A. Co-operation with third countries
- States in the pre-Accession phase to the European Union: support to Centres of Excellence
- NIS and CEECs not in the pre-Accession phase: Copernicus-2
- Mediterranean Partner Countries
- Research for Development
- Emerging Economy and Industrialised
Different objectives and approaches have been developed to accommodate the specific nature of the problems in different world regions:
-
For the European countries which are candidates for accession to the EU, the 5th Framework Programme corresponds to the period in which they will prepare their full integration into the European Science and Technology (S&T;) community and they are associated to the 5th Framework Programme. The co-operation activities in this programme, specifically directed at these countries, are limited to certain types of accompanying measures.
-
For the Central and Eastern European countries (CEECs) which are not candidates for accession, as well as the New Independent States (NIS) and Mongolia, co-operation will continue to be directed at specific problems of this region in transition.
-
Co-operation with the Mediterranean Partner Countries will aim to enhance the S&T; base of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership.
-
Co-operation with Developing Countries, including the Mediterranean Partner Countries and Emerging Economies, will be directed at the specific problems these countries have in facing regional or global challenges.
-
Co-operation with Emerging Economy and Industrialised Countries will aim at giving appropriate reciprocal access to expertise and knowledge in these countries and in the EU, while contributing to Community external policy.
(Bulgaria, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta(2), Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia)
Objectives and Approach
The 34 projects of "Centres of Excellence in Candidate Countries" were selected after the Call ICFP599A1AM03, published on 15 June 1999, closed on 15 October 1999, and are part of the INCO2 Programme.
A Centre of Excellence is defined here as an existing working unit, either independent or functioning within a locally established research organisation of one of the countries concerned, having its own specific research agenda and preferable distinct organisational and administrative boundaries. The Centre should not be a subsidiary or branch of an organisation established in another country.
Centres supported bring together theoretical and applied research, in the natural, social and economic sciences, using a multi-disciplinary approach, where possible. The intention was that support would be provided for the measures and activities, which could not be financed from the budget of the Centre.
The activities are: workshops, conferences, co-ordination of a research network with other EU and Candidate Countries, visiting fellows (teachers and/or researchers) from EU and pre-Accession countries, training for Ph.D. students and/or post-doctoral researchers, twinning with a fellow centre in Europe and study visits of the researchers from the Centre to other institutions.
The objective is to put their capabilities at the service of the economic and social needs of their region, in conformity with the interest of the Union as a whole, by enabling them to improve their links with other European research centres, for example by networking and twinning arrangements.
From this objective, the expected deliverables are:
- Increased networking between Centres;
- Increased scope (regional coverage, subjects, activities) of the Centres;
- Contribution to capacity building through attracting young researchers;
- Support for economic and social needs of the region;
- Increased linkage with economic and social environment;
- Enhanced participation of Centres in other areas of the 5th Framework Programme.
On 15 October 1999, 185 proposals were submitted by all twelve Candidate Countries. These proposals were evaluated following the selection criteria:
- Scientific / technological excellence of Centre
- Structure of the Centre
- Scientific / technological potential
- Diversity of funding
After the evaluations and the negotiations, the 34 Centres of Excellence were given three-year contracts for a total EU contribution of 24 mio € varying from 100.000 € to 1.100.000 € per contract. These contracts started in the period between 1 September 2000 and 1 March 2001. A list of the funded projects is available, together with the individual descriptions of the organisations and their activities in this context.
(Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldavia, Mongolia, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan)
Objectives and approach
The objectives are to support these countries' efforts to develop a pluralistic scientific and technological system and to preserve and develop their research excellence in order to help them solve some of their major economic and societal problems. Activities will be aimed at: (i) regional problems linked to the environment and health, structural problems of transition and socio-economic development, and sustainable use of natural resources, through co-operation in areas of mutual interest; (ii) the consolidation of the scientific and technological potential in fields where these countries have a recognised excellence and valuable co-operation potential(3). Socio-economic research aspects should be integrated wherever appropriate. These may address aspects such as social welfare, including employment, and stabilisation of local institutions.
Deliverables
- Effective tools for limiting man-induced environmental damage
- Technologies and tools for a sustainable industry
- Better means to stem the rise of diseases, and to improve health care coverage, especially for vulnerable groups
- Increased linkages between researchers from these countries and those of the EU, and among the countries themselves.
Areas of the previous single call
Unless otherwise indicated, research was undertaken mainly by means of shared cost actions. Concerted actions/thematic networks were also possible.
(a) Environment and industry: problems of selected regions and sectors
(b) Improving health care in a changing society(4)
Accompanying measures
- Areas covered by the ongoing call:
(For all countries covered by A.1 and A.2)
In order to promote the creation of networks with a view to future participation in joint projects and concerted actions of the 5th Framework Programme, participation of researchers from these countries in conferences organised in Western Europe will be supported, as well as the organisation of conferences in the countries themselves. Evaluations will be based on the scientific relevance of the proposed event in relation to the themes covered by the 5th Framework Programme(5) as well as its administrative and financial soundness. The Community policy on equal opportunities between men and women will also be taken into account.
- Priorities for the second call
Information dissemination, awareness and training actions concerning the 5th Framework Programme, to be conducted on the initiative of organisations from these countries, will be supported in areas such as partner search (e.g. through brokerage events), consortium building, proposal preparation (especially for SMEs), contract negotiation and project management (including financial aspects). Besides supporting the existing dissemination networks in their activity, these measures will aim at the integration into these networks of all public and private bodies capable of representing and/or reaching the science and technology community. Evaluation will be based on the relevance of the proposed actions to the aims stated, the qualifications of the proposers and their capability to represent and/or reach the S&T; community in the target area (country, part of country or group of countries), and the need to achieve an optimal geographical coverage overall.
For the countries, which will participate in the 5th Framework Programme on a project-by-project basis, the measures will include the promotion of participation in the EU Contest for Young Scientists.
- In addition to calls for proposals (see indicative timetable), certain Accompanying Measures may be based on unsolicited proposals or on a call for tender.
(Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta(6), Morocco, Palestine Authority, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey)
Objectives and Approach
The objectives are those of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership and target long-range sustainable development around the Mediterranean Sea in the context of transboundary economic, environmental and socio-political problems. The approach is to concentrate on a set of five strategic areas: socio-economic modernisation, managing scarce regional water resources, preserving and using cultural heritage, promoting healthy societies and regional environmental sustainability. These areas of specific relevance to the region are not addressed under the thematic programmes of the 5th Framework Programme or under the Research for Development part of this programme and were selected through an extensive process of Euro-Mediterranean dialogue. Complementarity between this programme, the thematic programmes and MEDA co-operation activities will be ensured.
Deliverables
- Cross-sectoral policy options for structural adjustment, efficient transport, water and environmental management;
- Management and decision support systems for natural resources and health;
- Technologies for efficient water use, treatment and reuse and for the conservation of cultural heritage.
Priorities for the 2001 call:
a) Socio-Economic Modernisation
Safety, efficiency and interoperability of regional transport systems
(shared cost, concerted actions and thematic networks)
This theme targets the development of scenarios of socio-economic and transport policy reference in which the options for the economic development, the different transport policies, and the network of transport system can be enhanced. A special attention can also be given to the role of transport in the economic sustainable integration of the Mediterranean region.
Specific objectives:
-
Research on interoperability between the Mediterranean countries and between this region and the European Community, in view to identify the regulatory obstacles and proposals for solutions.
-
Decision support systems for the planning of infrastructures and traffic and introduction of methods and models for evaluating the impact of transports systems on socio-economic activity and environment, enhance the safety and efficiency of transport systems, targeting the cohesion of the various national transport systems, and their management at regional level.
-
Methods and criteria for identifying and for evaluating the development of transport corridors and networks in the Mediterranean within the context of the extension of the Trans-European transport networks.
