improvement of the  competitiveness of all industry within the favourable environment created by the internal market,  and the satisfaction of societal needs for a better quality of life. To achieve this objective, and  leading on from the technology driven policy of the 1980s directed at a growing ICT industry, there  will be firmer emphasis on a user and market-led policy geared to the development of the new  infrastructure. At the same time work will draw on the results of the second and third framework  programmes, where the programmes, including Esprit (information technology), RACE (communications)  and Drive, AIM and Delta and other telematic applications, have furnished a solid scientific and  conceptual basis for the integration of information and communications technologies into society  and for the building of the new infrastructure. Activities will continue to be precompetitive in  nature, and will emphasize demonstration, validation, and integration of technologies,  specifications and standards. They will be reinforced by an effort in longer-term advanced  research, especially interdisciplinary research addressing issues of relevance in several  industrial areas. The new focus of RTD on the generic technologies and applications essential to the pan-European  information infrastructure, together with careful coordination with national initiatives, ensures  respect for the principle of subsidiarity. Furthermore, the growth and spread of the infrastructure strengthens economic and social cohesion  by bringing information, services and advanced communications to enterprises and citizens in  outlying regions. It enables small and medium-sized undertakings to realize their full competitive  potential. The requirements of the infrastructure gives us a yardstick for assessing R& D  priorities, and so ensuring effective use of resources. The information and communications infrastructure can be seen as consisting of four main domains:  applications, integrated systems, communications, and underpinning information technologies. The  generic information technology and communications technology domains encompass those technologies  which lie at the heart of the infrastructure, including components, computers, software, data  banks, information highways, and video displays, and which are also essential for the technologies  for digital TV, in particular high-definition. They provide the building blocks for the complex  integrated systems bringing together technologies such as language engineering, high performance  computing and multimedia interfaces. These in turn are the basis for the implementation of  applications in areas such as health, transport, open learning, statistics, libraries and business  organization. The increasing convergence of information technologies and communications in the information  infrastructure leads to greater complexity of systems, which in turn relies upon the availability  of technologies for the integration of systems. There are inevitably close links between RTD activities in the different domains, reflecting the  increasingly integrated nature of ICT. Furthermore the widespread application of ICT means that  there are links with many other themes within the framework programme. More attention will be paid to projects involving supplier-user collaborations. This, together with  streamlined procedures for small projects, will facilitate in particular the participation of small  and medium-sized undertakings. In order to strengthen the industrial and social impact of RTD results, RTD actions will be  embedded in a set of coherent industrial policy actions. Consequently, accompanying measures will  be systematically identified, in particular through a continuous analysis of market, industrial and  technological evolution. These analyses will provide guidelines for future actions and pave the way  for the implementation of appropriate industrial policy measures. RTD activities across the domains of the information and communications infrastructure will be  organized into three sub-lines. A. Telematics applications of common interest This sub-line covers RTD activities on applications of information and communication technologies  that will contribute, on the one hand, to fulfilling requirements resulting from existing Community  policies as well as fundamental needs of modern societies in sectors such as health care, transport  or training, and, on the other hand, to the positioning of European industry for the new markets  that will emerge as a result of research activities. The general objective is to improve the  effectiveness of telematics applications engineering and to ensure the interoperability of systems  and telematics networks, by means of prenormative research and development activities and trials  for technical validation. The work will draw upon the experience gained in the third framework  programme, but emphasis will shift from data telematics to multimedia telematics. Activities will  be focused around seven topics and will be closely coordinated with other relevant Community  activities. RTD on telematics applications will closely involve potential users and will also aim  at maximizing the generic content of each project and the commonalities between applications  pertaining to different domains, taking into account the needs emerging from activities carried out  in the relevant programmes (e.g. transport) and maintaining proper coordination with those  programmes in order to facilitate the transfer of results. The aims of activities within the topic language and information engineering are to develop  technologies for processing spoken and written language within information and communication  systems, and to demonstrate their integration into a variety of application areas. Work also covers  electronic languages resources, including dictionaries and corpora, and general linguistic  research. Information engineering will cover advanced electronic publishing systems, new database  structures to ease information access, improvements in the usability of information and in  information management, cooperative RTD networks, and standard work. Development and upgrading of trans-European telematics applications. Today, to be more efficient,  European research needs advanced trans-European networks and services. In addition, the internal  market has set important requirements in the field of services and information exchange between  administrations. The need for enhanced telematics services will be supported by RTD activities  aiming at developing and validating cost-effective solutions based on the constantly evolving pool  of new technologies and on the upgrading of European telecommunications networks. In particular,  work will concentrate on applications integrating distributed services for information exchange and  video-conferencing. The results of the RTD work in this first area, which deals exclusively with  trans-European applications, will be made available to the remaining telematics application areas. Applications for health care will aim at the stimulation of telematics technologies for delivery of  health care, including medical diagnosis and surgery, irrespective of location with a focus on  information access, interchange and management of data, telemedicine and security and privacy  issues, whereas applications for disabled and elderly people will develop and validate systems and  services allowing the integration of elderly and handicapped people. Work in the area of flexible and distance education and training and information exchange between  libraries will promote the provision of efficient education and training services, widely available  and able to meet the needs of individuals, industry and researchers. The activities will encompass  technology and systems development for the design and delivery of learning products and services,  and their integration into experimental networks. Work will also cover technology development  creating a generic scientific and technological base for European library resources and for a  networked library infrastructure. RTD for telematics transport applications will develop and validate common functional  specifications, practices and guidelines for telematics systems and services developed for all  transport modes, including multimodal transport. Particular attention will be given to telematics  systems as a contribution to the traffic management of railways, shipping and road traffic  including inter- and intra-city traffic and multimodal transport as well as for the creation of a  harmonized, and finally unified system for European air traffic management. The implementation of  these applications imply the development of geographical information systems (GIS) applied to  transport. Applications for urban and rural areas will validate solutions, such as teleworking and  teleservices, that will bring work and services to citizens and will reduce unnecessary movement of  people. It will also combat the migration of companies and citizens from rural areas and improve  the conditions of daily life. Particular attention will be paid to the ease of use of these  telematics services by citizens and small and medium-sized undertakings. Finally, exploratory actions will assess the potential of telematic solutions in new areas such as  environment (pollution monitoring), surveillance and control, advance warning for major natural  catastrophe, management of environmental hazards and tracing of dangerous material) as well as  other needs for telematics services which may usefully be developed in the course of the fourth  framework programme. B. Technologies for advanced communications services Telecommunications networks are an indispensable part of the information infrastructure. The  overall objective of this sub-line is to develop advanced and more cost-effective communications  systems and services for the consolidation of the internal market, economic development and social  cohesion in Europe, taking account of the rapid development of technology, the changing regulatory  situation, and opportunities for development of advanced trans-European networks and services. An  effective framework will be provided for usage innovation and the wide dissemination of European  technologies and expertise. Activities will concentrate on five topics. Work on digital multimedia services aims to stimulate advanced technologies and standard exchange  formats for the retrieval and dissemination of multimedia electronic information (text, voice,  image, audio and video). Work will include technology development for terrestrial radio, satellite  and fibre, including cable, transmission of interactive digital video services. It will also cover  switching, processing and recording developments, for service providers, network operators and  users, including new technology development for image compression, variable bit-rate coding,  wireless networks, network interfaces, and recording. Work on digital audio and video will cover  the development of technologies concerning the whole range of processing and transmitting operation  of the signal. The objective of work on photonic technologies is to stimulate and accelerate  European development of integrated photonic systems, and involves the development of integrated  optical subsystems, free packaging and mass-manufacturing techniques, and optical cross-connects,  as well as key technologies for the 21st century: 3D holographic displays, life-images recognition  and new signal compression techniques. Mobile communications activities are directed towards  ensuring mobility on fixed networks and using advanced radio and satellite systems across Europe.  