Funding of research grants under the Community's specific RTD programmes
The majority of research grants are funded under the Community's specific RTD programme in the field of the training and mobility of researchers (TMR) (1994-1998) which covers all fields of scientific endeavour. A number of research grants are, however, also awarded under other Community RTD programmes covering specific areas of scientific research. At the start of 1996, Commissioners Bonino and Cresson, respectively responsible for fisheries and research, announced the allocation of 118 such grants designed to support European researcher mobility. Worth some ECU 10 million, the breakdown of the research grants that were awarded under each respective research programme was as follows: - Agriculture and Fisheries (FAIR): 42; - Biotechnology (BIOTECH II): 49; - Environment and Climate: 8; - Marine Science and Technology (MAST): 5; - Safety of Nuclear Fission: 3; - Controlled Thermonuclear Fusion: 11. TMR performs a pivotal role in the overall management of the research grant schemes of the Commission. Most of the Commission's research programmes have chosen to assimilate their rules and operating procedures to those of TMR. The latest and most prominent additions to this joint scheme being the Non-Nuclear Energy (JOULE/THERMIE) and Industrial and Materials Technologies (BRITE/EURAM III) programmes. In accordance with the TMR's rules and regulations, each fellow under these programmes will enjoy the same terms and conditions as TMR grant holders, and the host institution, as per the TMR arrangements, will be provided with ECU 10,000 per annum to cover research and administration expenses.