Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 1 The Research Fund for Coal and Steel by Patricio Ortiz de la Torre European Commission
Monday, 18 July 2005 2 Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 2 Background From 1952 to 2002: the European Coal and Steel Community: ECSC treaty signed for 50 years Activities funded through a levy paid by industries About 1 billion invested in coal and steel research Coal and steel research still needed 1st February 2003: : set up of the Research Fund for Coal and Steel
Monday, 18 July 2005 3 Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 3 The Research Fund for Coal and Steel (RFCS) Objectives: to support competitiveness and to contribute to sustainable development of the Community sectors related to the coal and steel industry Principles: financial assistance mainly for RTD projects by promoting co-operation between undertakings, research centres and universities Outside the 6th RTD Frame Work programme Complementing the RTD Frame Work programme
Monday, 18 July 2005 4 Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 4 A maverick financial design ECSC left assets in 2002 ~ 1,6 billion The RFCS The RFCS budget, about 60 million / year, is generated by the interests produced by the ECSC assets. Funding allocation: 27,2% coal & 72,8% steel An open call for proposals with 15 September as the yearly deadline.
Monday, 18 July 2005 5 Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 5 RFCS management The Commission COSCO CAG/SAG Technical Groups
Monday, 18 July 2005 6 Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 6 RFCS management The European commission is assisted by: 1 programme committee (COSCO): representatives of the Member States 2 advisory groups: -Coaladvisory group (CAG) -Steeladvisory group (SAG) 12 technical groups: senior experts in the relevant fields for the monitoring of the projects.
Monday, 18 July 2005 7 Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 7 Technical Groups The monitoring of projects is based on a peer review mechanism project co-ordinators present the progress and results of their project to a Technical Group consisting of a number of highly qualified experts appointed by the Commission
Monday, 18 July 2005 8 Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 8 Coal technical groups TGC 1: Coal mining operation, mine infrastructure and management, unconventional use of coal deposit TGC 2: Coal preparation, conversion and upgrading TGC 3: Coal combustion, clean and efficient coal technologies, CO2 capture
Monday, 18 July 2005 9 Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 9 RTD actions are co-financed Research projects (funding up to 60 %) Pilot projects (funding up to 40 %) Demonstration projects (funding up to 40 %)
Accompanying measures Type 1 - Information exchange and dissemination activities (events, conferences) funding max. 20 000 not more 20% total cost Type 2 - Promotion of knowledge gained possible funding up to 100% Type 3 - Training and mobility of the researcher mobility allowance 2000/ month + yearly travel allowance Clearly distinct from the Marie Curie actions (6 FP) http://europa.eu.int/mariecurie-actions http://www.cordis.lu/improving/fellowships/home.htm a mobility bursary concerning researchers and/or engineers who are already employed and must stay employed by their organisation of origin during their expatriation Monday, 18 July 2005 10 Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 10
Monday, 18 July 2005 11 Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 11 Evaluation process Evaluation by independent external experts Advisory groups COSCO Commission decision
Monday, 18 July 2005 12 Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 12 Evaluation scheme Each proposal is read and evaluated independently by 3 evaluators A meeting is subsequently convened by a Commission officer Outcome is summarised in a consensus report
Monday, 18 July 2005 13 Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 13 Evaluation criteria RTD actions 5 criteria AM 1 Conferences 6 criteria AM 2 Valorisation 4 criteria AM 3 Mobility 4 criteria
RTD actions evaluation criteria (5 CRITERIA SCORED 0 TO 5) Scientific and technical approach Eliminating threshold : if mark < 3, proposal is rejected Failure to provide the reference of previous EC or ECSC projects related, even partly, with the objectives of the proposal may result in the rejection of the proposal Innovative content Eliminating threshold: if mark < 3, proposal is rejected Industrial interest and scientific / technical prospects Community added value and contribution to EU-Policies Consistency of resources and quality of partnership Failure to provide a realistic estimate of the budget deemed necessary may result in the rejection of the proposal Monday, 18 July 2005 14 Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 14
Monday, 18 July 2005 15 Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 15 must relate either: RTD actions to the production and/or processing of iron and/or steel or to their properties, manufacture and/or utilisation of steel products, or to the production, preparation, conversion or utilisation of coal Proposals should demonstrate the ability to solve the specific scientific/technical problems to be addressed as well as demonstrate the economic and/or scientific technological impact of the expected results.
Monday, 18 July 2005 16 Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 16 Principles of participation Any undertaking, research institute or natural person established in any of the Member States Not necessarily directly connected with the coal, the iron and steel industry but the RTD proposal has to be within the scope of the programme Third countries can participate if bringing substantial added value to the programme objectives but always without EC financial support
Monday, 18 July 2005 17 Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 17 How to submit a proposal? Read carefully the information package, composed of 2 parts: Practical information Forms which should be downloaded from the website and fulfilled
Monday, 18 July 2005 18 Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 18 Useful links RFCS website: http://www.cordis.lu/coal-steel-rtd/ Sixth Framework Programme http://fp6.cordis.lu/fp6/home.cfm To identify exact ECSC or RFCS project number and title: - http://www.cordis.lu (then select databases and web services) or - http://dbs.cordis.lu To access to the last published technical reports: http://www.cordis.lu/library To purchase technical reports from the Publications Office: http://publications.eu.int/general/obtain_en.html
Monday, 18 July 2005 19 Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 19 Number of proposals received yearly 156 in 2002, 177 in 2003, 208 proposals in 2004 for steel : 116 in 2002,143 in 2003, 173 in 2004 for coal : 40 in 2002, 34 in 2003, 35 in 2004 Success rate: about 30% for steel between 25% and 30% for coal
Monday, 18 July 2005 20 Leptokarya Pieria, Greece, 20-22 Jun 2005 20 A typical strategic pilot project COMTES 700 6 Million EC support VGB Power, ALSTOM, BHE, BWE, SIEMENS, Elsam Engineering Component test facility for a 700 C power plant The objective is to design, manufacture, erect and operate a component test facility to test durable new materials needed to realise a coal based plant with efficiencies above 50%