39 Amendments of Bart GROOTHUIS related to 2020/0260(NLE)
Amendment 96 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 6
Recital 6
(6) The Communication from the Commission of 19 February 2020 entitled ‘Shaping Europe’s digital future’ presents Europe’s digital strategy and focuses on few key objectives to ensure that digital solutions help Europe to pursue its own way towards a digital transformation that works for the benefit of people. Among the key actions it proposes is to invest in building and deploying cutting-edge joint digital capacities, including in supercomputing and quantum technologies, and to expand Europe’s supercomputing capacity to develop innovative solutions for medicine, transport and the environmentacross all economic sectors, such as industrial activities, manufacturing, cybersecurity, health and medicine, transport and sustainable mobility, and environment and climate change.
Amendment 108 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) Global events such as the COVID- 19 pandemic have shown the importance of investing in High Performance Computing and health-related modelling platforms and tools, as they are playing a key role in the fight against the pandemic, often in combination with other digital technologies such as big data and, artificial intelligence and computer modelling and simulation. High Performance Computing is being used to accelerate the identification and production of treatments, to predict the virus’ spread, to help plan the distribution of medical supplies and resources, and to simulate post-epidemic exit measures in order to evaluate different scenarios. High Performance Computing modelling platforms and tools are critical tools for the current and future pandemics, and they will play a key role in health and personalised medicine.
Amendment 113 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 14
Recital 14
(14) In order to equip the Union with the computing performance needed to maintain its research and industrial capacities at a leading edge, the Member States investment in High Performance Computing and quantum computing should be coordinated and the industrial and market take-up of High Performance Computing and quantum computing technologies be reinforced both in the public and private sectors. The Union should increase its effectiveness in turning the technology developments into demand- oriented and application-driven European High Performance Computing and quantum computing systems of the highest quality, establishing an effective link between technology supply, co-design with users, and a joint procurement of world- class systems, and creating a world-class ecosystem in High Performance Computing and quantum computing technologies and applications. At the same time, the Union should provide an opportunity for its supply industry to leverage on such investments, leading to their uptake in large-scale and emerging application fields such as personalised medicine, climate change, connected and automated driving or other lead markets that are underpinned by artificial intelligence, blockchain technologies, computer modelling and simulation, edge computing or more broadly by the digitalisation of the European industry.
Amendment 122 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) Pursuing a common strategic EU vision in High Performance Computing and quantum computing is essential for realising the Union’s and its Member States’ ambition to ensure a leading role and strategic autonomydigital sovereignty in a self- determined and open manner in the digital economy. The objective would be to establish in Europe a world leading hyper- connected, federated and secure High Performance Computing and quantum computing service and data infrastructure ecosystem, and be in a position to produce innovative and competitive High Performance Computing and quantum computing systems based on a supply chain that will ensure components, technologies and knowledge limiting the risk of disruptions.
Amendment 123 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) A Joint Undertaking represents the best instrument capable to implement the strategic EU vision in High Performance Computing and quantum computing, ensuring that the Union enjoys world-class supercomputing, quantum computing and data capabilities according to its economic potential, matching the needs of European users, and with the required strategic autonomydigital sovereignty in a self-determined and open manner in critical High Performance Computing and quantum computing technologies, while preserving an open economy. The Joint Undertaking is the best instrument to overcome the present limitations, as described in the Staff Working Document accompanying this Regulation, while offering the highest economic, societal, and environmental impact and best safeguarding the Union’s interests in High Performance Computing and quantum computing. It can pool resources from the Union, the Member States and countries associated to Horizon Europe and the Digital Europe Programme or the Connecting Europe Facility and the private sector. It can implement a procurement framework and operate world-class High Performance Computing and quantum computing systems. It can launch research and innovation programmes for developing European technologies and their subsequent integration in world-class supercomputing systems.
