Council adopts FP6 rules for participation
The Commission's proposals for the rules for participation in the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) have been adopted by the Council of Ministers, just ahead of the FP6 launch conference in Brussels. The document outlines the rules governing participation in an EU funded project, including funding mechanisms, the type of funding that might be foreseen for any selected project, the dissemination of results, the protection of intellectual property rights, principles for the evaluation of submitted proposals and the contract between the Commission and the project participants. The original proposal was submitted by the Commission on 11 September 2001 and amended following discussions in the European Parliament and the Research Council. The Council agreement includes a unilateral statement by Portugal explaining its abstention from the vote on the rules for participation. 'Portugal can see no justification for the omission [...] of a provision safeguarding the specific nature of the new instruments,' reads the statement. 'Portugal has always argued that, in conception and implementation, networks of excellence and major integrated projects should be kept as open as possible, since there is a risk of using Community funding to strengthen what is already strong and works very well, whereas the aim should be to provide support where there is significant room for improvement in the quality of work and results.' Portugal would also like to see a minimum of five participants for every EU funded project, as opposed to the three set out in the Commission proposal.