CORDIS Archive

The Netherlands' contribution to the discussion on the Fifth European Framework Programme

Introduction

Research, technological development and the demonstration of new knowledge are a key source for economic growth, employment and the solution of major social problems. The government of the Netherlands is working to strengthen these activities. For its part, the European Union has a responsibility to supplement the efforts being made by the member states, as mentioned in the Delors White Paper and the Green Paper on Innovation. The European Union must concentrate on areas of research which individual member states cannot address unilaterally, due to their high costs, the fact that some problems need to be tackled in unison or because European standards must be developed.

1. Consolidation on four fronts

The Netherlands is reasonably satisfied with the Framework Programme. It increases the transparency of research within the European Union, boosts the competitiveness of European industry and supports research and development work that enhances the quality of life. However, the Netherlands believes that some adjustments and improvements are needed. The Netherlands wishes to achieve greater consolidation on four fronts and is looking for a Framework Programme that:

• more effectively meets the needs of European industry and concentrates on themes which will be crucial to Europe in the next century;
• has a greater internal cohesion;
• establishes more effective cooperation with other programmes;
• increases the efficiency of the European research infrastructure.

2. A concentrated Framework Programme

The Netherlands would like to see the Framework Programme focus more closely on themes that are relevant to both European enterprise and European citizens and which can only be satisfactorily tackled at European level. This applies to the three basic themes listed below, which in turn affect a wide range of other economic sectors and applications:

• information technology;
• production and materials technology;
• the life sciences (biotechnology, health, food and agricultural research).

It also applies to the following four themes, which will be crucial for Europe during the next century:

• energy;
• environment;
• transport;
• solutions to European socio-economic and socio-cultural challenges, including the use of geographical space in Europe, demography, migration and culture.

These seven themes should form the backbone of the fifth Framework Programme. Each theme should be developed in consultation with the future users of their results, including European policy makers. Efforts must be made to avoid over-detailed planning, and sufficient scope should be left for bottom-up initiatives and for basic and innovatory research.

To this should be added four general programmes which would touch on each of the seven themes:

• cooperation with non-EU countries (especially Central and Eastern Europe, the developing countries and the Mediterranean countries);
• encouraging innovation in SMEs. Paragraph 3 enters into this;
• European research infrastructure and training of researchers. Paragraph 5 enters into this;
• the EU's Joint Research Centre. Paragraph 5 enters into this.

3. A Framework Programme with greater internal cohesion

Research often combines not only different disciplines but also different stages in the traditional process leading from basic research to practical application. This raises a need for programmes which contain elements other than research: i.e. the training of researchers, cooperation with non-EU countries and the practical application of results (including in the form of standards and norms) - in other words, 'integrated programmes'.

It also raises a need for strong cohesion between the various elements of the Framework Programme. The Netherlands believes that this can be achieved by appointing temporary coordinating Task Forces to concentrate on specific themes. These Task Forces would not have budgets of their own.

There are significant disparities between the existing specific programmes, in terms of costs and personnel. It is therefore necessary to study why this is so in order to prepare for any changes that may be made in the fifth Framework Programme.

The nature of the decision-making process has led to over-fragmentation within the programmes, including in the industrial programmes. This makes them less suitable for strategic projects that are vital to the competitiveness of European industry. The Netherlands is in favour of creating sufficient scope within the programmes for these types of projects. This need not result in the disfavouring of small and medium-sized enterprises. The globalisation of markets is increasingly forcing SMEs to innovate, yet many such firms have no R&D capacity of their own. The competitiveness of these enterprises is crucial for economic growth and employment, which is why the Framework Programme should focus special attention on them. This could take the form of an integrated programme which brings together all the existing facilities for SMEs, which at present are scattered. Two characteristics are essential for success, however: highly rapid procedures and openness to a wide variety of technologies. A programme of this kind could help SMEs to compile feasibility studies, contract out research and disseminate and apply existing knowledge. The projects must continue to bring together partners from several countries.

