JTIs are EU attempts, initiated under the EU's Seventh Research framework Programme (FP7), to avoid fragmentation of research efforts on strategic research fields.
JTIs will 'combine' or merge the different strategic long-term research agendas on, for example, nanotechnologies. To avoid duplication, the actors will together conduct research on the areas addressed by all agendas and continue solitary research on specific issues identified by individual actors.
A Commission June 2005 report identified six areas, the most advanced technology platforms, in which JTIs could be established. These are:
- Innovative medicines;
- aeronautics and air transport;
- hydrogen and fuel cells;
- global monitoring for environment and security;
- nanoelectronics technologies 2020, and;
- embedded computing systems.
JTIs' research projects are set to be conducted under industry conditions on topics defined by industry. The expected results can vary from the development of common standards to defining software interoperability between products.
Each JTI is expected to gather some €2-3 billion funding from 2007-2013, with 50% of the costs being covered by industry, some 16% by the Commission's FP7 and 33% by the member states.
The official proposals for the six planned JTI are still on the Commission table, as the Commission is verifying the state of preparedness of the proposed first JTIs against a number of criteria linked with:
- The strategic importance of the topic and presence of a clear deliverable;
- existence of market failure;
- concrete evidence of Community value added;
- evidence of substantial, long-term industry commitment, and;
- inadequacy of existing Community instruments.
The two first official proposals on innovative medicines and embedded computing systems might be published by end of March 2007, after which the 27-member Council will need to find a 2/3 majority to decide on the proposal. The Parliament is only consulted.
As JTIs will be based on article 171 - the only example of the use of which so far is Galileo - there is no clear model on how to set up these initiatives. The content of Galileo and JTIs are not comparable, but their way of functioning as public-private partnerships (PPP) is.
The only joint undertaking launched on the basis of the Article 171 is the Galileo satellite navigation system, which is currently suffering from serious delays with initial estimated costs already exceeded. According to initial plans, Galileo was supposed to be fully operational by 2008, but is has now been delayed to 2011. Currently, only one of the 30 satellites has been launched and even the 20-year funding contract between the eight companies, originally to be signed in 2005, has not been finalised.
One of the main difficulties delaying Galileo contract has been the issue of sharing risks and responsibilities between public and private sectors. In addition, a number of legal issues has arised as the project advances.
JTIs, complex construction without precedent at EU level, can therefore be expected to be faced with Galileo-like problems related for example to Council's internal decision-making or control of the use of community funds.
