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I PROGRAM TEMATYCZNY

"Quality of life and management of living resources"

I Program Tematyczny zawiera 5 akcji kluczowych (oznaczonych tu literą "a"), 7 akcji ogólnych dla bada" i rozwoju techniki ( "b") oraz akcjc wspierającą infrastrukturc badawczą w trzech klasach ("c").

1a1. Health, Food and Environmental Factors
1a2. Control of Infectious Diseases
1a3. The "Cell Factory"
1a4. Sustainable agriculture, fisheries and forestry, including integrated development of rural areas
1a5. The Ageing Population
1b1. Chronic and degenerative diseases (in particular cancer and diabetes), cardiovascular diseases and rare diseases
1b2. Research into genomes and diseases of genetic origin
1b3. Neurosciences
1b4. Improvement of health systems:
1b5. Fighting drug-related problems:
1b6. Study of problems relating to biomedical ethics and bioethics in the context of respect for fundamental human values
1b7. Study of the socio-economic aspects of life sciences and technologies within the perspective of sustainable development (the impact on society, economy and employment)
1c1. Support for research infrastructures
1c2. Clinical research facilities, including pre-clinical research and clinical trials.
1c3. Facilities for aquaculture and fishery research.


A. THE GENERAL OUTLINES, THE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL OBJECTIVES AND THE PRIORITIES

Economic and political developments in Europe have globally resulted in greater prosperity, increased life expectancy and better working conditions. These improvements have, however, been accompanied by challenges such as higher health-care costs, an ageing population, and environmental degradation. Increasingly, a gap is becoming evident between natural resources, whether from agriculture and fisheries, mining or the global environment, and human activities. Paradoxically, this has occurred at a time when there is an "explosion" in the knowledge base concerning the structure and working of all living things, pointing towards new developments in the corresponding sectors, e.g. health-care, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, food, etc.
Europe has a strong tradition and an excellent record in research and application of life sciences and technologies. Furthermore, Europe provides a huge single market with a tradition of receptiveness for bio-based products. It has, therefore, the potential to address and solve major challenges such as a varied and safe food supply, affordable health-care, better medicines, etc. The scientific basis on which living and natural materials are exploited for these ends is undergoing a dramatic change, in which the intimate and interactive workings of living beings are being revealed. With the progress of scientific knowledge in recent decades, one can now expect to probe more deeply the questions surrounding the production of food, the curing of diseases, and the sustainable management and use of biological resources. One can also anticipate clarifying their relationships with human behaviour and needs, industrial practices and consumer demands.

The strategic objective of the programme is to link the ability to discover to the ability to produce, in order to address the needs of society and to meet the requirements of the consumer, leading to future wealth and job creation. The strategy of this programme is to focus on specific areas where growing knowledge potentially contains technical answers to some of the pressing questions asked by the citizen which require to be tackled on a European scale.

The novelty of this approach is the willingness to couple the dynamics of massive knowledge production with few areas where there are expected to be desirable spin-offs, while pursuing the renewal of knowledge to reinforce European strengths in fields associated with further growth and quality of life.
The proposed scientific and technological solutions should be seen as part of an integrated "system" approach, in which man is at the core of the issue of the "quality of life" and of "management of living resources". Five key actions have been identified in which European research should make a contribution, by way of innovative products, processes or services, to problem resolution. These key actions are targeted at socio-economic needs and the Community's policy objectives, eg in agriculture and fisheries, industry and consumers, and in the fields of health and environment.
They are supplemented with research and technological development activities of a generic nature as well as support to research infrastructures aiming at building up, in the longer term, the knowledge base in areas of strategic importance for the future.

Meeting socio-economic needs. On the demand side, research should be developed which promotes health, reconciles economic developments with environmental requirements, and improves the response to consumer needs. On the supply side, there is huge potential for economic growth and job-creation in this field, both in the traditional industries including primary production and in the nascent high technology industries.

Increasing European added value. The major cross-border issues should be addressed selectively, such as health aspects of diseases (epdemiology, nutrition, food safety, ageing, rare diseases), or transboundary resources management (terrestrial and aquatic living resources). Other areas such as drug abuse, biosafety or bioethics, involve the reinforcement of scientific bases in support of Community policies. Many of the activities to be addressed in the programme (e.g. genome research, neurosciences, technology assessment), due to their size and complexity, are only feasible if they are addressed at the European level.