The work will involve technology developments in signal coding; access systems; channel, network  and service management; the development of new signalling protocols; and system development to  ensure compatibility and interoperability of networks through protocols for transparent network  interoperation. The objectives of work on intelligence in networks and service engineering are to  develop technology for flexible and real-time management of communication assets, to enable the  fast and flexible introduction of new services in advanced networks and effective network  management and service deployment in a diverse and competitive communication environment. The work  will focus on the development of tools for service integration and will support the development of  protocols and standards. It will involve the development, enhancement and prototyping of service  creation environments and the development of advanced 'operating systems' for communications  services. Work on security of information and communications systems covers the development and demonstration  of technologies for the integrity, confidentiality and availability of information in integrated  systems. The work will include research on new technological opportunities to assure security, the  development of software, protocols, and components and their integration into secure systems and  services followed by validation and testing within integrated systems. Particular attention will be  given to the requirements of electronic payment, health-care and remote-working systems. C. Information technologies Work in this sub-line focuses on the technologies underpinning the information infrastructure,  selecting activities which are most essential and add most value at the European level. There is a  strong feedback relationship with the other three domains of ICT: activities in information  technologies provide important inputs to the other domains, and conversely are conditioned by the  other domains' requirements. Work is divided into six topics. The objective of the topic semi-conductor technologies, including application specific integrated  circuits (Asics) is to provide essential microelectronic components which underpin the  competitiveness of all high technology industries. Work will concentrate on those semiconductor  technologies likely to be in major use towards the end of the decade including digital CMOS and  CMOS based analog, mixed A/D circuits, smart power and smart sensors, as well as technologies based  on III-V materials, such as GaAs, in view of their use in future ICT systems. It will also address  passive components and power components, so as to contribute at the same time to identifying the  characteristics of these components; this activity will focus on reduction of size, integration of  components, improvements of their performance and lowering of costs. All aspects of the process,  including design, equipment and production, will be supported. Systems integration of advanced  components into ASICs is a key area of emphasis. The open microprocessor systems initiative aims to  provide Europe with a recognized capability in microprocessor systems, and to promote their broad  acceptance in applications systems world-wide. The work includes the provision of an open library  of hardware building blocks which can be integrated into on-chip systems for a wide range of  application, open systems software, and both hardware and software integration tools. The  objectives of the topic integrated microsystems is to provide technologies for the emerging domain  of microsystems, in which microelectronics will be integrated with other microtechnologies such as  micromechanics and microoptics. The work will focus on multitechnology systems, and integration and  packaging methods. Applicability of microsystems will be demonstrated for selected applications. Activities within advanced peripheral technologies concentrate on the technologies needed for the  low-cost high-resolution thin-screen display components and memory sub-systems required by  computers, televisions, and intelligent systems in areas such as avionics, cars,  telecommunications, manufacturing, and retailing. Work on displays focuses on visual quality,  screen size and flatness, with an emphasis on LCD technology. Memory sub-system development will  include increased capacity, compactness and read/write performance. The objective of the topic  software best practice is to improve productivity, quality and reliability in European software  production by fostering the best use of advanced software tools and techniques, including aids for  reuse and portability in a distributed environment. In addition to further development of current  techniques, work will include industrial experiments, dissemination aimed at raising awareness of  best practice, training for the introduction of new practice, associating where appropriate the  European Software Institute. Distributed information processing activities concentrate on tackling  challenges generated by the convergence of information processing and communications technologies,  and will focus on distributed database management, distributed statistical systems, open  distributed processing, and advanced human-computer interactions. The topic high performance computing and networking has as its objective the exploitation of high  performance and distributed computing technologies for the benefit of a broad range of users in  fields such as manufacturing, engineering, and commerce, on applications ranging from  non-destructive simulation of car collisions, drug design, and advanced imaging for earth  observation, to very high performance databases. Activities include the transfer of applications  and the implementation of user environments for the use of parallel, distributed and embedded  systems, and the development of selected new applications and technologies, such as simulation and  real-time processing. Work on integrated personal systems is directed at the development of systems supporting personal  access from any location to services in the information and communications infrastructure, and the  local manipulation of information. Work will include miniaturization, new multimodal user interface  paradigms, high levels of systems integration, integration of smart card technology, personal  applications. Applicability will be demonstrated in systems such as the personal digital assistant  and systems for personal and group working. Multimedia systems work will cover hardware and software productivity tools for authoring and  development platforms, multimedia information servers, hypermedia presentations, the management of  documents, advanced compression algorithms, copyright protection software, virtual reality  techniques, and pilot applications, particularly in the area of business processes. ICT support for function integration in manufacturing aims at the development of new ICT solutions  in support of manufacturing and engineering operations, in order to achieve increased  competitiveness as well as greater efficiency and environmentally clean and safe operations  supporting a lean manufacturing approach. A specific ICT infrastructure and advanced ICT  technologies for distributed multi-site operations will be developed to support innovation.  Activities will be targeted at exploiting new organizational approaches integrating basic  technologies of software engineering, open systems, data modelling and database design, computer  aided design, microelectronics, microsystems and, selectively, mechatronics. 2. INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES The globalization of markets, newly emerging  competitors, the internationalization of processes for new technologies and the essential  improvement in environmental protection are forcing European industries to adapt their structures,  their cooperation and their competition strategies. In the developed countries the share of  manufacturing is declining and accounts for about 30 % of GDP (including the building and  construction industry). It must be stimulated in order to improve its competitiveness through a  better collaboration with 'knowledge-related' activities (e.g. services, engineering, training,  health and safety). Despite past efforts, Europe is still in a difficult situation; industrial R& D  expenditure and the number of researchers are still significantly below those of Japan and the  United States of America (1,3 % of GNP against respectively 2,2 and 1,9 %) and there is a risk that  this difference will increase. In this context, the strategy of the Community has to play an  important catalytic role to support industrial initiatives, to stimulate the development of  technological innovation, and to help the establishment of European standards. The growing requirement to master a large spectrum of technologies for industrial competitivity  justifies the reinforcement of Community actions in this field. The proposed research actions are a continuation of previous activities but will be concentrated on  the development and application of generic sciences and technologies (such as mathematics and  physics applied to industrial systems, new design and organization methodologies, high performance  material engineering, rapid prototyping or molecular engineering) operating within  multidisciplinary and multisectorial projects. In addition, the development of harmonized methods  for measurement and testing and prenormative research will reinforce industrial competitivity while  offering support to European legislation. Following the lines of the new European industrial policy, the research actions on industrial  technologies will be aimed at industrial technologies the application of which could have a rapid  impact on the wide range of industrial activities. Research on new technologies for 'clean  manufacturing' or 'flexible manufacturing' is a clear example and their global economic impact is  important. Numerous industries, including small and medium-sized undertakings, could benefit from  these research activities, concentrated as they are around strategic objectives and consortia of  suppliers, manufacturers, end users, universities and research centres. Proposed actions,  especially those dealing with coordination, will stimulate technological networking improving the  consistency between projects and the diffusion and exploitation of RTD results, in particular  through standards and industrial specifications. Research activities for and by small and  medium-sized undertakings, and training activities within an industrial context will also be  reinforced. The proposed actions cover four areas: the first three areas address the integration needs of  technologies related to the materials and product life cycle (including applications of available  information and communication technology), whilst the fourth area is more specifically related to  prenormative research. A. Design, engineering, production systems and human management This theme is of major importance and covers the whole of the manufacturing and process industry,  including traditional industries. The objective is to develop and apply, within a perspective  favourable to the environment and to the improvement of the quality of life and of working  conditions, new methods, techniques, new processes and tools in each phase of industrial production  essential for competitiveness (design and engineering, production and maintenance, quality of  products); such diffusing technologies will be integrated and applied in production systems so as  to fit the needs of networks of companies and human management in production. In particular, emphasis will be placed upon the adaptation and application of generic solutions  available for computer integrated technologies (CIT), (including computer integrated manufacturing  and engineering - CIME), for micro-system technologies, man-machine interfaces, lean  production/just-in-time manufacturing, the development of rapid prototyping and the technologies  required for clean manufacturing (such as bioprocessing, and other technologies minimizing  consumption of energy and natural resources) and for the rapid emergence of new products,  particularly in the field of industrial machines, transport, chemical processing and human  habitat. B. Materials and material-related technologies (including processing and recycling) The objective is twofold: first, to improve the existing processes commonly used by the  material-related industries (mining, metallurgy, chemical processing, construction) and, secondly,  to make sure that the most advanced materials are ready for supply to both manufacturing industry  (electro-mechanical, machine-tools, transportation, etc.) and high-tech industries (e.g.  aeronautics and electronics) and that high-tech processes are applied to traditional materials.  Priority will be given to research topics related to high performance materials (structural  materials but also on bio-materials, magnetic, optical and super-conducting materials), and to  research into the improvement of the quality, reliability and the performance of materials and  products and into longer-term research whose exploratory character may quickly yield practical  applications thereby strengthening European industry's technological lead. The programme will  obviously cover the recycling and treatment of waste and the recovery of materials at the end of  product life, including the necessary quality assurance. Special attention will be given to the  technologies required for the rational management of primary raw materials and the reuse of  secondary materials and products in order to contribute to the development of clean processes and  technologies. With respect to clean and safe manufacturing, attention should be paid to the  substitution of dangerous materials.TEXT CONTINUED UNDER DOC.NUM : 394D1110.1C. Technologies for transport means European integration and the trends in the economy are creating a growing demand for flexible and  efficient transport systems designed and implemented by European competitive firms to meet the  needs of increased personal mobility and movement of goods. Transport means will have to meet  strong objectives to allow for comfort, quality, safety, cost efficiency, volume, speed and  environmental friendliness in the context of the European transport policy. The research tasks will  encompass in priority design, engineering and production of new products. Research will concern the implementation of advanced equipment and systems through the application  and integration of various technologies, such as design, production and maintenance, modelling and  simulation, advanced material applications, and the reduction of the environmental impact.  