Author: EARSC

At an important juncture for EU research policy, this month saw
the inauguration of the UK Presidency’s R&D and innovation portal.
Top billing on the Union’s research agenda during Britain’s six-month
stint at the helm goes to the forthcoming Seventh Framework Programme
for Research (FP7).

The United Kingdom took over the Union’s
rotating presidency from Luxembourg on 1 July 2005 and will hold it for
the coming six months, until the end of December. “We will look to
deliver progress across the EU agenda by running an effective,
impartial and business-like EU Presidency,” said the UK’s Parliamentary
Under-secretary of State for Science and Innovation David Sainsbury.

On the science and technology front, Lord
Sainsbury noted that: “The agenda on research and innovation during the
UK Presidency will be dominated by negotiations on FP7 for supporting
research and technological development, which is due to run from
2007-2013.”

The Commission’s proposal for
FP7 was launched during the Luxembourg presidency, which has mediated
the initial discussion among Member States. According to the proposal,
FP7 is set to become bigger and more ambitious than its predecessor,
the current FP6 (2002-2006).

If given the green light by Member
States, FP7 will have nearly €65 billion at its disposal. The proposed
budget is double the current annual spending in FP6.

FP7 revolves around four specific
programmes: co-operation, ideas, people and capacities; and nine
themes. It places more of an emphasis on research that enhances
European competitiveness – through technology platforms and other
public-private partnerships – and on themes rather than instruments.
FP7 would represent a tenth of total public R&D spending across the
EU, and should help inch the Union closer to its target of investing 3%
of its gross domestic product (GDP) in research.

Also on the UK’s research and innovation
agenda is the proposed Competitiveness and Innovation Framework
Programme (CIP) and the European Space Programme (ESP).

Window on research

The UK Presidency’s R&D and Innovation
Information Service – which came on-line on 1 July with the hand-over
of the EU presidency – was developed jointly by the UK’s Department of
Trade and Industry and CORDIS, one of the EU’s research and innovation
information services.

It will provide a window on the UK
presidency’s efforts in this field of vital importance to European
competitiveness and prosperity. Visitors will be able to read the
latest news and press releases, and find out about R&D and
innovation events across Europe.

The website also provides insight into
the Presidency’s research and innovation priorities, as well as the
UK’s own R&D and innovation policies. This portal also contains a
wealth of links to other important web resources, both at national and
Union level.

The European Commission is also
organising a number of R&D-related events over the next six months,
including a major conference on the knowledge-based bio-economy on
15-16 September 2005, and an international conference on communicating
European research on 14-15 November 2005.

(Credits EU Research)

“Building the European Research Area of knowledge for growth”.
This central theme is inspired directly by the stated desire to make
the ‘Lisbon Strategy’ a success and to set out the “growth triangle”
formed by research, education and innovation policy. The Commission’s
proposal to establish the Seventh Framework Programme has been before
the Council and European Parliament for examination since the beginning
of April 2005.

To trigger growth and competitiveness,
characterised by a strengthened Europe of knowledge and commitment to
the excellence needed to achieve this: that is the primary inspiration
behind the new Framework Programme. It is built on five core priorities:

-
to resolutely support research able to create industrial applications
and establish Europe as a key player in a global and sustainable
economy;

- to give a new Europe-wide impetus to “pioneering”
scientific research as a source of future innovation (priority
expressed by the creation of the European Research Council – ERC);

- to help the research world recruit human resources
attaining a higher standard and to equip it with the most effective
common tools and infrastructure possible;

- to strengthen coordination between research efforts at national and regional level;

- to simplify and render more efficient the operating
methods of the Framework Programme and the procedures for participating
in it.

These ambitions will be realised by means of a Framework Programme consisting of four major sub-programmes:

Co-operation –

This
will cover all support for research or coordination projects under the
nine scientific and technological priorities. The programme includes
Euratom research (nuclear fission and protection and the ITER
international programme on nuclear fusion).

Ideas –

This programme is dedicated to the new dimension of “pioneering research” (support for the ERC).

Researchers –

Going from
strength to strength with each successive programme, this component
concerns the continuation of and building on present or future Marie
Curie mobility actions, as well as efforts to improve conditions for
carrying out research occupations.

Capacities –

This covers:

- support for research infrastructures;

- specific actions in favour of SMEs;

- efforts by the regions and for convergence in the quest for excellence throughout the Union;

- support for highlighting the role of “science in society” and its perception by the general public;

- the development of scientific co-operation and
international technologies (a theme that will also be incorporated in
all the aforementioned research actions).

