COMMUNITY-COST CONCERTATION AGREEMENT
ON SEVEN CONCERTED ACTION PROJECTS IN THE FIELD
OF THE ENVIRONMENT
(Brussels, 18.I.1989)
The European Economic Community, hereinafter referred to as
"the Community",
The signatory states to this Agreement, hereinafter referred
to as "the participating Non-Member States",
both hereinafter referred to as "the Contracting Parties",
whereas European co-operation in the field of the environment
is likely to contribute effectively to the protection of the
environment and to a more economic use of natural resources;
whereas a Community-COST concertation Agreement on five
concerted action projects in the field of the environment approved
by the Council of the European Communities on 10 December l984,
was concluded between the Community and some COST States and
expired on 31 December 1985;
whereas the abovementioned concerted action projects have
produced very encouraging results;
whereas, by its Decision of 10 June 1986, the Council of the
European Communities adopted multiannual R & D programmes in the
field of the environment (1986 to 1990), covering, among others, a
programme on protection of the environment which includes the
implementation of concerted action projects;
whereas the Member States of the Community and the
participating Non-Member States, hereinafter referred to jointly
as "the States", intend, subject to the rules and procedures
applicable to their national programmes, to carry out the research
described in Annex A and are prepared to integrate such research
into a process of concertation which they consider will be of
mutual benefit;
have agreed as follows:
Article 1
The Contracting Parties shall participate for a period
extending until 31 December 1990 in one or more of the following
concerted action projects:
1. Physico-chemical behaviour of atmospheric pollutants (COST
611/2);
2. Air-pollution effects on terrestrial and aquatic
ecosystems, (COST 612/2);
3. Organic micropollutants in the aquatic environment, (COST
641/2);
4. Treatment and use of organic sludges and liquid
agricultural wastes, (COST 681/2);
5. Coastal benthic ecology, (COST 647/2);
6. Indoor-air quality and its impact on man, (COST 613/1);
7. Protection of species, (COST 691/1).
These projects shall consist in concertation between the
Community concerted action projects and the corresponding
programmes of the participating Non-Member States. Research topics
covered by this Agreement are listed in Annex A.
The States shall remain entirely responsible for the research
carried out by their national institutions or bodies.
Article 2
Concertation between the Contracting Parties shall be effected
through Concertation Committees, one for each project, hereinafter
referred to as "the Committees". The Committees shall formally
carry the status of ad-hoc Working Parties of the Management and
Co-ordination Advisory Committee on the Environment and
Climatology, set up by Council Decision 84/338/Euratom, ECSC, EEC
of 29 June 1984 dealing with structures and procedures for the
management and co-ordination of Community research, development
and demonstration activities, hereinafter referred to as the
"CGC".
The terms of reference and the composition of these Committees
are defined in Annex B.
Article 3
In order to ensure optimum efficiency in the execution of
these concerted action projects, project leaders may be appointed
by the Commission of the European Communities, hereinafter
referred to as "the Commission", in agreement with the Committees.
Article 4
The estimated financial contributions by the Contracting
Parties to the co-ordination costs for the period referred to in
the first paragraph of Article 1 shall be:
- COST Project 611/2:
720000 ECU from the Community,
60000 ECU from each participating Non-Member State;
- COST Project 612/2:
720000 ECU from the Community,
60000 ECU from each participating Non-Member State;
- COST Project 641/2:
720000 ECU from the Community,
60000 ECU from each participating Non-Member State;
- COST Project 681/2:
720000 ECU from the Community,
60000 ECU from each participating Non-Member State;
- COST Project 647/2:
720000 ECU from the Community,
60000 ECU from each participating Non-Member State;
- COST Project 613/1:
432000 ECU from the Community,
36000 ECU from each participating Non-Member State;
- COST Project 691/1:
432000 ECU from the Community,
36000 ECU from each participating Non-Member State;
The ECU is that defined by the Council Regulation (EEC)
No 3180/78 of 18 December 1978 changing the value of the unit of
account used by the European Monetary Co-operation Fund as amended
by Regulation (EEC) No 2626/84.