Particular attention will be given to propulsion, aerodynamics, monitoring and control systems, and  on board equipment. In allocating resources within this area, research will be undertaken for the automotive, railways  and shipbuilding industries, but special emphasis will continue to be given to aeronautics research  both to ensure continuity with the activities undertaken in the third framework programme and to  reflect further the essential advanced technology requirements of this industry and its capability  for proving feasibility of advanced generic technologies which can then be spun off to other  transport or industrial sectors. D. Research linked with standards, measurement and testing The main objective is the research necessary to develop new measurement and testing methods and to  accelerate the establishment of European directives and standards for the reinforcement of the  internal market, especially those related to aspects of health, safety and consumer protection,  agro-food and the realization of the other Community policies, in particular environment. Within  the industrial field the emphasis will be placed on the improvement of the interface between  standardization and regulatory issues and the design, assembly and the quality of products. The  development of test procedures and more effective measuring systems and a better system for mutual  recognition of conformity certificates, will facilitate recognition of accreditation and audit  systems set up in the framework of partnership with industry or sub-contracting. The organizational  infrastructure will be strengthened at the European level making maximum use of existing  arrangements. Coordination with the work carried out in CEN/Cenelec will be strengthened.  Coordinated and cost-shared actions will be undertaken with networks of national laboratories.  Workshops and training courses will permit the diffusion of codes of good practice within Member  States. All these actions will be principally undertaken through collaborative research projects. On the  basis of the experience of the third framework programme (Craft, feasibility awards) specific  activities to stimulate research for and by small and medium-sized undertakings will be improved  and reinforced, especially through simplified procedures and the support of a decentralized  assistance network. Greater use of concerted actions, when this mode of action is sufficient to  attain the Community added value, will permit greater selectivity in cost-shared actions  (concentrated on strategic fields, needing a minimum critical mass). Procedures will be established  such that the necessary flexibility is achieved in order to guarantee maximum efficiency and a  quick reaction to emerging needs. Accompanying measures aiming at strengthening the impact of Community actions will be optimized:  studies, evaluation of impacts, training, support to diffusion and exploitation of RTD results,  joint activities with assistance networks for small and medium-sized undertakings, measures for  decentralized management, and coordination of industrial research on common objectives, to  facilitate integration of technologies and transfer of knowledge between projects, sectors and  other European initiatives such as Eureka. JRC actions will complement these efforts through research on advanced materials, ceramics and  composites (especially for high temperature applications) and non-destructive testing techniques.  Prenormative research will cover work on structural mechanics and research on measurement and  reference materials. These actions will also cover all scientific and technical support activities  of JRC to the Community industrial policy and the internal market. 3. ENVIRONMENT Environmental research makes major contributions to commercial  competitiveness and to the improvement of quality of life in the Community. These are essential  elements in the definition and the execution of Community environment policy and to the expectation  of an economic boost based on sustainable development in the sense of the objectives of the  Community's fifth action programme on the environment. This programme provides a new strategy to  determine, in a spirit of sharing of responsibilities, the actions which affect natural resources  or which affect the environment. This strategy aims at reducing the tendencies and practices which  have a negative effect on the environment with a view to improving both the quality of life and  socio-economic development for the current and future generations by enlarging the range of  instruments available aimed at changing the behaviour of actors in the field. It will also take  into account what the Community has accepted to do as a result of the Unced in Rio de Janeiro. Environmental research and its economic and social implications have acquired a world-wide  dimension. As it becomes ever more multi-disciplinary and requires more money and resources,  environmental research needs a strongly integrated and coordinated international effort that, in  certain cases, exceeds the capability of any one Member State. The participation of the European  Community in this effort is clearly justified by the political and geostrategic stakes in areas  such as global change and the management of natural resources. In this context the Community's initiative with regard to RTD on the environment has the following  priority objectives: (a) continuing the development of a scientific base permitting the definition and execution of a  Community environment policy that will achieve a high level of environmental protection; (b) contributing to improving industrial competitiveness by (i) the stimulation of the development  of generic technologies integrating environmental constraints within the scope of sustainable  development and (ii) improving ability to cope with and anticipate environmental problems; (c) contributing to the observation of the behaviour and the understanding of the processes taking  place within the earth's systems, and examining the effects of human activities on these  characteristics and processes; (d) identifying technologies for the restoration of polluted areas; (e) continuing to develop research and technologies in order to describe, monitor, forecast and  protect the marine environment. The nature and scale of these issues requires a thematic focus of Community effort on priority  areas of research: the natural environment and global change, the new technologies for the  protection of the environment and marine sciences and technologies. Concerted actions as well as shared cost actions will be the main operational mechanisms, as in the  third framework programme. However, in the area of research on the quality of the environment and  global change, in order to focus Community efforts actions will, where appropriate, be incorporated  into thematic networks, integrating the potential of the national research institutions. These  networks will be developed in cooperation with the JRC and in close cooperation with international  organizations and research programmes (ESF, IGBP, WCRP and HDP) and the space agencies. Interdisciplinary regional research networks will be established to address the distinctive  problems of particular European regions, both terrestrial and aquatic. At the same time the socio-economic aspects inherent in the three priority themes and linked with  the general topic of sustainable development will be tackled. These aspects will be important with  regard to changing the behaviour of actors in the field and will be treated simultaneously within  each action and with specific measures for methodological and conceptual developments. A. Natural environment, environmental quality and global change In this area Community efforts will be concentrated on prenormative and pre-legislative aspects to  facilitate the implementation of the fifth Community programme of policy and action in relation to  the environment and sustainable development. Community effort, including the activities of the JRC concerning the risks associated with chemical  products (European Chemical Bureau) and the validation of alternative testing methods (European  Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods), will concentrate on the following objectives: - providing a scientific basis for evaluating the state of the environment and improving the timely  awareness of environmental problems, which will require the identification of indicators and  environmental parameters, of advanced systems for surveillance and evaluation of effects of human  activities and natural phenomena, constituting a risk for man and society, - a better understanding of the fundamental mechanisms which are active in the environment and the  effects of human activity. Here there is a need for a long-term research strategy allowing the  Community to establish its policy as to global change, taking into account the conclusions adopted  by Unced at Rio as well as at European level. Due attention will be given to the protection of  fragile ecosystems, to biodiversity and to the integrated management of threatened natural  resources. Within this framework Community activities will be concentrated on: (a) observation of the  behaviour and understanding of the basic processes and changes of natural, terrestrial, oceanic,  climatic and atmospheric systems, putting the emphasis on the European context and dimension, but  within a planetary perspective; (b) identification and evaluation of the impact of human activities  on this behaviour and processes, and (c) evaluation of the impact of the possible climatic,  biospheric and atmospheric changes on man, the environment, society and economic activities. These  tasks will be achieved through thematic networks consisting of concerted actions and consortia for  integrated projects and the activities of the JRC. The thematic networks will be coordinated to  ensure coherence of the whole, particularly in the diffusion of results and model development. The  JRC will be closely associated with these actions. They will be developed within the framework of  the Enrich (European network for research on global change) network and in collaboration with CEO  (Centre for Earth Observation). B. New technologies for environmental protection Community effort will be concentrated on three priorities: instrumentation technologies,  technologies relating to industrial processes and products and technologies relating to the  restoration of the environment and the prevention of natural hazards. Within the area of instrumentation technology, the objective is to contribute to the technological  development necessary for observation, surveillance and environmental research. This requires in  particular a contribution to earth observation technologies from space. This includes sensors,  observation technologies and monitoring of the various biosphere behaviours, further development of  environment analysis technologies and technologies relating to the treatment, validation and  dissemination of data. Instruments related to early warning concerning natural hazards and to the  monitoring of contamination from industrial facilities will also be included. This effort is also  viewed as support for other Community policies. Within the area of technologies relating to industrial processes and products, taking into account  the specific needs of small and medium-sized undertakings, the objective is to contribute to: (a)  the development of techniques, including risk assessment, to reduce or prevent the negative impacts  of industrial, including agro-industrial, processes and substances on the environment, (b) the  development of methods of analysis for product life-cycles and impact evaluation methodologies for  industrial processes and products, (c) the development of technologies to treat, recycle and  eliminate waste, with the objective of achieving as far as possible a closed circle economy, (d)  the development of technologies to treat waters with a view to protecting and restoring the  environment and fight against pollution, (e) the development of technologies for the habitat and  for transport that integrate environmental constraints and improve the quality of life in close  coordination with the activities of other pertinent topics, (f) the development of value-adding  techniques in the area of earth observation. Finally, within the area of restoration technologies, the accent will be placed upon the  restoration of environmental quality, while in the area of natural hazards the emphasis will be  placed upon monitoring and response. Networking of European seismological research should be encouraged. For technological research, in the areas where the organization of the research potential on a  Community dimension is necessary, recourse will preferably be made to concertation networks and  consortia for integrated projects. The JRC will contribute within its specific areas of competence.  