Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking

The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy adopted the report by Josefa ANDRÉS BAREA (S&D, ES) on the proposal for a Council regulation establishing the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking

The committee approved the Commission proposal subject to the following amendments:

Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking: in order to coordinate and manage Union research and innovation investments in the European rail sector, the ‘Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking was established until 31 December 2024. To take account of the duration of the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020), all calls for proposals should be launched by 31 December 2020. In duly justified cases calls for proposals may be launched until 31 December 2021.

Objectives: the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking should have the following objectives:

·        contribute to the achievement of the Single European Railway Area with a  user-friendly (including for persons with reduced mobility), competitive, efficient and sustainable European rail system, 

·        play a central role in rail-related research and innovation actions funded at Union level, ensuring coordination among projects and providing all stakeholders with relevant information;

·        implement measures that promote the participation of SMEs, universities and Research Centres;

·        seek complementarity and close synergies with the European Structural and Investment Funds ("ESIF") in order to help close the research and innovation divide in Europe.

Financial contribution: the maximum Union contribution, including contributions from countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), to the Joint Undertaking to cover administrative costs and operational costs should be EUR 450 million (as stated in the Commission proposal).

Members stipulated that the delegation agreement shall address the following elements inter alia:

·        the arrangements regarding the provision of data necessary to ensure that the Commission is able to meet its dissemination and reporting obligations; including on the single portal for participants as well as through other Horizon 2020 electronic means of dissemination managed by the Commission;

·        provisions for the publication of calls for proposals of the S2RJoint Undertaking also on the single portal for participants as well as through other Horizon 2020 electronic means of dissemination managed by the Commission.

Evaluation: by 30 June 2017 the Commission shall organise an independent interim evaluation of the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking, including an assessment of the involvement and openness to small and medium enterprises, as well as the administrative functioning of the S2R Joint Undertaking with a special focus on addressing any administrative challenges or burdens. The Commission should send that report to the European Parliament and to the Council by 31 December 2017.

The results of the independent interim evaluation of the Joint Undertaking should be taken into account in the interim evaluation of Horizon 2020.

Duty to divulge information: the report contains a new provision stating that the staff of the Joint Undertaking, the Executive Director and the members of the Governing Board should without delay notify OLAF of any instances of fraud which have come to their attention in the fulfilment of their duties or remit, without in any way being made accountable for them as a result.

Rules for participation and dissemination: with a view to the overall aim of the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of achieving greater simplification and harmonisation of the European research and innovation funding landscape, Joint Undertakings should avoid sets of rules that are different from those of the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme.