Work programme for cooperation with third countries and international organizations
The European Commission, DG XII, has published the work programme for the specific programme on cooperation with third countries and international organizations under the Fourth Framework Programme for research and technological development and demonstration (1994-1998). The work programme is structured in the same way as the specific programme in order to reflect the different nature of the cooperation with the various groups of countries covered by the programme. The overall approach is therefore geographic, rather than thematic. Thematic problems are dealt with in the two major elements of the programme: - Cooperation with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEEC) and with the independent states of the former Soviet Union (NIS) (area A.2) - Cooperation with the developing countries (area C). The implementation of cooperative RTD in these areas follows the model of the shared cost actions and concerted actions. The other areas, cooperation with other fora in Europe (area A.1) and cooperation with non-European industrialized countries (area B), which are more of a catalytic nature, follow a different approach. As a consequence of the integration of the STD programme and of the annual non-nuclear cooperative activities (APAS) in a single programme, and of the move from a bilateral towards a regional approach, 1995 is mainly a year of transition, with relatively modest commitments for cooperation with CEEC, NIS and developing countries. During this period the emphasis will be on the dialogue with these countries and the relevant services of the Commission. It is therefore envisaged that the work programme, which in its current form contains a range of the potential fields of cooperation, that are to be completed and spelled out as priorities in the calls for proposals, will be further specified and adapted gradually in the years to come. As areas A.1 and B do not involve joint research projects, and therefore consume only a minor part of the overall funding of the programme, the major share of the funding is for areas A.2 and C. In these latter areas, the major part of the funding is for "specific actions", to be defined in consultation with the third countries concerned, and for accompanying measures. The remainder will be used to facilitate the participation of third parties in the other specific programmes of the Fourth Framework Programme open to them. The dialogue with the countries concerned will also yield information on the volume and priorities of the funding to be earmarked for support for participation in the other specific programmes. An interprogramme coordination structure will be closely involved in this process. Close internal coordination with activities in the field of education and with other Community programmes concerning third countries (PHARE, TACIS, the economic development instruments) is also envisaged to stimulate synergy between these actions and international RTD cooperation. In all areas of the programme, concertation with the Member States will be pursued so as to optimize the effectiveness of Community and Member States' international RTD cooperation programmes and to sharpen the Community effort in terms of subsidiarity. A first call for proposals in the framework of the specific programme for cooperation with third countries and international organizations, under the Fourth Framework Programme, for area B (fellowships and grants for stays in Japan in scientific fields or in the area of manufacturing technologies and scientific fellowships in Korea) was published on 15 February 1995. A call for proposals for area C (scientific and technological cooperation with developing countries) will be published on 15 March 1995.