Annexes to COM(2007)329 - Participation by the EC in a research and development programme aimed at enhancing the quality of life of older people through the use of new Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), undertaken by several Member States - Main contents
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| dossier | COM(2007)329 - Participation by the EC in a research and development programme aimed at enhancing the quality of life of older people ... |
|---|---|
| document | COM(2007)329  |
| date | July 9, 2008 |
DESCRIPTION OF THE OBJECTIVES, THE ACTIVITIES AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AAL JOINT PROGRAMME
I. Specific aims
The AAL Joint Programme has the following specific aims:
| — | foster the emergence of innovative ICT-based products, services and systems for ageing well at home, in the community, and at work, thus improving the quality of life, autonomy, participation in social life, skills and employability of older people and reducing the costs of health and social care. This may be based, for example, on innovative utilisation of ICT, new methods of customer interaction or new types of value chains for independent living services. The results of the AAL Joint Programme could also be used by other groups of people, namely people with disabilities, |
| — | create a critical mass of research, development and innovation at EU level in the areas of technologies and services for ageing well in the information society, including the establishment of a favourable environment for the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Programme, |
| — | improve conditions for the industrial exploitation of research results by providing a coherent European framework for developing common approaches, including common minimum standards and facilitating the localisation and adaptation of common solutions which are compatible with varying social preferences and regulatory aspects at national or regional level across Europe. |
By focusing on applied research, the AAL Joint Programme will complement related longer-term research activities envisaged under the Seventh Framework Programme, as well as the demonstration activities forming part of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (2007 to 2013) established by Decision No 1639/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (1), which focuses on large-scale uptake of existing solutions.
Through its activities, the AAL Joint Programme shall contribute to the achievement of the renewed Lisbon Strategy objectives and the knowledge-based society, while endeavouring to ensure that the use of new technologies does not lead to social exclusion. The Programme shall also promote the development of cost-effective solutions that can help to ensure equitable, simplified access to ICT products and services, including access to services through a choice of different channels that respect the privacy and dignity of the elderly in all regions of Europe, including rural and peripheral areas.
Moreover, the AAL Joint Programme should promote innovation in and co-financing from the private sector, in particular SMEs, for market-related projects and the adaptation of technology and solutions developed under projects to the needs of the elderly, with a view to their increased social participation.
Wherever possible, complementarity and synergies between the AAL Joint Programme and other Community, national and regional programmes shall be ensured.
Due account shall be taken of possible ethical and privacy issues, in line with international guidelines.
II. Activities
The main activity in the AAL Joint Programme consists of research, development and innovation activities. These are to be implemented via shared-cost transnational projects involving partners from at least three different countries from among the participating Member States, Israel, Norway and Switzerland and other participating countries addressing research, technological development, demonstration and dissemination activities. These should be targeted at market-oriented research, should be of short to medium-term duration and should demonstrate the capability to exploit the project results within a realistic time frame.
In addition, brokerage, programme promotion and networking activities may be implemented through dedicated events or in combination with existing events. These shall include the organisation of workshops and the establishment of contacts with other stakeholders in the value chain.
The AAL Joint Programme shall entail consultation with relevant European stakeholders (such as decision-makers from ministries and public sector authorities, private-sector service and insurance providers as well as industry, SMEs and user representatives) concerning the research priorities to be addressed and the implementation of the programme.
The AAL Joint Programme should also take into account demographic trends and demographic research in the various countries of Europe in order to provide solutions that reflect the social and economic situation across the Union.
III. Programme implementation
Annual work programme and calls for proposals
The AAL Joint Programme shall be implemented on the basis of annual work programmes identifying topics for calls for proposals to be agreed with the Commission as a basis for the financial contribution from the Community.
The AAL Joint Programme shall issue regular calls for proposals in line with the agreed annual work programme. Proposals are submitted centrally to the dedicated implementation structure by the applicants (single entry point).
After the closure of a call for proposals, a central eligibility check shall be carried out by the dedicated implementation structure in cooperation with the national programme management agencies. The check shall be performed on the basis of the common eligibility criteria for the AAL Joint Programme which shall be published with the annual work programme and shall include at least the following:
| — | timely, complete and electronic submission of the proposal, and |
| — | the fulfilment of obligations concerning the composition of consortia. |
In addition, the dedicated implementation structure shall, with the assistance of the national programme management agencies, check the fulfilment of national eligibility criteria published with the annual work programme and set out in the calls for proposals. The national eligibility criteria shall relate only to the legal and financial status of the individual applicants and not to the content of the proposal and shall cover:
| — | applicant type, including legal status and purpose, |
| — | liability and viability, including financial soundness, fulfilment of fiscal and social obligations. |
Eligible project proposals shall be evaluated and selected centrally with the assistance of independent experts, on the basis of transparent and common evaluation criteria, as set out in the work programme. This selection, once adopted by the General Assembly, shall be binding on the participating Member States, Israel, Norway and Switzerland.
The dedicated implementation structure shall be responsible for monitoring projects, and common operational procedures to manage the full project cycle shall be put in place.
