II.1. Programme objectives

II.1.1 Main objectives

The main objectives of this horizontal programme are:

• to promote RTD co-operation internationally; to reinforce Community capacities in the fields of science and technology;

• to generally support the achievement of scientific excellence within the wider international framework;

• to contribute to the implementation of the Community's external policy also with the accession of new members in mind.

II.1.2 Strategic objectives

• to promote scientific and technological co-operation between undertakings, organisations and researches from third countries and from the Community, likely to produce significant, mutual and balanced benefits, taking into account the different needs and circumstances of individual groups of countries and regions whilst respecting the protection of intellectual property;

• to facilitate access for research centres and undertakings established in the Community to scientific and technological knowledge available outside the Community and useful to the Community's interests;

• to enhance the position and role of Community research in the international scientific and technological arena and to promote a European scientific and technological culture, taking account of the social and cultural needs of the countries with which it is co-operating;

• to prepare for the accession of new Member States, e.g. by encouraging their full association with the framework programme; to contribute to the stabilisation of the RTD potential of the Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs) in general and of the Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union (NIS), to support and develop the Euro-Mediterranean partnership and to contribute to the sustainable economic, social and scientific development of developing countries;

• to help European research players acquire information and gain experience of research capacity, activity and priorities of industrialised third countries and "emerging economy" countries, so as to make Community industry more competitive and enhance its presence on new markets.

II.2. Programme strategy

International RTD co-operation will be pursued in two forms in the Fifth Framework Programme: firstly, through this specific programme and secondly, through the other programmes, and in close co-ordination with them.

The specific actions provided for in this programme are as follows:

• to pursue strategically defined activities aimed at the accession candidate countries, other Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs), the New Independent States of the former Soviet Union (NIS) (excluding the Baltic States) and Mongolia, the Mediterranean partner countries and developing countries. In order to exploit fully the opportunities for co-operation and optimise the added value at European level, this programme will also facilitate co-operation with certain industrialised and emerging economy countries.

• to increase the opportunities for training researchers.

• to ensure co-ordination with other programmes of the framework programme, with other Community initiatives, Member States, international organisations and co-operation schemes such as COST and EUREKA.

The second form of international co-operation to be pursued will be the participation of partners form outside the Union (without funding from the international co-operation programme) in projects of the other programmes in accordance with the participation and dissemination rules (see Section III and Box 3).

II.3. Programme structure and content

Co-operation with states in the pre-accession phase, the New Independent States of the former Soviet Union (NIS) and Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs) not in the pre-accession phase, Mediterranean partner countries, and Developing countries, is described below for each of these four groups. Further details can be found in the Work Programme and in the relevant Call for Proposals, both documents included in the Information Package.

Beside these activities, a fellowship scheme will be established to allow young doctoral level researchers from developing countries, including Mediterranean and emerging economy countries, to work in European laboratories on projects of the framework programme.

Another fellowship scheme will enable young Community researchers to work in industrially-oriented laboratories of the highest quality in non-Union countries, in areas of particular interest to the Community.

II.3.1. Co-operation with States in the phase of pre-accession to the European Union: Support for Centres of Excellence.

(a) Objectives

As a contribution to restructuring the science and technology sector of the countries concerned, the objective will be to support approximately 1020 excellent research centres to better put their capacities capabilities at the service of the economic and social needs of their countries andregion, in conformity with the interest of the Union as a whole. , This will be done in first place by enabling them through to improving improve their links with other European centres e.g. through networking and twinning arrangements.

(b) Priorities

Centres to be supported should bring together theoretical and applied research, including research in the natural, social and economic sciences, where possible may cover any fields of RTD using a multi-disciplinary approach where possible. Preference will be given to activities which promote links with economic and social actors. Support will be provided for a package of measures aimed at opening opportunities which would not be available with the budget the Centre would normally receive.

II.3.2. Co-operation with NIS and CEECs not in the pre-accession phase (Copernicus 2)

Activities will be aimed at:

• the solution ofregional problems linked to the environment and to health, and of structural problems of transition and socio-economic development, and sustainable use of natural resources;

• as well as atthe consolidation of the scientific and technological potential in fields where these countries have a recognised excellence and valuable co-operation potential. Socio-economic research aspects should be integrated wherever appropriate. These may address in particular, besides the reorientation of the science and technology sector itself, aspects such as social welfare, including employment, and stabilisation of local institutions.

Thematic areas include :

• Remediation and prevention of regional environmental problemsEnvironment and industry: problems of selected regions and sectors

1. Sustainable management of natural resources in the coastal areas of the Arctic;

2. Forecasting and combating man-induced desertification;

3. Environmental management for industrial metropolitan areas;

4. Development of environmentally benign and sustainable industrial technologies to the metal sector and the chemical sector.

• Improving health care in a changing society

1. Prevention and control of non-communicable diseases;

2. Health care systems

II.3.3. Co-operation with Mediterranean Partner countries (INCO-MED)

The overall objective pursued is to tackle challenges in research faced by the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership in the context of transboundary economic, environmental and socio-political problems. RTD promoted in this context is to contribute to the sustainable development and socio-economic modernisation in the region. Scientific and technological co-operation is to be strengthened between organisations and researchers from Mediterranean Partner Countries and from the Community to achieve balanced participation and significant results. Coherence and complementarity with other Euro-Mediterranean co-operation policies, in particular a synergy with the programme MEDA will be ensured.

