Considerations on COM(2023)359 - Amendment of Decision (EU) 2017/1324 as regards the continuation of the Union’s participation in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) under Horizon Europe

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dossier COM(2023)359 - Amendment of Decision (EU) 2017/1324 as regards the continuation of the Union’s participation in the Partnership for ...
document COM(2023)359 EN
date April 11, 2024
 
table>(1)Decision (EU) 2017/1324 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3) on the participation of the Union in the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA), was adopted under Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4) (Horizon 2020) for a period up to 31 December 2028.
(2)In accordance with Decision (EU) 2017/1324, the final calls for proposals under the PRIMA annual work programme will be launched in 2024 and all indirect research and innovation (R&I) actions will be finalised by 2028.

(3)The Member States participating in PRIMA have declared their intention to continue in their joint initiative beyond 2024 and have called for the continuing participation of the Union in the same institutional framework of Article 185 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

(4)PRIMA is a successful tool for the purpose of advancing R&I, in particular with regard to the R&I systems of the participating countries that are of strategic relevance for the interests of the Union. In line with the Commission communication of 18 May 2021 entitled ‘on the Global Approach to Research and Innovation — Europe’s strategy for international cooperation in a changing world’ and the joint communication of the Commission and the High Representative of 1 December 2021 entitled ‘The Global Gateway’, the Commission committed itself to strengthening the Union’s leading role in supporting multilateral R&I partnerships to deliver new solutions to green, digital, health, social and innovation challenges, and has identified the urgent need for projects of a sustainable and high-quality design that are implemented in a manner to ensure a high level of transparency and standards.

(5)In its communication of 7 June 2016 entitled ‘on establishing a new Partnership Framework with third countries under the European Agenda on Migration’, which remains relevant in the current context surrounding PRIMA, the Commission emphasised the need for all policies, including R&I, to address the root causes of migration through a new cooperation model that involves private investors, including a focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and sustainable infrastructure. In particular, science and technology play an increasingly important role in the geopolitical landscape and can support diplomatic efforts in many ways, including with regard to the promotion and defence of European values, such as academic freedom, research ethics, integrity and gender equality. PRIMA serves as a regional model for science diplomacy and fosters relationships with non-participating Mediterranean countries.

(6)The thematic scope of PRIMA, namely support for agri-food systems, integrated water provision and water management in the Mediterranean area, is becoming increasingly topical. Research shows that water scarcity is an important contributor to the rise in global migration. Climate change and associated natural disasters have a devastating impact on agricultural production. Further, according to the contribution of Working Group II to the Sixth Assessment Report of the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Mediterranean ecosystems are expected to be among those most affected by the consequences of progressing climate change. PRIMA contributes to supporting the Mediterranean area in becoming a leader in climate-resilient solutions. Preventive and adaptation measures, such as desalination technologies and plant tolerance, are essential for coping with climate change.

(7)PRIMA should actively seek and promote synergies and complementarities with other regional, European and international partnerships, and with other collaborative R&I programmes with corresponding objectives and activities.

(8)The Commission’s Report of 31 May 2023 to the European Parliament and the Council of its Interim Evaluation of PRIMA (Commission’s Interim Evaluation) found that Southern Mediterranean Participating States had received 28 % of the total funds allocated by PRIMA until March 2022. It is imperative that PRIMA supports a range of R&I activities in order to foster the building of longer lasting communities and increase cooperation among Southern Mediterranean Participating States and their participation rate.

(9)Pursuant to Article 4(1), point (b), of Decision (EU) 2017/1324, the PRIMA-implementation structure (PRIMA-IS) was established in 2017 as a dedicated entity, responsible for the direct management of the Union financial contribution to PRIMA. PRIMA-IS was established in Barcelona and has ensured the smooth, efficient and transparent rollout of PRIMA, supported through its secretariat and governing bodies.

(10)Since PRIMA’s initial rationale and objectives remain valid, in particular in light of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine, which has further destabilised fragile Southern Mediterranean agriculture markets, making the transition to sustainable food systems an even more urgent priority for Mediterranean societies, and the Commission’s Interim Evaluation concluded that PRIMA is a successful instrument with an added value for the Union, the Union should continue to provide financial support to allow PRIMA to fund R&I actions under the same thematic scope until 2027, and to synchronise PRIMA with the Union’s multiannual financial framework (MFF) and MFF-aligned programming cycles of R&I programmes. Moreover, PRIMA’s overall duration should be extended until 2031 to allow for the full implementation of those R&I actions.

(11)PRIMA should retain its ambition and resources which make it an essential instrument for international cooperation and scientific diplomacy in the Mediterranean area. Future revisions of PRIMA’s strategic research and innovation agenda should cover the potential extension of the scope of the objectives laid down in Article 2 of Decision (EU) 2017/1324, including energy and climate-related R&I, and take into account the impact of new portfolios on other primary resources, namely water, land, and agriculture. Such a potential extension of the scope of those objectives would create opportunities to develop R&I areas that are not currently addressed by PRIMA and would promote applications in a range of sectors. In particular, a new Water-Energy-Food nexus approach could help decision makers understand complex energy systems and could integrate resources planning with sound technical expertise and governance.

(12)The continued Union financial support to PRIMA should come from the general budget of the Union allocated to the Specific Programme implementing Horizon Europe, established by Council Decision (EU) 2021/764 (5), specifically from Pillar II ‘Global challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness’, and the relevant thematic cluster (vi) ‘Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment’.