The rules governing the financing of the Agreement are set out
in Annex C.
Article 5
1. The States shall, through the Committees, exchange
regularly all useful information resulting from the execution of
the research covered by the concerted action projects. They shall
also endeavour to provide information on similar research planned
or carried out by other bodies. Any information shall be treated
as confidential if the State which provides it so requests.
2. The scientific results of the concerted action projects
shall be published by the Commission, except those which are
declared to be confidential.
3. In agreement with the Committees, the Commission shall
prepare annual activity reports on the basis of the information
supplied and shall forward them to the States.
4. At the end of the concertation period, the Commission
shall, in agreement with the Committees, forward to the States the
general reports on the execution and results of the projects. With
the agreement of the Committees, these reports may be published by
the Commission.
Article 6
1. This Agreement shall be open for signature by the Community
and by the participating Non-Member States which took part in the
ministerial conference held in Brussels on 22 and 23 November
1971;
2. As a condition precedent to its participation in the
concerted action projects defined in Article 1, each of the
Contracting Parties shall, when signing this Agreement, have
notified the Secretary-General of the Council of the European
Communities of the concerted action projects in which it intends
to participate and, after signing this Agreement, have notified
the said Secretary-General of the completion of the procedures
necessary under its internal provisions for the implementation of
this Agreement.
3. For the Contracting Parties which transmit the latter
notification provided for in the paragraph 2, this Agreement shall
come into force on the first day of the month following that in
which the Community and at least one of the participating
Non-Member States transmitted these notifications.
For those Contracting Parties which transmit the notification
after the entry into force of this Agreement, it shall come into
force on the first day of the second month following the month in
which the notification was transmitted.
Contracting Parties which have not transmitted this
notification when this Agreement comes into force shall be able to
take part in the work of the Committees without, however, having
the right to vote.
4. The Secretary-General of the Council of the European
Communities shall inform each of the Contracting Parties of the
notifications made pursuant to paragraph 2 and of the date of
entry into force of the Agreement.
Article 7
This Agreement shall apply, on the one hand, to the
territories in which the Treaty establishing the European Economic
Community is applied and under the conditions laid down in that
Treaty and, on the other hand, to the territories of the
participating Non-Member States.
Article 8
This Agreement, drawn up in a single original in the Danish,
Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese and
Spanish languages, each text being equally authentic, shall be
deposited in the archives of the General Secretariat of the
Council of the European Communities which shall transmit a
certified copy to each of the Contracting Parties.
In accordance with Article 6,
Open for signature by the Community and by the non-member
which took part in the Conference of Ministers held in Brussels on
22 and 23 November 1971.
Annex A
RESEARCH TOPICS COVERED BY THE AGREEMENT
1. Physico-Chemical Behaviour of Atmospheric Pollutants, (COST
611/2)
a) Improvement and standardization of analytical methods,
especially for nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons and photochemical
oxidants;
b) Elucidation at mechanisms and rate constants of the
reactions between atmospheric pollutants and of their reactions
with natural constituents of the atmosphere, in particular in the
aqueous state, including oxidation and degradation chemistry of
selected atmospheric pollutants in fresh and sea water, reactions
with soil constituents, and the investigation of catalytic
processes in cloud and rainwater chemistry;
c) Investigation of the physico-chemical processes leading to
the formation of particles, characterization of the chemical and
physical nature of very fine aerosols, and determination of the
chemical composition of aerosols, and determination of the
chemical composition of aerosols;
d) Identification and quantification of sources and sinks of
various pollutants, especially for nitrogen oxides;
e) Investigation of phenomena leading to acid deposition which
particular emphasis on:
- conversion, transport and deposition (dry and wet) of SO ,
2
NO and aerosol particles,
x
- analysis of precipitation chemistry data for acidity trends,
- NO chemistry in cloud droplets and chemical composition of
x
cloud and rain water,
- dry deposition of NO and HNO ,
x 3
- the role of oxidizing agents such as OH, HO , H O ,
2 2 2
- physico-chemical conversion of air pollutants after
deposition, considering water bodies and soil,
- analytical techniques for the measurement of ammonia, nitric
acid and hydrogen peroxide in both gas and liquid phases at low
concentrations,
- analytical methods for the determination of acidity of
aerosols;
f) modelling of atmospheric chemistry related to photochemical
pollution and acid deposition; co-ordination between
data-producing teams and mathematicians for the quantification of
source-receptor relationships with emphasis on modelling of
emissions, transformation, transport and deposition of precursors
and reaction products;
g) drawing up test protocols which permit the prediction of
abiotic degradability of chemicals, in particular for persistent
compounds.
