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 (3)
(ii) ACTIVITIES FOR GENERIC RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGIES
These activities have a longer term impact that may even preclude the possibility of satisfying some of the citizens' needs expressed before, for as long as fragmentary knowledge is not pooled together to a sufficient degree of completeness. There is in the related disciplines a time-dependent need for integration of the science base which is why industry, services and policy-making in Europe require to maintain or reinforce their responsive capacity in a rapidly changing world.
Rationale
In the next decade, for the first time, there will be more people in Europe over 60 than under 20, creating increased social demand for research on age-related illnesses and health problems. A still increasing morbidity in chronic and degenerative diseases, cancer, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease require a focused effort for a better understanding of the underlying causes, and to optimise multidisciplinary research and the implementation of results in clinical practice. Research into neurosciences and genomes will benefit from an increased flow of ideas and techniques which will increase Europe's attractiveness as a research base for the global biotechnology industry and eventually create qualified employment. Medical research at the European level must be targeted towards coordinated approaches to treatment and diagnosis of diseases, prevention and identification of risk factors.
Objectives and RTD activities
Fight against age-related illnesses and health problems (e.g. Alzheimer's disease), degenerative diseases, cancer, diabetes and cardio-vascular diseases; diseases of genetic origin and rare diseases; research into genomes and the neurosciences. The objective would be to promote healthy ageing and independent living, to reduce the need for long-term care and limit its costs, and to apply modern technology to treatment and control of major diseases. Research would also aim at exploiting genome data for the better understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying human, animal and plant genetic and rare diseases (e.g. Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease). Promoting new insights in neurosciences would enable the mechanisms governing the inter-relationship of biological and psychological processes to be understood for the benefit of new therapeutic approaches to neurological and psychiatric disorders.
RTD priorities: basic mechanisms underlying age-related changes, and integrated physiology of ageing and quality of life; management of disability; pathophysiology and basic mechanisms of disease development; epidemiological and clinical research including therapeutic, diagnostic and preventive strategies; improved knowledge and understanding of genetic and rare diseases and gene sequence and function information; cellular communication and human behaviour; mechanisms of brain development, disorder and repair, and their clinical, epidemiological and social implications.
Rationale
In view of the growing limitations of health care budgets in the Member States and the parallel increasing demands, it is essential to increase knowledge on socio-economic and cost aspects of health care so that the health needs of society are met and that high quality care is maintained. Given the increasing importance of drug abuse, health and socio-economic aspects of drug problems have to be addressed. The diversity of health services and prevention approaches in the Member States constitutes the natural ground for European collaborative research which can better assess the efficiency of health initiatives, focusing on the needs of users, health undertakings, health policy providers or industry and also taking into account the needs of the patients. Assessment methodologies of current and new practices or technologies with emphasis on cost-effectiveness is equally relevant.
Objectives and RTD activities
Improvement of health systems, enhancement of health and safety at work, and fight against drug-related public health problems. The objective would be to develop standardised tools and improved methodology for assessment of health systems, including implementation of best practices. Research would contribute to alleviate health consequences of the use of new technologies at the work place and of new forms of work organisation. It would also aim at developing innovative biomedical and social approaches for drug demand reduction.
RTD priorities: improved methodologies in epidemiology; identification of new health determinants and etiologic factors of disease; socio-economic and organisational determinants of prevention, care and health services; work-related exposure to biological, chemical and physical agents and to physical and mental stress; physical detection side, drug profiling and biological monitoring of drugs.
- Major Natural and Technological Hazards
Rationale
Activities to forecast, reduce and manage both natural risks and technological hazards that Europe has to cope with should concentrate on a multiscale, multidisciplinary and multinational approach. This would maximise the benefits that citizens could draw from this research. A better safety in Europe would also contribute to strengthening economic competitiveness in some aspects. Various target groups, institutions and organisations have to be considered as well as international programmes and conventions, and policies undertaken by EU, Governments and other regulatory bodies and industries.
Objectives and RTD activities
Fight against major natural and technological hazards. The objective would be, through a better understanding of processes, mechanisms and events generating natural and technological hazards, to develop forecasting technologies and low risk and environmental impact assessment and mitigation technologies. Support to improved decision making systems, including evaluation and validation tools for assessing hazards and for emergency management would be provided.
RTD priorities: identification of factors, which increase the level of natural risks; methods for hazard prediction, and for vulnerability and risk assessment including quantification of the present and future levels of risk; effective tools and methods for information management; innovative methods to combat natural and technological disasters and alleviate their consequences; improvement of the operational safety of hazardous installations
- Global Environmental Change
Rationale
Rising population and per-capita use of resources, coupled with the globalisation of world economic markets, are causing or exacerbating a number of major environmental problems which are global in scope, but with consequences experienced at the regional or local level.
Global change will inevitably have implications for industrial strategies, and the necessary measures required for mitigation or adaptation against adverse change will have major economic impact on many sectors. In addition, EU policies relevant to international agreements also have global implications for the environment. However, addressing these impacts and mitigation options also provides economic prospects and market advantage for new and cleaner technologies, a fact recognised in other major industrial countries such as the USA and Japan.
Europe has established a leading international role in global change research, but maintain-ing and improving this leadership requires continued commitment. Strong European research efforts would also strengthen European environmental policies and EU input to international agreements. (e.g. EU participation in the 1992 Rio Conference follow up).
