Commission appoints External Advisory Groups for research The European Commission has recently appointed a total of 278 experts to provide independent advice on the implementation of the Fifth RTD Framework Programme. Selected from nearly 5,000 candidates, these advisors will serve for two years on 17 different groups. Half of the gr... The European Commission has recently appointed a total of 278 experts to provide independent advice on the implementation of the Fifth RTD Framework Programme. Selected from nearly 5,000 candidates, these advisors will serve for two years on 17 different groups. Half of the group have a research background, expertise complemented by a strong representation from those with an industrial background (32%) and a significant proportion of research users and regulators (18%). The advice provided by these External Advisory Groups concerns the content and direction of the research work to be carried out under the key actions of the Fifth RTD Framework Programme. Their first task will involve advising on the guidelines for the detailed work programmes of each component programme, and will be followed by tasks such as preparing timetables for the calls for proposals, establishing the criteria to be used for evaluating project proposals, and outlining verifiable objectives for achieving the aims of the key actions. In addition, the groups will comment on the strategic nature and exploitation of the work to be carried out and on the analysis of the results, with a view to a possible revision or reorientation of the work programmes. Each group will consist of about 16 members chosen from the Member States. Members from countries associated with the Framework Programme, including Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Israel, will be added soon, and the groups will later be enlarged to include members who associate with the Framework Programme, such as those from the candidate countries for accession to the EU.
