CORDIS Archive

FIFTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME for Research and Technological Development (1998-2002)

Commission Working Paper on the Specific Programmes:
Starting Points for Discussion

COM(97) 553

05-11-1997

Unlocking the resources of the living world and the ecosystem (2)

(i) KEY ACTIONS

Health and Food

Rationale

European consumers are increasingly aware that balanced dietary patterns contribute to the prevention of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer, or other disorders. An improved understanding of the role of food in health and well being leading to the production and the consumption of foods of high quality will have a significant impact upon the lifestyles of the European population in the near future. The recent BSE crisis, and other safety issues, have highlighted the need for European food policy to be centred on the requirement that only foodstuffs which are safe, wholesome and fit for consumption be placed on the market.

Furthermore, the link between food production, diet, and health is characterised by a pan European dimension and also involves the combined competencies of various sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, the food and pharmaceutical industries and health undertakings. The EU is the world's leading producer in the food and drink sector; this industry accounts for 16.5% of the Community's total industrial value, making it the EU's leading industrial sector with a total agro-industrial value of 650 billion ECU. Europe possesses world class companies in food production, both large and small, although the ratio of research expenditure to gross production in the food and drink industry still remains very low in comparison with other sectors.

Objectives and RTD priorities

The overall goal of this key action would be to provide safe, healthy, balanced and varied food products. It intends to address the whole food chain from farm to plate, examining major issues of food safety, new and improved raw materials, food processing, and a more profound understanding of the links between food consumption, well being and health. To achieve this, a new approach viewing the food production chain as an integrated entity would be used, based on the following scientific and technological objectives:

• Development of new processing methods to improve food quality. Research would focus on optimised and novel raw materials and processes, thereby promoting consumer confidence in the food supply.
  RTD priorities: improved production systems; design of food crops and functional foods; quality and traceability of raw materials and food products in the food chain; minimal processing and process control; advanced food technologies and packaging systems.

• Development of tests to detect and processes to eliminate infectious and toxic agents. To prevent hazards caused by food contaminants, their exact origins and the strategies that would allow for safer food production would be investigated.
  RTD priorities: improved understanding and control of the contamination conditions; rapid detection tests for pathogens, xenobiotics, hormones; new and safer methods of food production; new methodologies for assessing microbial, chemical and allergenic risks.

• Study of the role of food in preserving health, in particular from the point of view of nutrition, epidemiology and public health. To reduce diet-related risk factors contributing to chronic diseases, knowledge and new approaches for improved nutrition and more balanced diets would be developed.
  RTD priorities: the role and impact of food and diet on physiological functions, physical and mental performance; the particular nutritional needs of defined population groups; links between diet and chronic diseases and disorders; consumer attitudes and responses to products, food processing methods and labelling.

Control of Viral and other Infectious Diseases

Rationale

Infectious diseases are responsible for 17 millions deaths globally each year. Thirty new epidemics have been observed during the last two decades. HIV infection, which causes AIDS, will exceed 40 million people world-wide, including over 5 million children, by the end of the century. Diseases like hepatitis C, affecting more than 5 million patients in Western Europe, are a growing issue of social concern. As regards animal pathogens, in addition to the increasing concern about zoonotic diseases, outbreaks of highly infectious diseases in livestock cost millions of ECU to the Community, in terms of eradication measures, restriction of trade, losses of market.

The scientific means available to the individual Member States are insufficient to approach this kind of problems. Europe has a strong research tradition in infectious diseases. European vaccines manufacturers and the pharmaceutical industry would benefit from an action, together with SMEs, diagnostics industries and the biotechnology sector, for which it has already carried out extensive preparatory work.

Objectives and RTD priorities

The overall goal of this key action would be to fight against major emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases, such as AIDS, linked to old, new or mutant agents. This would be achieved primarily by mixing complementary expertise in transdisciplinary projects, by linking these activities to national and international organisations, and by encouraging the interface between academic research, policy makers, healthcare providers and pharmaceutical industries, pursuing the following scientific and technological objectives:

• Development of vaccines, especially against viral diseases. Research would contribute to the development and the production of new vaccines against AIDS and other major infectious diseases caused by human and animal pathogens.
  RTD priorities: vaccines against emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and other diseases related to infectious agents (e.g. some cancers); vaccines against animal pathogens; development of European networks for clinical and field trials of vaccines and drugs including, where necessary, support for high level containment facilities.

