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Establishment of the "ARTEMIS Joint Undertaking" to implement a Joint Technology Initiative in Embedded Computing Systems

2007/0088(CNS)

The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy adopted the report by Gianni DE MICHELIS (PES, IT) amending, under the consultation procedure, the proposal for a Council regulation on the establishment of the "ARTEMIS Joint Undertaking" to implement a Joint Technology Initiative in Embedded Computing Systems.

The key amendments adopted in committee are as follows:

Creation of a Joint Undertaking: the report stipulates that it should be ensured that after the last call for proposals in 2013 projects still in progress are implemented, monitored and funded until 2017. The ARTEMIS Joint Undertaking should also be considered as a Community body as referred to in Point 47 of the IIA of 17 May 2006.

Objectives: the Joint Undertaking should also promote the involvement of SMEs in its activities.

Financing: according to the MEPs, the sum of the contributions from ARTEMISIA and the European Union shall not exceed 5% of the overall budget of the ARTEMIS Joint Undertaking. ARTEMIS Member States shall ensure that national funds are allocated within the shortest possible delay. The report stipulates that the financial contributions to the cost of projects from public funds shall be conditional on in-kind contributions to the projects submitted by research and development organisations to cover their share of the costs of the projects.

Financial rules: the financial rules of the ARTEMIS Joint Undertaking may not depart from Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2343/2002, unless its specific operating needs so require and subject to the prior consent of the Commission. The budgetary authority shall be informed of such derogations.

Staff: the ARTEMIS Joint Undertaking shall recruit its staff in accordance with applicable regulations of the host country. The Commission may second to the ARTEMIS Joint Undertaking as many officials as may be needed.

Responsibility: some essential clauses of the JU Statutes have been inserted to clarify that the Joint Undertaking shall be solely responsible for meeting its obligations. It shall not be responsible for meeting the financial obligations of its Members. It shall not be liable for any ARTEMIS Member State failing to meet its obligations resulting from calls for proposals launched by the ARTEMIS Joint Undertaking. The Members shall not be liable for any of the ARTEMIS Joint Undertaking’s obligations. The financial liability of the Members shall be an internal liability towards the ARTEMIS Joint Undertaking only, limited to their commitment to contribute to the resources.

Report, evaluation and discharge: MEPs suggest that no later than 31 December 2010, the Commission shall present to the European Parliament and the Council an interim evaluation of the ARTEMIS Joint Undertaking prepared with the assistance of independent experts.

Discharge for the implementation of the budget of the ARTEMIS Joint Undertaking shall be given: a) respecting the Court of Auditor's competence to examine the revenue and expenditures accounts of all bodies set up by the Communities; b) recognising the specificities of the Joint Technology Initiatives as new mechanisms for implementing public private partnerships, in order to find a more effective solution for the purpose of discharging the Community's budget.

The committee also introduced the following amendments in the annexes:

  • for the sake of transparency, MEPs suggest that the Multiannual Strategic Plan should be made public once approved by the Governing Board;
  • the Public Authorities Board shall elect its Chairperson every two years. The same Chairperson may be re-elected no more than twice;
  • the Executive Director shall be nominated for a maximum of up to 3 years. After an evaluation of the Executive Director's performance, the Board may extend the term of office once for a further period of not more than 3 years;
  • if only the Commission and not the Governing board can amend the Statutes in future, Members should be able to react to amendments of the Statutes;
  • the report specifies the procedure for evaluating in-kind contributions;
  • the annual accounts and balance sheets shall be submitted to the European Court of Auditors and to the two branches of the budgetary authority;
  • the terms and conditions of grant agreements shall be in accordance with the financial rules;
  • lastly, the report stipulates that the European Parliament needs to be consulted on any important changes to the JU's statutes.