Ref. Ares(2017)1346744 - 15/03/2017
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs
Director-General
Brussels,
EV/pb/grow.ddg3.i.4(2016)6280509
NOTE TO THE ATTENTION OF MR TOMASZ HUSAK,
HEAD OF CABINET COMMISSIONER BIEŃKOWSKA
Subject:
Request for the establishment of a Commission expert group to act
as an Advisory Group for the Preparatory Action on Defence
Research
We ask for the approval to establish an informal Commission Expert Group to act as an
Advisory Group for the Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PA).
The Commission will launch a PA for defence research, which will run from 2017 to
2019. The objective is to prepare the ground for a possible future European Defence
Research Programme (EDRP). The PA will test the mechanism whereby the Commission
uses EU budget to fund research in the defence domain.
As the PA takes place outside Horizon 2020 (H2020), neither Comitology rules1 nor
H2020 rules apply. However, the rules defined for the PA are derived from H2020 and
DG GROW would like to use the PA to test aspects of governance usually put in place
for the implementation of EU research programmes in light of a future EDRP.
Research programmes are usually supported by an Advisory Group which has no
decision making role, but provides input to a scoping paper and subsequent work
programme(s). In line with this practice, we intend to create a temporary Advisory Group
for the duration of the PA.
The role of this group would be to provide input to the PA's remaining work
programmes, if necessary provide advice for the revision of the scoping paper and serve
as a stakeholder group for consultations/advice on selected implementation aspects. It
should consist of individual experts appointed in a personal capacity or representing a
common interest and representatives from EDA and EEAS (EUMS) – all members
should have expertise related to defence policy and defence research.
1 Regulation (EU) No 182/2011
Commission européenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË - Tel. +32 22991111
This group will be an “informal” one, meaning that it will not be created by a
Commission Decision. However, following the new rules on Expert groups2 its creation
has to be approved by our Commissioner and Vice-President (Art.4(5)).
With this note, we would like to ask for your approval as well as the endorsement by the
Vice-President.
Approved by E. Bieńkowska
after
endorsement
Vice-
President:
E-signed
Lowri Evans
2 Commission Decision C(2016)3301 of 30/05/2016
Electronically signed on 28/10/2016 14:28 (UTC+02) in accordance with article 4.2 (Validity of electronic documents) of Commission Decision 2004/563