These actions can be managed in coordination with Eureka. Industrialists and product users will be  associated. The effort will concentrate on multisectoral and diffusive techniques. Complementary  stimulation actions are envisaged to improve technology transfer to companies. C. Marine sciences and technologies Notwithstanding the need to understand the interaction of the oceanic system with other global  systems in the study of climate change processes and its impact, Community effort will be directed  to the further development and strengthening of the European marine community through a further  phase of activities of the marine science and technology programme. These activities will concentrate on understanding and describing biological, chemical and physical  processes mainly through multidisciplinary process studies of special relevance to the European  seas. This will extend from the coastal zone to the deep sea, with extension northwards to the  Arctic Ocean to include marine and ice interactions. The objectives include the development of methodologies and basic technologies, in particular those  applying to hostile conditions, in order to describe, monitor, forecast, protect and manage the  marine environment as a resource. This will encompass coastal zones as well as deep sea and arctic  marine areas, and will contribute at Community level to international activities, inter alia, the  global ocean observation system (GOOS). Specific projects will be devoted to the study of European  regional seas. The activities will promote cooperation between Member States in relation to large facilities  (oceanographic vessels, remotely operated vehicles, hydrodynamic channels, etc.), including their  more efficient use through improved coordination between national and Community activities. 4. LIFE SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGIES A consideration of the specific difficulties  facing European agriculture and industry, the needs of Member States' health care services, and the  technological aspects of the implementation of Community policies suggests that there is much to be  done in mobilizing the research potential in life sciences and technologies in order that the  socio-economic partners in the Community could be more readily given access to the anticipated  technological benefits. Furthermore, Community resources are limited. It is therefore of the utmost  importance that the supply of science and technology matches the economic and social demand, as  expressed in Community policies and actions. The scientific supply-side is characterized today in Europe not only by the excellence of  fundamental research, but also by the excessive fragmentation of expertise into too many  disciplines, whose respective contributions are often unbalanced. At the same time, social demands  for a response to the needs of protecting and managing the living world are unprecedented in their  strength and clarity. In a society undergoing dramatic demographic changes, increasing therapeutic,  and thus economic, demands will be made which will impinge on disease research in a wider  geographical and cultural context. The liberalization of trade and the global scale of problems  affecting the biosphere pose anew the issue of competitiveness for the many industrial sectors  which have traditionally exploited biological resources. The novelty at this stage lies in the abundance of new scientific challenges which can be met, in  particular by the advanced methods of biotechnology, integrated as appropriate with other  industrial technologies. Now that life sciences and technologies have clearly demonstrated their  societal role, a more precise vision must be developed of where and how mankind should arrange its  way of life for the greatest social and economic common good. The obligation of using life sciences  and technologies in the most harmonious way possible in relation to current practice, with a view  to meeting the basic needs of society, is the overall purpose of this research theme. Wherever possible, experimentation and testing on animals should be replaced by in vitro or other  methods. No research modifying, or seeking to modify, the genetic constitution of human beings by  alteration of germ cells or of any stage of embryo development which may make these alterations  hereditary, nor research seeking to replace a nucleus of a cell of an embryo with a nucleus taken  from a cell of any person, embryo or subsequent development of an embryo, known as cloning, will be  carried out under this framework programme. Member States' capabilities are now much more developed than they were only a decade ago, but  remain very heterogeneous. In some key areas these capabilities are so fragmented that a critical  size has not been reached and the value added deriving from the integration of complementary  approaches cannot be realized, while other efforts are wasted through redundancy. The operation of  scientific networks has revealed the validity of this approach without, however, being sufficiently  developed. The operational choices indicated under this take into account, above all, the  opportunities for facilitating the interplay of complementary national activities. These  considerations will be addressed in the following three fields: - biotechnology, - biomedicine and health, - agriculture and fisheries (including agro-industry, food technology, forestry, and rural  development). The most important activities will have to be upgraded through a range of measures aiming to  promote a more positive environment for the timely application of life sciences and technology. Use  will be made of demonstration activities to raise the profile and increase the attraction of  alternative technological approaches. The selection of demonstration projects must be particularly  rigorous in order to ensure the expected impact. Where appropriate, links will be established with  the Eureka programme. Attention will be given to studies and debates which bring technological  innovation within the scope of ethical and regulatory issues. Other measures will be implemented:  training bursaries, special arrangements for the participation of small and medium-sized  undertakings (e.g. on the model of the Craft initiative). A. Biotechnology A specific European weakness when faced with biotechnology breakthroughs is the dispersion of  responsibilities and the lack of social consensus on what scientific tasks to undertake. This  extreme reluctance to identify and mobilize relevant activities must be overcome by a more  systematic consideration of the broad range of available scientific opportunities and by a  concentration on those which relate to major issues of industry and society. The Community programme should promote global rather than reductionist approaches and the  integration of disciplines rather than excessive specialization. The programme should take into  account the needs of industry while paying careful attention to the views expressed by various  interest groups including consumer groups, regulatory bodies, professional associations. In that  respect, Eureka projects and national programmes will also be taken into account. It is clear that  in this area the need is to restrict the number of topics selected to those where all the above  conditions for a cooperative process at Community level are met. In an attempt to focus biotechnology on where it differs fundamentally from alternative  technologies, primacy must go to reaching an understanding of how the living cell itself manages to  be so productive and how industry can learn from cellular processes. Significant progress will be expected from four priority integrated actions where national and  Community efforts could converge. These will concentrate on: - the understanding of the 'cell factory' concept and its extension to the design of new industrial  bioprocesses. This will require the promotion of a multidisciplinary vision of biochemical  engineering, underpinned by research into biochemical engineering sciences, - the analysis and sequencing of model genomes, the exploitation of comparative approaches to  mapping genomes, including the genome, and the development of appropriate technologies and  infrastructures, - the development of plant molecular and cellular biology, including protein engineering and plant  and animal physiopathology, notably with agricultural and agro-industrial applications in mind, - research within several disciplines such as pharmacology, cellular biology, molecular biology and  medical chemistry in order to understand the inter- and intra-cellular events by which nerve cells  manage information, and with a view to promoting neurosciences using the combined support of these  disciplines. Three other objectives will be addressed via R& D projects and concertation networks supporting  national efforts. They will consist of: - the development of scientific and technological research in animal physiology, immunology and  structural biology, - the maintenance of a coherent framework for prenormative research, as well as biodiversity,  bioethical studies, taking into account work on the European Bioethics Convention, and  environmental aspects, - the provision of informatics resources, telematics and genetic collections to serve the research  described above, ensuring proper coordination of the objectives of informatics and biotechnology.These activities together will produce knowledge indispensable for industrial progress in the  targeted fields supported by the Community participation, and they will achieve this goal by  applying the multidisciplinary approach which characterizes biotechnology. Their success will  depend on how much attention can be given to the continuity of efforts on the generic activities  developed in this area in relation to the other areas of biomedical or agro-industrial  applications. B. Biomedical and health research Health, so highly valued by every European citizen, is one of the most important sectors of the  economy, absorbing 6 to 8 % of GNP and creating work for more than six million people; the  challenge for research is to control the greatest scourges. AIDS represents one of the most  worrying epidemics which need a strengthening of the coordination of research activities. Cancer,  cardiovascular disease, mental and neurological disorders, other chronic diseases and the problems  of the aged and handicapped also require serious attention. Rising costs have become a concern for  all countries, while citizens in every Member State are demanding high-quality health care. New  health technologies and health care systems are expected to face these common problems. A major  challenge for Europe is to ensure a positive relationship between basic and clinical research in  the interest both of health and European industry, including health care. The following objectives  will be addressed: - development of the scientific and technical basis required for the evaluation of new drugs,  notably for the treatment of neurological, mental, immunological and viral illnesses (these actions  should also underpin the activities of the European Medicines Agency). New in vitro tests, cell  lines and, where necessary, animal models, their validation and multi-centre clinical tests and  drug safety checks will be included. Research will be conducted through collaboration between  industry, research centres, hospitals, universities and the authorities responsible for verifying  the efficacy, safety and quality of new drugs, - development of biomedical technology and engineering, particularly through research concerning  medical devices for minimally invasive surgery, imaging techniques, biosensors, biomaterials and  modelling of human functions, - participation in the 'Decade of the Brain', by the use of molecular, cellular and clinical  approaches to diseases of the human brain and nervous system, and by the development and use of  methodology, of instrumentation and of the most advanced technologies and infrastructures  considered necessary for the study of the nervous system. This approach will integrate the  contribution of several disciplines, - integration of basic and clinical research to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of  illnesses with major socio-economic impact (such as cancer, AIDS, cardiovascular diseases, chronic  diseases, occupational illnesses, etc.) and the 'orphan' illnesses including collection and  analysis of statistical and epidemiological data, - analysis and sequencing of the human genome, exploitation of comparative approaches to mapping,  development of appropriate technologies, and application of knowledge to the improvement of human  health, including somatic gene therapy; sharing and harmonization of the databanks on genetic  diseases comprising Community participation in the management of the international database of the  human genome, - research on health systems and technologies, and on information and education on health matters.  