“ERA-NET” 1 Cooperation and coordination of national or regional research and innovation activities (i.e. programmes) ERA-NET” “ERA-NET”

“ERA-NET” 2 European Research Area (ERA) Policy background ERA-NET Scheme: Objectives and Activities Partnership and Management Proposals and Calls Evaluation process ERA-NET and other initiatives Results from the first cut off ERA-NET examples Information and assistance Overview of the Presentation

“ERA-NET” 3 – the creation of an "internal market" in research (free movement of knowledge, researchers and technology) – the restructuring of the European research fabric (improved coordination of national research activities and policies) – the development of a European research policy (taking into account other EU and national policies) European Research Area - Combining three concepts : Combining three concepts *: * * COM(2002) 565 final, THE EUROPEAN RESEARCH AREA : PROVIDING NEW MOMENTUM

“ERA-NET” 4 Coordination of Research Policy level open method of coordination mapping, benchmarking, score boards Programme level ERA-NET Article 169 Project level New Instruments Traditional Instruments

“ERA-NET” 5 Objectives To step up the cooperation and coordination of national or regional research activities through networking of programmes including their mutual opening and the development and implementation of joint activities. “Programmes” should be understood as entire research and innovation programmes, or parts of such programmes, or similar initiatives having the following characteristics: be strategically planned be carried out at national or regional level either be financed and managed directly by national or regional public bodies, or by structures closely related to or mandated by public authorities (e.g. agencies).

“ERA-NET” 6 Participants Legal entities from at least 3 MS or AS of which at least two are MS or candidate AS with the following characteristics: public bodies responsible for financing or managing research activities carried out at national or regional level other national or regional organisations that finance or manage such research activities bodies operating at European level that include as part of their mission the pan-European coordination of nationally-funded research A sole participant, being a grouping of public bodies (EEIG or any similar structures) In addition to the minimum number of participants other legal entities (e.g. charities) managing such research programmes, may participate. The partnership can be gradually increased. The Partnership composition allows as eligible participants:

“ERA-NET” 7 ERA-NET activities under this scheme may be carried out in any field of science and technology (beyond the FP6 priorities), including the social and human sciences The ERA-NET scheme will be implemented through a bottom-up approach in the sense of giving no preference to one specific research theme or discipline Fields covered

“ERA-NET” 8 ERA-NET may include the following activities to foster coordination and cooperation between programmes: 1 - Systematic exchange of information & best practices 2 - Common strategic issues 3 - Development of joint activities 4 - Implementation of transnational research activities Activities A step by step approach….but ambitious

“ERA-NET” 9 Information exchange between programme managers on: (possible examples) Actual running projects in the respective programmes National or regional research priorities Existing evaluation practices Programme management practices Systematic exchange of 1 - Systematic exchange of information and best practices

“ERA-NET” Common strategic issues Identification and analysis of: (possible examples)   Research activities that could lead to multinational schemes between ERA-NET partners   Practical networking activities and mutual opening mechanisms   Administrative or legal barriers that hinder transnational cooperation   New opportunities and gaps in research and stimulation of new interdisciplinary work   Common evaluation systems

“ERA-NET” Development of joint activities Concrete joint activities could cover: (possible examples)   A posteriori clustering of research projects   Development of multinational evaluation procedures   Schemes for joint training activities   Mutual opening of facilities or laboratories   Common programme monitoring and evaluation   Personnel exchange at programme manager level   Specific co-operation agreements or arrangements   Action plan to implement a joint strategy

“ERA-NET” Implementation of transnational research activities Implementation of transnational research activities could include: (possible examples) Common or joint calls for proposals Setting up of a joint work programme Transnational evaluation and dissemination Funding of research activities based on a joint programme of transnational research activities

“ERA-NET” 13 Instruments Coordination Actions (CA) : Supporting the implementation of a network (ERA-NET) that shall involve many levels of cooperation and coordination (step by step perspective). Specific support actions (SSA) : These actions will be limited in scope and should facilitate the preparation of future ERA-NETs. In particular Candidate Countries’ participation may be encouraged through SSAs.