The training of European top researchers remains an essential task for the Framework Programme. This training should therefore continue to be included both in the specific programmes and in a general programme. Technology assessment must identify a new generation of research themes for the Framework Programme and must work more closely with other programmes.

4. A Framework Programme which cooperates more effectively with other programmes

As a joint programme shared by the 15 member states and four additional funding partners, the Framework Programme has a unique structure. It is therefore highly suitable for establishing links with other public programmes. The Netherlands supports the European Commission's desire for the programme committees to conduct an ongoing review of the Framework Programme's links with national research programmes.

The Programme's links with other international research programmes, including defence-related programmes, can be strengthened. The Netherlands particularly wishes to strengthen ties with the Eureka programme and is endorsing the co-funding of strategic Eureka projects by the EU, thereby preserving the flexible nature of the Eureka programme. A European scholarship programme can also be funded by the EU together with collaborating national research organisations. In this context, the Netherlands would like to see the creation of a European fund for top level researchers.

Closer cooperation can also be achieved by carrying out a specific programme in conjunction with another organisation or even by contracting out part of it. This could be done in the case of the scholarship programme. The programme for SMEs could also be carried out more effectively by, or in conjunction with, organisations at national or regional level which are close to the target group.

Cooperation with researchers outside the European Union should be possible in every programme, provided the projects concerned are found to be of sufficient European interest. The Netherlands was arguing in favour of this as early as the drafting of the Fourth Framework Programme. The separate INCO programme should therefore be targeted at supplementary actions in Central and Eastern Europe and at developing countries which are not yet able to take part in the Framework Programme without additional help. Research into the prevention and management of armed conflicts should be a novel theme in this programme.

There are numerous EU programmes running in parallel to the Framework Programme which for example promote training and investment. The links between the Framework Programme and these programmes must be further strengthened. This particularly applies to the aid programmes for the Peco, Tacis and Meda countries. Cooperation in this instance must come from both sides.

5. A Framework Programme that increases the efficiency of the European research infrastructure

Research, like the whole of the European internal market, is moving towards increased competition, expansion and specialisation. The Netherlands would like to see this process fully supported and accelerated by the Framework Programme. This requires investment in a high quality European research infrastructure (with the creation of networks centring on the major research facilities, the clustering and coordination of smaller projects into networks and the training of researchers) in order to strengthen the broad basis of research as well as the leading European research centres. The coordination of this infrastructure need not always include all 15 member states. Variable geometry sometimes offers better prospects for effective coordination.

The Joint Research Centre should also strive towards greater efficiency and competitiveness. Its current goal of an 18 per cent competitive financing on average must be further increased, and the JRC must at the same time be given more flexibility in spending it. The JRC should concentrate on research with a clear European dimension.

The Framework Programme itself could be made more efficient by streamlining the political decision-making process into fewer decisions. A speeding up of the implementation process from nine months (which is how long it currently takes) to six months is essential if the Programme is to remain attractive to top level research in both the private and public sectors. This can be done by further shortening the procedure between the selection of proposals and the start-up of the selected projects. To genuinely speed up the process within the Commission while at the same time retaining transparency and adequate monitoring, programme committees may decide to monitor the selection afterwards rather than beforehand, and to concentrate on the programming of the research.

6. Budget and objectives

The budget will need to tie within the financial perspectives for the year 2000 and beyond, which have yet to be established. The Netherlands is provisionally assuming that the budget will not be further increased.

Half the budget should be used to fund the first of the two aims of the Framework Programme, namely strengthening the international competitiveness of industry. Research being undertaken for the benefit of other European policies should be combined wherever possible with efforts to strengthen the competitiveness of European industry. Both aims often reinforce each other. Each of the programmes in the fifth Framework programme should be open to both the private and the public sector, as cooperation of companies and research institutes is a great acquired asset.

1 July 1996