ECSEL Joint Undertaking for the implementation of the Joint Technology Initiative on ‘Electronic Components and Systems for European Leadership’
The European Parliament adopted by 631 votes to 42, with 4 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a Council regulation on the ECSEL Joint Undertaking.
Parliament approved the Commission proposal subject to the following amendments:
Joint Undertaking: to implement the Joint Technology Initiative on ‘Electronic Components and Systems for European Leadership’, the ECSEL Joint Undertaking should be established for a period up to 31 December 2024. In order to take into account the duration of the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, calls for proposals under ECSEL Joint Undertaking should be launched at the latest by 31 December 2020. In duly justified cases calls for proposals may be launched until 31 December 2021.
The ECSEL Joint Undertaking should provide continued support to the nanoelectronics and embedded computing systems research programmes by implementing the remaining actions initiated under the ENIAC and ARTEMIS Joint Undertakings.
The ECSEL Joint Undertaking should seek to develop close interactions with the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF).
Financial contributions: the maximum Union contribution, including contributions from member states of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), to the ECSEL Joint Undertaking to cover administrative costs and operational costs should be EUR 1 184 874 000.
The ECSEL Participating States shall make a financial contribution to the operational costs of the ECSEL Joint Undertaking to commensurate to the contribution of the Union. The amount of at least EUR 1 170 000 000 is envisaged. The private members should make or arrange for their constituent entities and affiliated entities to make contributions to the ECSEL Joint Undertaking of at least EUR 1 657 500 000.
Openness and transparency: in order to facilitate participation, the calls for proposals launched by the ECSEL Joint Undertaking should also be published on the single portal for participants as well as through other Horizon 2020 electronic means of dissemination managed by the Commission. The ECSEL Joint Undertaking should operate in an open and transparent way providing all relevant information in a timely manner to its appropriate bodies as well as promoting its activities, including information and dissemination activities to the wider public.
Discharge: in view of the specific nature and the current status of the Joint Undertakings, and in order to ensure continuity with the 7th Framework Programme, the Joint Undertakings should continue to be subject to a separate discharge.
Simplification: for the purpose of simplification, administrative burdens should be reduced for all parties. Double audits and disproportionate documentation and reporting should be avoided.
Participation rules: specific criteria regarding the eligibility of individual applicants to receive funding from ECSEL Participating States may be determined by the relevant funding authorities. Such criteria could cover, inter alia, the applicant type, including legal status and purpose, conditions of liability and viability, including financial soundness, and the fulfilment of fiscal and social obligations.
Evaluation: by 30 June 2017, the Commission should carry out, with the assistance of independent experts, an interim evaluation of Joint Undertaking, and send a report to the European Parliament and to the Council by 31 December 2017. The results of the interim evaluation of the ECSEL Joint Undertaking shall be taken into account in the interim evaluation of Horizon 2020.