This will concentrate on primary care, the evaluation of health needs, performance measurement of  health policy initiatives and the evaluation of health technologies. The impact of the internal  market on the supply of health care across internal frontiers will be examined, as well as the  following: regulation and de-regulation, the balance between health systems financed by the private  and public sectors; the need to define a European approach for the introduction of new technologies  in health systems, - research on bio-medical ethics, to address general standards for the respect of human dignity and  the protection of the individual in the context of bio-medical research and its clinical  application. C. Agriculture and fisheries (including agro-industry, food technologies, forestry, aquaculture and  rural development) In the field of agriculture, forestry, rural development, agro-industry and fisheries, the  objectives and challenges are to provide an RTD base for competitive, efficient and sustainable  primary production (agriculture, horticulture, forestry, and fisheries) and agro-industries (food  and non-food, including bioenergy and bioplastics); support the evolving Community policies  (agriculture and fisheries especially); respond to the needs of society for a wide range of healthy  and nutritious foods and environmentally friendly non-food products; and contribute to sustainable  rural development and to the preservation and enhancement of the rural and coastal environment. In  order to meet the different objectives of the programme, four priorities have been identified and  will be addressed by RTD projects and thematic and concertation networks in support of national  efforts. They will consist of: - integrated production and processing chains that gather all the necessary skills and technologies  relating to the use of biological raw materials (including those of aquatic origin) in a specific  sector and with the focus on production lines with significant market potential and economic  feasibility, - development and improvement of methodologies (e.g. structured models and simulation methods) used  for scaling-up, design and testing of agro-industrial processes, - generic food science and advanced technologies to better meet the consumer's needs for a safe and  health-promoting diet; research will concentrate on generic food processing technologies which take  account of the molecular basis of the conversion of biological raw materials into finished  foodstuffs and integrate new advanced technologies for the food sector, - agriculture, forestry, rural development and fisheries in support of the reform of common  policies and to identify solutions appropriate to the transformations in rural areas. The need is  to develop new systems and chains of production which are economically viable in this area, which  are protective of the environment and which maintain an adequate level of employment. An  improvement in the economic situation of agriculture and of fisheries will also be sought by means  of quality products, diversification of products (food and non-food) and activities, and by  cost-reductions, which presuppose the introduction of new technologies and the better utilization  of more effective inputs. The demands of consumers and the completion of the internal market  require an effort to be made with regard to animal and plant health as well as to animal welfare.  New land uses will be developed, for example for set-aside land. As regards forestry, the need is  to develop multi-functioned forestry management (production, leisure, protection). Finally,  increased attention will be devoted to rural development, in line with the strengthened Community  policy in this area. The same will apply to coastal development. In line with Community policies and in order to provide means for primary production (including of  aquatic origin) which respond to the demands of the consumer and industry for a supply of raw  material in adequate quantity and quality, and at the same time serving the interests of producers  and benefiting the rural economy, priority coordination/network actions will be carried out in  support of the substantial existing efforts of Member States, as regards in particular: - primary production in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and fish-farming with the main emphasis on  sustainability, quality, security of supply and interactions with the environment, - rural and coastal development with particular attention on training and alternative economic  activities, - food production and processing integrating socio-economic, health and food safety aspects. Activities will be carried out in this area by the JRC which will lend its support through: - the use of a laboratory for analysis of pharmaceutical and food products, - by establishing a technical support project for the management and control of the application of  the common agricultural policy (CAP), using data transmission by satellite, - by continuing the teledetection project for agricultural statistics, and by promoting  teledetection of plant diseases. The aim in this area is to extend the application of the basic technologies developed in  biotechnology, biomedicine and teledetection. 5. ENERGY (Technologies for cleaner and more efficient production and use of  energy) Energy policy, which seeks to ensure security of supply (notably through the promotion and better  use of indigenous resources and technologies and the diversification of usable sources) now faces a  new challenge: that of compatibility between energy and protection of the environment. Present and  future uses of different energy sources, on a European and global scale, carry local, regional and  global risks to man and the environment: increased pollution; greenhouse gases, etc. The aim of  Community activities is to develop and demonstrate effective, cleaner and more reliable  technologies guaranteeing compatibility between energy usage, the equilibrium of the biosphere and  economic development under its various headings (competitivity, economic and social cohesion). During the period covered by the second and third framework programmes, Community activities of R&  D and of demonstration/dissemination relating to energy have established networks of cooperation  for research and networks for promotion and diffusion for those energy technologies which have  achieved maturity (notably the OPET network). These activities will be continued, while strengthening the integration between R& D and  demonstration (in succession to the Thermie programme), thus contributing to the achievement of the  Community's major goals in the energy field, sustainable development and support of competitivity.  This work of integration will contribute to better evaluation of the relative efficiency of R& D  and demonstration for each strand of technology and to better achievement of the synergies and  adjustments required between upstream and downstream activities. Complementarity will be sought  between shared-cost actions in these areas and the JRC's direct action. As regards R& D, actions will be centred on critical scientific and technical aspects so as to  achieve significant techno-economic breakthroughs in the medium to long term. The European and  global dimension of this new energy question and the solutions which could be applied will also be  taken into account. Modelling and systems studies aimed at better understanding of the  energy-environment-economy interfaces will contribute to the analysis and to the definition of the  Community energy strategy and will permit better definition of the work to be undertaken. Due  attention will be given to the themes of energy-saving, renewable energy sources and clean use of  fossil fuels notably in the light of the objectives of environmental protection and security of  supply. As far as demonstration and dissemination are concerned, special effort will be devoted to the  areas of the rational use of energy, renewable energies and clean combustion of coal. This  Community action will be necessary to ensure a stable supply at an acceptable price. It will also  improve exploitation of resources in the different regions of the Community and will contribute  significantly to cooperation, in terms of technology transfer, with developing countries. The Community's work on research (including pre-normative aspects), technological development,  demonstration and dissemination/valorization will be focused on three principal axes. It will deal  with the rational use of energy, the introduction of renewable energies on a large scale and with  more effective and cleaner production from the burning of fossil fuels. Rational use of energy will focus principally on the transport and industrial sectors. For the  transport sector, work will concentrate on integrated projects relevant to urban transport and  research and development on technologies such as batteries, fuel cells and advanced fuels. In the  industrial sector, the development and demonstration actions will focus on technologies which can  reduce energy consumption substantially. For the residential and tertiary sectors, the work should  especially concentrate on developing, testing and preparing more effective technologies for the  market, on alternatives to energy-intensive systems, on adjusting the behaviour of consumers to a  more restrained use of energy and on prenormative research on the use of energy in buildings.  Targeted projects aimed at stimulating a more efficient use of energy (the intelligent house) and  integrated projects bearing on the pattern of consumption (combined heat and power, and planning of  industrial zones) should reinforce this activity. The objective of the second axis is to contribute, in a coherent and integrated approach, to  research, development and demonstration of renewable energies, which are clean indigenous  resources, in order to ensure better integration of the energy system with the environment and much  greater security of supply. The planned activities are designed to establish a European industrial  and technological framework favourable to a significant uptake of renewable energies. The programme  should also encourage thematic networks including specialized research centres, electrical power  generation companies, towns, regions and islands, architects and building engineers. The programme is characterized by a balance between continuity and novelty. In order to follow-up  and accelerate the work already in hand, research, development and demonstration on the most  promising technologies will be emphasized: solar photovoltaic; technologies for solar heating,  cooling and natural-lighting for buildings; wind energy; biomass. Other exploratory options could  also be investigated, such as marine energy, solar electricity using thermodynamic cycles,  geothermal (hot dry rock), clean production and use of hydrogen. The JRC will take part in these activities mainly through prenormative research in the field of  photovoltaic energy and the conservation of energy in buildings. New initiatives will be aimed at easing the integration of renewable energies from the  technological, economic and social points of view. Large-scale integrated projects such as the  development of electricity production from renewable sources, especially biomass, or better  integration of renewable energies into future electrical systems are priority targets. Large scale integration of renewable energies into the rural setting, in regions, towns and  islands, is also very important; there is a huge potential for the use of renewables in rural  development in the Third World and this has major implications. The efficient execution of these  integrated projects will require that close links be established with other Community policies and  programmes. The third axis concerns the production and transformation of energy from fossil fuels. Combustion,  which is an essential generic research topic common to the field of rational use of energy and to  that of the conversion of fossil fuels, will be given priority. In the area of conversion, we will  be looking for cleaner and more cost-effective disposal of the proceeds of conversion of fossil  fuels. The work will concentrate on key technologies such as integrated combined cycles ('hot gas  cleaning' and pressurized combustion) or fuel cells for the decentralized production of  electricity. Substitution of fossil fuels by biomass or combustible waste will also be studied. Complementary work should ensure better energy security in the much longer term. For hydrocarbons,  the work will focus on development and demonstration of more efficient techniques of reservoir  exploration (geophysics), exploitation, conversion and transport. In this context, a basic  programme of research in the earth sciences will complement this action. 