“ERA-NET” 14 Coordination Actions Activities related to networking and mutual opening of national or regional programmes are eligible for financial support. These activities may cover the indicated steps for coordination and cooperation and the overall coordination of the networking activities. No research activities will be financed by ERA-NET (CA). Financial aspects and duration: 3 M€ max. funding for : all eligible networking costs (100%) indirect costs (20% of direct costs minus subcontracts) consortium management (100% up to max. 7% of the EU contribution) 5 years max.

“ERA-NET” 15 Activities supporting the preparation of future ERA-NETs are eligible for financial support. These activities, may in particular be used to facilitate participation from Candidate Countries. One single participant (public body) is eligible. No research activities will be financed by ERA-NET (SSA). Financial aspects and duration: € max. funding for : all eligible support activity costs (up to 100%) indirect costs (20% of direct costs minus subcontracts) consortium management (100% up to max. 7% of the EU contribution) 1 year max. Specific Support Actions (1)

“ERA-NET” 16 Preparatory conferences or seminars   Studies and analysis of the research fields   Establishment of working or expert groups   Information and communication activities   Specific events for candidate countries   Establishing contacts   Setting up of fora to prepare for coordination actions Specific Support Actions (2) The following can be carried out:

“ERA-NET” 17 Open call for proposals (single step) Total indicative budget: 148 M€ ( ) Next cut off date: 2 March 2004 Indicative budget: 36.6 M€ Pre-proposal check:up to: 13 February 2004 Instruments: Co-ordination Actions and Specific Support Actions Following cut-off dates: Calls and Budget

“ERA-NET” 18 Proposal PART A - FORMS PART B - Proposal Content

“ERA-NET” 19 Proposal parts /content Proposal forms Evaluators Criteria Eligibility Evaluators Criteria Evaluators Criteria Final ranking list Panel Meetings SubmissionConsensus Individual reading Proposals in suggested priority order Selection list Commission Follow-up Questions Evaluation process Max. 6 month

“ERA-NET” 20 Wide pool of evaluators – –Evaluator lists from calls to individuals and institutions Registration: Qualifications – –Highest level professionals from science and/or industry and from internationally recognised authorities – –Highest level expertise in public or private sector, in management of national or regional programmes – –Ability to appreciate challenges and industrial and socio-economic effects of R&D – –From MS, AS, ACS and other countries Evaluators Normal panel composition per proposal: 2 Programme Managers 1 Field expert

“ERA-NET” 21 Relevance to the objectives of the programme (3/5) Quality of the coordination (4/5) suitable governance at appropriate level Potential impact (3/5) participants are key actors in national systems foundation for a “durable” cooperation Quality of the consortium (3/5) Quality of the management (3/5) Mobilization of resources (3/5) Evaluation criteria (CA) Overall threshold (21/30)

“ERA-NET” 22 Relevance to the objectives of the programme (4/5) Quality of the support action (3/5) Potential impact (3/5) Quality of the management (3/5) Mobilization of resources (3/5) Evaluation criteria (SSA) Overall threshold (17.5/25)

“ERA-NET” 23 Benefits: “What’s in it for you” Benefits: “What’s in it for you” National/regional research programmes and their managers will benefit through: increased and close cooperation with European colleagues: exchange of best practices identification of who is doing what exchange of programme management approaches Common platform dealing with “horizontal” issues (i.e. ethics, international cooperation) Joint strategies and transnational action plan for implementation Reflection on intensified transnational RTD co-operation Enable programme users to do international research cooperation through national programmes

“ERA-NET” 24 Differences COST Objective: Coordination at the level of researchers EC support: Scientific coordination Participants: Mainly Universities & RTD Centers EUREKA Objective: Funding of industrial research projects EC support: Only to the EUREKA secretariat Participants: Mainly Industry and RTD performers ERA-NET Objective: Coordination of national/regional programmes EC support: Coordination activities (no research) Participants: National/regional bodies managing research programmes

