Activites

• 2009/08/08 Final act published in Official Journal
  • Regulation 2009/723
  • OJ L 206 08.08.2009, p. 0001
• #2953
• 2009/06/25 Council Meeting
• 2009/06/25 End of procedure in Parliament
• 2009/06/25 Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
• #2945
• 2009/05/28 Council Meeting
• #2929
• 2009/03/05 Council Meeting
  • 2929 summary

    The Council held an exchange of views on European research infrastructures on the basis of a questionnaire put forward by the Presidency in order to structure the debate.The exchange of views provided with a valuable input to carry out further examination of the matter on which the Council will be invited to adopt conclusions at its forthcoming session on 28-29 May 2009.Throughout the debate, delegations highlighted key features that pan-European research infrastructures could bring about, such as:the strengthening of links between universities, businesses and public administrations (the knowledge triangle), thus contributing to the competitiveness of Europe;the role that research infrastructures can play in contributing to the economic recovery in the context of the European recovery plan;the ways for achieving an optimal distribution of research infrastructures throughout the ERA, which would have to comply with criteria of scientific and technological excellence, as well as facilitate mobility of researchers across Europe and take advance of the best cost-efficient modalities.Before the debate, ministers took note of an update on the European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) roadmap. This roadmap is a list of priority infrastructures identified by the Forum, notably on the basis of a consensus on the scientific needs in Europe in the various research sectors. The list is not binding to the member states or other parties to undertake the construction of such infrastructures. These require separate decisions by those countries committed to participate in the projects concerned.

• 2009/02/19 Results of vote in Parliament
  • Results of vote in Parliament
  • T6-0058/2009 summary

    The European Parliament adopted by 603 votes to 17 with 17 abstentions, a legislative resolution amending the proposal for a Council regulation on the Community legal framework for a European Research Infrastructure (ERI). The amendments – made in the framework of the consultation procedure - are as follows: Research infrastructure of pan-European interest: Members clarified the meaning of this term in the text.  A research structure of pan-European interest is a facility, including resources and related services, which can be used by the scientific community to conduct high level research in their respective fields. This definition covers major scientific equipment or sets of instruments; knowledge-based resources such as collections, archives or structured scientific information; enabling ICT-based infrastructures such as grid, computing, software and communications; any other entity of a unique nature essential to achieve excellence in research. Such research infrastructures may be single-sited or distributed (an organised network of resources).Objective: the objective of an ERI shall be to facilitate and promote research of pan-European interest, either in an existing European infrastructure or in a new infrastructure established jointly by several Member States.Furthermore, a new clause states that ERIs shall pay special attention to patents and other valuable rights and interests arising from intellectual work which come about during their activities and shall inform the Commission of such intellectual property rights by means of an annual report.General requirements: these now include unlocking research potential in all EU regions, and improving research methods;  contributing to the training of young researchers; and enhancing the efficiency of interdisciplinary research as a result of the concentration of research projects within a given time-scale .  The research infrastructure to be set up as an ERI shall submit an impact assessment with its application.The members of a research infrastructure to be set up as an ERI shall commit the necessary human and financial resources for its establishment and operation.Decision on the application: the Commission must take into account the needs identified in the European Roadmap on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI). In cases of refusal, applicants shall have access to the evaluation report.Status of an ERI: a new clause states that in the case of infrastructures with a different legal form, the original legal person shall cease to exist when entered into the Commission's records, and the ERI shall operate as its successor in title by legal succession. Name: an ERI shall have a name containing the words 'European Research Infrastructure' or the abbreviation 'ERI' and a reference to its research area.Membership: third countries and international organisations may join as members. If Community funds are being used by an ERI, the international or intergovernmental ERI members shall maintain their ERI status only if they commit to sending their internal and external audits to the European Court of Auditors and to the Internal Auditor of the Commission. Should the Community become a member of an ERI either directly or through any intermediary, the Commission shall notify the two arms of the budgetary authority immediately.Statutes: these must contain, inter alia, an investment policy; an anti-discrimination policy, taking particular account of gender equality and equal opportunities for the disabled; and an agreement on the individual authorised to deal with patents and other intellectual property rights and interests arising from intellectual work which come about during the activities of the ERI and the use to which the income deriving from such rights is put.Community funding: should the Community at any time become a member of an ERI, that ERI shall be treated as a body having legal personality under Article 185 of the Financial Regulation. This also applies to an ERI which receives contributions (operative grants) under Article 185 of the Financial Regulation.Report:  the annual activity report must be submitted to Parliament and Council as well as any decision adopted regarding the circumstances referred to in the text where the ERI is in breach of the Regulation