• Treatment and prevention strategies. The objective would be to establish new strategies for the diagnosis, treatment and control of infectious diseases, to improve the control of drug-resistant infectious agents, to establish new or improved detection methods ensuring the safety of medicinal products.
  RTD priorities: improved understanding of mechanisms of protection against infectious agents and of drug resistance; technologies for safer and more efficient vaccines and immunotherapy; specific risk factors influencing the spread of infectious diseases and development of new strains; development of an early warning system and response network for communicable diseases; improved methodologies for early and accurate detection of adverse reactions to drugs and vaccines.

• Aspects connected with public health and care-delivery systems. The aim would be to ameliorate the organisation within services supporting public health as related to management and prevention of infectious diseases, including perception of the value of prevention and surveillance of such diseases.
  RTD priorities: organisational and economic public health aspects; surveillance, monitoring and assessment methodologies in prevention and cure; methodologies for product safety surveillance in the market place.

The "Cell Factory"

Rationale

The emerging biotechnology industry represents a vast potential, both in economic and social terms, and must be strongly promoted. The actual and forecasted growth rate of this industry is as high as 20 per cent annually. Estimates show that the value of products using modern biotechnology could reach 250 billion ECU in Europe by the year 2005. The associated employment would amount to 3.1-3.3 million. This illustrates the huge potential of this technology in contributing to economic growth and job creation. To date, some 300 novel biotechnology derived drugs/vaccines have been approved for medical use world-wide and 1600 patents have been issued based on molecular biological applications.

The "cell factory" benefits stem from employing living organisms or parts of organisms to generate, modify and optimise products or processes, improve plants or animals. New bio-molecules can be discovered or designed and used to battle diseases, metabolic pathways can be engineered to degrade highly toxic compounds and novel processes designed to minimise environmental pollution.

Objectives and RTD priorities

The overall goal of this key action would be to help Community industry exploit progress of biotechnology particularly for applications in the fields of health, agro-food and the environment. For this purpose, it would promote development and use of key technologies for generating new bio-products and bio-processes with high added-value, that can be adopted and implemented by industry. The assessment of the fate and impact of recombinant organisms (e.g. transgenic plants, recombinant vaccines), where relevant, would be part of this key action. Emphasis would be put on the following scientific and technological objectives:

• New health products. Research would focus on bio-products relevant for diagnosing, preventing or curing human and animal diseases and improving the quality of life.
  RTD priorities: improved understanding of the cell, gene functions and gene delivery methods applicable to the development of new therapeutic substances: anticancer drugs, antibiotics, antibodies; new "in vitro" diagnostic testing assays.

• Waste biotreatment processes. The objective would be to prevent, detect, monitor, treat and remove pollution as well as to maximise the economic value of waste.
  RTD priorities: new bio-processes for preventing industrial pollution, treating and/or recycling bioaccumulation of wastes and industrial by-products; simple bioassays and biosensors; biodegradation of recalcitrant chemicals by microbial catalysts alone or in combination with plant systems and chemical catalysts.

• New biological processes for the agro-food industry. Focus would be on high value bio-molecules and bio-processes leading to an enhanced exploitation of renewable resources and to desirable characteristics for plants and farm animals.
  RTD priorities: applications for improved plants and farm animals combining economic, agronomic, ecological and/or consumer advantages; new enzymes; use of terrestrial and marine organisms as a source of new valuable products; identification and sustainable use of metabolic and genetic diversity.

Management and Quality of Water

Rationale

The European water industry is growing rapidly and is expected to reach a turnover of about 32 billion ECU by the year 2000. Further development of advanced management strategies, coupled with improved environmental technologies and industrial techniques would strengthen its pre-eminent role acquired worldwide and would contribute to the creation of jobs.