6. TRANSPORT Mobility of people and goods and the concomitant flow of capital  and information across Europe, its countries, regions and islands as well as within urban areas has  become a phenomenon of our modern society which it is increasingly difficult to master. In this  context, the development of trans-European networks for transport which facilitate the  interconnection with and the interoperability of national networks and the access to these networks  will be key questions in achieving an open and competitive market. In this respect, the communication from the Commission to the Council over the future developments  for the common transport policy specifies that the essential aim of research for a European  transport policy is to contribute to the development integration and management of a transport  system which is more efficient, safer and compatible with the environment and with quality of life,  promoting sustainable mobility of people and goods. In order for this goal to be achieved, a European approach will be developed to exploit the synergy  between the different Community and national activities, as well as those of other international  organizations. The research activities will be developed at two levels: - a European strategic level, - a network optimization level. Research will be conducted within a coherent and coordinated framework, taking into account the  results available from other programmes, in particular industrial technologies, telematics,  environment, energy and targeted socio-economic research in order to achieve the objectives of the  common transport policy. The activities under this theme will focus on the conditions for interoperability and the  interconnection of networks, notably with regard to intermodality and accessibility. This will  facilitate the design and management of infrastructures so that they are more compatible with the  environment, safer for their users and more cost-effective. In this sense, the research activities will principally address the identification of needs  requiring new technologies, the evaluation, and the overall integration and validation of  technological innovations developed in the other themes. The objective is to contribute towards the optimization of the trans-European transport networks,  to the improved performance of transport modes and of individual operators, to the capacity of each  to cooperate with the others, to accessibility for users as well as support for the development of  a multimodal transport system at urban, rural, regional and trans-European levels. With this aim in view, the RTD activities will follow a systems and integrating approach, taking  into account the strategic orientations of the European transport policy and the results of  research conducted within other themes of the first activity, so as to develop specific solutions  applicable to the transport sector. This work could lead, if necessary, to demonstration projects. The research will place emphasis on  the optimization of transport systems, including from the point of view of users, the improvement  of safety, the reduction of harmful emissions, and on social acceptability. In particular: - for combined transport, research should lead to the specification of requirements for multimodal  integrated routes, as well as pilot concepts to integrate and evaluate new technologies for  interchanges, their management and control, - for rail transport, research will, notably, set out to ensure the interoperability of rail  networks, including those which operate at high speed, eliminating progressively the technical,  regulatory and operational barriers, - for air transport, research will focus on reducing congestion of airspace and of airports,  particularly taking into account the results of transport telematics, as well as on further  improving human safety and reducing the negative impact on the environment, - for urban transport, it will permit, through the integration of results achieved and tested in  other research programmes on generic technologies, the development of specific solutions within a  systems approach and appropriate modelling with the aim of improving demand management, reducing  congestion and energy consumption, and improving the balance between different modes, particularly  between collective and individual transport, - in the maritime area, integrated research and demonstration projects should permit optimization  of the performance of short sea shipping systems, new sea/land/river interfaces, which include new  port facilities, making use of manpower in a way which respects the needs of safety and the  protection of the environment with an efficient traffic management system; - for road transport, the development of the appropriate methodologies to define the instruments  necessary for the realization of a common policy for road safety, including for pedestrians and  cyclists, and the optimization of inter-urban travel modes and traffic avoidance, while integrating  and evaluating technological solutions concerning, in particular, traffic management and the design  of infrastructure. With all these activities, particular attention will be given to ergonomics and human factors in an  operational framework, as well as the protection of the environment. These activities will be accompanied, at the European strategic level, by research focused on  modelling and transport scenarios. Research in this area will be undertaken with the objective of  reaching a better understanding of the generation of transport demand and of the impact of  transport systems for Europe. It consists of the development of harmonized methods at the Community level for analysing the  development of transport and movements, the flows and their interactions. It also includes  determination of the impact on demand of industrial location and distribution networks, the  identification of changes in industrial structures, of logistic constraints and of the choice of  modes of transport within the enlarged European economic area. Moreover, in line with the European transport policy, technological innovations will be accompanied  by research concerning their integration into new operational and institutional frameworks  (including those associated with technical standards and the definition of trans-European transport  networks). Finally, a new harmonized methodology for the evaluation of the global impact of European transport  systems is necessary for this purpose and particularly to optimize trans-European networks. The JRC will participate in these activities, essentially through the analysis of the safety of  transport systems as well as their impact on society and on the environment in general. 7. TARGETED SOCIO-ECONOMIC RESEARCH The close inter-relationship between  economic, political and social conditions on the one hand and technology, growth and employment on  the other hand is the essential feature of the context in which RTD activities in this line should  be carried out. This new research topic will allow the renewal and enlargement of the knowledge  base for decision-making through activities to assess scientific and technological policy options,  taking account of developments in technology and know-how. The latest developments in the Community also indicate an increasing need for public understanding  of science and for strengthening the interface between science, research and society. Taking account of research carried out under other relevant themes of the first activity, in  particular in the field of industrial technologies, attention will be given to the comprehension of  socio-economic factors which can promote safety and health protection of workers at work and  contribute to general improvements in this area. As well as these horizontal activities of targeted research, socio-economic research will be  carried out within each topic of RTD in the first activity (evaluation of socio-economic impact and  risks), in the second activity (socio-economic aspects of international scientific and technical  cooperation), in the third activity (improvement of the efficiency of the uptake of results of RTD)  and in the fourth activity (training and mobility of researchers in the social and economic  sciences). Close contacts will be continued with the COST project in the field of social sciences  and with European organizations working in this field. A. Assessment of scientific and technological policy options The assessment of scientific and technological policy options for Europe will provide the common  knowledge base for policy makers in the fields of science and technology policy at both the  national and Community levels and also for those people responsible for other fields of Community  activity within which science and technology play a role. These activities will build upon the activities of the Monitor programme (FAST, SAST, Spear), by  the work of the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies of the JRC, by the activities in  the framework of the Value, Sprint or Eurostat programmes and on the base of the experience  acquired through the specific programmes (evaluation of the socio-economic impact of research) in  fulfilment of a decision taken at the time of the approval of the third framework programme. The object is to put at the disposal of actors, policy makers and users of RTD a consistent  framework for the assessment of the scientific and technological policy options linked to the  activities undertaken at the regional, national and European levels. It will involve prospective studies of relationships between science, technology and society,  economic, scientific and technological monitoring, strategic analysis, principally of generic  technologies, and the evaluation of RTD programmes and policies, with special accent on industrial  competitiveness, taking into account the worldwide dimension. Emphasis will be placed on  networking. In implementing these activities, proper use will also be made of concerted actions and  support activities (studies, methodological research, open databases, collections of indicators,  directories of 'technology assessment', etc.). Due attention will be paid to dissemination  (workshops, seminars). These activities are to be undertaken in close collaboration with  governmental organizations, parliamentary offices and scientific networks for the assessment of  scientific and technological policy at regional, national and European level (in particular with  STOA and the European Parliament technology assessment network), with public sector organizations  and those of the private sector which specialize in these fields as well as with the  representatives for these questions of the various socio-economic actors in the field. A limited group of activities should be foreseen to be able to help with the launching of  preparatory actions and definition phases for new Community RTD activities, in particular for the  preparation of the fifth framework programme. The JRC will support these activities through the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies  which will establish a technology observatory in order to collect and analyse, taking into account  activities carried out in this field by relevant international organizations such as the OECD,  information on scientific advances and technological innovations and to undertake forward studies  and technological evaluations essentially at the request of Community institutions. B. Research on education and training The rate of change of economic, social, scientific and technological knowledge and associated  skills on the one hand, and of the education and training system, including the training of  instructors, on the other are becoming more and more out of phase and it is becoming extremely  difficult to ensure that timely, appropriate and well balanced exchanges take place between the  two. Considerable efforts have been made at the national level to try to overcome these  difficulties. The recent developments at the European level of networks in research and training  and of various industrial and commercial agreements between businesses call for a common  understanding and mastery by Europeans of these problems, which are increasingly global in  character. The objective of the Community research activities in this field should be to assist Member States  in their efforts to develop links between research, education and training and improve their  education and training systems, through dissemination of good practice. In compliance with the principle of subsidiarity, these activities will complement Member States'  activities and will be coherent with Community activities in the field of education and training.  