First Interim Evaluation of the ARTEMIS and ENIAC Joint Technology Initiatives

The Evaluation Panel that performed thisinterim evaluation of the Joint TechnologyInitiatives in embedded computing systems(ARTEMIS) and nanoelectronics (ENIAC)finds that the original motivations for theirestablishment are still valid:they benefit Member States and Europe as awhole by enabling all parties to share costsand gain leverage on their own investmentsin strategic R&D;• they enable industrial companies in theparticipating countries to accelerate theirinnovation and become more productive,so enhancing their competitiveness in a fastmoving, globally competitive market.Th e Strategic Research Agendas that focusthe activities of the JTIs have for the fi rst timeestablished a coherent view across industry,Member States and the European Commissionof Europe’s priorities in these areas. Having ajoint strategy with shared implementation isgood for industry, good for Member States,and good for Europe.Th e establishment of these industry-led tripartiteindustry-national-EU PPPs is a majorachievement and they validate the generalconcept of the JTI. Th e panel therefore recommendsthat research and technologyinitiatives in the fi elds of embedded computingsystems and nanoelectronics shouldcontinue to be co-ordinated on the Europeanlevel.However the strategic objectives of the JTIsare not being realised to the extent expected:• overall investments from Member States,industry and the EU into research and technologydevelopment in the technologicalareas of embedded computing systems andnanoelectronics has not increased as muchas expected;• the funding commitment by Member States issignifi cantly below that which was expected,jeopardising the JTIs’ ability to establish acritical mass of activity and severely constrainingthe construction of appropriateportfolios of projects;• the process for selection of projects givesinsuffi cient consideration to the JTIs’ Europeanstrategic objectives;• the JTIs have not so far implemented activitiesspecifi cally targeted at improving theinnovation environment in Europe;• the anticipated coordination and synergywith R&D supported by the Eureka intergovernmentalscheme has not been achieved;• the improvements in effi ciency to be gainedby harmonisation of Member States processesand potential integration of the JTIswith the related Eureka clusters ITEA2 andCATRENE have not been achieved;• certain features of the Council Regulationsthat govern ARTEMIS and ENIAC inhibitrealisation of their aims. For instance:▶ the JTIs are not able to accept fundingfor R&D from all possible sources;▶ the JTIs are not able to support activitiesother than R&D that wouldcontribute to their objectives toenhance the innovation environment;▶ the JTIs are impeded by very burdensomeFinancial Regulations and StaffRegulations.But these are early days in an experiment withan entirely new form of European integration.Th e Evaluation Panel recommends that theexperiment should be continued. Moreover,the Evaluation Panel recommends that in 2013the JTIs in these two sectors be renewed intheir present tripartite form.In order to enable the JTIs to overcome thediffi culties experienced so far, and to achievethe desired outcomes, the panel makes a rangeof recommendations.Most importantly, all parties should recommitto the strategic aims of the JTIs. Th e JTIsshould re-focus on evolving and implementingtheir strategic agendas and re-engage withthe thought leaders in industry, government,and the scientifi c community that led the originaldrive to establish the JTIs.In particular, Member States should acceptthat each JTI should pursue a Europeanstrategic programme rather than an assemblageof national interests and should worktogether to support the JTIs in their implementationof their strategic programmes.Member States should:• commit funding on a multi-annual basis;• co-operate with the Industrial Associationsand the European Commission in buildinga portfolio of projects that, in combination,best addresses the strategic needs;• comply with both the letter and, more importantly,the spirit of the Council Regulationsconcerning acceptance of proposal selectionwithout imposition of additional nationalcriteria;• comply with the Council Regulations toundertake best eff orts to synchronise theirprocedures;• work with the Industrial Associations andthe European Commission to coordinate theJTI programmes with Eureka, national programmes,and the Framework Programme.Th e Industrial Associations should also demonstratetheir recommitment to a Europeanstrategic programme that is not a collectionof opportunistic ‘bottom up’ projects (whichis more appropriate to Eureka).Th e Industrial Associations should:• re-engage with the top level ‘thought leaders’in industry, governments and the scientifi ccommunity to provide direction and monitoringof the JTIs;• review and refresh the Strategic ResearchAgendas for their sectors;• install monitoring processes to assessprogress toward their strategic aims,including enhancement of the innovationecosystem, and to guide implementation oftheir programmes and revision of their strategies;• more actively engage with their constituenciesto promote broad participation in the JTIs andto provide guidance on their programmes.Th ere is insuffi cient time during the life of thepresent JTIs to amend the Council Regulationsthat govern their operation, but for JTIsbeyond 2013, including renewal of ARTEMISand ENIAC, new Council Regulations shouldbe formulated:• the new Council Regulations should invokeless burdensome Financial Regulations andStaff Regulations than those applicable to aCommunity Body (while still satisfying theneed for the highest standards of probity);• they should enable support of projects andother activities to enhance the innovationecosystem in addition to R&D;• they should enable the European Commissionto make fi nancial contributions,in addition to any matched funding contribution,in order to support activities andparticipants that are critical to achievementof the strategic objectives and that could notbe supported otherwise.Th e Evaluation Panel recommends greatercoordination of the JTIs and the relatedEureka clusters, but does not recommendintegration of the clusters into the JTIs for thepresent or for 2013 renewal of the JTIs. Suchintegration should, nevertheless, remain along-term aim.Th e table below summarises the full set ofrecommendations, indicating those whichcould and should be implemented duringthe life of the present JTIs, and those whichrequire changes to the Council Regulations forJTIs beyond 2013.