94/805/EC: Council Decision of 23 November 1994 adopting a specific programme of research, technological development and demonstration in the field of agriculture and fisheries, including agro-industry, food technologies, forestry, aquaculture and rural development (1994 to 1998)

• Published date: 22 December 1994
• Subject Matter: Internal market - Principles,Research and technological development,Agriculture and Fisheries,Fisheries policy
• Official Gazette Publication: Official Journal of the European Communities, L 334, 22 December 1994

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94/805/EC: Council Decision of 23 November 1994 adopting a specific programme of research, technological development and demonstration in the field of agriculture and fisheries, including agro-industry, food technologies, forestry, aquaculture and rural development (1994 to 1998)

Official Journal L 334 , 22/12/1994 P. 0073 - 0086
Finnish special edition: Chapter 13 Volume 29 P. 0213
Swedish special edition: Chapter 13 Volume 29 P. 0213

COUNCIL DECISION of 23 November 1994 adopting a specific programme of research, technological development and demonstration in the field of agriculture and fisheries (including agro-industry, food technologies, forestry, aquaculture and rural development (1994 to 1998) (94/805/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 130i (4) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament (2),

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (3),

Whereas, by Decision No 1110/94/EC (4), the European Parliament and the Council adopted a fourth framework programme for Community activities in the field of research, technological development and demonstration (RTD) for the period 1994 to 1998 specifying inter alia the activities to be carried out in the field of agriculture and fisheries (including agro-industry, food technologies, forestry, aquaculture and rural development); whereas this Decision takes account of the grounds set out in the preamble to that Decision;

Whereas Article 130i (3) of the Treaty stipulates that the framework programme shall be implemented through specific programmes developed within each activity under the framework programme and that each specific programme shall define the detailed rules for its implementation, fix its duration and provide for the means deemed necessary;

Whereas the amount deemed necessary for carrying out this programme is ECU 607 million; whereas the appropriations for each financial year shall be laid down by the budgetary authority, subject to the availability of resources within the financial perspectives and the conditions set out in Article 1 (3) of Decision No 1110/94/EC;

Whereas, in order to attain the objectives and meet the challenges in the field of agriculture and fisheries (including agro-industry, food technologies, forestry, aquaculture and rural development), a programme of RTD should support:

- the competitiveness, efficiency and sustainable development of the agricultural sector (agriculture, horticulture, forestry and fisheries) and the agro-industrial sector (food and non-food),

- the evolution of Community policies (especially agriculture and fisheries),

- societal needs to provide a wide range of healthy and nutritional food products and non-food products compatible with the environment,

- sustainable development, the preservation and the improvement of rural and coastal environment;

Whereas this programme may make a significant contribution to the stimulation of growth, to the strengthening of competitiveness and to the development of employment in the Community, as indicated in the White Paper on 'Growth, competitiveness and employment';

Whereas the content of the fourth framework programme for Community RTD activities was established in accordance with the subsidiarity principle; whereas this specific programme specifies the content of the activities to be carried out in accordance with this principle in the field of agriculture and fisheries (including agro-industry, food technologies, forestry, aquaculture and rural development);

Whereas Decision No 1110/94/EC lays down that a Community action is justified if, inter alia, research contributes to the strengthening of the economic and social cohesion of the Community and the promotion of its overall harmonious development, while being consistent with the pursuit of scientific and technical quality; whereas this programme is intended to help meet these objectives;

Whereas the Community should support only RTD activities of high quality;

Whereas the Community contribution to fisheries research can be more effective if specific final arrangements are made for the collection of data and the maintenance and development of appropriate data bases in cooperation with the corresponding authorities in the Member States;

Whereas the rules for the participation of undertakings, research centres (including the Joint Research Centre (JRC)) and universities and the rules governing the dissemination of research results specified in the measures provided for in Article 130j of the Treaty apply to this specific programme;

Whereas provision should be made for measures to encourage the involvement of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in this programme, in particular through technology stimulation measures;

Whereas the Commission's efforts to simplify and accelerate the application and selection procedures and make them more transparent must be continued in order to support the implementation of the programme and to facilitate the action which firms, and particularly SMEs, research centres and universities have to undertake in order to participate in a Community RTD activity;

Whereas this programme will help to strengthen synergy between the RTD activities carried out in the field of agriculture and fisheries (including agro-industry, food technologies, forestry, aquaculture and rural development) by research centres, universities and enterprises, in particular SMEs, in the Member States and between these and the corresponding Community RTD activities;

Whereas the nature of the activities to be undertaken in this programme requires close coordination with activities undertaken under other specific programmes;

Whereas it may be appropriate to engage in international cooperation activities with international organizations and third countries for the purpose of implementing this programme;

Whereas this programme should also comprise support activities for the dissemination and exploitation of RTD results, in particular towards SMEs, notably those in the Member States and regions which participate least in the programme, and activities to stimulate the mobility and training of researchers within this programme to the extent necessary for proper implementation of the programme;

Whereas an analysis should be made of possible socio-economic consequences and technological risks associated with the programme;

Whereas progress with this programme should be continuously and systematically monitored with a view to adapting it, where appropriate, to scientific and technological developments in this area; whereas, in due course, there should be an independent evaluation of progress with the said programme so as to provide all the background information needed in order to determine the objectives of the fifth RTD framework programme; whereas, at the end of this programme, there should be a final evaluation of results obtained compared with the objectives set out in this Decision;

Whereas the JRC may participate in indirect actions covered by this programme;

Whereas the JRC will also contribute, through its won programme, to the attainment of the Community RTD objectives in the areas covered by this programme;

Whereas the Scientific and Technical Research Committee (CREST) has been consulted,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1

A specific programme for research and technological development, including demonstration, in the field of agriculture and fisheries (including agro-industry, food technologies, forestry, aquaculture and rural development) as set out in Annex I, is hereby adopted for the period from the date of adoption of this Decision to 31 December 1998.

Article 2

1. The amount deemed necessary for carrying out the programme is ECU 607 million, including a maximum of 7,3 % for staff and administrative expenditure.

2. An indicative breakdown of this amount is given in Annex II.

3. The budgetary authority shall lay down the appropriations for each financial year, subject to the availability of resources within the financial perspectives and in accordance with the conditions set out in Article 1 (3) of Decision No 1110/94/EC, taking into account the principles of sound management referred to in Article 2 of the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities.

Article 3

1. The general rules for the Community's financial contribution are laid down in Annex IV to Decision No 1110/94/EC.

2. The rules for the participation of undertakings, research centres and universities, and for the dissemination of results are specified in the measures envisaged pursuant to Article 130j of the Treaty.

3. Annex III sets out the specific rules for implementing this programme, supplementary to those referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2.

Article 4

1. In order to help ensure, inter alia, the cost-effective implementation of this programme, the Commission shall continually and systematically monitor, with appropriate assistance from indepedent, external experts, the progress within the programme in relation to the objectives set out in Annex I, as amplified in the work programme. It shall in particular examine whether the objectives, priorities and financial resources are still appropriate to the changing situation. It shall, if necessary, in the light of the results of this monitoring process, submit proposals to adapt or supplement this programme.

2. In order to contribute towards the evaluation of Community activities, as required by Article 4 (2) of Decision No 1110/94/EC and in compliance with the timetable laid down in that paragraph, the Commission shall have an external assessment conducted by independent qualified...