The changes brought to the Seventh Framework Programme are very much in
keeping with the spirit of its predecessor in terms of priority
research subjects. There is also a desire for continuity in the forms
of support, the so-called “instruments”. At the call for proposals
stage, however, the choice will be rendered less predetermined and thus
more flexible.

Nevertheless, a limited number of new forms of action have been introduced:

-
support for “joint technological initiatives” that can be put into
place on the basis of various strategic avenues of innovation
identified by the “Technology platforms” in various industrial or
pre-industrial sectors;

- EU support for “variable geometry” projects involving a limited number of Member States, as provided for in the Treaties;

- the promotion of a new private financial dynamism for the
development of research with a high innovation potential, through the
Risk-Sharing Finance Facility device, developed with the European
Investment Bank (EIB).

As for the rest, there will be
strengthened synergy between the Framework Programme and the other
policies pertinent to the Lisbon Strategy, ranging from the Structural
and Cohesion Funds to education, and including European enterprise and
innovation policy and trans-European networks.

(Credits Magazine on Europa Research)

Earth Observation Market Development (EOMD) is an element of activity within the Earth Observation Envelope Program (EOEP) of the European Space Agency. Since 2000, EOMD has been working directly with the EO Service Industry to support European and Canadian companies in the marketing and business development of geo-information services from EO data.

Over these five years EOMD has seen improved customer acceptance of and commitment to EO information services in a variety of industry sectors and enhanced partnerships with downstream partners to better integrate EO derived information in operational service portfolios. As a result, new business has been generated for the EO service industry and a better understanding of the prospects for EO in new market sectors has emerged.

EOMD has initiated 20 service development contracts (3+ year duration) and over 40 Exploratory and Innovative (1 year duration) contracts. These contracts focussed on EO services and required the active engagement with non-EO partners with emphasis on team-building within the service industry. Through these activities pre-commerical service trials were conducted by Value Adding companies with major industry players in a variety of international markets, for example: Oil & Gas – Shell (NL), BP (UK), Petroleum Development Oman (Oman), Western Geco (UK), Fugro-GEOS (UK); Mining – International Mining Consultants (UK); Engineering – Elsam Engineering (DK), EBA Consulting Engineering (CA), Soletanche-Bachy (F), Soldata (F); Insurance – Swiss-Re (CH), Munich-Re (D); Media – Reuters (UK) and Renewable Energy – Neg-Micon (DK), 3E (B) BC Hydro (CA), etc.

In parallel, a series of ‘market driver’ study contracts identified new opportunities – giving a forward view by documenting the factors driving demand for geo-information within a wealth of new markets, including pipeline management, mining, utilities management, offshore wind energy, transportation, insurance, tourism, location based systems, forestry, aquaculture, port authorities and coastal zone management. The EOMD web site provides further information on these contracts as well as related media publications.

ESA organises regular workshops where Value Adding companies, downstream industry players and other stakeholders of the EO service sector are invited for briefing sessions on industry issues and on new opportunities associated with the EOMD programme element. These events also allow companies to voice their messages concerning issues that the EO service sector as a whole is facing.

Further to on-going ‘market driver’ study contracts, a New EOMD tender opportunity has opened on 29 June 2005 on Corporate Sustainable Development. This aim of this activity is to look at the utilisation and integration of Earth Observation technology into business sustainability practises in support of Corporate Sustainable Development (CSD). This is a response to identified opportunities associated with the increasing need for accurate and timely information on the state of the environment in order to quantify progress towards (CSD), as acknowledged during the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), held in Johannesburg in 2002. More information concerning this tender opportunity is available at: http://www.eomd.esa.int/events/event215.asp.

In addition, in December 2002, EOMD commissioned a survey of the European and Canadian Earth observation industry organised by UK-based consultancies VEGA Group PLC and Booz Allen Hamilton. The results of this first in-depth profile of the complete European EO service sector are also available on EOMD web site: http://www.eomd.esa.int/survey/study.asp.
The survey assessed the status of the geo-information products and services on offer, working practices, market impact, and underlying economic health of the EO industry. The industrial review aimed to give a comprehensive picture of how Value Adding companies operate – in terms of development, production, marketing, sales, strategy – and the challenges they face. The financial research was primarily targeted at quantifying revenue sources (sales, development), profitability, expenses and costs within the industry.

Based on the results of the EOMD industry survey and on direct feedback obtained during different industry workshops, a requirement was identified for a number of further activities concerning issues and opportunities affecting the EO service sector as a whole and dedicated to supporting greater consolidation
within industry.