As administrative matters concerning national project partners within the selected projects shall be handled by their national Programme Management Agency, national eligibility criteria strictly relating to the legal and financial status of individual participants, as specified above, as well as the national administrative principles shall be applied.
Where, at the contracting stage, a participant fails to meet one of the national eligibility criteria, the AAL Joint Programme shall safeguard scientific excellence. For this purpose, the Executive Board may decide that an additional central independent evaluation of the proposal concerned should be carried out with the assistance of independent experts, in order to evaluate the proposal without the participation of the participant in question or, if suggested by the project consortium, with a replacement participant.
Each country shall finance its national participants whose proposals are successful through national agencies that shall additionally channel the central funding from the dedicated implementation structure, on the basis of an agreement to be concluded between the respective national agencies and their national participants for each project.
Ensuring scientific, management and financial integration
The AAL Joint Programme shall ensure scientific integration of the participating national programmes by drawing up common work programmes and call topics across all the national programmes.
Management integration of the national programmes shall be ensured by the legal entity set up by the participating Member States and Israel, Norway and Switzerland. Management of the AAL Joint Programme shall include:
| — | central organisation of the calls for proposals, |
| — | central, independent and transparent evaluation by experts at European level based on common rules and criteria for the evaluation and selection of the proposals on the basis of scientific excellence, |
| — | single submission address (electronic submission is envisaged). |
The AAL Joint Programme shall strengthen financial integration by:
| — | ensuring overall national funding commitments for the duration of the initiative as well as annual commitments for each proposed work programme, |
| — | ensuring that the final ranking of proposals agreed on the basis of the evaluation will be binding on the participating Member States, Israel, Norway and Switzerland as described above, including at the contracting stage, |
| — | promoting flexibility in national budget allocation as far as possible to handle exceptions, e.g. by increasing national contributions or cross-financing. |
Every effort shall be made by the participating Member States to strengthen integration and remove existing national legal and administrative barriers for international cooperation as part of the initiative.
IV. Funding principles
The Community contribution shall represent a fixed percentage of the overall public funding from the participating national programmes, but shall in any case not exceed 50 % of the total public funding of a participant in a project selected following calls for proposals under the AAL Joint Programme. This fixed percentage shall be defined in the agreement between the dedicated implementation structure and the Commission and shall be based on the multiannual commitment of the participating Member States and Israel, Norway and Switzerland and the Community contribution.
A maximum of 6 % of the Community financial contribution shall be used to contribute to the overall operational costs of the AAL Joint Programme.
The participating Member States, Israel, Norway and Switzerland shall also contribute to ensure the effective operation of the AAL Joint Programme.
Projects shall be co-financed by the project participants.
V. Deliverables expected from the implementation of the AAL Joint Programme
An annual report shall be provided by the dedicated implementation structure, which shall give a detailed overview of the implementation of the AAL Joint Programme (number of projects submitted and selected for funding, use of the Community funding, distribution of national funds, types of participant, country statistics, brokerage events and dissemination activities, etc.) and progress towards further integration.
The deliverables expected shall be set out in greater detail in the agreement to be concluded between the Commission, on behalf of the Community, and the dedicated implementation structure.
(1) OJ L 310, 9.11.2006, p. 15.
ANNEX II
GUIDELINES FOR THE GOVERNANCE OF THE AAL JOINT PROGRAMME
The organisational structure for the AAL Joint Programme is as follows:
The AAL Association, an international not-for-profit association established under Belgian law, constitutes the dedicated implementation structure created by the participating Member States and Israel, Norway and Switzerland.
The AAL Association is responsible for all the activities of the AAL Joint Programme. The AAL Association’s tasks include contract and budget management, the development of the annual work programmes, organisation of the calls for proposals, handling of the evaluation and ranking of projects. In addition, it supervises project monitoring and transfers the associated payments of the Community contributions to nominated national programme agencies. It also organises dissemination activities.
The AAL Association is governed by the General Assembly. The General Assembly, which is the decision-making body of the AAL Joint Programme, appoints the members of the Executive Board and supervises the implementation of the AAL Joint Programme, including approval of annual work programmes, allocation of national funding to projects and applications for new membership. It will work on the basis of a one-country one-vote principle. Decisions are taken by simple majority, except for decisions on the succession, admission or exclusion of members or the dissolution of the Association, for which specific voting requirements may be set out in the statutes of the Association. The Commission has observer status in the meetings of the General Assembly.
The AAL Executive Board — consisting of at least a president, a vice-president and a treasurer — is elected by the General Assembly to undertake the specific management responsibilities such as budget planning, staffing and contracting. It legally represents the Association and reports to the General Assembly.
National programme management agencies are authorised by the participating Member States and Israel, Norway and Switzerland to undertake work associated with project management and administrative and legal aspects for the national project partners as well as to provide support for the evaluation and negotiation of project proposals. They work under the supervision of the AAL Association.
An Advisory Board with representatives from industry and other stakeholders, including representatives of people of different generations, will provide recommendations for priorities and topics to be addressed in the calls for proposals of the AAL Joint Programme.