1. UNLOCKING THE RESOURCES OF THE LIVING WORLD AND THE ECOSYSTEM
Improving the qualify of life and health and addressing environmental problems are major challenges and the Union plans to tackle them by helping to increase knowledge and develop
technologies in the fields of the living world and the environment.
At the same time, progress in this area will help to increase the competitiveness of the Community's enterprises by opening up new prospects in areas in which the Community already has a strong
hand, such as biotechnology, agro-industry, and the fields of health and the environment.
a) Key actions
i) The living world and the ecosystem (I): health and food
The aim of this key action is to promote the development of knowledge, technologies and methods, based on biotechnology, for example, to produce a safe, healthy, balanced and varied food supply for consumers. This requires as a priority:
the development of new processing methods to improve food quality;
the development of tests to detect and processes to eliminate infectious and toxic agents;
study of the role of food in preserving health, in particular from the point of view of nutrition, epidemiology and public health.
ii) The living world and the ecosystem (II): control of viral and other infectious diseases
The priority objectives of this key action are the fight against Aids and control of the "new plagues" (such as the reappearance of tuberculosis and the emergence of diseases linked to new or mutant agents). Close attention is to be paid to:
the development of vaccines, especially against viral diseases;
treatment and prevention strategies;
aspects connected with public health and care-delivery systems.
iii) The living world and the ecosystem (III): the "cell factory"
This key action is aimed at helping the Community's enterprises exploit the advances made in life sciences and technologies, particularly in the fields of health and the environment. It is aimed at the
development of multidisciplinary technologies based on exploitation of the properties of micro-organisms, plants and animals at the cellular and sub-cellular levels. The objective is to develop new bio-
molecules with high added-value capable of enhancing the quality of life and health, including:
new health products (for example, antibiotics and anti-cancer agents);
waste biotreatment processes;
new biological processes for the agri-food industry.
iv) The living world and the ecosystem (IV): management and quality of water
The aim of this key action is to produce the knowledge and technologies needed for the rational management of water resources for domestic needs and those of industry and agriculture. Among the
priority fields concerned are:
treatment and purification technologies;
technologies for monitoring the quality and the level ofgroundwater and surface waters;
surveillance, early warning and communication systems;
technologies for the regulation of stocks and technologies for arid and semi-arid regions.
v) The living world and the ecosystem (V): environment and health
The aim of this key action is to help reduce the adverse impact on health of changes in the environment. It covers in particular issues such as prevention and the effects on health of air pollution, heavy metals and toxic substances, noise, climatic changes and electromagnetic radiation, as well as the effects of pollution at the workplace. It includes as a priority:
epidemiological studies;
the development of new methods of diagnosis, risk assessment and prevention;
the development of processes to reduce causes and harmful health effects.
vi) The living world and the ecosystem (VI): integrated development of rural and coastal areas
The aim is to mobilise the knowledge and technologies needed to implement innovative approaches to production and exploitation, adapted to recent adjustments in the common agricultural and fisheries policies, whilst also providing the scientific basis for Community regulations. Priority areas include:
new systems of production and exploitation in agriculture, forestry, fishing and aquaculture, taking into account profitability, the sustainable management of resources, product quality and employment
non-food uses;
methods of control;
the production of new models for the sustainable development of rural and coastal areas based on optimisation of the specific potential of each area, the diversification of activities and land use, and the involvement of the people concerned.
b) Activities for the research and development of generic technologies
Work will focus on priority research to support:
the fight against age-related illnesses and health problems (e.g. Aizheimer's disease), degenerative diseases (in particular cancer and diabetes), cardio-vascular diseases, diseases of genetic origin and rare diseases; research into genomes and the neurosciences;
the improvement of health systems, the enhancement of health and safety at work, and the fight against drug-related public health problems;
the fight against major natural and technological hazards through the development of forecasting, prevention, impact assessment and mitigation techniques;
understanding of the processes and interactions involved in "global change" on land, at sea and in the atmosphere, as well as their impact on ecosystems;
the development of generic Earth observation technologies, notably satellite technologies, for environmental monitoring and resources and ecosystem management;
the study of problems relating to biomedical ethics and bioethics in the context of a respect for fundamental human values;
the study of the socio-economic aspects of development of the life sciences and technologies and of environmental change within the perspective of sustainable development (the impact on society,
the economy and employment).
c) Support for research infrastructures
The priority is to make optimum use, at Community level, of databases and collections of biological material, centres for clinical trials, marine research facilities and computer centres for climate studies
2. CREATING A USER-FRIENDLY INFORMATION SOCIETY
The advent of the Information Society is opening up the possibility of a wide range of new activities, for both individuals and companies of the Community, in the fields of trade, work, transport,
environment, education and training, health and culture. Continuous efforts in relation to research, technological development and technology take-up are necessary to realise the full potential of the Information Society.
