EC/Faroe Islands agreement: scientific and technological cooperation, Seventh Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Activities (2007-2013)
This document sets out the content of the Agreement between the European Union and the Government of the Faroes on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, associating the Faroe Islands to the Union's Seventh Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Activities (2007-2013).
The negotiations between the Parties resulted in the Agreement initialled on 13 July 2009. Provisional application shall be from 1 January 2010.
Scope of the application and the Agreement: the Agreement aims to associate the Faroes to the activities laid down in the 7th Framework Programme.
The Agreement shall respect the following principles:
- mutual benefit,
- reciprocal opportunities for access to each other’s programmes and activities relevant to the purpose of the agreement,
- non-discrimination,
- effective protection of intellectual property, and
- equitable sharing of intellectual property rights.
The agreement will open to legal entities from the Faroe Islands the same participation and funding rights and obligations as legal entities established in the EU Member States.
In addition, cooperation may include, intern alia: (a) regular discussions on the orientations and priorities for research policies and planning in the Faroes and the Union, (b) discussions on cooperation prospects and development, (c) visits and exchanges of research workers, engineers and technicians, etc.
Free movement and residence of research workers: the Parties will make every effort, within the framework of their applicable legislation, to facilitate the free movement and residence of research workers participating in the activities covered by this Agreement and to facilitate cross-border movement of goods intended for use in such activities. The Parties will ensure that no fiscal charge or levy shall be imposed upon the transferring of funds between the Union and the Faroes, when said funds are needed for the operation of activities covered by this Agreement.
Financing: the financial contribution of the Faroes to the Framework Programme shall be established on a yearly basis in proportion to, and in addition to, the amount available each year in the annual budget of the Union for commitment appropriations needed for the implementation, management and operation of the Framework Programme. The rules governing the financial contribution of the Faroes to the Framework Programme is set out in an Annex.
Institutional framework: the Agreement will help to structure and enhance the scientific and technological cooperation between the EC and the Faroes, through regular meetings of its Joint Committee, in which specific cooperation activities can be planned. Furthermore, it envisages the participation of representatives of the Faroe Islands as observers with no voting rights in the Seventh Framework Programme Committees and in the Board of Governors of the Joint Research Centre. A joint committee called the "EU-Faroes Research Committee" shall be established, whose functions shall include ensuring, evaluating and reviewing the implementation of this Agreement and examining any measure of a nature to improve and develop cooperation.
When the Union adopts a new multi-annual framework programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities, a new agreement may be renegotiated or renewed under mutually agreed conditions, at the request of either of the Parties.
Annexes: the Agreement includes several annexes which deal with, respectively:
- terms and conditions for the participation of legal entities of Member States of the Union and of the Faroes;
- principles on the allocation of intellectual property rights;
- rules governing the financial contribution of the Faroes to the Framework Programme;
- financial control of the Faroese participants in the Union programmes covered by this Agreement.