Thematic Network dedicated to this these topics will include transport research institutions, operators and responsible authorities at the local and national levels.
b) Preserving and Using Cultural Heritage
Enabling Linguistic Diversity
(Priority Shared cost and Concerted actions)
Language diversity in the Mediterranean area is and will remain in the foreseeable future a major challenge for information and communication systems. The renewal of the Euro-Mediterranean dialogue implies a better understanding of each other throughout the age groups from early school to higher education level and research institutes, and thus the development of cost effective and user friendly methods and tools for cross-lingual information access, knowledge sharing and inter-personal communication.
The overall objective is to turn "language diversity" into a priority subject for Euro-Med multi-disciplinary research. This research conducted in close co-operation with the IST specific programme can only target specific Mediterranean aspects that could not be undertaken under this programme. This research should combine and integrate from a multi-lingual and cross-cultural perspective ongoing and upcoming efforts in areas such as: basic and value-added communications, business processes and electronic commerce, education and training, cultural heritage and electronic publishing. These objectives will target the promotion and application of new approaches, standards and tools and may include where appropriate the adaptation of existing methods and techniques to Euro-Med languages.
Specific objectives:
-
The understanding of users´ requirements from systems for multilingual information handling and the development of cross-lingual systems for digital information access, delivery and management over global networks.
-
The improvement of multi-media linguistic interoperability between European and Semitic languages; cross-lingual / cross-cultural authoring and localisation of multi-media content.
-
Annotated repositories of written and spoken language data, including recording, preservation, conservation and archival work on materials relevant to the study of dialects and oral culture.
c) Promoting Healthy Societies
(Priority to shared cost actions)
Research will address the new epidemiological and socio-economic reality, which is emerging in the Mediterranean area and will target strategies to alleviate the burden of disease on society and to support economic activity.
Specific objectives:
-
Research on epidemiological transition and its consequences on health planning and sector development and on health of migrants and health of vulnerable groups.
-
Research on regionally specific preventative, biological and clinical aspects of important metabolic and genetic congenital disorders and research on trauma rehabilitation.
-
Research in support of regional infectious disease surveillance and control in line with EU-Mediterranean collaboration activities in these domains.
d) Regional Environmental Sustainability
Integrated policy and resource management of coastal zones
(Priority to shared cost actions)
The aim is to develop a participatory strategic approach to planning and management of coastal areas in order to maximise their long-term contribution to socio-economic diversification and sustainable regional development.
Coastal areas are subject to an increasing diversity of demands for new opportunities to diversify local and national economies: coastal fisheries, aquaculture, wind-forms, tourism ,leisure etc. The economic unbalance between coastal and inside regions should be taken into account.
Specific objectives:
-
Development of early warning tools and decision support systems on the equilibrium between the coastal areas' resources and inland regions. (As for example remote sensing for land use and climate impacts, airborne surveillance systems or coastal water observing buoys).
-
Research activities on coastal typology, monitoring and dynamics of Mediterranean countries with particular interest for estuaries and marine ecosystem protection.
-
Scientific research on hydromorphology, models and data collection, identifying indicators and technologies for coastal dynamics in particular for flooding, erosion or sand stabilisation.
-
Long-term research measuring the sustainable development in coastal areas, the impact of human activities, in particular on water quality and availability, and identifying potential users and beneficiaries
Specific criteria:
Accompanying measures
Accompanying measures similar to those described under section A.4 are also foreseen for the Mediterranean partner countries.
Accompanying measures will focus mainly in the priority areas of the calls and will stimulate the RDT co-operation.
(2) Malta has entered into an accession process.
(3) For the NIS, the latter aim will be mainly achieved through INTAS (International Association for the promotion of co-operation with scientists from the Independent States of the former Soviet Union), an international non-profit association funded primarily from this programme. Close co-ordination between Copernicus-2 and INTAS will be ensured.
(4) In accordance with the rules for participation and dissemination and the European Commission regulation for implementing them, Member States and Associated States may have access, on presentation of a reasoned request, to useful knowledge which is relevant to policy making.
(5) It is recalled that the main evaluation criterion for the countries covered by A2 is the particular relevance of the conference topic, namely health, environment and sustainable use of natural resources.
(6) In the case of a country becoming associated to the 5th Framework Programme, that status will take precedence.