Objectives and RTD activities
Understanding the processes and interactions involved in the "Global Change". The objective would be to attain the necessary understanding of global change processes, interactions and feedbacks (at global and European scale) in the Earth system, in its components (ocean, land, ice, atmosphere) and in ecosystems, and their interactions with social and economic activities. This would encompass the development of prediction, prevention, mitigation and adaptation strategies as well as the formulation and evaluation of technology and policy options.
RTD priorities: coupled models for improved assessments of both climate variability and change; atmospheric ozone changes and their interaction with climate; behaviour and role of oceans; assessment of the impacts on sensitive terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, areas and seas (including biodiversity) ; economic and technical feasibility and social acceptability of technology and policy options; establishment of long term consolidated data sets of environmental and climate state variables.
- Satellite Earth Observation Technologies(2)
Rationale
Earth observation from space already plays an important, and often critical, role in the implementation of EU policies, particularly in agriculture and the environment. It can help mitigate major hazards, monitor the sustainable use of biological resources, and help in development and humanitarian aid. It can be used to monitor compliance with international environmental conventions, and authorities concerned with the implementation of public policy could reduce costs and increase effectiveness through the use of information derived from Earth observation. Efforts in this area would help to develop a robust supply sector which has a high proportion of SMEs.
Objectives and RTD activities
Development of generic Earth observation technologies (notably satellite technologies). The objective would be to provide applications, products and services based on Earth observation, for environmental monitoring, resources and ecosystem management. Research would create favourable conditions for the development of a strong European operational capacity to monitor Earth from space, providing information for a wide range of users. The following research priorities would be implemented, notably in the context of the "Centre for Earth Observation" project.
RTD priorities: innovative applications and focused methodological research to improve the effectiveness of activities in priority areas for EU policies; test models of technical, legal and economic aspects to prepare sustainable operations; promotion, education and training to make better use of existing and planned Earth observation data and information source.
- Biomedical Ethics and bioethics
Rationale
European citizens expect research to be conducted in a responsible way, fully respecting the fundamental human rights and values which constitute the cornerstone of all European policies. "Ethics" is a dimension of the development of science and technology. The ethical implications of its impacts on human beings have to be addressed to foster informed public debate in a pluralistic society.
Objectives and RTD activities
Study of problems relating to biomedical ethics and bioethics. The objective would be to identify the ethical, legal and social questions raised by scientific and technological development; to understand and address issues of public concern, and to analyse the ethical dimension of legal and regulatory measures.
RTD priorities: universal ethical principles, religious and cultural diversity; ethical aspects of medical research, medical practice and health policies; ethical aspects of life sciences research and its application to animals, plants, and the environment.
- Socio-Economic Aspects of Life Sciences and of Environmental Change in the Perspective of Sustainable Development
Rationale
Competitiveness and sustainable development will together be the source of the Union's future wealth and employment opportunities, ensuring enhanced quality of life for Europe's citizens, and the protection of the environment and natural resources. Simultaneous pursuit of these objectives is only possible through an adequate recognition and understanding of the key interrelations between technologies, environment and society and integration of the knowledge into sustainable development policies.
Socio-economic research is also needed to enhance the quality of the public debate, as illustrated by the applications of modern biotechnologies. The regulatory process both in life sciences and environment and its impact on citizens confidence influences public concern which in turn has a strong impact on decision-makers.
Objectives and RTD activities
Study of the socio-economic aspects of development of the life sciences and technologies and of environmental change in the perspective of sustainable development.The objective would be, on one hand, to provide a sound scientific basis for the debate on the possible impacts of life sciences and technologies on society, economy and employment,and the environment, and on the other hand to analyse the interactions between socio-economic factors and the environment. Furthermore this generic activity would provide the basis for incorporating sustainability in relevant Framework Programme activities.
RTD priorities: public perception, information/education, technology assessment and pre-normative activities, in the field of life sciences; understanding the socio-economic driving forces and gathering facts and data (including consumption patterns) which ought to constitute the basis for decision making; understanding the critical interactions between socio-economic development and the environment as well as improving the linkages between science and policy, in the field of environment, in the perspective of consensus-building around sustainable development.
(iii) SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES
Rationale
Most meaningful and promising research in the life and environment sciences relies on the accessibility and availability of complex data and models, rare instrumentation and pooling of expertise and high quality resources. Europe is rich on resources that underpin the Member States' research activities. The success of the European research and its capacity to respond to the scientific and societal demands, require a level of integration and critical mass that should be equal, if not surpass, that of our most direct competitors.
Objectives and activities
The objective would be to help manage the biological information and the diversity of life, to provide biological data and resources for the development of new drugs including high level containment facilities, to support infrastructures for observing and understanding the Earth system, predicting global changes and natural hazards.
Biological data and resources. Databases, information services and networks of biological expertise; major instrumentation for the study of biological structures; collections of genetic materials, living and non-living specimens; breeding of animals to provide models of human diseases; pre-clinical and clinical research facilities.
Earth system observation. Marine databases, fisheries and aquaculture infrastructures and test basins; research vessels; platforms and centres for forecasting of climate and ocean state; simulation chambers, ground-based stations and aircraft for the observation of the atmosphere; robotic and automatic observing systems, untethered vehicles and drone systems, devices and networks for observation of palaeo-environmental information and satellite remote-sensed data.
Global change and natural hazards. Super-computer facilities; archiving facilities; centres for integrated assessment; key operational European networks for atmospheric and earthquake data, for floods and waves and for storms, landslides, volcanoes and wildfires.
(2) Space-related activities are subject to an overall coordination across the various programmes.
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