• 2009/02/18 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament
• 2009/01/22 Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading
  • A6-0007/2009
• 2009/01/20 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
• #2910
• 2008/12/01 Council Meeting
  • 2910 summary

    The Council held an exchange of views on a draft Regulation on a Community legal framework for a European Research Infrastructure (ERI). It decided to return to the draft during the next Presidency.The exchange of views focused mainly on the legal status which ERIs should have and on the possibility of applying tax exemption schemes to them.At its meeting on 30 May 2008, the Council referred to the need to develop research infrastructures at European level based, inter alia, on effective coordination and an appropriate legal framework.Ministers also discussed the major research infrastructures and, more particularly, the implementation of the European Strategy Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) list, regarding which they acknowledged the added value contributed by the relevant Working Party.

• 2008/09/23 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 2008/07/25 Legislative proposal published
  • COM(2008)0467 summary

    PURPOSE: the establishment of “European Research Infrastructures” (ERI).PROPOSED ACT: Council Regulation.BACKGROUND: since January 2000 the European Union has been pushing for the creation and development of a European Research Area (ERA) that consolidates and support the so-called “fifth freedom”, namely the free movement of knowledge across Europe. One of the key pillars supporting the ERA is the development of world class research infrastructures. Research infrastructures are large-scale projects typically environmental observatories, genomic data bases, imaging systems, clean rooms for nano-electronics, irradiation facilities for materials research and super-computers. Yet, although they play a key role in the construction of an efficient research and innovation environment, they are becoming increasingly complex and more expensive thus placing them beyond the reach of a single research group, region, nation or even continent. One of the major difficulties for setting up new European research infrastructures – other than scarcity of resources and the complexity of technical and organisational issues, is the lack of an adequate legal framework that allows for the creation of appropriate partnership with partners from different countries.CONTENT: the purpose of this proposal, therefore, is to facilitate the joint establishment of research infrastructures of European interest among several Member countries associated with the Community R&D Framework Programme. More specifically speaking, the Commission is proposing the creation of a framework Regulation that provides a common legal framework based on Article 171 of the EC Treaty.In short, an ERI will be a legal entity with a legal personality and the right to be recognised as such in all of the EU Member States. It will be based on membership namely, the Member States, third countries and intergovernmental organisation. Their primary role will be the establishment and operation of research infrastructures. The Commission proposes that the structure of an ERI be flexible. Members will be allowed to define, in the Statutes, member rights and obligations and other internal arrangements. Members’ liability on ERI debt will, in principle, be limited to their respective contributions albeit that some flexibility will be included in the statutes to modify any such arrangements. The applicable law will be Community law, the law of the State of the statutory seat or that of the State of operation regarding certain safety and technical matters. The Statutes and their implementing rules must comply with such applicable law.ERI's will be international bodies or organisations in the sense of the Directive on value-added tax, on excise duties and on public procurement and as such it will be exempted from VAT and excise duties and its procurement procedures will fall outside of the EU’s public procurement Directives.

  • DG {'url': 'http://ec.europa.eu/research/home.cfm', 'title': 'Research and Innovation'}, POTOČNIK Janez

Documents

• Legislative proposal published: COM(2008)0467
• Debate in Council: 2910
• Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A6-0007/2009
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Results of vote in Parliament: Results of vote in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T6-0058/2009
• Debate in Council: 2929
• : Regulation 2009/723
• : OJ L 206 08.08.2009, p. 0001

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)