2. Air pollution effects on terrestrial and aquatic
ecosystems, (COST 612/2)
a) Direct effect of air pollutants, (SO , NO , HCL, ozone,
2 x
photochemical oxidants and their atmospheric reaction products) on
plants and terrestrial ecosystems;
b) indirect effects of such air pollutants on plants and
terrestrial ecosystems, e.g. via the acidification of soil and the
mobilization of phytotoxic elements;
c) links between the effects of air pollutants and other
factors involved in the observed phenomenon of severely damaged
terrestrial ecosystems, in particular forests, such as drought,
plant diseases, fungi and pests;
d) effects of air pollutants and their reaction products on
crop plants, in particular reduced productivity;
e) effects of air pollutants and their reaction products on
aquatic ecosystems (reduction of the population of fish and other
aquatic organisms due to acidification and mobilization of trace
elements).
3. Organic micropollutants in the aquatic environment, (COST
641/2)
a) Analytical methodologies and data treatment:
- Basic analytical techniques, including sampling and sample
treatment, gas chromatography, high pressure liquid
chromatography, mass spectrometry,
- Specific analytical problems, in particular analysis of
selected classes of compounds, such as those likely to be
regulated by Council Directive 76/464/EEC of 4 May 1976 on
pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into
the aquatic environment of the Community, chlorinated paraffins,
tensides, optical brighteners, organo-metallic and
organo-phosphorus compounds,
- Collection and treatment of analytical data,
b) physical/chemical behaviour of organic micropollutants in
the aquatic environment:
- distribution and transport mechanisms,
- structure/activity relationship,
- bioavailability and bioaccumulation;
c) transformation reactions in the aquatic environment:
- chemical and phototechnical reactions,
- biological transformations;
d) behaviour and transformation of organic micropollutants in
water-treatment processes:
- infiltration,
- waste-water treatment,
- drinking-water treatment (including haloform formation).
4. Treatment and use of organic sludges and liquid
agricultural wastes, (COST 681/2)
a) Treatment of sludges and agricultural wastes:
- further improvement of conventional treatment methods,
mainly with regard to their economic aspects, and of processes for
fuel production from sludges and manures,
- study of technologies specifically applicable to small
plants and of processes to eliminate heavy metals at their source;
b) analysis of sludges and residues:
- development and standardization of economic multi-element
methods for the analysis of trace elements in sludges, soils and
plants, and for the analysis of organic pollutants;
c) hygienic aspects of treatment and use of sludges:
- elaboration and improvement of methods for the detection and
identification of bacteria, viruses and other pathogens, and study
of their survival and contamination potential,
- investigations of the efficiency of hygienization processes,
definitions of "indicator organisms";
d) nuisances:
- odour characterization and emission control;
e) environmental effects of spreading of sludges and manure:
- long-term field experiments on the accumulation of heavy
metals, their availability to crops and on transfer of pollutants
via soil to plants, and assessment of various application methods
with regard to ground and surface water pollution;
f) improvement of land-use of sludge and manure:
- long-term field experiments on fertilizing value and
soil-improvement properties of sludges and manures,
- improvement of treatment processes and spreading equipment
with regard to optimum land use,
- study of the agricultural value of residues from treatment
processes,
- use of sludges and derived products for land reclamation and
specific crops (e.g. biomass production).