The sustainable management of water resources also requires a sound regulatory basis. A combination of fundamental socio-economic and applied research is needed to create the basis for the development of water related policies at Community, regional and local scales and to fulfil the international Treaty obligations.

Objectives and RTD priorities

The overall goal of this key action would be to meet one of the major requirements of European citizens, namely the protection and provision of affordable high quality water, in particular drinking water in sufficient quantity, while maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem. The aim is to develop the knowledge and the technologies needed for the rational management of water resources, through the following scientific and technological objectives:

• Treatment and purification technologies. They would be developed together with advanced and integrated pollution prevention and the re-use of treated waste water, for application in industry, agriculture, forestry and aquaculture.
  Research priorities: optimisation of technologies to minimise use and pollution and treat waste water at source and through process integration; new hybrid technologies coupling the most advanced physico-chemical and biological techniques and integrating control techniques.

• Technologies for monitoring the quality and the level of groundwater and surface waters. They would provide a better understanding, in both qualitative and quantitative terms, of the state and evolution of water resources, as well as the functioning of aquatic and wet land ecosystems, to enable better management and sustainable use of water resources.
  RTD priorities: improved measurement methods; predictive models and advanced pollution impact assessment methodologies; updated water quality criteria and indicators for water policy.

• Surveillance, early warning and communication systems. The objective would be to develop systems able to react on different time and space scales, including early warning systems with direct feedback to pollution sources.
  RTD priorities: surveillance systems for point and diffuse pollution sources and for the various environmental recipient systems; control and data management systems, including leakage detection and stormwater management and systems for floods and drought assessment.

• Technologies for the regulation of stocks and technologies for arid and semi-arid regions. The aim would be to improve and protect water resources and ecosystems, to optimise water management systems in water deficient regions, and to manage better water crises.
  RTD priorities: integrated approaches at catchment level incorporating the various political, social, economic and environmental interactions; improved management systems; improved information systems about water resources and their uses at EU, national, regional and local level to assist decision making.

Environment and Health

Rationale

Steps need to be taken in order to protect and improve the health of human populations by limiting their exposure to biological, chemical and physical hazards in their environments, including occupational factors. Diseases such as cancer, respiratory and cardiovascular diseases have yet to be conquered and there is an alarming increase in the incidence of diseases such as allergies, asthma, skin cancer. The gap in life expectancy between Eastern and Western Europe is actually widening and it has been predicted that increasing mobility of populations, coupled to global climatic change will alter the distribution and frequency of diseases on the continent.

Tackling these issues requires a broad-scale research effort to understand and quantify the interactions between the environmental, the public health, the social and the economic sectors. Because to a large extent the environment-health link knows no boundaries, research would be necessary at Community level to support EU policies in this area, complementing the solutions that are still needed at national, regional and local levels. European environmental regulation and policy making would be facilitated by the provision of sound basic information; research at European level would improve its acceptability and applicability. This is a transfrontier issue where important gains can be made by utilising the heterogeneity of exposures, populations, conditions and expertise existing in Europe.

Objectives and RTD priorities

The overall goal of this key action is to improve the knowledge-base, the coordination and the links between environment and health fields, this would contribute to reduce the negative impact on health of factors such as air pollution, heavy metals, toxic substances, noise, climatic changes and electromagnetic radiations (e.g. those generated by mobile communication systems) well as the effect of pollution at the workplace. To address these issues, the following scientific and technological objectives would be pursued:

• Epidemiological studies. They would focus on the application of uniform transnational protocols using large populations in standard-setting to effect public health protection.
  RTD priorities: analysis and quantification of the impact of environmental factors on human health; assessment of the relative importance of and the interactions between factors impinging on health; improved understanding of the interrelations between environmental and public health indicators; assessment of the impacts of climate and other global changes on human health.

• The development of new methods of diagnosis, risk assessment and prevention. The objective would be to improve the identification of vulnerable groups to environmental exposures.
  RTD priorities: biomarkers of exposure, effect and/or susceptibility to environmental agents including mixed exposures and cumulative effects; improvement of predictive toxicity testing and mechanism-based risk assessment aiming at an eventual reduction, refinement and replacement of animal testing; improved methods and technologies for both long and short-term exposure and effects assessment.

