Research RTD, 7th EC Framework Programme 2007-2013: People specific programme for supporting the training and the career development of researchers

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Umberto PIRILLI (UEN, I) concerning the specific programme "People" implementing the 7th Framework Programme (2007-2013) of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities. Parliament adopted the following amendments:

- the recitals now state that the programme aims to increase the human research and development potential in Europe in terms of both quality and quantity, partly by recognising the "profession" of researcher. This would favour the maintenance of excellence in basic research and the organic development of technological research, and would encourage the mobility of European researchers from and throughout Europe;

- the Specific Programme shall support the activities for "People", encouraging people to take up a career as a researcher and strengthening, quantitatively and qualitatively, the human, and especially female, potential in research and technology in Europe, while ensuring equal access for men and women and paying special attention to the needs of disabled researchers

- the overall administrative expenditure of the Specific Programme, including internal and management expenditure for the executive agency which it is proposed to set up, should be proportional to the activities undertaken under the Specific Programme and is subject to the decision of the budgetary and legislative authorities. Budget appropriations shall be used in accordance with the principle of sound financial management, namely in accordance with the principles of economy, efficiency and effectiveness, as well as the principle of proportionality;

- all research activities carried out under the Specific Programme shall be in compliance with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union;

- the following fields of research will not be financed under the programme: research activity aimed at cloning of human embryos; research activity intended to modify the genetic heritage of human beings which could make such changes heritable; research activity intended to create human embryos solely for research purposes or for the purpose of stem cell procurement and research activity using cells from such embryos;

- as with all the specific programmes, a new Article 5a states that the Commission shall provide prior information to the budgetary authority whenever it intends to depart from the breakdown of expenditure stated in the remarks in and annex to the general budget of the European Union;

- proposals for indirect actions shall be evaluated and projects selected with account being taken of the following principles:  scientific and/or technological excellence; how the project relates to the objectives of the Specific Programme; the calibre and implementing capacity of the proposers (researchers/organisations) and their potential for further progression; implementation of the principle of equal treatment and equal opportunities for women and men; the quality of the proposed activity in terms of scientific training and/or knowledge transfer objectives. In this connection the work programme shall specify in greater detail the assessment and selection criteria and may add further requirements, weightings, and thresholds;

- in the context of the "Marie Curie Actions", particular attention must be paid to the protection and sharing of intellectual property, secured by means of suitable contract clauses that safeguard the individual researcher, when the research results in a patent for producing goods placed on the market.

- all actions in the specific programme, are open to the participation, without any form of discrimination, of individual researchers from third countries and of European researchers living abroad. To that end, efforts should be made to speed up the mutual recognition of professional qualifications acquired in third countries. The adoption of a policy providing incentives should not be centred only on the remuneration of researchers but also on their working conditions;

- to simplify calls for proposals and reduce costs, the Commission should set up a database as a prerequisite for notifying participants in calls for proposals;

- appropriate measures should also be taken to monitor first the effectiveness of funding provided and secondly the effectiveness of the use of such funds;

 - the Commission shall submit the Decision and a report on the implementation of the Specific Programme to the competent bodies for review in sufficient time to ensure that the procedure for modifying this Decision can be completed by the end of 2010.

Lastly, Parliament emphasised removing obstacles to professional mobility, especially those related to researchers’ social security and tax affairs, which often act as a disincentive to entering the research field, and also stressed the need to make it easier to reconcile work and family life, not least by enabling them to benefit from appropriate financial and salary terms as well as from social security arrangements.