PURPOSE: to adopt a Specific Programme related to the direct actions on research, technological development and demonstration to be carried out by the Joint Research Centre (JRC).
LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision 2006/975/EC concerning the Specific Programme to be carried out by means of direct actions by the Joint Research Centre under the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007-2013).
CONTENT: the adoption of the JRC Specific Programme stems from Council Decision 1982/2006/EC concerning the Seventh Framework Programme (2007-2013). See: COD/2005/0043. The new 7th Framework Programme is centred on four research pillars: Co-operation; Ideas; People; and Capacity.
The JCR is a supporting body of the EU offering help to the EU institutions (specifically the European Commission) to enact and implement research programmes. Its stated mission is to research areas of key concern to the EU including, inter alia, prosperity in a knowledge-intensive society, solidarity, sustainability and responsible management of resources, security and freedom and Europe as a world partner.
As such, the over-arching objective of the JRC Specific Programme is to establish the activities for the non-nuclear actions of the JRC in order to provide customer driven scientific and technical support to the Community policy making process. The Programme has been awarded a EUR 1 751 million budget to help realise these objectives.
Its activities are set out in Annex to the Decision under the following headings/policy themes:
1) Prosperity in a knowledge intensive society. The JRC will seek to foster EU competitiveness through the following sub-headings:
Competitiveness and Innovation: Objective: To conduct research into the production of internationally accepted references as well as the promotion of a common European measurement system, such as the safety of chemicals and cosmetic products, alternative (non-animal) testing, food safety, eEnergy, the security and protection of citizens and environment and health. The JRC will collaborate closely with other national and international bodies, regulatory authorities and industry (ISO, CEN etc.) to achieve these objectives.
European Research Area: Objective: The JRC will contribute directly to the European Research Area by increasing its scientific networking, the training and mobility of researchers and by allowing access to its research infrastructures and collaborative research.
Energy and Transport: Objective: To focus JRC energies on a smooth transition to less carbon intensive sources of energy as well as aiding the EU thematic strategy on air pollution.
Information Society: Objective: To support the formulation of EU Information Society Technology policies.
Life Sciences and Bio-technology: Objective: To focus research on Life Sciences and bio-technologies: In many respects controversial, the Commission, nevertheless, recognises that life sciences and bio-technologies can contribute significantly towards helping the EU become the most competitive knowledge-based economy by 2010. As such the JRC is asked, inter alia, to focus on issues such as the provision of quality assurance tools for genetic testing, studies in genome-based diagnostic applications, and studies assessing the impact of nano-technologies on the environment and public health. There is also a separate heading for bio-technology in agriculture, food and feed.
2) Solidarity and the responsible management of resources: The JRC is asked to support European policies for Rural Development, Agriculture and Fisheries around a core theme of sustainability. Research activities under the sub-heading of “Natural Resources”, will be based on a holistic approach and will be closely aligned to the EU’s seven thematic environmental strategies. More specifically, activities will concentrate on water management, soil protection initiatives, life-cycle analysis and forestry. The impact of climate change on the environment will also be given priority under this policy-heading.
3. Security and freedom: The JRC will be asked to focus on applying IT systems to help in the fight against crime and fraud, smuggling and illicit trafficking, the protection of critical infrastructures, counter-terrorism measures and migration and border management. Technical support to integrated border management and its inter-operability will also be provided.
4. Europe as a world partner: The JRC will be asked to conduct research on global trade as well as instruments for stability and humanitarian aid. Thus, for example, the JRC will establish a global geo-spatial database and contribute to services supporting crisis management and the development of future GMES pilot services.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 2 January 2007.