Specific research programmes (EEC) to be implemented by the Joint Research Centre - Human Capital and mobility -, 1992-1994

Part of the third Framework programme for Community activities in the field of research and technological development (1990 to 1994) under subactivity III.6.: "Human capital and mobility", this activity of the JRC is closely related to the specific RTD programme in the field of human capital and mobility (HUMCAP C, 1990-1994) implemented by the Commission's Directorate-General for Science, Research and Development (DG XII).
To help increase the human capital, in terms of research and technological development, which the Member States will be needing for the next decade, and to focus on the interaction and collaboration between teams and laboratories in all Member States and the JRC by providing training opportunities for researchers, setting up networks with the JRC, and encouraging the use of JRC experimental facilities by national teams.
Information not presently available.
The Commission, assisted by the Board of Governors of the Joint Research Centre (JRC), is responsible for carrying out the programme by means of the services of the JRC and in parallel with other relevant specific programmes of the third Framework programme (1990-1994).

Training opportunities will be provided to researchers embarking on careers in RTD by offering them temporary attachment to relevant JRC institutes and embedding them in research teams working through networks with national laboratories. Specific joint projects may be of a theoretical nature or such as call for the utilization of scientific experimental facilities at the JRC. Training opportunities for young researchers will also be strengthened by provision and support for participation in JRC Euroconferences and similar activities conducted on JRC sites or elsewhere in the Community in collaboration with national research laboratories.

Within the networks, particular emphasis will be placed on the encouragement of exchange of researchers - junior as well as more experienced - between national laboratories and the JRC, allowing both for national staff to join the JRC for a limited period of time - up to three years - and for the JRC staff, in the same way, to join national laboratories and teams.

The network oriented actions aim at consolidating existing agreements between national laboratories and the JRC and stimulating the creation of such new agreements with national laboratories around specific themes and calling for collaboration on specified joint projects throughout the networks of laboratories, including relevant JRC scientific institutes.

Joint projects to be executed within the networks will be defined in concert with all partners of the network concerned. The selection of researchers who will take advantage of the mobility and training opportunities will also be made in concert with the partners, taking into account the selection criteria defined in the specific RTD programme in the field of human capital and mobility programme (HUMCAP C).

Alongside the network agreements, access by interested national teams to JRC experimental facilities will be encouraged by offering appropriate hosting support for experiments of mutual interest between the national teams and the JRC.

The Commission is authorized to negotiate international agreements with third country members of COST, in particular member countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and Central and Eastern European countries, with a view to associating them with the programme. However, no contracting body based outside the Community may benefit from the Community financing granted to the programme. Such a body shall contribute to the general administrative costs.

The funds estimated as necessary for the execution of the programme amount to ECU 24.75 million, 6% of which may be used for exploratory research. A sum representing 1% of the total JRC budget for 1992-1994 is reserved as a contribution from the JRC's specific programmes to the centralized action on dissemination and exploitation of results (VALUE II).

Knowledge gained through the realization of the projects will be disseminated by the programme itself as well as by the centralized action.

The Commission shall each year before 31 March present to the European Parliament, the Council and the Economic and Social Committee a report on the implementation of the programme, together with the observations of the Board of Governors. At the end of the programme an evaluation of the research shall be conducted by a group of independent external experts and a report on the evaluation, accompanied by the opinion of the Board of Governors, shall be forwarded to these same bodies.