Evaluation of proposals for the 7th Research Framework Programme

27.11.2008

WRITTEN QUESTION E-6544/08
by Daniel Caspary (PPE‑DE) and Angelika Niebler (PPE‑DE)
to the Commission

The evaluation of proposals for the 7th Research Framework Programme is understandably subject to time and staffing restrictions. The Members were informed by a source close to the assessors that the assessors had been allocated a time of between five and eight hours to read and judge each proposal. As the average length of each proposal was between 100 and 150 pages, this was not considered to be sufficient.

1. Does the Commission consider that the time allocated to the assessors is sufficient to guarantee a careful examination?

2. What measures has the Commission taken to counter the danger of an overly superficial assessment?

3. Can the Commission guarantee that the most up-to-date relevant literature is available to the assessors, for example via online access?

4. How does the Commission ensure that, when choosing projects, the criterion of excellence is given priority over the criterion of innovation potential in individual Member States, as was decided by the Council and the European Parliament?

5. Can the Commission give information about the selection process used by the assessors? Does the Commission see any tension between the aim of having the most even balance of nationalities possible among the assessors and the aim of having the greatest possible expertise?

OJ C 316, 23/12/2009