The technological range ofkev actions allows the possibility of a flexible concentration and a dynamic implementation of the activities, reflecting socio-economic priorities.
These efforts must, in all activities, tackle the universal issues such as access, ease of use, cost-effectiveness and interoperability, as well as socio-economic impact.
a) Key actions
i) Information Society (1): systems and services for citizen
The aim of this key action is to provide users with easier access at the lowest cost to quality general-purpose services and boost the industry providing these services. In this context, it will be based on the following priorities:
as regards health and the elderly: on computerised medical systems, on secure high-capacity health networks and telemedicine, on advanced interfaces and on tele-systems to integrate the elderly and the disabled into society;
as regards the public authorities: on systems utilising multimedia and tele-systems;
as regards the environment: on intelligent systems for analysis, surveillance, management and early warning;
as regards transport: on the advanced intelligent systems needed for management and associated tele-services.
ii) Information Society (II): new methods of work and electronic trading
The aim of this key action is to help companies operate more efficiently and to make trading in goods and services more efficient. The priority topics will be:
flexible, mobile and remote working methods, for individuals and for cooperative and group working and working methods based on simulation and virtual reality;
management systems for suppliers and consumers, including interoperable payment systems;
information and network security, including the technical means for authentication and the protection of-the integrity and intellectual property
iii) Information Society (III): multimedia content
The aim of this key action is to facilitate education and life-long training, to stimulate creativity, promote linguistic and cultural diversity and improve the functionality and user-friendliness of future
information products and services. It puts emphasis on the development of intelligent systems for education and training and of innovative forms of multimedia content, including audiovisual content,
and tools for structuring and processing them. It will focus on main lines:
interactive electronic publishing with new methods for creating and structuring publications and for the personalised dissemination of information and accessing of cultural items through virtual
libraries and museums;
education and training: systems, services and software enabling the development and demonstration of new methods using multimedia, broad-band communications, simulation and virtual reality:
new language technologies which help to make information and communications systems more user-friendly;
advanced technologies for accessing, filtering and analysing information to help manage the information explosion and facilitate the use of multimedia contents, notably as regards geographical
information systems.
iv) Information Society (IV): essential technologies and infrastructures
The aim of this key action is to promote excellence in the technologies which are crucial to the Information Society, to speed up their introduction and broaden their field of application. This action will
focus as a matter of priority on:
computing, communication and network technologies, together with their implementation and application;
technologies and engineering for software and systems,
mobile and personal communications and systems, especially satellite-related services;
interfaces making use of the various senses;
peripherals, subsystems and microsystems;
micro-electronics (technologies, expertise, equipment and hardware necessary for the design and manufacture of circuits and the development of applications).
b) Activities for the research and development of generic technologies
Universal issues such as access, ease of use, cost-effectiveness and interoperability and socio-economic impact will be fully addressed in all the key actions. From a visionary perspective, covering future and emerging technologies and applications, research will focus as a priority on:
technologies for the representation, creation and handling of knowledge;
real-time and large-scale simulation and visualisation technologies and virtual presence technologies;
quantum, photonic, bio-electronic technologies, and technologies for very large scale integration; ultra-high performance computers and super-intelligent networks.
c) Support for research infrastructure
The priority is to provide support for the advanced high-speed computer systems needed for research in all fields of science and technology, for example advanced INTERNET-2.
3. PROMOTING COMPETITIVE AND SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
The objective is to produce and disseminate the knowledge and technologies needed to design and develop processes and produce "clean ", high-quality products that will be competitive on
tomorrow's market, to help increase growth and create new jobs in Europe and to give firms the opportunity to make the necessary changes to their activities.
This goes hand in hand with the development of high-performance energy systems and services, and transport systems which are economic, safe, and protective of the environment and quality of life.
a) Key actions
i) Competitive and sustainable growth (1): products, processes, organisation
The aim of this key action is to facilitate the development of high-quality innovative products and services that meet the needs of the citizen and the market and new methods of production and manufacture that save resources and are environmentally safe, whatever the method of production. Research will focus as a matter of priority on:
the elaboration, development and integration of new technologies for design, manufacturing, control and production, in particular using microengineering;
Information Society technologies for "intelligent" manufacturing (including flexible workshop systems and systems for flexible management of supply and distribution chains, embedded systems and tele-services for operation and maintenance and simulation and shared-work technologies);
technologies to reduce resource utilisation and promote reuse and recycling of waste and the development of clean processes and products based on the concept of "life cycle analysis";
new methods of organising production and work and of using skills (including socio-economic analyses).
ii) Competitive and sustainable growth (II): sustainable mobility and intermodality
The aim is to ensure the mobility of people and goods efficiently and without damage to the environment. This key action will contribute towards this by helping to set up a safe, intelligent, efficient and interoperable rail and road, air and maritime transport system for passengers and freight on a broadly intermodal basis at the European level to meet the mobility needs of industry and the public.