“ERA-NET” 25 ERA-NET and Article 169 ERA-NET:   Co-ordination and cooperation between national research programmes   Community funding : coordination costs of strategic activities developed by programme managers   All fields of S&T   Light decision making process Article 169   Beyond co-ordination and cooperation of national research programmes   Community funding : strong financial contribution of research and coordination activities   FP6 S&T priority fields   Heavy decision making process: co-decision procedure

“ERA-NET” 26 Results from the first cut-off date ProposalsCAsSSAsTotal submitted eligible2438*62 retained * including 3 SSAs out of scope

“ERA-NET” 27 First cut-off date: Proposals Submitted Retained Area CAs SSAs Total CAs SSAsTotal Fundamental research Social Sciences Life Sciences (Food safety, agriculture Medical and Biotech) Environment, Energy and Fisheries Industrial technologies (IT, Transport, materials, processes) Total

“ERA-NET” 28 Specific Support Actions running

“ERA-NET” 29 ERA-NET Coordination Actions running

“ERA-NET” 30 Energy: Hydrogen CA Energy BIO- energy CA Energy Solar- energy CA/SSA Pathogenomics CA Aero/Space Regional Innovation Policy CA Construction: IT/materials CA Regions: Innovation/TT several CA/SSAs SME: national programmes CA Industry: Work oriented innovations CA Food: Organic farming CA Food: Food-Safety CA Chemistry: Catalysis CA Intern. Cooperation: South-East European ERA-NET CA Fisheries CA Marine Science CA Flooding CA Agricultural Research and Development dimension of ERA CA Occupational Safety and Health CA Training programmes (? CA) Social sciences (? CA) Potential topics CAs

“ERA-NET” 31 An excellent response through 72 proposals with total 422 proposers Overall success rate of 44% (healthy over-subscription) Strong participation from ministries, funding agencies and national research councils in the successful proposals (69%) involving all MS and Associated States Wide distribution of submitted ERA-NETs across many fields of science and research Lessons learned from the first cut-off (1)

“ERA-NET” 32 Limited participation of regional programmes Some fields are not yet well covered (e.g. Energy, Fisheries, Fundamental Research, Information Society) SSAs to foster new member states participation are encouraged Lessons learned from the first cut-off (2)

“ERA-NET” 33 Ambitions of the selected 14 ERA-NETs Coordination Actions steps 1&2 step 3 joint activities step 4 joint/common call step 4 develop a joint programme others

“ERA-NET” 34 Examples of Joint/Common Calls envisaged Extracts from 5 different CA contracts (ANNEX I): Example 1:… Options might include a Joint Call related to existing national programmes... Example 2:… establishing joint calls and evaluation procedures... Example 3:… a joint call will be launched... Example 4:… to publicize common calls for proposals... Example 5:… the steering group will take the strategic decision on how to incorporate a pilot for a common call...

“ERA-NET” 35 Examples of Joint Programmes envisaged Extracts from 5 different CA contracts (ANNEX I): Example 1:… options might include the development of a futuristic joint programme... Example 2:... the highest level of co-operation, namely establishing common programmes is defined as the ultimate ambition... Example 3:… implementation of a transnational research programme... Example 4:… an experimental joint programme, relatively small and focussed, to test joint design and implementation of programmes with shared or pooled funding... Example 5:… Framework document for a Joint Programme (JP) including details of common working programme, and standards for a JP-evaluation and JP-monitoring system......

“ERA-NET” 36 Example: ERA-NET Plant Genomics Objective: Transnational co-operation to maximise the return on the € 80 million/year invested in plant genomics across Europe Activities: Exchange of information on the current state of genomics research Joint strategies towards common objectives (joint calls) Common legal framework for cooperation Opening up of facilities and sharing of investments Consortium:

“ERA-NET” 37 Example: BONUS Baltic Sea Science Objective: Joint oversight of national & international research programmes, pooling of resources and complementing policy developments for the Baltic Sea - Europe’s largest internal body of water Activities: Share best practices and an resource information system Pooling of resources & coordinated use of infrastructures Set up of a joint postgraduate training programme Transition to joint research funding in the Baltic Sea Consortium:

“ERA-NET” 38 Infopack: NCPs: Website: Helpdesk: Evaluators: INFORMATION & ASSISTANCE