Amendment 126 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) The EuroHPC Joint Undertaking is part of the Institutionalised Partnerships portfolio under Horizon Europe which should strive to strengthen EU scientific capacities to deal with emerging threats and future challenges in a reinforced European Research Area; secure sustainability-driven EU value chains and EU strategic autonomydigital sovereignty in a self- determined and open manner in key technologies and industries; and enhance the uptake of innovative solutions addressing climate, environmental, health and other global societal challenges in line with Union strategic priorities, including to reach climate neutrality in the Union in 2050.
Amendment 134 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 25 a (new)
Recital 25 a (new)
(25 a) The Joint Undertaking should like-wise consider start-ups in their R&D phase wherever SMEs are mentioned, as the HPC platforms are currently not inclusive enough. The access barriers - such as the cost of service fees, heavy administration and lack of awareness - should be significantly reduced in order to have a more open-access and distributed service.
Amendment 138 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 26
Recital 26
(26) The Joint Undertaking should contribute to reducing the specific skills gap across the Union by engaging in awareness raising measures and assisting in the building of new knowledge and human capital, including by building competences in procurements made in the framework of this Regulation. This should all be part of a coordinated effort on outreach to inform potential users on the possibilities that HPC and quantum computing can offer.
Amendment 143 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 26 a (new)
Recital 26 a (new)
(26 a) The Joint Undertaking should encourage the development of specific university titles and educational programmes for quantum computing, given the increasing need for experts that this field is going to have, and in order to avoid creating a 'quantum bottleneck'. In this regard, the Joint Undertaking must pay special attention to gender perspective and adopt measures to promote gender balance in this field.
Amendment 145 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 30
Recital 30
(30) In order to achieve its objectives to design, develop and use the most innovative technologies in High Performance Computing and quantum computing, the Joint Undertaking should provide financial support in particular in the form of grants and procurement following open, transparent and competitive calls for proposals and calls for tenders based on annual work programmes. Such financial support should be targeted in particular at proven market failures that prevent the development of the programme concerned, should not crowd- out private investments and should have an incentive effect in that it changes the behaviour of the recipient.
Amendment 154 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 34
Recital 34
(34) Horizon Europe and the Digital Europe Programme should respectively contribute to the closing of the research and innovation divide within the Union and to deploying wide-range supercomputing capabilities by promoting synergies with the European Structural and Investments Funds (ESIF) and the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). Therefore, the Joint Undertaking should seek to develop close interactions with the ESIF and the RRF, which can specifically help to strengthen local, regional and national research and innovation capabilities.
Amendment 155 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 35
Recital 35
(35) The Joint Undertaking should provide a favourable framework for Participating States that are Member States to use their ESIfinancial contributions to ESIF and RRF for the acquisition of High Performance Computing and quantum computing and data infrastructures and their interconnection. The use of ESIF and RRF in the Joint Undertaking activities is essential for developing in the Union an integrated, excellence-based, federated, secure and hyper-connected world-class High Performance Computing, quantum computing service and data infrastructure, since the benefits for such infrastructure extend well beyond the users of the Member States. If Member States decide to use ESIF and the RRF for contributing to the acquisition costs of the supercomputers and quantum computers of the Joint Undertaking, the Joint Undertaking should take intoose contributions should be considered nation the Unal contribution's share of ESIF of this Member State, while accounting only the national ESIF share as national contributhe budget of the Joint Undertaking provided that Article 106 and other applicable provisions of the Common Provisions Regulation toand the budget of the Joint Undertakingfund-specific regulations are complied with..