Improving European competitiveness. The programme will capitalise on specific scientific strengths in knowledge areas and in productive sectors with strong growth potential, such as the biotechnology and food industries. Thus, the heart of this programme, improving the quality of life, promoting life sciences and technologies and decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation, will contribute in the short and in the longer term to European competitiveness and employment. Europe must promote start-ups in particular in the areas of biotechnology and the agro-food industry which have recently shown a consistent growth rate.

Promoting biosafety. The assessment of the behaviour and impact on health of recombinant organisms (e.g. transgenic plants, microorganisms, vaccines, etc.) and of their fate in the environment, where relevant, is part of every key action.

Respecting an ethical framework. Full respect of human rights and fundamental ethical principles will be ensured throughout all activities in the specific programme in accordance with Article 6 of the European Parliament and Council Decision on the Fifth Framework Programme.

B. LINKS AND COMPLEMENTARITY WITH THE OTHER PROGRAMMES

Coordination with other thematic programmes is based on promoting synergetic interactions and complementary activities and avoiding unnecessary duplication:

  • Coordination with the specific programme on a "User-friendly information society is based on the following principle : activities concerned with information society technologies as such (which include development, demonstration and take-up actions) will be concentrated in the "User-friendly information society" programme; activities concerned with the deployment, integration and adaptation of information society technologies in applications relating to the quality of life and the management of living resources will be conducted in this programme.

  • Coordination with the programmes on "Competitive and sustainable growth" and "Preserving the ecosystem" is based on close interaction between the key action "Health, food and environmental factors" of this programme and the key action "Products, processes and organisation" of the programme on "Competitive and sustainable growth" and the corresponding aspects of the programme on "Preserving the ecosystem". Similar interactions will be established between the key actions "The cell factory" and "Sustainable management of agriculture, fisheries and forestry, including integrated development of rural areas" with the relevant actions of the programmes on "Competitive and sustainable growth" and "Preserving the ecosystem".

  • Close coordination will be developed with the programme "Confirming the international role of Community research", in particular where collaboration with international initiatives could bring added value to European RTD efforts.

  • Full use will be made of the possibilities offered by COST and EUREKA and by co-operation with international organisations to foster synergy between actions and projects in this programme and nationally funded research activities. In the case of co-operation with EUREKA, projects corresponding to priority themes of common interest may be developed in the context of the key actions.

  • Specific activities aimed at facilitating the involvement of entities in third countries and maintaining links with specialists from third countries trained in Europe will be carried out, which will also contribute to the international dimension of the programme.

  • Concerning innovation and the participation of SMEs, as new knowledge in the biosciences constantly drives innovation, research partnerships need to be flexible and inclusive. A competitive partnership requires a high level of interaction of biology, engineering, information management, standardisation, capital investment, intellectual property rights, etc., which brings success only on a single-project basis. It will be imperative that measures to stimulate e.g. SMEs and financial partners accompany programme management for each individual action. An "innovation unit" will focus the promotion activities with a view to the deployment and use of the results of this programme; it will also help to ensure complementarity and an interface with the innovation activities implemented in the context of the programme on "Innovation and participation of SMEs".

  • Training with a view to providing qualified human resources in the entrepreneurial and professional sectors, as well as socio-economic analysis of technology impacts, will be carried out within this programme, to accommodate the rapid turn-over of new expertise in many traditional fields.

    C. KEY ACTIONS

    1a1. Health, Food and Environmental Factors
    Objectives and RTD priorities
    The overall goal of this key action is to improve the health of European citizens by providing them with safe, healthy and varied food products and by reducing the negative impact of environmental factors such as air pollution, heavy metals, toxic substances, electromagnetic radiation and noise, as well as the effects of pollution at the workplace. A new multidisciplinary approach viewing the whole food chain as an integrated entity while examining issues of food safety, pre-normative aspects, new and improved raw materials, food processing, and a more profound understanding of the links between food consumption, well- being and health will be developed. This key action will also study in detail the interactions between environmental factors and human health. The following scientific and technological objectives will be pursued:

  • Development of safe and flexible and new and/or improved manufacturing processes and technologies. The aim is to improve the quality and consumer acceptability of food, while ensuring traceability of raw materials and final products.