Priority should be given to four research areas, taking full account of existing research  activities (at local, regional, national and Community level). First, training requirements for the  development of a competitive European labour market; second, cost effective and appropriate methods  of education and training; third, analysis of the particular future training needs of companies,  including management of innovation; fourth, comparative research to examine the key issues  influencing the nature and success of systems of education and training, including into regional  differences and links with economic development in the regions. Community research activities in this field will necessarily be closely coordinated with work  carried out by existing Community programmes in the area of vocational training in particular  Comett, Force and Eurotecnet as well as their successors. C. Research into social integration and social exclusion in Europe A new area of research will cover the problems of social integration. Poverty and social exclusion  constitute major problems for the Member States. Research in this area is needed to improve the  understanding of these issues in order to combat these problems. The Community will focus its research on the various forms taken by social exclusion, on its causes  and on possible solutions with particular attention to exchange of information on these three  aspects. Exploratory activities will be centred around the following topics: - forms and processes of social exclusion including demographic and regional/urban aspects, - causes, including unemployment, - migration, - experiences at national and Community level with integration policies, - the contribution of technological developments to social integration. SECOND ACTIVITY Promotion of cooperation in the field of Community research,  technological development and demonstration with third countries and international organizations This second activity covers various related forms of Community intervention. Scientific and  technical cooperation will be developed and will also include international research collaboration  activities hitherto undertaken outside the framework programme. It will cover the industrialized  countries, central and eastern European countries, the new independent States of the former Soviet  Union and developing countries. Such cooperation can be on a bilateral or multilateral basis; it  can take place directly or through international organizations. The objectives of such cooperation  are both to reinforce Community capacities in the fields of science and technology and to support  the implementation of Community policies vis-à-vis third countries and it will be based on the  principle of mutual benefit. The challenge is to increase the added value of RTD activities of the Community and the Member  States, as well as of the other Community policies through selective cooperation of mutual benefit  with third countries and international organizations, which complements the action of the Member  States and can be coordinated with them. An important aspect of this challenge is the scientific  contribution to the solution of regional or global problems or to advances in the situation of  developing countries and of the countries of central and eastern Europe. It is also necessary to be  sufficiently flexible to react to possible developments in third countries. In cases where  intellectual property rights are involved, the Joint Declaration of the Council and the Commission  adopted in June 1992, which gives guiding principles on the allocation of IPR, will be respected. The main purpose is to strengthen the scientific and technological capabilities of the Community,  support the implementation of Community policies with respect to third countries and contribute to  the solution of regional and global problems, through increasing coordination with the Member  States. In this context, the development of standards offers a good example of the possibilities of  such fruitful cooperation. A. Scientific and technological cooperation in Europe 1. Collaboration with other scientific and technological cooperation frameworks in Europe The aim of this activity is to optimize research in Europe through appropriate cooperation, taking  into account national efforts, both those of Member States and those of EFTA countries, as well as  those of COST, Eureka, and other European organizations. The resulting objective is to establish closer relations with these frameworks and organizations,  including at the practical project level. This will foster the development of networks of  scientific and technical excellence, extending beyond the frontiers of the Community. The COST concerted action projects are complementary to those of the Community programmes, and  retain their specific character with respect to the other European research structures. The links between Community and Eureka activities will be strengthened, in particular in the  context of the third activity. As far as EFTA countries are concerned, account will be taken of the fact that those who have  adhered to the European Economic Area take part fully in the framework programme and that others  are linked by bilateral cooperation agreements. 2. Cooperation with central and eastern Europe and the new independent States of the former Soviet  Union The objectives of this activity are to contribute to the safeguarding of the scientific and  technological potential of these countries and to their reorientation, for instance by encouraging  mobility of scientists and strengthening the relation between local university research and  industry. Through cooperation in areas of mutual interest, which could take the form of joint projects, and  increased contacts between scientists and researchers, Community science and technology will also  benefit. Complementarity with other Community activities, notably Phare and Tacis, for instance in view of  renewing RTD infrastructure, and close liaison with the actions of the Member States, will be  sought. In the energy field, use could also be made of the 'energy centres' established by the  Community in these countries. The participation of the countries concerned in the specific programmes within the first activity  is envisaged. Community funding under the second activity can be made available to facilitate their  participation. The action will also include specific research themes appropriate to the current critical needs of  these countries and not included in the first activity, such as combating environmental and human  health problems, particularly those resulting from major accidents. B. Cooperation with industrialized non-European third countries The objective of this cooperation is to promote the interests of the Community and to optimize the  efforts made in the area of RTD, by facilitating access to sources of science and technology of  such third countries.It is worth emphasizing that these countries are at the same time partners for the Community as  well as competitors, notably on the commercial and industrial level. Hence the importance of  respecting the priniciples of selectivity in areas of cooperation, of concentration on a few  carefully selected sectors, of flexibility in the modalities of cooperation, of balanced mutual  benefit, of non-transfer of financial means. The modalities of cooperation with these countries include: concertation for certain sectors such  as megaprojects, execution of joint research and study projects, as well as the exchange of  information and experts. Scientific and technological cooperation with these countries supports the external activities of  the Community, while allowing Member States to have access to sources of science and technology of  the third countries in question in an equal manner. Coordination with Member States is necessary to  avoid duplication of work and dispersion of financial resources and to give a better definition to  the scope of Community action based on the prinicple of subsidiarity. C. Scientific and technological cooperation with developing countries (DCs) Most Member States conduct programmes of scientific cooperation with DCs, the importance of which  is often a function of cultural traditions or long-standing relations. This second activity will be  primarily a means of bringing together different research initiatives in a global and coordinated  way and in synergy with Community development actions. It will permit a scientific effort relevant to developing country problems to be maintained in  Europe and even to be enhanced in certain Member States. At the same time it will facilitate the  strengthening of research capacities in DCs through carrying out joint research work under shared  cost contracts and the reinforcement of links through networks. The topics to be covered will focus on issues which are common to all DCs and of prime importance  for their economic and social development, such as renewable natural resources, agriculture,  environmental protection and health research. A degree of flexibility in the definition of  priorities, according to the region and to the needs expressed, should be envisaged. In addition, DC participation in certain specific programmes of the first activity, on subjects of  general interest or of clearly identified mutual interest, is envisaged, particularly for those  countries with a scientific potential which is already developed. Community funding under the second activity can be made available to facilitate participation of DC  laboratories in the framework programme. THIRD ACTIVITY Dissemination and optimization of the results of activities in Community research,  technological development and demonstration The third activity concerns all Community RTD activities, without giving emphasis to any particular  RTD theme. Its objectives are: to ensure a wide dissemination of research results; to facilitate  their optimal exploitation by encouraging, with the assistance of the actors concerned, the  transformation of results obtained into innovations; to support technology transfer, in particular  to small and medium-sized undertakings; to support initiatives at national or regional level in  order to give them a Community dimension. The Community must make a substantial contribution to improving the dissemination and utilization  of research results. It should also create better conditions for the transfer and absorption of new  technologies, whatever their origin, by industry and especially small and medium-sized undertakings  throughout the Community, in particular in those Member States or regions which obtain less  benefits from research and development programmes. The Member States of the Community have implemented at national and regional level a series of  policies aimed at research exploitation and the diffusion of new technologies. But, on the one  hand, these initiatives vary largely from one region to another and, on the other hand, the  Community dimension is not sufficiently taken into account, although it could yield a significant  amount of value added in the context of the internal market. Efforts for the dissemination and  utilization of research results undertaken in particular within the Value, Sprint and Thermie  programmes need to be continued and, if necessary in the light of evaluation, improved through  appropriate Community actions in the course of the fourth framework programme. Activities of dissemination and optimization of results, moreover, have to be carried out in  coordination with those implemented and financed by the specific programmes. They reflect the  non-linear, complex and iterative nature of the innovation process and the specific character of  technology transfer and utilization, which call for special skills and a multi-sectoral approach. This activity is aimed in the first instance at small and medium-sized undertakings participating  in the specific programmes or able to exploit the knowledge resulting from them. It is also aimed  at the large body of small and medium-sized undertakings which need to incorporate in their  activities the knowledge and new technologies which they require so as to maintain or improve their  competitiveness and which, due to their lack of internal RTD capacity, they have to acquire from  external sources. It includes measures for improving the financial environment for the optimization  of results and the diffusion of technologies. As regards synergy with Eureka, it is essential to ensure better circulation of information  concerning projects and support measures, thus facilitating the taking into consideration in Eureka  projects of the results of Community research. Such improved links should facilitate the transfer  of RTD results towards the market place and the setting of standards. The optimization of transfer  of know-how, possibly in association with Eureka projects, will also be encouraged. The third activity also includes ad hoc support to other Community policies, which can be provided  by research institutes in the Community, including the JRC. A. Dissemination and exploitation of research results This area is composed of the following activities: - the strengthening of the activities of the relay centres network, with the objective of improving  knowledge of the Community's RTD and demonstration activities, facilitating the dissemination of  information and the exploitation of RTD outputs and promoting scientific and technological  cooperation. This network is based, inter alia, on the reinforcement of the public information and  dissemination service (Cordis), with the emphasis on the quality of data and user-friendly access  to information, - specialist services which complement those offered by the relay centres, directed in particular  at small and medium-sized undertakings, with the aim of promoting transnational and inter-sectoral  utilization of RTD results. They include assistance in the field of intellectual property rights,  