5. Coastal benthic ecology (COST 647/2)
Implementation of "baseline studies" for selected key species
in undisturbed conditions along the Norwegian Sea and Atlantic
coast, in the Mediterranean and in the Baltic Sea for the
following habitats:
- subtidal sediments,
- intertidal sediments,
- subtidal rock,
- intertidal rock.
Assessment of the role of
- local physical factors,
- biological interactions,
- climatic and hydrographic factors on the population dynamics
of selected components of benihic coastal ecosystems.
The programme should gradually evolve into a comprehensive
investigation of the dynamics of coastal ecosystems and their
modelling.
6. Indoor-air quality and its impact on man (COST 613/1)
Investigation of a variety of indoor pollutants and pollutant
classes, in particular NO , RSP (respirable suspended
2
particulate), formaldehyde, organics, allergens, CO , SO ,
2 2
asbestos and other mineral fibres, comprising
a) Exposure determination and estimates:
- modelling,
- source strength determinations,
- infiltration and ventilation rate determinations,
- methods of field measurements:
- spot sampling,
- time integrated sampling,
- continuous monitoring,
- personal and population exposure,
- biological monitoring;
b) health effects measurements:
- controlled human exposure studies,
- design of sequential studies,
- epidemiological studies;
c) collection of exposure and health effect related data.
7. Protection of species, (COST 691/1)
a) Habitat selection by birds and breeding distribution;
b) passerine migrations;
c) waterfowl census according to the Annex V of Council
Directive 79/409/EEC of 2 April 1979 on the Conservation of Wild
Birds;
d) requirements of bird species dependent upon threatened
habitats (notably coastal and other wetlands, scrubland, etc.);
e) habitat requirements and biology of endangered species;
f) collection and compilation of the results of research on
bird conservation and on wintering sites in Africa and
exploitation of the information already available.
Annex B
TERMS OF REFERENCE AND COMPOSITION OF EACH
CONCERTATION COMMITTEE
1. The Committee shall:
1.1. contribute to the optimum execution of the project by
giving its opinion on all aspects of its progress;
1.2. evaluate the results of the project, draw conclusions
regarding their application and approve all reports prior to their
publication;
1.3. be responsible for the exchange of information provided
for in Article 5 (1) of the Agreement;
1.4. suggest guidelines to the project leader, if any.
2. The Committee's reports and the opinions shall be
communicated to the States.
3. The Committee shall be composed of one delegate from the
Commission, as co-ordinator of the Community concerted action
project, two delegates from each participating Non-Member State,
and two delegates from each Community Member State and the project
leader, if any.
4. The members of each Committee shall be nominated by the
Delegations to the CGC for Community Member States, and by the
competent national authorities for the participating Non-Member
States. In designating members, the Delegations to the CGC shall
attempt to ensure that for each project one person is a member of
both the CGC and the respective Committee.
5. Each Committee shall establish its own Rules of Procedure.
The constitution of each Committee is valid for the duration of
the on-going programme, allowing for continuity between subsequent
programmes.
6. Each Committee shall elect its own Chairman, with all
members being eligible for election.
7. The Secretariat of the Committee shall be provided by the
Commission.
8. The CGC shall regularly examine the progress and results of
the project. To this end, the Chairman of each Committee will
report to the CGC upon the latter's invitation, and in any case at
least once every two years.
Annex C
FINANCING RULES
Article 1
These provisions lay down the financial rules referred to in
Article 4 of the Community - COST Concertation Agreement.
Article 2
At the beginning of each year, the Commission shall send to
each participating Non-Member State a call for funds corresponding
to the number of concerted action projects in which it
participates and to its share of the annual co-ordination costs
under the Agreement, calculated in proportion to the amounts laid
down in Article 4 of the Agreement.
