Presidency's Progress Report on the Proposed Regulation Laying Down the Rules for Participation in the Seventh Framework Programme (2007-2013) (link)

Brussels, 02 Mar 2006

Full text of Document 6879/06
Suite of documents 6879/06

No. Cion.prop. 5057/06 RECH 1 CODEC 4 - COM(2005) 705 final
Subject: Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council laying down the rules for the participation of undertakings, research centres and universities in actions under the Seventh Framework Programme and for the dissemination of research results (2007-2013)
- Progress report

I. INTRODUCTION

On 4 January 2006, the Commission submitted its proposal for the above Regulation which is part of the legislative package for the Seventh R&D Framework Programme of the European Community (2007-2013) and is subject to a co-decision procedure with the European Parliament.1

1 On 7 February 2006, the Commission also submitted its proposal for the corresponding Rules for Participation concerning the 7th Euratom Framework Programme (doc. 6185/06 RECH 14 ATO 13). This proposal will be examined at a later stage, taking due account of the results of the examination of the proposal for the Rules for Participation regarding the EC Programme.

The Research Working Party has examined the proposal at a number of meetings, which have served to clarify certain aspects of the Commission proposal, as well as to identify topics which require further examination. These are indicated in Section II below, but do not constitute an exhaustive list.

The European Parliament has not yet given its opinion on the proposal. At this stage, the Commission maintains its original proposal.

II. STATE OF PLAY

On the basis of the discussions at the Research Working Party, the Presidency has drawn up a revised draft text notably with a view to clarifying a number of points in the Commission proposal in response to delegations' observations. The Presidency considers that there is already a large measure of agreement on the broad principles of the conditions for participation (Chapter II, Sections 1 and 2), pending further detailed examination of the textual adjustments necessary. Broader topics on which discussions have focussed and where further work is required include:

- The details of the evaluation, selection and award process (Articles 15 and 16)2.

- The question of the application of the various forms of grants and "cost models" (reimbursement of direct and indirect eligible costs, flat rate financing, lump sum financing, scale of unit costs) in particular as regards the capacity of certain participants (such as universities) to benefit from them and the differences in the resulting funding compared to the Sixth Framework Programme (Articles 30-32).

- The appropriate upper funding limits for the various types of participants (Article 33).

- Certain details concerning provisions for dissemination and access rights (Chapter III).

2 There is a broad agreement that the detailed criteria in this respect should be set out in the Specific Programmes.

- The general question of the necessary detail in the Regulation as regards references to the further implementing measures and related documents to be drawn up by the Commission (rules governing the submission, evaluation, selection and award procedures; model grant agreement; guidance on consortium agreements) and the role/involvement of the representatives of Member States in establishing these documents.

While the examination of the proposal is ongoing, the Presidency has undertaken, under its sole responsibility, to draw up a revised draft text reflecting the state-of-play which is set out in the Annex to this note and on which delegations have not yet taken a position.

III. CONCLUSION

Coreper/Council are invited to take note of the state of play regarding the Rules for

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