Overview of INCO in FP5
Main objectives
The main objectives of this horizontal programme are:
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to promote RTD co-operation internationally; to reinforce Community capacities in the fields of science and technology;
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to generally support the achievement of scientific excellence within the wider international framework;
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to contribute to the implementation of the Community's external policy also with the accession of new members in mind.
Strategic objectives
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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;
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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;
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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;
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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;
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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.
Main objectives
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:
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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.
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to increase the opportunities for training researchers.
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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 of the Guide for Proposers Part 1 and Box 4).
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.