market research studies, training schemes, the stimulation of know-how transfer, the creation of  technology clubs and support for projects on trans-sectoral applications, - measures to improve the effectiveness of the transfer of RTD results (including acceptability and  the evaluation of the social impact, management and economics of research, pilot projects on  communication towards society). B. Dissemination of technologies to enterprises The objective of this area is to promote the wider use of technologies, especially by small and  medium-sized undertakings, and in particular to contribute to the establishment of networks of  services in the Community for technology transfer, bringing together the competent organizations at  national and regional levels. Emphasis will be placed on improving the quality and efficiency of innovation and technology  transfer support services, as well as on the improvement of the capacity of industry, especially  small and medium-sized undertakings and traditional industrial sectors, to absorb new technology,  thus reaching a wider range of firms than those participating in Community RTD activities. A  coordinated approach will be promoted stemming from the needs of firms and taking into account all  the aspects related to the transfer and utilization of technologies. This area comprises: - the establishment of transnational networks of technology transfer and diffusion practitioners,  involving mainly organizations such as research and development organizations, sectoral technical  centres, science parks, etc. in order to encourage the use of technologies in small and  medium-sized undertakings and the exchange of best practice, - the application of measures designed to facilitate the diffusion of technological opportunities  and the bringing together of suppliers, users, and intermediaries, - the demonstration of mechanisms and conditions for the transfer of technologies and their use by  new users via the implementation of inter-regional or trans-sectoral pilot projects. These projects  will be based on intermediary organizations generating important multiplying effefts on the  diffusion of new technologies and management methods in small and medium-sized undertakings, - measures to improve firms' awareness of best practice methods in the management of technological  resources, - improving knowledge of the mechanisms involved and reinforcing exchanges of experiences regarding  relevant policies and instruments. C. The financial environment for the dissemination of technology Given that the financial environment influences the competitiveness of industry, the third area  aims to improve, through an appropriate Community action respecting the subsidiarity principle, the  Community environment for the financing of the exploitation, adaptation and dissemination of  technologies. This area comprises: - indirect measures which aim to improve the communication between financiers and the promoters of  technological projects, to support the establishment of effective systems for mobilizing private  capital and the exit of investments ('exit'), to analyse and promote the most appropriate legal  structures. In this context, schemes like the technology performance financing scheme started under  the Sprint programme will be explored, - pilot actions for the stimulation of transfer and utilization of technologies by small and  medium-sized undertakings (for instance grants to small and medium-sized undertakings to enable  them to participate in activities for the dissemination and optimization of results of Community  RTD), - technical and managerial assistance to public or private financial intermediaries, selected or to  be established in the Member States, and which provide equity co-financing to small and  medium-sized undertakings. These activities will be implemented in close cooperation with the other Community actions in the  field (Eurotech capital, European Investment Funds, enterprise policy). D. Scientific services for Community policies This activity will provide scientific support to Community policies, at the request of directorates  in charge of these policies, where the need or the request is manifested. It will be open to  participation of all research institutes in the Community, including the JRC. These activities, which are in general of a limited and short term nature, do not fit in well,  because of their very nature, with long term planning, because they follow the short term requests  of the Directorates-General. The opportunity to undertake them only becomes apparent during the  execution of the framework programme. FOURTH ACTIVITY Stimulation of training and mobility of researchers in the Community The objective of this activity is to promote the training and mobility of Community researchers in  fields, including those of fundamental research, not eligible for support under the first activity.  There is a need, also recognized by industry, for training and high quality research which is left  essentially to the initiative of researchers themselves and which is both conceived and undertaken  at the Community level in research laboratories in Europe. At stake in the longer term is the need  to ensure a high level of training for scientists which lies at the heart of the Community's  capacity for innovation. The optimal utilization of human resources is a basic parameter of all socio-economic activity.  Although Europe possesses a human capital in research which ranks high in the world, its  utilization is often ponderous and slowed down by discrepancies which still exist between Member  States and different disciplines. In this context, it is essential to ensure equal opportunities  for male and female researchers. The development of human resources in the field of training  through research, and their better utilization by transnational mobility and cooperation, are  essential means to meet the general objectives of the framework programme. The fourth activity, which aims to give advanced training in laboratories distributed throughout  the Community, will keep its open character and put an emphasis on partnerships with industry. The general objectives of this activity are the following: - to stimulate training through research and, by means of cooperation, to foster better utilization  of high-level researchers in the Community, - to improve the mobility of European researchers throughout the Community, encouraging mobility  between disciplines and between universities, research institutes and industry, thus better  exploiting the research potential in the different disciplines, - to promote, for instance through networks, transnational cooperation for research activities  proposed essentially by the scientists themselves and not eligible for support under the first  activity, - to facilitate the access of all European researchers to existing large-scale facilities which are  indispensable for high-quality research, - to improve the scientific and technological cohesion of the Community and contribute to the  attainment of a general level of scientific excellence, by offering research opportunities to  scientific institutions and researchers from all regions of the Community. Return of researchers  from less-favoured regions to their country of origin will be financed, continuing current  practice. This activity will cover the exact, natural, economic and management sciences, as well as social  and human sciences which contribute to the Community's RTD objectives. The activities foreseen are gathered into three sub-areas: (a) Networks of laboratories in different countries Networks will allow researchers from as many Community countries as possible to join their efforts  in a 'European laboratory without walls' and to constitute, in this manner, groups capable of  performing research of higher quality. However, small associations of laboratories from different  countries (including twinning) will also be eligible for support when they are considered to form  the core of a future larger network. Grants will be awarded to help researchers to meet, to perform  experiments in common, to support the exchange of results between researchers, to cover in  exceptional cases additional costs linked to scientific equipment where these are necessasry for  joint research of the network or to reinforce research staffs through temporary contracts for  visiting scientists (preferably from other countries). (b) Access to large scale facilities Community activities, complementing national and international efforts, will include: - support for researchers in order to facilitate their access to large installations and large  instruments (necessary for research and rare in the Community), - support for improvement, where necessary, to large scale facilities in order to provide wider  access to Community researchers, thus encouraging efficient use of these facilities. (c) Training through research and stimulation of mobility - Implementation of training activities through research and stimulation of researchers' mobility.  This will consist of stays of three months to three years, which should allow European researchers,  primarily with a doctoral degree or equivalent level of education, to receive professional training  and specialized experience outside their home countries. Grants will cover mobility and subsistence  expenditure and provide an adequate contribution to research and management costs, including those  incurred by the host laboratories. The arrangements to be made will aim to secure comparable  conditions of payment and support for researchers across programmes and across Member States after  allowing for local circumstances. Particular attention will be paid to training in the field of the  management of changes within enterprises as they relate to new technologies. - Harmonization of the implementing modalities of the training activities undertaken in the  specific programmes defined in the first, second and third activities. The aim is to ensure,  without seeking systematic uniformity, that the procedures of selection of research trainees, the  conditions of payment and the implementing modalities are comparable for all specific programmes. - Continuation of the analysis of different rules applying to Community grants in different Member  States. Moreover, efforts should be undertaken to avoid too much disparity from one country to  another. - Coordination of all training activities undertaken in the specific programmes, with the aim of  increasing their synergies. - Organization of Euro-conferences, scientific prizes and other similar initiatives, like for  instance summer schools. (a) Nuclear research and training activities are covered by the Euratom framework  programme decision.  ANNEX IV RULES FOR FINANCIAL PARTICIPATION BY THE COMMUNITY 1. The financial  participation by the Community in RTD activities undertaken within the specific programmes shall  be: (a) Indirect action - shared cost actions with third parties (1): - for RTD projects, including consortia for integrated projects: not more than 50 % of the costs of  the project and progressively lower participation the nearer the project is to the market place.  Those universities, higher education establishments and other research centres which do not use  analytical budget accountancy will be reimbursed on the basis of 100 % of the additional costs, - for thematic networks and training and mobility of researchers: 100 % of the additional costs, - for measures appropriate for certain specific programmes, such as feasibility awards: up to 100 %  of the costs of the measure, - for preparatory, accompanying, and support measures: up to 100 % of the costs of the measure, - concerted action: for concerted actions consisting of the coordination of RTD projects, such as concertation neworks:  up to 100 % of the costs of the concertation. (b) Direct action For direct action carried out by the JRC consisting of RTD programmes or parts of programmes as  well as scientific and technical support activities of an institutional character (i.e. which are  necessary for the implementation of other Community policies and which require the JRC's  neutrality): normally 100 % of the costs. (c) Competitive support activities For scientific and technical activities in support of other Community policies which are suited to  a competitive approach: normally 100 % of the costs. There may be no derogation from these general rules, except under the conditions set out in each  specific programme. 2. The rules for any possible financial participation by the Community in activities provided for  in Article 2 (2) of the Decision will be specified in the measures concerning such activities taken  by the Council in conformity with Article 130o of the Treaty. 3. The rules for the financial participation of undertakings, research centres, and universities in  the implementation of the specific programmes will be specified in the measures envisaged in  Article 130j of the Treaty. (1) The JRC, in association with partners established in the Member States, can  participate in shared-cost actions on the same basis as third parties.