Amendment 159 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 40
Recital 40
(40) The Joint Undertaking should be able to acquire together with the Private Members or a consortium of private partners industrial-grade supercomputers, that are at least mid-range. The operation of each such supercomputer should be entrusted to an existing hosting entity. The hosting entity should be able to associate itself with the Private Members or the consortium of private partners for the acquisition and operation of such supercomputer. The Joint Undertaking should own the part that corresponds to the Union's share of financial contribution to the acquisition costs from Digital Europe Programme funds. The hosting entity and its associated Private Members or consortium of private partners should be selected by the Governing Board following a call for expression of interest evaluated by independent experts. The share of the Union's access time to such supercomputer should be directly proportional to the financial contribution of the Union from Digital Europe Programme funds to the acquisition costs of that industrial-grade supercomputer. The Joint Undertaking should be able to reach an agreement with the Private Members or the consortium of private partners to sell such supercomputer to another entity or decommission it. Alternatively, the Joint Undertaking should be able to transfer the ownership of such supercomputer to the Private Members or the consortium of private partners. In this case or when the Joint Undertaking is being would-up, the Private Members or the consortium of private partners should reimburse the Joint Undertaking the residual value of the Union’s share of the supercomputer. In the case the Joint Undertaking and the Private Members or the consortium of private partners decide to proceed to the decommissioning of the supercomputer after the full depreciation of its operation, such costs should be covered by the Private Members or the consortium of private partners.
Amendment 170 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 44
Recital 44
(44) User allocation of access time to the supercomputers of the Joint Undertaking should be free of charge for public users. It should also be free of charge for private users for their applications related to research and innovation activities funded by Horizon Europe or the Digital Europe Programme, as well as for private innovation activities of SMEs, where appropriate. Such allocation of access time should primarily be based on open calls for expression of interest launched by the Joint Undertaking and evaluated by independent experts. With the exception of SME users undertaking private innovation activities, all users benefiting from free-of-charge access time to the supercomputers of the Joint Undertaking should adopt an open science approach and disseminate knowledge gained through this access, in accordance with the Horizon Europe Regulation. User allocation of access time for economic activities other than private innovation activities of SMEs (which face particular market failures), should be granted on a pay-per-use basis, based on market prices. Allocation of access time for such economic activities should be allowed but limited and the level of the fee to be paid should be established by the Governing Board. The access rights should be allocated in a transparent manner. The Governing Board should define specific rules to grant access time free of charge, where appropriate, and without a call for expression of interest to initiatives that are considered strategic either by the Union or by the Governing Board. Representative examples of strategic initiatives of the Union include: Destination Earth, the Human Brain Project Flagship, the “1+ Million Genomes” initiative, the common European data spaces operating in domains of public interest, and in particular the health data space, the High Performance Computing Centres of Excellence and Competence Centres, the Digital Innovation Hubs, etc. Upon Union’s request, the Joint Undertaking should grant direct access time on a temporary or permanent basis to strategic initiatives and existing or future application platforms that it considers essential for providing health- related or other crucial emergency support services for the public good, to emergency and crisis management situations or to cases that the Union considers essential for its security and defence. The Joint Undertaking should be allowed to carry out some limited economic activities for commercial purposes. Access should be granted to users residing, established or located in an EU Member State or a country associated to the Digital Europe Programme and to Horizon Europe. The access rights should be equitable to any user and allocated in a transparent manner. The Governing Board should define and monitor the access rights to the Union's share of access time for each supercomputer.
Amendment 175 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 50
Recital 50
(50) To foster an innovative and, competitive, and resilient European High Performance Computing and quantum computing ecosystem of recognised excellence, the Joint Undertaking should make appropriate use of the procurement and grant instruments, including joint procurement, pre-commercial procurement and public procurement of innovative solutions. The Joint Undertaking will take into consideration the possibility of upgrading existing facilities to guarantee state-of-the-art technologies and a world- class ecosystem in High Performance Computing and quantum computing technologies and applications
Amendment 176 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 53 a (new)
Recital 53 a (new)
(53 a) The Joint Undertaking should allow a differentiation of reimbursements rates as part of making the access more open and prone to diverse participation. SME's, start-ups and non-profit legal entities should benefit from this differentiation and their application should not increase bureaucracy. The reimbursement rates shall be indicated in the work programme.