This requires as a matter of priority:
the development, validation and demonstration of modal and intermodal transport management systems, including second-generation satellite navigation and positioning systems;
research on infrastructures and their interfaces with transport facilities and systems, while reducing the environmental impact and taking account of accessibility and the integration of regional
planning and transport policies;
the development of socio-economic scenarios for the mobility of people and goods.
iii) Competitive and sustainable growth (III): new perspectives in aeronautics
The aim of this key action is to help the European Community consolidate its position in this sector by developing its mastery, in an environmentally friendly manner, of the most advanced aeronautical technologies. It will cover as a matter of priority:
the development and demonstration of advanced technologies for integrated design and production, the reduction of energy consumption, emissions and noise for various aircraft concepts;
the technological and economic feasibility of and the critical technologies for new-generation aircraft concepts;
the development of technologies to improve operational safety.
iv) Competitive and sustainable growth (IV): marine technologies
The aim is to encourage, whilst preserving the environment, the development and integration of knowledge and technologies, specific to sea-based applications to enable the Community to fully exploit the sea's potential and to improve the competitiveness of the marine industry, to support a veritable "sea" policy. The priority emphasis will be on the technologies needed:
for the development of advanced ships which are safe and efficient;
for the use of the sea as an economic means of transporting goods and passengers (advanced port infrastructure, regional maritime transport systems) in conjunction with the key action on
"sustainable mobility and intermodality;
for the rational and sustainable exploitation of the sea as a source of energy and mineral resources (in particular off-shore and subsea technologies).
v) Competitive and sustainable growth (V): advanced energy systems and services
The aim of this key action, taking into account market needs, is to help satisfy the Community's demand for energy while minimising the risks to the environment. It helps to promote the development
and improvement of advanced energy systems that are efficient in terms of both production and consumption, in particular to achieve a substantial reduction in CO^ emissions and other greenhouse
gases and to boost the Union's industrial competitiveness. Work will focus by way of priority on:
the main new and renewable sources of energy and their integration, in particular, into decentralised systems;
technologies for the storage and distribution of energy;
technologies for the clean production and use of fossil fuels and for the rational use of energy;
the elaboration of scenarios on economy/environment/energy interactions.
vi) Competitive and sustainable growth (VI): the city of tomorrow
The aim of this key action is the harmonious development of the citizens' urban environment from a global, innovative and resource-saving viewpoint, in an environmentally sound manner, using
advanced models of organisation bringing together in particular the improvement of quality of life, the restoration of social equilibria and the protection and enhancement of the cultural heritage. Action
will focus as a matter of priority on:
new models for the sustainable development of European cities, the elaboration of medium- and long-term socio-economic scenarios and research, development and demonstration activities
focusing in particular on problems of town planning and architecture, social integration, safety, energy efficiency and conservation (in particular in buildings and in integrated management of
and democratic information networks (the concept of "digital cities");
development and demonstration of technologies for economic, clean, effective and sustainable recovery, renovation and construction, in particular for large groups of buildings and for the protection
of the cultural heritage;
development and demonstration in an urban context of technologies for economic, clean, safe and intelligent vehicles (e.g. zero-emission vehicles) compatible with a context of sustainable mobility key action on "sustainable mobility and intermodality");
b) Activities for the research and development of generic technologies
The effort will be focused on the priority research needed:
to support the development of new and improved industrial materials and the processes for their manufacture: materials resistant to high temperatures and high pressure (e.g. for energy generation and engines); light materials (for transport and construction); functional materials (opto-electronics, biomaterials, sensors) designed and developed with ease of recycling in mind;
for the development of new materials and production technologies in the coal and steel fields;
for measurements and tests to support standardisation, action to combat fraud, and the quality of products, and services (including the development of high-precision measuring instruments and certified reference measures and materials).
c) Support for research infrastructures
The priorities concern the networking and optimum use, at Community level, of computing centres for industrial research, high-power wind tunnels, specialised databases, laboratories and facilities for
measurements and tests.
÷ ĪĮŽĮĢĻ ÓŌŅĮĪÉĆŁ