This contribution shall be expressed both in ECU and the
currency of the participating Non-Member State concerned, the
value of the ECU being determined on the date of the call for
funds.
The total contributions shall cover the travel and subsistence
costs of the delegates to the Committee, in addition to the
co-ordination costs proper.
Each participating Non-Member State shall pay its annual
contribution to the co-ordination costs under the Agreement at the
beginning of each year, and by 31 March at the latest. Any delay
in the payment of the annual contribution shall give rise to the
payment of interest by the participating Non-Member State
concerned at a rate equal to the highest discount rate ruling in
the States on the due date. The rate shall be increased by 0,25 of
a percentage point for each month of delay. The increased rate
shall be applied to the entire period of delay. However, such
interest shall be chargeable only if payment is effected more than
three months after the issue of a call for funds by the
Commission.
Article 3
The funds paid by participating Non-Member States shall be
credited to the concerted action projects in which they
participate as budget receipts allocated to a heading in the
statement of the revenue of the general budget of the European
Communities (Commission Section).
Article 4
The provisional timetable for the co-ordination costs referred
to in Article 4 of the Agreement is appended hereto.
Article 5
The Financial Regulation in force applicable to the general
budget of the European Communities shall apply to the management
of the appropriations.
Article 6
At the end of the concerted action projects, a statement of
appropriations for each concerted action project shall be prepared
and transmitted to the participating Non-Member States for
information.
Appendix
PROVISIONAL TIMETABLE FOR EACH CONCERTED ACTION PROJECT
-------------------T---------------------T---------------------T---------------------T---------------------T---------------------¬
¦ ¦ 1986 ¦ 1987 ¦ 1988 ¦ 1989 ¦ 1990 ¦
¦ +----------T----------+----------T----------+----------T----------+----------T----------+----------T----------+
¦ ¦ CA ¦ PA ¦ CA ¦ PA ¦ CA ¦ PA ¦ CA ¦ PA ¦ CA ¦ PA ¦
¦ +----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------T----------+----------+----------+
¦1.Initial estimate¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
¦of overall ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
¦requirements: ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
¦- Staff ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦
¦- Administrative ¦ 144,000 ¦ 144,000 ¦ 144,000 ¦ 144,000 ¦ 144,000 ¦ 144,000 ¦ 144,000 ¦ 144,000 ¦ 144,000 ¦ 144,000 ¦
¦operating ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
¦expenditure ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
¦- Contracts ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦
+------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
¦ Total ¦ 144,000 ¦ 140,000 ¦ 144,000 ¦ 144,000 ¦ 144,000 ¦ 144,000 ¦ 144,000 ¦ 144,000 ¦ 144,000 ¦ 144,000 ¦
+------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
¦2.Revised estimate¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
¦of expenditure ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
¦taking into ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
¦account additional¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
¦requirements ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
¦arising from the ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
¦accession of ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
¦particinating ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
¦Non-Member States:¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
¦- Staff ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦
¦- Administrative ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
¦operating ¦144,000+ ¦144,000+ ¦144,000+ ¦144,000+ ¦144,000+ ¦144,000+ ¦144,000+ ¦144,000+ ¦144,000+ ¦144,000+ ¦
¦expenditure ¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦
¦- Contracts ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦ - ¦
+------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
¦ New Total ¦144,000+ ¦144,000+ ¦144,000+ ¦144,000+ ¦144,000+ ¦144,000+ ¦144,000+ ¦144,000+ ¦144,000+ ¦144,000+ ¦
¦ ¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦
+------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+
¦3.Difference ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
¦between 1 and 2 to¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
¦be covered by ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
¦contributions from¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦(nx12,000)¦
¦participating ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
¦Non-Member States ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦
L------------------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+----------+-----------
n = number of participating Non-Member States.
CA = commitment appropriations.
PA = payment appropriations.
REMARK : Concerted action projects 1 to 5 started in 1986,
while projects 6 and 7 start in 1988.
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