INCO-MED thematic areas, selected through an extensive process of Euro-Mediterranean dialogue, cover the following sectors:

• Socio-Economic Modernisation

• Managing Scarce Regional Water Resources

1. Comprehensive Water Policy and Integrated Planning

2. Efficiency in Water Use

• Preserving and Using Cultural Heritage

• Promoting Healthy Societies

• Regional Environmental Sustainability

Policy research will aim to identify cross-sectoral policy options for structural adjustment, efficient transport, water and environmental management, and to implement measures targeted to management and decision support systems for natural resources and health.

Research will emphasise on technologies for efficient water use, treatment and reuse, and for the conservation of cultural heritage.

II.3.4 Co-operation with Developing Countries (INCO-DEV)

The objectives are to tackle challenges faced by Developing Countries, to mobilise the European S&T; community jointly with Developing Country research teams and to use RTD co-operation to support Community development co-operation policy.

The thematic areas to be covered by the co-operation between Developing Countries and Community scientists will be based on the dialogue with groups of countries and regions on their RTD priorities and socio-economic requirements.

Co-operation activities will be undertaken in the following three major thematic areas:

• Policy research on the conditions for sustainable development* *
  Policy research will aim to identify the socio-economic and policy conditions and corresponding implementation measures that favour progress and sustainable development.

1. Making the most of research: RTD in the global knowledge and information society.

2. Meeting basic needs: food, water, sanitation and health care

3. Natural resource use and economic production: adapting to globalisation and ensuring harmony with the environment.

4. Promotion of sustainable settlement patterns through favourable rural-urban interactions.

• Systems research on natural capital, the human environment and health
  System research will emphasise the relationship between human activity and the environment.

• Strategies for rural productivity: ecosystem management for sustainability

• Managing the human environment and the rural-urban interface: health systems, water management and land use.

• • Tools for sustainable development.
    Research leading to results which are of direct application or which may be combined with others to produce exploitable technological packages.

• Tools for health improvement: attacking major health problems

• Technologies for sustainable plant and animal production: building blocks for improvement

• Market-oriented products and services in agro-food: adding value and meeting consumer demand

• Safe and efficient water management: environmental technologies for use, decontamination and recycling.

• 

  II.3.5 Co-operation with Emerging Economy and Industrialised Countries

  Australia, Canada, China, Israel, Japan, Korea (Rep. of), New Zealand, South Africa, USA and emerging economies in Latin America and Asia.

  (a) Objectives

  These countries are both competitors and partners for the Union in the global market place. This part of the programme will promote:

  • bilateral as well as multilateral (e.g. G-7, OECD) policy dialogue in research

  • access to research know-how and opportunities available in these countries for the benefit of European research and the competitiveness of European industry

  • the sharing of the costs and benefits of global endeavours (e.g. human genome, information society,…)

  • co-operation aimed at the solution of world-wide problems (e.g. global climate change).

  (b) Priorities

  In order to facilitate access to the research potential which exists outside the Union, this programme will implement scientific and technological co-operation agreements with certain industrialised countries outside Europe. This instrument could also be extended to co-operation in certain areas with some of the major emerging economy countries, i.e. certain developing countries which represent important markets, and which have developed to the point that in specific scientific and technological areas they are at par with industrialised countries.

  

  II.3.6 Training for researchers

  (a) Fellowships for young researchers from Developing Countries

  Bursaries will be granted to young researchers for a period of up to 6 months. Bursary applications must be linked to a joint research or concerted action proposal in any of the specific programmes.

  Optional fellowship application forms will be included in the information packs of all specific programmes and will be evaluated simultaneously with the project proposal. Only if the project is selected for funding and the bursary application is highly rated, will the bursary be granted, subject to the available budget (see Box 1).

  

  (b) Fellowships to Japan for Community Researchers

  The objective is to enable young researchers and engineers from the Community (and Associated States) to participate in high-level industrial research in public and private laboratories in Japan.

  Bursaries will be granted for a period of 24 months to carry out research in any of the natural or exact sciences. The bursary will also include intensive Japanese language training.

  The Community’s equal opportunities policy will be taken into account in the implementation of these fellowship schemes.

  

  II.4. Synergies with other programmes

  Close co-ordination between INCO-2 actions and the participation of third countries in other specific programmes will be ensured, in order to guarantee an adequate use of human and economic resources.

  II.5. Implementation of the programme

  II.5.1. Types of Calls

  Most activities within the programme will employ the mechanism of periodic calls, in which proposals will be invited for submission within a defined timeframe.

  Certain specific activities within the Work Programme will be subject to a continuous submission scheme, under which evaluation of received proposals will be carried out at least three or four times per year (different deadlines).

  II.5.2. Specific implementation modalities

  The types of actions for the implementation of the programme are those common to other programmes of FP5, i.e., shared-cost actions, training fellowships, support to networks, concerted actions and accompanying measures. A full description of these activities can be found in item I.3.2 of Section I of this Guide.

  However, applicants should take into account specific conditions concerning eligibility and the Community's financial contribution laid down in Table B below.

  II.5.3. The INCO-2 Work Programme

  The INCO-2 Work Programme, which includes an indicative timetable or Roadmap, describes in detail the objectives and priorities of the programme on a yearly basis. It will be accordingly adapted to ensure its continued relevance in the light of evolving needs and developments.

  

  II.6. References

  Decision on the 5th Framework Programme	O.J. L26, 1.2.99	/fp5
  Decision on the INCO-2 Programme	O.J. L64, 12.3.99	/fp5
  INCO-2 Work Programme	European Commission Decision C/2000/340	/fp5