Amendment 188 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 16
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 16
(16) ‘industrial-grade supercomputer’ means an at least mid-range supercomputer specifically designed with security, confidentiality and data integrity requirements for industrial users that are more demanding than for a scientific usage;
Amendment 189 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 20
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 20
(20) ‘national High Performance Computing competence centre’ means a legal entity established in a Participating State that is a Member State, associated with the national supercomputing centre of that Member State, providing users from industry, including SMEespecially SMEs and start-ups, academia, and public administrations with access on demand to the supercomputers and to the latest High Performance Computing technologies, tools, applications and services, and offering expertise, skills, training, networking and outreach;
Amendment 194 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1
Article 3 – paragraph 1
(1) The mission of the Joint Undertaking shall be to develop, deploy, extend and maintain in the Union a world leading federated, secure and hyper- connected supercomputing, quantum computing, service and data infrastructure ecosystem; support the production of innovative and competitive supercomputing systems ideally within the European Union, based on a supply chain that will ensure components, technologies and knowledge limiting the risk of disruptions and the development of a wide range of applications optimised for these systems; and, widen the use of this supercomputing infrastructure to a large number of public and private users, including SMEs and start-ups in R&D phase, and support the development of key skills for European science and industry.
Amendment 208 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point e
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point e
(e) to further develop and support a highly competitive and, innovative and secure supercomputing and data ecosystem in Europe contributing to the standing and technological autonomydigital sovereignty in a self-determined and open manner of the Union in the digital economy, capable to autonomously produce world-class computing technologies and architectures and their integration on leading computing systems, and advanced applications optimised for these systems;
Amendment 215 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point f
Article 3 – paragraph 2 – point f
(f) to promote, facilitate and widen the use of supercomputing services andin all sectors and to contribute to the development of key skills that European science and industry need.
Amendment 221 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 3
Article 3 – paragraph 3
(3) The Joint Undertaking shall contribute to safeguarding the interests and digital sovereignty in a self-determined and open manner of the Union when procuring supercomputers and supporting the development of High Performance Computing technologies, systems and applications. It shall enable a co-design approach for the acquisition of world-class supercomputers, while safeguarding the security of the supply chain of critical raw materials, procured technologies and systems. It shall contribute to the Union’s technological autonomy by supporting the development of technologies and applications reinforcing the European HPC technology supply chain and promoting their integration in supercomputing systems that address a large number of societal and industrial needs.
Amendment 226 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) Infrastructure pillar, encompassing the activities for the acquisition, deployment, and operation of the secure, hyper-connected world-class supercomputing, quantum computing and European data infrastructure, including upgrading the existing infrastructure and the promotion of the uptake and systematic use of research and innovation results generated within the Union.
Amendment 235 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point d – introductory part
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point d – introductory part
(d) Technology pillar, addressing the activities for supporting an ambitious research and innovation agenda for developing a world-class, competitive and innovative supercomputing ecosystem addressing hardware and software technologies, and their integration into computing systems, covering the whole scientific and industrial value chain, for ensuring technological autonomyhe digital sovereignty in a self- determined and open manner of the Union. Focus shall be on energy-efficient High Performance Computing technologies. Activities shall address inter alia:
Amendment 248 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point f
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point f
(f) Widening usage and skills pillar, aiming at fostering excellence in supercomputing, quantum computing, and data use and skills, including skills for procurements made in the framework of this regulation, taking into account synergies with other programs and instruments, in particular Digital Europe Program, widening the scientific and industrial use of supercomputing resources and data applications and fostering the industrial access and use of supercomputing and data infrastructures for innovation adapted to industrial needs; and providing Europe with a knowledgeable leading scientific community and a skilled workforce, for scientific leadership and digital transformation of industry, including the support and networking of national High Performance Computing Competence Centres and High Performance Computing Centres of Excellence. Special attention should be paid to the existing gender gap in the ICT sector, especially in HPC and quantum computing, and encourages the creation of specific programmes to promote the presence of women and reduce the additional barriers they face.