  • Development of tests to detect and processes to eliminate infectious and toxic agents. Research will focus on the hazards of food contaminants, their exact origins and strategies for safer food production.

  • Research into the role of food in promoting and sustaining health with respect to diet and nutrition, toxicology, epidemiology, environmental interaction, consumer choice and public health. The aim is to reduce diet-related risk factors contributing to chronic disease and to develop new approaches for improved nutrition and more balanced diets.

  • Research into diseases and allergies related to or influenced by the environment, and research into their treatment and prevention. The focus is on health impairment caused directly by exposure to the environment and on ways of treatment and prevention, based on sound epidemiological data and an understanding of pathogenesis mechanisms.

  • Development of new methods of diagnosis, risk assessment and of processes to reduce causes and harmful environmental health effects. The objective is to use a multi-disciplinary approach for better understanding of the interactions between the social and physical environment and health and to improve the identification of vulnerable groups to environmental exposures and to identify preventive measures in order to reduce causes and environmental factors hazardous to health.

    1a2. Control of Infectious Diseases
    Objectives and RTD priorities
  • The overall goal of this key action is to combat established, emerging or re-emerging infectious diseases, linked to old, new or mutated agents in humans or animals. This would be achieved primarily by mixing complementary expertise in transdisciplinary projects, by linking these activities to national and international organisations, and by encouraging the interface between academic research, policy-makers, health-care providers and the human and animal health-care industry, pursuing the following scientific and technological objectives: The development of improved or novel mono-component, multi-component and combined vaccines, especially against viral diseases, including the support of multi-centre clinical trials.

  • New and improved strategies to identify and control infectious diseases, directed at treatment and prevention and based on studies on pathogenesis, emergence of resistance and immunological control.

  • Aspects connected with public-health and care-delivery systems, notably management, prevention and surveillance aspects.

    1a3. The "Cell Factory"
    Objectives and RTD priorities

    This key action is aimed at helping the Community's enterprises, either established or starting up, to exploit the advances made in life sciences and technology, particularly in the fields of health, environment, agriculture, agro-industries and high value-added products such as chemicals. It is aimed at the development of multidisciplinary technologies based on the exploitation of the properties of micro-organisms, plants and animals, in particular at the tissue, cellular and sub-cellular levels. The objective is to understand the versatile functioning of cells and to develop bio-reactors, bio-molecules and bio-processes with high added value capable of enhancing the quality of life and health. Being a prerequisite to the functioning of cells as minute factories, sufficient knowledge will have to be secured of their blueprint at the scale at which they operate, through underpinning contributions of structural biology, physiology, nanobiotechnology, genomics and proteomics, with the support of notably physico-chemistry, bioinformatics and biochemical engineering. This key action should also aim at using RTD to reinforce the prenormative by making cell cultures available as models for medicine, pharmacology, toxicology and environmental monitoring as a substitute for testing. Emphasis would be put on the following scientific and technological objectives:

  • New and innovative health-related processes and products particularly from molecular engineering (for example diagnostics, antibiotics, anti-cancer agents, including plant produced therapeutics). Research will focus on bio-products relevant to preventing, detecting and treating human and animal diseases and improving the quality of life.

  • Energy-efficient bio-remediation and waste bio-treatment processes. The objective is to prevent, detect, monitor, treat and remove pollution as well as to maximise the economic value of waste.

  • New biological processes and products, new processing technologies using micro-organisms, plants or animals for agri-food and agro-industry and high-value-added chemical applications. The focus is on high-value bio-molecules and bio-processes leading to enhanced exploitation of renewable resources and to enhanced expression of desirable characteristics for micro-organisms, plants and animals.

    1a4. Sustainable agriculture, fisheries and forestry, including integrated development of rural areas
    Objectives and RTD priorities

    The aim is to develop knowledge and technologies for the production and exploitation of living resources, including forests, covering the whole production chain, taking into account the highly competitive international context and in the light of the need for adaptation to the evolution of the common agricultural and fisheries policies, whilst also providing the scientific basis for Community regulations and standards, and to promote the multi-functional role of forests and the sustainable management and utilisation of forest resources as an integral factor of rural development. The priority areas are as follows:

  • New and/or improved systems of production and exploitation in agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture, including the multi-functional management of forests. These systems will combine competitiveness, sustainable management of resources, product quality and employment.