• The development of processes to reduce causes and harmful health effects. Focus would be placed on quality of indoor and outdoor air, on quality of water and soil, on wastes as well as regional manifestations of climate change and other global changes.
  RTD priorities: improved understanding of the mechanisms of action to the identification and control of environmental risk factors; methods for the incorporation of health effects into environmental policy and for measuring environmental health benefits and costs; improved techniques to address the issues of environment, health, risk perception and communication.

Integrated development of rural and coastal areas

Rationale

Need exists to establish a coherent multidisciplinary approach in support of the objectives and implementation needs of the evolving Common Agricultural and Fisheries Policies and of the realisation of the sustainable integrated development of rural and coastal areas.

Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and related industrial sectors are facing pressing economic difficulties due to international commitments, liberalisation of trade, technological developments as well as changing societal needs in terms of environment and quality of products and services. These difficulties are causing serious socio-economic problems such as unemployment, the departure of the young, the ageing of populations, the lack of services, competitive use of space, over-exploitation of natural resources and environmental degradation.

In view of the diverging interests of the producers, end-users and consumers, sustainable rural and coastal development will depend on the integration of production, transformation of renewable biological resources with environmentally sound practices. It will also depend on the successful exploitation of the possibilities offered by the life sciences and technologies. Since rural and coastal development activities are interlinked with food and non-food production, this key action is closely linked to those on "Health and Food" and "Cell Factory".

Given the transboundary nature of the issues and the implied European dimension, national efforts must be complemented with co-ordination and concentration at the European level.

Objectives and RTD priorities

The overall goal of this key action would be to promote competitiveness and employment in rural and coastal areas, in light of the need to adapt to the evolution of the Common Agricultural and Fisheries Policies, to world trade situation and globalisation of markets; to reduce the vulnerability of the relevant sectors through the diversification of productions; to respond to societal demands for sustainable management and use of renewable resources and for products and processes complying with health and environmental requirements.

• New systems of production and exploitation in agriculture, forestry, fishing and aquaculture. They would combine competitiveness, sustainable management of resources, quality and employment.
  RTD priorities: For agriculture, sustainable farm production systems and methods and corresponding ex-ante and ex-post control and analysis. Diversification of productions and activities. Support to Community policies on: plant health with prevention, prediction and protection; animal health with prevention, control and eradication of major diseases and zoonoses; animal welfare. Identification and characterisation of quality of agro-food products and agricultural farm-processed products and technologies; definition of parameters, specifications, methods, forms of organisation and technologies for total quality. For forestry: Support to forest policy issues. Diversification (non-wood uses, agro-sylvo-pastoral systems). Multifunctional and sustainable management combining quality production with conservation and protection. For fisheries, support to integrated fisheries management, linking resources conservation, means of capture, interactions with ecosystems, market requirements and socio-economic considerations. For aquaculture, sustainable production systems with the reduction of impacts on ecosystems and diversification of cultivated species. Improvement of production techniques. Promotion of disease resistance and control.

• Non-food uses: sustainable utilisation of biological resources. This would cover integrated production and processing chains from genetic improvement to end use and market requirements.
  RTD priorities: forestry wood chain, green chemicals and bio-polymers chain, bioenergy chain.

• Methods of control. They would support the sound implementation of the Common Agricultural and Fisheries Policies and related activities.
  RTD priorities: Reliable, transparent and cost-effective methods to monitor, assess and control.

• Sustainable development of rural and coastal areas. This would promote integrated development, based upon competitiveness, local potential development, diversification of activities, involvement of local populations and sustainability.
  RDT priorities: Analysis of the situation and changes under-way with the relationships between all sectors involved and the factors influencing technological and socio-economic changes. Diversification and job opportunities. Easy access to innovation and new technologies. Development of the integrated rural and coastal development concept, with the investigation of potentials and constraints, the elaboration of new models and tools including for spatial planning and the improvement of organisational capacity of local actors. Support to follow-up and evaluation of rural and coastal development programmes and policies with tools to monitor, assess and forecast socio-economic and environmental impacts.

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