introduction

The EU Biotechnology Programme

Europe is currently experiencing a transition phase which involves the evolution of new structures to address an ever changing and complex political and socio-economic climate. European industry and particularly the Biotechnology sector is directly concerned. The more prepared this sector is to maintain and strengthen its competitivity, the more effectively it can face new challenges - particularly those relating to increasing demands for product quality and a desire to have a better environment and quality of life. In addressing these considerations the Commission of the European Communities developed a specific research and technological development programme in the field of Biotechnology.

The aim of research under the Biotechnology programme is to reinforce basic biological knowledge as the common and integrated foundation for applications in agriculture, industry, health and the environment. The Biotechnology programme is also designed to find ways of assessing objective impacts and creating technical opportunities that are compatible with sustainable growth in Europe. The budget allocated for research activities in the two last Biotechnology programmes includes 189M ECU (1992-1994) and 552M ECU (1994 - 1998). The programme is selective in choosing four working approaches through cost-shared research contracts to public and private laboratories in the Community and each one with a specific goal and restricted to identified scientific areas.

Generic Research Projects integrating research efforts in adapted Community structures (European Laboratories Without Walls - ELWW, initially implemented in the BAP programme) for tasks where the main bottlenecks result from gaps in basic knowledge.	Projects of Technological priority aiming to achieve a higher degree of coherence and ultimate impact in certain areas of the programme. The areas are defined as those where a significant change of the state-of-the-art now requires exceptional cross-linking efforts involving a wide range of potential contributors.
Basic research projects deliberately combining the contributions of different disciplines and techniques through efforts intended to remove important bottlenecks resulting from structural and scale constraints. They will lead to the constitution of clusters of laboratories addressing in an integrated manner, throughout the Community, highly specific research issues where an impact is to be expected.	Concerted Actions creating Community networks of competencies and skills where national funding is widely available or where coordination of existing work and projects is a prerequisite to the launching, in a future Community programme, of new specific Basic and Generic research projects.

Generic Research Projects integrating research efforts in adapted Community structures (European Laboratories Without Walls - ELWW, initially implemented in the BAP programme) for tasks where the main bottlenecks result from gaps in basic knowledge.

Projects of Technological priority aiming to achieve a higher degree of coherence and ultimate impact in certain areas of the programme. The areas are defined as those where a significant change of the state-of-the-art now requires exceptional cross-linking efforts involving a wide range of potential contributors.

Basic research projects deliberately combining the contributions of different disciplines and techniques through efforts intended to remove important bottlenecks resulting from structural and scale constraints. They will lead to the constitution of clusters of laboratories addressing in an integrated manner, throughout the Community, highly specific research issues where an impact is to be expected.

Concerted Actions creating Community networks of competencies and skills where national funding is widely available or where coordination of existing work and projects is a prerequisite to the launching, in a future Community programme, of new specific Basic and Generic research projects.

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