    For fisheries: support to integrated fishery management linking resource conservation, means of capture, interactions with ecosystems, market requirements and socio-economic considerations; identification and characterisation of the quality of marine products and technologies; development of new concepts for the sustainable use of marine living resources.
    For aquaculture: sustainable production systems with the reduction of impact on ecosystems and diversification of cultivated species (both plant and animal); improvement of production techniques; promotion of genetic improvement, disease resistance and control
    For forests: multifunctional management of forests; support to forest policy issues; diversification (non-wood uses, agro-sylvo-pastoral systems), multifunctional and sustainable management combining quality production with conservation and protection. Forests ecosystems biodiversity and protection of forests soils. Sustainable and multi-purpose utilisation of forest resources; the forestry-wood chain; strategies for the sustainable management and utilization of forest resources; efficient, environment-friendly processes and recycling technologies; high value added and diversified products accounting for market needs, and consumer requirements.
  • Integrated production and exploitation of biological materials for non-food uses. This will cover integrated production and processing chains with the emphasis on end-use and market requirements.

  • Support for common policies. The aim is to develop methods of control, surveillance and protection to support the sound implementation of the common agricultural and fisheries policies and related activities and to provide support for Community regulations by prenormative research activities. This research may also be useful to the Community in the context of international trade negotiations and of dispute settlements in the framework of WTO, in the area of agriculture.

  • New tools and models for the integrated and sustainable development of rural and other relevant areas. This approach is based on optimisation of the specific potential of each area, including at regional level, the diversification of activities and land use and the involvement of the people concerned.

    1a5. The Ageing Population
    Objectives and RTD priorities

    The overriding goal of this key action is to promote quality of life and healthy ageing and independence in old age by preventing and treating age-related diseases and disability, and their societal consequences. A complementary objective will be to reduce the need for long-term care and limit the constantly increasing costs of health-care systems.

  • RTD into age-related illnesses and health problems with high morbidity where there is a real prospect of significant prevention, treatment or delay in onset.

  • RTD into biological, psychological, social and economic determinants of healthy ageing and of the mechanisms leading to disability.

  • Demographic and epidemiological research on ageing and disability trends to enable prediction of the size and nature of the ageing population as a basis for policy and planning.

  • RTD into new approaches to delaying the onset of disability, to reducing the challenge to older people of their social and physical environment, including the design and development of products and services adapted to their needs (e.g. in housing, transport and leisure) and to supporting mental and physical functioning.

  • RTD into effective and efficient delivery of health and social care services to older people, including comparative research on the financing of long term care and pensions.

    RTD priorities : health care outcome research for elderly and disabled, research into specific health services and social care services, as well as into health care services organisation; efficiency and quality of health care delivery for the elderly; impact of ageing on the evolution and financing of care systems, notably for long term care, and of pensions.

    D. RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES OF A GENERIC NATURE

    These activities have a longer-term impact that may even preclude the possibility of satisfying some of the citizens' expressed needs, for as long as fragmentary knowledge is not pooled together to a sufficient degree of completeness. There is, in the related disciplines, a time-dependent need for integration of the science base, which is why industry, services and policy-making in Europe must maintain or reinforce their response capacity in a rapidly changing world.

    Efficient interaction between research laboratories and industry will be promoted. Clustering of projects involving core centres and associated laboratories will be encouraged to create a critical mass, to promote interaction between basic and applied research and to ensure maximum transfer of knowledge to and from industry and undertakings. Support ranging from training of young scientists to fellowships for senior researchers will be developed.

    1b1. Chronic and degenerative diseases (in particular cancer and diabetes), cardiovascular diseases and rare diseases

    Major challenges in biomedical research are the elucidation of the aetiology and pathogenesis of multi factorial diseases (genetic, environmental, lifestyle) of high (e.g. cardiovascular, cancer, diabetes) or low (e.g. rare diseases) morbidity. There is an urgent need to improve diagnosis, treatment, prevention and surveillance through epidemiology and applying advances in modern technology, requiring a multinational approach. The objective is to increase knowledge with regard to the epidemiology, pathogenesis and diagnosis of diseases by integrating basic and clinical research, and to apply modern technology to the treatment and control of major diseases, including rare (e.g., Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease) and orphan diseases (e.g. illnesses which are prevalent in developing countries but are receiving less attention for research in industrialised countries).

