International scientific cooperation in the Sixth Framework Programme Initial training sessions for FP6 National Contact Points (NCP) October 2002 Thomas Arnold, RTD-06 International Scientific Cooperation Projects

Introductory message International scientific co-operation in the Sixth Framework Programme is u ambitious u different

A European Research Area open to the world “The European Research Area must be opened up to the rest of the world. This will enable EU countries, and third countries, to benefit from international cooperation in Science & Technology, thereby paving the way for closer political and economic relations.” (P. Busquin, Commissioner for Research) The strategic objectives of a European Research Area open to the world are laid down in Commission communication “The international dimension of the European Research Area”.

Strategic objectives  Make the Area more attractive to the best scientists and make it a world class reference centre  Enable European researchers and industrialists to access knowledge and technology available elsewhere in the world  Develop scientific and technological activities useful to the implementation of EU foreign and development aid policy  Enlist the S&T resources of the European Union and of third countries in initiatives that provide a response to significant world problems of concern to the Community Communication of the Commission, The international dimension of the European Research Area COM(2001), 346 fin

International scientific co-operation in the Sixth Framework Programme u International Co-operation represents an important dimension of Sixth Framework Programme u It contributes to a European Research Area open to the world u It will be implemented through three major complementary routes

Three major routes for international scientific co-operation in FP6 u Opening of “Focusing and Integrating Community Research” to third country organizations (with substantial funding) u Specific measures in support of international co-operation u International mobility of researchers Over and above these three major routes, t he international dimension is a cross-cutting issue which concerns the whole Framework programme

Opening of “Focusing and Integrating Community Research” to third country organizations (1) u Participation to Community activities u participation of researchers, teams and institutions from third countries in projects within  the seven Priority Thematic Areas of Research,  Specific activities covering a wider field of research u Budget: 285 million Euro for third country participation

Opening of “Focusing and Integrating Community Research” to third country organizations (2) u Strategic objectives: u To help European researchers, businesses and research organisations in the European Union and in the countries associated with the Framework programme to have access to knowledge and expertise existing elsewhere in the world u To help ensure Europe’s strong and coherent participation in research initiatives related to issues arising at the world level and being the subject of international or global efforts u Overall focus u Community interest

Opening of “Focusing and Integrating Community Research” to third country organizations (3) Examples for issues arising at world level or subject to international efforts: u Food safety u Sustainable development (e.g. biodiversity, desertification, global climatic change, forest management) u Combating infectious diseases associated with poverty (HIV, tuberculosis, malaria)

Opening of “Focusing and Integrating Community Research” to third country organizations (4) u Who can participate? u All third countries: in addition to minimal number of participants from Member States and Associated countries u Who can be funded? u All third countries u INCO target countries (developing countries, Mediterranean partner countries, Western Balkan countries, Russia and the other NIS): within limit of budget (285 million Euros) u Other third countries: if provision is made in work programme or if necessary to carry out the RTD activity

Opening of “Focusing and Integrating Community Research” to third country organizations (5) Use of 285 million Euro u 285 million Euro for international co-operation (Activity 2 of Treaty) are already part of overall appropriations of priorities u Upfront indicative pro-rata distribution with regular monitoring and mid-term review u To be used for funding of INCO target countries participating in RTD actions u 285 million Euro are considered as a spending target, not necessarily as an upper limit u Non-INCO target countries can be funded out of Activity 1 appropriations of priorities

Specific measures in support of international co-operation (1) u Dedicated international cooperation activities which are relevant to some groups of countries or regions with own calls for proposals u Budget: 315 million Euro for RTD actions u Strategic objective To lend support, in the scientific and technological field, to the implementation of the Community’s foreign policy and development aid policy u Overall focus mutual interest

Specific measures in support of international co-operation (2) These activities will be carried out: u To complement the activities in the seven thematic priorities u By means of specific targeted research projects of a limited scale, actions to coordinate national efforts and, specific support measures u Problem oriented approach on a regional basis, policy dialogue and prioritization u Research priorities defined on the basis of u the interests and objectives of the Community’s political partnership with the different groups of countries u the particular economic and social needs of countries and regions concerned

Specific measures in support of international co-operation (3) These activities Activities could cover more particularly: u for developing countries, the problems of health and public health, food security safety, and the rational exploitation of resources u for the Mediterranean partner countries, issues relating to environment, health and water issues, as well as protection of the cultural heritage u for Western Balkan countries: Environment and Energy, Health u for Russia and the other NIS: stabilization of R&D potential, issues relating to changes in the industrial production system, environment and health protection and various safety aspects cooperation activities with Russia and the CIS will be carried out in particular through the INTAS structure set up jointly by the Community and the Member States

International mobility of researchers (1) uA coherent set of actions to support international mobility of researchers in the framework of the specific programme “Structuring the ERA”. uWith a view to further reinforcing the human potential for European research, these actions will aim to uattract the best and most promising researchers from third countries upromote the training of European researchers abroad èTwo main types of grants: uin-coming fellowships with possibility for “return ticket” uout-going fellowships

International mobility of researchers (2) uin-coming fellowships with possibility for “return ticket” uto work and undertake research training in Europe uprovision to assist fellows to return to their countries of origin in case of emerging and transition economies and developing countries uout-going fellowships u to be awarded to research workers from EU and Associated Countries to work in established third country research centres u requires submission of a coherent individual training programme involving a first phase abroad followed by mandatory second phase in Europe

Other parts of Sixth Framework programme (Strengthening the Foundations of ERA, Structuring ERA outside Human Resources) u Who can participate? u Countries with S&T co-operation agreement: in accordance with agreement u all third countries: if provision is made in work programme or if necessary to carry out RTD action u Who can be funded? u all third countries: if provision is made in work programme or if necessary to carry out RTD action.

International Scientific co-operation Mechanisms for priority setting  Co-ordination with Member States: to identify national policies and synergize existing initiatives, with a view to achieve differentiated objectives according to needs of EU and its partners  Bilateral agreements for scientific and technological co- operation between the EU and the country wishing to strengthen and formalize its links with the European scientific community  Bi-regional dialogues between the EU and a group of countries (e.g. ASEM) on the basis of jointly identified objectives.  International forums dealing with global problems (e.g. AIDS, global climate change, feeding the world and fighting hunger)

International Scientific co-operation Internal co-ordination  International Co-operation Steering group  with representatives from all Commission services involved in implementation of Sixth Framework Programme  to ensure overall coherence of international scientific co-operation across Framework Programme  to ensure complementarity between different types of international co-operation activities

Further information INCO infodesk: INCO infopoint: Web site to be designed as Commission wide Single Entry Point for information on international co-operation activities throughout the Sixth Framework Programme