(13)The Commission’s Interim Evaluation revealed that the low success rates of applicants for funding could discourage potential applicants in the future. PRIMA-IS and the States participating in PRIMA (Participating States) need to make additional efforts to improve the efficiency of their activities by simplifying the complexity caused by different national funding schemes, reducing the time to grant and enhancing accessibility to funding for R&I.

(14)PRIMA is funded under Horizon 2020. For the purpose of continuing PRIMA from 2025, PRIMA should be funded and operated under Regulation (EU) 2021/695 of the European Parliament and of the Council (6) (Horizon Europe). Decision (EU) 2017/1324 should therefore be aligned with Regulation (EU) 2021/695 as well as with Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046 of the European Parliament and of the Council (7).

(15)Decision (EU) 2017/1324 should be aligned with the objectives and the R&I priorities of Horizon Europe and with the general principles and conditions laid down in Article 10 of and Annexes III and VI to Regulation (EU) 2021/695. Therefore, it is necessary that at least 40 % of Member States participate in the extended PRIMA. Moreover, PRIMA should operate in one of the priority areas for institutionalised European partnerships, and all Participating States should express their long-term financial commitment. Those conditions are already met as the current Member State participation rate is 41 %, PRIMA fits in the priority area Partnership Area 5: ‘Sustainable, inclusive and circular bio-based solutions’ of Annex VI to Regulation (EU) 2021/695, and the Participating States have declared their long-term financial commitments to PRIMA.

(16)PRIMA needs to operate in a simple, agile, open and transparent way. PRIMA-IS needs to make dedicated efforts to strengthen dialogue with society, encourage active participation and ensure that the wider public is sufficiently informed about its activities in a timely manner. To that end, PRIMA-IS needs to strengthen its communication strategy to facilitate the exchange of information, best practices and research outcomes, with the involvement of academic, scientific and knowledge networks, social and economic partners, the media, industry SMEs and other stakeholders.

(17)The Union’s financial contribution to PRIMA should be subject to a formal commitment by the Participating States to make a financial contribution at least at the level of the Union financial contribution. For that reason, compliance with the formal financial commitments should be closely monitored by PRIMA-IS on a regular basis.

(18)For the purpose of achieving PRIMA’s objectives, the aggregate contribution of the Participating States should be at least equal to the Union financial contribution. The Participating States should therefore match the Union contribution under Horizon Europe in accordance with the principle set out in Annex III to Regulation (EU) 2021/695. In order to ensure that that principle is properly safeguarded, only contributions from Participating States made after 31 December 2024 should be taken into account.

(19)In order to ensure their continued commitment to PRIMA’s objectives funded under Horizon Europe and to their new obligations pursuant to Regulations (EU) 2021/695 and (EU, Euratom) No 2018/1046, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Morocco should formally accept the new terms and conditions stemming from this Decision by concluding agreements with the Union in the form of an Exchange of Letters, amending and supplementing the existing international agreements for scientific and technological cooperation concluded with them. This should not affect their participation in PRIMA’s activities funded under Horizon 2020.

(20)The overall Union financial contribution to PRIMA should be set as a maximum amount. It should be possible, in accordance with Article 16(5) of Regulation (EU) 2021/695, to increase the Union financial contribution to PRIMA from Horizon Europe by such contributions from third countries associated to Horizon Europe. This should be subject to the total amount by which the Union financial contribution is increased, being at least matched by the contribution from the Participating States.

(21)Taking into account PRIMA’s objectives, entities established in third countries which are not Participating States should be eligible to apply for funding in specific call topics provided for in the PRIMA annual work programme. All appropriate measures, including contractual measures, should be taken to protect the financial interests of the Union. To that end, science and technology agreements should be concluded with third countries in which such entities are established.

(22)While ex post audits of expenditure on indirect action funded under Horizon 2020 should continue to be performed in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013, indirect actions funded under Horizon Europe should be audited in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/695.

(23)Horizon Europe places an increased focus on access to the results and other action related information by the Commission for the purpose of developing, implementing and monitoring Union policies or programmes in the case of institutionalised European partnerships. Therefore, PRIMA-IS should ensure that the Commission has access to all information related to the indirect actions that it funds, including contributions and results of beneficiaries participating in indirect actions. To uphold their interests, the Participating States should also have access to information relating to proposals which include applicants established in their territories. Such access rights should comply with applicable confidentiality rules.

(24)The Commission should, on a regular basis, assess the fulfilment of the commitments undertaken by the Participating States and, following such assessments, may involve Participating States and PRIMA-IS as necessary and should be able to take appropriate measures.

(25)The extension of PRIMA requires monitoring and evaluation in accordance with Horizon Europe-related provisions. The Commission should carry out an interim evaluation of PRIMA by 31 December 2025 and a final evaluation by 31 December 2031. Those evaluations should feed into the overall interim and final evaluations of Horizon Europe. The evaluations should assess PRIMA’s quality and efficiency and the progress made towards achieving its objectives throughout its entire life cycle, including its implementation under both Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe. The Commission should publish and disseminate the results and conclusions of those evaluations. In accordance with Article 10(2), point (c), of Regulation (EU) 2021/695, PRIMA should have a clear life-cycle approach, be limited in time and include the conditions for phasing-out the funding under Horizon Europe.

(26)Decision (EU) 2017/1324 should therefore be amended accordingly,