Brussels, 20/02/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the European Commission is examining the proposal by Commissioner Philippe Busquin on the sixth framework programme for research (2002-2006), which comprises several new elements compared to the current programme. The sixth programme is fully within the approach aimed at developing a European research area and meets the concern of greater involvement by the scientific community in strategic choices in this field. The proposal also places emphasis on the role of SMEs and the regional dimension. It translates a real determination for procedural decentralisation and simplification. Credits are also foreseen at every level of the programme to strengthen human resources, develop the mobility of researchers and contribute to the development of infrastructures of Community interest.
As pointed out earlier (see EUROPE of 8 February, p.16), the structure is organised around three aims to: - integrate European research; - structure European research area; - and strengthen the bases for the European research area. Three new instruments (integrated projects, networks of excellence and cooperation programmes between several Member States) will serve to implement actions in seven priority research fields. These tools, essential for the implementation of the programme, must make it possible to leave the current management system which provides for Commission approval for every change, however minor, in the research projects that it finances. In the context of networks of excellence and integrated projects, the participants will thus have the possibility to: - involve other partners in the activities that they undertake; - define smaller projects as components of their activity programme and launch calls for proposals; - adjust the content of these programmes according to needs. The proposal by Mr Busquin must still be approved by the College that may reshuffle some details, even though concerns expressed by some directorate-generals have been allayed by changes to the text or complementary explanations by the DG Research services.
As it stands at present, the proposal foresees focusing most of the financial means on seven thematic areas that are particularly important for the European Union:
Genomics and bio-technology for health. This is one of the main areas of research for the future, that should result in many applications in various sectors and, especially, in the perfecting of new therapies. The European research effort remains substantially weaker and less consistent than that of the United States. On the economic front, 70% of companies involved in this sector are established in the United States and a growing part of European private investment leaks to this country. The framework programme should focus on: - fundamental research in functional genomics (the expression of genes and proteins, structural genomics, comparative genomics, bio-information); - the applications in biotechnology for health (development of new tools for diagnosis, prevention and therapy; support to innovative research of start-ups); - applications in medicine (fight against cancer, degenerative illnesses of the nervous system, cardiovascular diseases and rare diseases; the fight against resistance to medicines; the brain; and the ageing process).
Technologies for the Information Society. This sector has become the second economic sector of the Union with an annual market worth EUR 2000 billion. It employs over two million persons in Europe. The actions envisaged cover: - communications infrastructures and information processing (new generations of cordless and mobile communications by broad band and satellite; all-optics technologies); - miniaturised components (micro and opto-electronics and photonics, mainly; new materials and quantum devices); - management of information and interfaces (intelligent systems; multi-sensorial interfaces able to understand and interpret natural human expression through words, gestures, etc.); - interactive and intelligent systems for health, mobility, security and the surveillance of the environment, in particular.
Nano-technologies, intelligent material, new production processes. Nano-technologies are the subject of considerable investment from the Union's competitors: $500 million in public funding from the United States in 2001, five times more than in Europe. These mainly concern: - supramolecular architectures and macromolecules; - nano-biotechnologies and bio-calculation, with applications in the fields of health, chemicals, energy, optics and the environment; - systematic research necessary for managing waste and risk control.
Aeronautics and space. In an increasingly demanding competitive environment, the foreseeable needs in air transport amount, at world level, to around 14,000 new aircraft over the next fifteen years, representing contracts worth EUR 1000 billion. The actions envisaged take into account the "Vision 2020" report (see EUROPE of 29 January, p.10). In terms of aeronautical research, the Community action should cover: - commercial aircraft, motors and equipment; - the reduction of emissions (CO2, NOX, noise); - the improvement of aircraft security; - air traffic control and management system. In the filed of space: - Galileo for satellite navigation; - GMES for environmental monitoring and security; - advanced research necessary for the integration of the space segment and the land segment in the field of communications.
Food safety and health risks. The Community action will cover the research linked to different aspects of the mastering of food risks: - analysis and detection methods for chemical contaminants and pathogen micro-organisms (virus, bacteria, parasites and new agents of the prion type); - traceability procedures, notably for GMO; - production processes; - epidemology of affections linked to food; - the impact of food, in particular with products containing GMO, on health; - environmental risks for human health.
Sustainable development and climatic change: - renewable energies; - development of alternative fuels; - interoperability; - fuel cells; - hydrogen technology; - new concepts of solar photovoltic technology and advanced uses for biomass; - impact and mechanisms of greenhouse gas emission and carbon "sinks"; - water cycle; - biodiversity, protection of genetic resources; functioning of terrestrial and marine ecosystems; - mechanisms of desertification and natural disasters linked to climatic change; - global climate change monitoring system.
Citizens and "governance" in the "European knowledge society": this concerns the human and social sciences aspects of the programme that will cover in particular comparative studies, the development of indicators and research covering the improvement of knowledge transmission.
Another part of the framework programme must cover the Union's anticipation of scientific and technological needs. Under this chapter, lies all the research that comes to the support Union policies in the various fields; agriculture, fishing, environment, public health, but also trade, aid to development, etc. The chapter also includes the activities of the Joint Research Centre (JRC). The principal that prevailed here is that of flexibility. It is a case of being able to answer real or new needs in close cooperation with the scientific world and industry or the sector concerned, which will be fully involved in the defining of research guidelines. The activities will be carried out on the basis of call for proposals. They will be implemented on an annual basis and will provide a great deal of place for SMEs. The specific activities of international cooperation will also enter in to this part of the programme.
On the budgetary level, Commissioner Busquin hopes to gain the College's support for an amount, which is in no way excessive in itself, but which appears to be significant with regards to the budgetary rigour imposed by the Agenda 2000. If it is followed, the research will benefit from a total amount of EUR 17.505 billion, of which 16.275 for the sixth framework programme and 1.230 for the Euratom programme (150 million for the processing and storage of waste: 700 for controlled thermonuclear fusion, of which 200 for ITER; 330 for the JRC, of which 110 for processing and storage; 50 million for other activities). As a comparison, the total research budget under the 5th programme is 14.960 billion, of which 979 million for Euratom. An initial indicative allocation gives the following amounts:
1. Integrate research: 12.775 billion, of which: - genomics and health, 2 billion (around 860 million under 5th FRDP); - information society, 3.6 billion (amount unchanged); - nanotechnologies, 1.3 billion (around 731 million); - aeronautics and space, 1 billion (700 million); - food safety, 600 million (290 million); - sustainable development, 1.700 billion (2.125 billion); - citizens and "governance", 225 million. The budget available for the anticipated scientific needs and small projects concerning various policies would be EUR 2.450 billion, of which 720 million for the JRC.
2. Structure the European Research Area (ERA): EUR 3.050 billion., of which: - research and innovation, 300 million; - human resources and mobility, 1.8 billion; - infrastructures, 900 million; - sciences and society, 50 million.
3. Strengthen the basis of the ERA:
It must be noted that CORDIS has opened a new website exclusively dedicated to the debate over the sixth FRDP. It can be found at the following address: http: //http://www.cordis.lu/rtd2002.