    1b2. Research into genomes and diseases of genetic origin

    The aim of this activity is to identify the physiological functions of genes and to improve the understanding of the meaning of sequence information. The new knowledge and technologies deriving from this generic action should promote the exploitation of genome information to the benefit of European health, industry and the environment. The organisation of collaboration in this area will underpin the development of expression systems to facilitate the study of genes of industrial and agronomic interest as well as the design of effective molecular and gene-based preventive and therapeutic strategies for human and animal disease.

    1b3. Neurosciences

    This activity will provide new insights and a better understanding of the mechanisms governing the interrelationship of biological and psychological processes, to promote new diagnostic (e.g. imaging), preventive and therapeutic approaches to neurological and psychiatric disorders and to underpin opportunities for education, innovation in health care and computational industries. In this context, synergy and an appropriate flow of information will be strengthened with the Human Frontier Science Programme.

    1b4. Improvement of health systems: To improve the health of European citizens and the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of health-promotion and health-care technologies and interventions, enhance health and safety at work, evaluate health-care models, develop the evidence base for clinical practice and health policy, and study public-health variations across Europe.

    1b5. Fighting drug-related problems: To prevent and, where appropriate, control drug-related health problems through establishing the psychological and socio-economic factors involved in drug-taking and drug abuse, developing better understanding of the long-term health and social consequences of abuse, and developing more effective treatment strategies.

    1b6. Study of problems relating to biomedical ethics and bioethics in the context of respect for fundamental human values

    The objective is to identify the ethical, legal and social questions raised, not only by biomedical and biological research alone but also, more broadly, by scientific and technological developments to understand and address issues of public concern, and to analyse the ethical dimension of legal and regulatory measures.

    1b7. Study of the socio-economic aspects of life sciences and technologies within the perspective of sustainable development (the impact on society, economy and employment)

    Competitiveness and sustainable development will together be the source of the Union's future wealth and employment opportunities, ensuring an enhanced quality of life for Europe's citizens.

    Simultaneous pursuit of these objectives is only possible through an adequate recognition of the key interrelations between technologies, environment and society and integration of knowledge into sustainable development policies.

    Socio-economic research is also needed to enhance the quality of the public debate, as illustrated by the interest shown in the applications of modern biotechnologies. The regulatory process in life sciences and technologies and its impact on citizens' confidence influences public opinion, which in turn has a strong impact on decision-makers.

    The objectives are to assist in the construction of strategies and models for sustainable development and to provide a sound scientific basis for the conception and implementation of relevant policies, exploiting knowledge and technologies from the life sciences and technologies (including the creation of employment opportunities in the bio-industries); and to develop a better understanding of the links between science and policy, including the ways in which opinions on the benefits and risks of technological progress are formed and are reflected in the regulatory process.

    E. SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES

    Objectives

    To broaden access, to make optimum use of and to improve the consistency of the existing European research fabric at Community level.

    To facilitate and to encourage the development of RTD facilities in response to emerging needs.

    In order to reinforce the European added value and the optimisation of the required efforts, Community support will be directed towards: transnational co-ordination, integrated management of, specific aspects of operation of, access to and improvement of existing facilities; co-ordination and complementation of national or multinational initiatives to develop facilities needed at the European level; networking of communities of researchers and users through research projects and specific training activities centred on appropriate infrastructures, or cooperation of several partners, leading to an integrated service provider; increasing the compatibility of dispersed systems, aiming to provide rapid and effective integration of facilities and resources.

    Classes of infrastructures

    1c1. Biological data and collections of biological material. Databases, information services and networks of biological expertise; major specialised instrumentation for the study of biological structures; collections of genetic materials, living and non-living specimens; breeding of animals to develop models of human diseases.

    1c2. Clinical research facilities, including pre-clinical research and clinical trials.

    1c3. Facilities for aquaculture and fishery research.

    F. INDICATIVE BREAKDOWN OF THE AMOUNT

    Type of activityTotal
     a)  Key actions76,1%
           1) Health, food and environmental factors19,0%
           2) Control of infectious diseases12,7%
           3) The cell factory15,2%
           4) Sustainable agriculture, fisheries and forestry, including integrated development of rural areas21,6%
           5) The ageing population7,6%
     b)  Research and technological development activities of a generic nature20,9%
     c)  Support for research infrastructures3,0%
     TOTALECU 2635 million

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