Реферат: Quality of life and management of living resources

The main obligation of the participants is to carry out the project to completion in a pre-arranged period, and to make use of or disseminate its results.

In return, the Commission undertakes to contribute financially to the realisation of the project, normally by reimbursing a certain percentage of the project costs[18] .

III.5.3. Rights and obligations of participants

These may vary according to the nature of the action or the category of participant:

· For Research and Technological Development (R&D) projects, Demonstration projects and Combined projects , a participant who has a wide-ranging role in the project throughout its lifetime is normally a principal contractor . A participant whose role is largely in support of one or several of these principal contractors is termed an assistant contractor . Principal contractors are distinguished from assistant contractors in two main ways:

- all the principal contractors are collectively responsible to the Commission for the execution of the project and shall use reasonable endeavours to obtain the expected results;

- principal contractors have rights of access to the results of the project and any pre-existing know how. Assistant contractors have limited rights. (see Box 8)

· For support for access to research infrastructure, the host infrastructure is a principal contractor[19] , who is responsible for the implementation of the action.

· For SME co-operative research projects , SMEs benefiting from the project are principal contractors . Organisations performing the research, named RTD performers, are subcontractors and, as such, are not considered to be "participants"[20] .

· For Exploratory awards , SMEs are principal contractors .

For both SME Co-operative research projects and SME Exploratory awards, principal contractors share responsibility and have the same access to intellectual property rights. It should be noted that RTD performers , although they are not considered to be "participants", can have access to the know-how necessary to perform the research, and, in specific cases, to the knowledge resulting from the projects (see Box 8).

· Concerted Actions, Research Training Networks and Thematic Networks distinguish between the principal contractor(s) [21] who lead the action, and the members who are associated with them. Principal contractor(s)[22] sign a membership contract with their members, with the prior agreement of the Commission and in conformity to their own Commission contract, and share with them joint and several responsibility, in relation to the carrying out of the project.. This distinction does not affect intellectual property rights.

· For Accompanying Measures , the participants role shall vary according to the nature of the action (see Box 6). Principal contractors share joint and several responsibility. In Accompanying Measures specific to technology take-up members can participate.

· For Fellowships , the Commission’s contract is normally offered to the host institution, which then signs an agreement with the Fellow, conforming to the terms of the Commission’s contract. Exceptionally, in the case of bursaries for Community Researchers (INCO 2), the Commission contract may be with the individual personally. In general, intellectual property rights shall be addressed in the agreement signed with the individual and according to the national legislation of the host institution.

Participants in an action may conclude between themselves any agreements necessary to the completion of the work, provided these do not infringe on their obligations as stated in the contract they sign with the Commission.

III.5.4. The co-ordination of the project

Within a consortium, participants shall designate one of the principal contractors to carry out the co-ordination function[23] .

The co-ordinator is the liaison between the participants and the Commission, responsible for collecting, integrating and submitting project deliverables, and for distributing the funds received from the Commission.

The costs incurred by the co-ordinator in the fulfilment of his responsibilities can be claimed as direct or indirect costs (see boxes 6 and 7).

It should be noted that the successful management of the project is a joint commitment of all the participants. They may however agree amongst themselves to confer upon the co-ordinator additional responsibilities, provided this does not infringe on their obligations as stated in the contract they sign with the Commission.

III.5.5. Subcontractors

Sub-contractors are not participants in a project. Their function is only as service providers to a principal contractor, an assistant contractor or a member, who fully funds their activity. The costs are then reimbursable by the Commission according to the rules of the contract in force.

Sub-contractors make no financial investment in the project, and they therefore do not benefit from any intellectual property rights arising from its achievements (see boxes 6 and 7).

III.6. Project follow-up

In order for the Commission to verify the execution of the contract, participants are required to submit, via the co-ordinator interim and final reports as well as reports of costs incurred.

These reports will be analysed by Commission services in the light of the criteria, which led to the original selection of the proposal This will ensure the project conforms to the conditions associated with the Community financial contribution, and that the progress foreseen actually takes place. The reports are also used to assess whether and in what manner the project should continue to be supported.

In addition, and conforming to objectives stated in the Fifth Framework Programme decision concerning the use and dissemination of results, the Commission will follow-up the implementation of the results of the project. Therefore participants are in general required to produce a “Technology Implementation Plan” indicating how the knowledge gained will be used. The Commission will ensure, where necessary, the confidentiality of these data.

III.7. Financial contribution of the Community

The Commission undertakes a financial contribution to the work.