To respond to this requirement EOMD in 2005 has begun a new line of action focusing on EO service certification & standards, EO service industry representation and the geographic expansion for European EO Services. Three preparatory studies will investigate some of the underlying challenges that many companies are facing within the industry, and fully define what future actions are required in order to grow and strengthen the complete EO service industry sector.

For these actions planned for the third quarter of 2005, as for all ESA originated actions, Invitations to Tender (ITT) are released via EMITS (emits.esa.int), ESA’s Electronic Mail Invitation to Tender System.

Looking further into the future, it is proposed to replace EOMD with the Value Adding Sector (VAS) element in the next Earth Observation Envelope Programme (EOEP-3). This will continue to work across the complete industry sector to address common problems, issues and basic challenges faced by the EO service industry. In addition, it will support improved industrial offerings to exploit new European space assets as they become available during the time period. It will also further support an expanded take-up of EO services with new potential customers in both the private and public sector.

EOMD welcomes any suggestions or ideas Industry may have for consideration in the planning of the future EOMD work programme (next year & beyond). Please send feedback to eomd@esa.int.

A series of information booklets, which give an overview of the current capabilities of the Earth Observation Services sector in both land and ocean domains for nine different thematic areas is available on the EOMD website at (http://www.eomd.esa.int/booklets/booklet_segment.asp).

For more information please visit the EOMD web site on: www.eomd.esa.int and visit the Earth Observation area of the ESA portal.

IMAGE CREDITS

Envisat satellite ESA/Denmann porduction; MERIS image Copyright ESA 2004; ERS image Copyright ESA 1998 processing Spot Image and Privateers NV.

(Text Credits ESA)

For the first time the document reveals the likely components of
the policy, namely: a strategy outlining objectives; a definition of
the roles and responsibilities of the main actors; a European Space
Programme identifying the priorities of the main actors; and a set of
implementing principles.

The draft outline has been prepared by a
joint EC-European Space Agency (ESA) secretariat, and follows
discussions with EU Member State representatives and industry. The
paper will be further developed following a meeting of the Space
Council on 7 June, and then submitted to the Space Council for
approval. The policy is expected to be finalised before the end of
2005.

The role of the EU within the future
European Space Policy will include defining the priorities and
requirements for space-based systems that will serve the EU‘s main
objectives and policies, as well as citizens’ needs, and building up
political will and user demand in support of these.

The
EU will also ensure the availability and continuity of services
supporting EU policies by funding relevant up-stream research
activities, securing deployment and operational phases of space systems
and, where appropriate, stimulating user funding.

ESA, in agreement with its member
countries and cooperating states will be responsible for the technical
specification of the space segment of space application programmes;
developing and implementing space technologies, in particular in access
to space, science and exploration; and pursuing excellence in
scientific research in, of and from space. ESA will also advise the EU
on space segment requirements needed to ensure the availability and
continuity of services.

The policy‘s
priorities relate to two objectives: the exploitation and exploration
of space. The EU‘s priorities will be driven by the potential that
space has to contribute to its policies and activities, and will
therefore focus on applications. In particular, the EU‘s current
priorities are Galileo, its satellite navigations system; GMES (global
monitoring for environment and security); and long term research into
satellite communication technologies in the context of the European
Information Society in 2010 initiative (i2010).

ESA
will focus on the exploration of space, and on the basic tools on which
the exploitation and exploration of space depend: access to space,
scientific knowledge and space technologies. The communication states
that the European Space Policy will be accompanied by three new
instruments:

1. a sector-specific industrial policy, enabling Europe to
   ensure the industrial and critical technological sources and
   competences required;
2. a policy on international cooperation that meets the wide geopolitical objectives of EU external relations policies;
3. instruments for investing in programmes and for ensuring their efficient management.

In terms of international cooperation, the
paper reasserts that ‘space activities are global by nature’, and
recommends that Europe should intensify its partnership with Russia,
maintain cooperation with the US in the fields of science and
applications, and initiate or extend cooperation with emerging space
powers.

Much of the funding for the EU‘s
activities will come from the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) for
research and technological development. Galileo and GMES were taken
into account when the Commission put forward its proposal for FP7, and
other activities will also be eligible for funding under the
programme‘s various thematic priorities. Other funding may come from
sources such as the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme
(CIP).

The legal framework for the policy has
yet to be decided upon. The communication sets out a number of possible
scenarios, which include:

1. the EU taking substantially more responsibility for
   identifying and bringing together user needs; aggregating political
   will; ensuring the necessary technology developments to meet these
   needs; and ensuring the availability and continuity of services;
2. ESA responding to developments in the relationship with an enlarged EU;
3. the EU reflecting upon whether it has the appropriate mechanisms for managing its space activities.

(Credits Cordis News)