Amendment 256 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 5 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
(1) The Union financial contribution to the Joint Undertaking including EFTA appropriations shall be up to EUR [XXXXX], including up to EUR [XXXXX] including up to 4% for administrative costs and technical assitance, distributed as follows:
Amendment 257 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 3
Article 5 – paragraph 3
(3) Additional Union funds complementing the contribution referred to in paragraph 1 may be allocated to the Joint Undertaking to support activities for the research and innovation and deployment of innovative solutions within the Union.
Amendment 258 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 6
Article 5 – paragraph 6
(6) The Union's financial contribution referred to in point (a) of paragraph 1 shall be used for the Joint Undertaking to provide financial support to indirect actions as defined in Article xxx of the Horizon Europe Regulation, corresponding to the research and innovation agenda and through an open and transparent procedure.
Amendment 260 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 5 – paragraph 7
Article 5 – paragraph 7
(7) The Union's financial contribution referred to in point (b) of paragraph 1 shall be used for capability building across the whole Union, including the acquisition, and operation and upgrades of High Performance Computers, quantum computers or quantum simulators, the federation of the High Performance Computing and quantum computing service and data infrastructure and the widening of its use, and the development of advanced skills and training.
Amendment 263 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 7 – paragraph 1
Article 7 – paragraph 1
(1) The Participating States shall make a total contribution of at least equal to the amount of the Union contribution referred to in Article 5 of this Regulation, including up to EUR [XXXXX] contribution4% for administrative costs[equal to the amount of the Union contribution for administrative costs referred to in Article 5 of this Regulation] and technical assistance. The Participating States shall arrange among them how they will deliver their collective contribution.
Amendment 274 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 3
Article 10 – paragraph 3
(3) The selection of the supplier of the high-end supercomputer shall addressssess compliance with the general system specifications, uphold the concept of excellence, and ensure that user needs in Europe are met and the security of the supply chain is given.
Amendment 276 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 3
Article 11 – paragraph 3
(3) The selection of the supplier of the quantum computers and quantum simulators shall addressssess compliance with the general system specifications, uphold the concept of excellence, and ensure that user needs in Europe are met and the security of the supply chain is given.
Amendment 278 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 1
Article 12 – paragraph 1
(1) The Joint Undertaking shall acquire together with the Private Members, or a consortium of private partners, at least mid-range supercomputers, or partitions of EuroHPC supercomputers, primarily destined for use by industry, and shall own them or co-own them with the Private Members or a consortium of private partners.
Amendment 279 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 3
Article 12 – paragraph 3
(3) The selection of the supplier of an industrial-grade EuroHPC supercomputer shall addressssess compliance with the general system specifications, uphold the concept of excellence, and ensure that user needs in Europe are met and the security of the supply chain is given.
Amendment 283 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 3
Article 13 – paragraph 3
(3) The selection of the supplier of the mid-range supercomputer shall addressssess compliance with the general system specifications, uphold the concept of excellence, and ensure that user needs in Europe are met and the security of the supply chain is given.
Amendment 297 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 16 – paragraph 3
Article 16 – paragraph 3
(3) The access time allocated to commercial services shall in principle not exceed 20% of the Union's total access time of each EuroHPC supercomputer. The Governing Board shall decide on the maximum allocation of the Union's access time for the users of commercial services, taking into account the outcome of the monitoring referred to in Article 15(10).
Amendment 303 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 4
Article 22 – paragraph 4
Amendment 331 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – point 2
Article 10 – point 2
(2) The Research and Innovation Advisory Group shall consist of no more than twelven members, whereas no more than half which shall be appointed by the Private Members taking into account their commitments to the Joint Undertaking and no more than half shall be appointed by the Governing Board.
Amendment 335 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – point 3
Article 10 – point 3
(3) The Infrastructure Advisory Group shall consist of twelven members. The Governing Board shall establish the specific criteria that will be considered for selecting the members of the Infrastructure Advisory Group. The Chair and Vice Chair of the Governing Board shall appoint the members of the Infrastructure Advisory Group, following inputs received from the Governing Board and the Executive Director.