Janez Možina l.r.
Andreas Moleskis l.r.
1. Usposobljenost in izkušnje raziskovalnih skupin 20%
2. Metodologija, pristop, strategija, struktura in 20%
dokumentacija
3. Zadostnost obstoječe in predlagane raziskovalne 5%
infrastrukture
4. Raven izvirnosti in inovativnosti 15%
5. Družbena in razvojna dodana vrednost za 15%
Slovenijo in Ciper
6. Namen sodelovanja skupin 15%
7. Izkoriščanje izsledkov 5%
8. Razširjanje izsledkov 5%
The Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Government of the Republic of Cyprus hereinafter referred to as “The Contracting Parties”,
– Recognizing the importance of research and development in the growth of the national economies and in the improvement of their socio-economic standards of living,
– Wishing to strengthen and develop scientific and technological co-operation on the basis of equality and mutual benefit,
– Taking into consideration the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Slovenia and the Government of the Republic of Cyprus on Co-operation in the Fields of Education, Culture and Science, signed in Ljubljana 21st January 1999,
Have agreed as follows:
Article 1
Co-operation in the Field of Research and Development
The Contracting Parties shall encourage and support the co-operation in the field of research and development on the basis of mutual benefit, according to the provisions of the present Protocol and the laws and regulations of each Party.
Article 2
Establishment of a Joint Committee
1. For the purpose of implementation of the present Protocol, a Joint Committee, composed of representatives designated by the two Contracting Parties is established.
2. The tasks of the Joint Committee are as follows:
– Identify the fields of co-operation on the basis of information received from institutions of each country and the respective national policies in research.
– Create the favourable conditions for the implementation of the present Protocol.
– Facilitate and support the implementation of joint programmes and projects.
– Examine the progress of activities related to the present Protocol.
– Exchange of experience arising from the bilateral research and development co-operation and the examination of the proposals for the further development of the cooperation.
3. The Joint Committee will meet at least once every 2 (two) years, unless otherwise agreed, alternately in the Republic of Slovenia and in the Republic of Cyprus, and will conclude and sign Protocols containing the evaluation of the past and current activities and identifying future fields of co-operation, as well as the list of mutually accepted projects of co-operation after evaluation of the joint proposals received.
4. The Joint Committee will decide on the thematic priorities and the funding conditions of the next Call for Proposals.
5. The Joint Committee may elaborate its own rules of procedure.
Article 3
Launching of a Joint Research Cooperation Programme
1. The Contracting Parties will launch a Joint Research Cooperation Programme, inviting research and development organisations, Universities, public and private organisations and enterprises from the two countries to submit research proposals falling into one of the thematic priorities specified in the Joint Research Cooperation Programme.
2. The Programme’s main aim will be the implementation of joint research and development projects, including the exchange results and the exchange of scientists, researchers and technical experts. The Programme could also include the organisation and participation in meetings, conferences, symposia and workshops.
3. The funding conditions that will rule the Joint Programme are described in Appendix I of the Protocol.
Article 4
Exploitation of Research Results
1. Scientific and technological results and any other information derived from the co-operation activities under the Joint Research Programme will be published or commercially exploited with the consent of both co-operating partners and according to the international conventions and laws of the Contracting Parties concerning intellectual property.
2. Scientists, researchers, technical experts and institutions from third countries or international organisations may be invited, upon consent of both co-operating partners, to participate in projects and programmes being carried out under the present Protocol. The cost of such participation shall be borne by the Third Party, unless the Contracting Parties otherwise agree in writing.
Article 5
Cooperation in European Research Programmes
The Contracting Parties will promote the cooperation of scientists, researchers and technical experts in European Research Programmes.
Article 6
Protocol Implementation
The activities described in this Protocol will be implemented by the Slovenian Research Agency and the Research Promotion Foundation of Cyprus.
Article 7
Monitoring of Protocol Implementation
1. Any issues relating to the interpretation and implementation of the Protocol shall be settled through consultations within the Joint Committee or between the Contracting Parties.
2. With respect to the co-operation established under the present Protocol, each Contracting Party shall take, in accordance with its laws and regulations, all necessary measures to ensure the best possible conditions for its implementation.
Article 8
Movement of Personnel and Equipment
1. With respect to co-operation under the present Protocol, each Contracting Party, subject to its international obligations, national laws and regulations especially regarding economic integration, customs union and other economic issues and on the basis of reciprocity shall endeavour to take steps with its national authorities to facilitate the entry into and exit from its territory of personnel and equipment of the other Contracting Party used in projects under the present Protocol.
2. The persons who perform exchange visits on the basis of this Protocol should be adequately medically insured for the time of their stay in the receiving country prior to their arrival to this country.
Article 9
Obligations from Other Agreements / Treaties
The present Protocol of Cooperation shall not affect or will not prejudice the validity or execution of any obligations arising from other international Treaties or Agreements concluded by either Contracting Party, including those arising from the European Union.
Article 10
Entry into Force of the Protocol
1. The present Protocol shall enter into force on the date when the Contracting Parties notify each other that the Protocol has been approved in accordance with the relevant legal procedures of each country. The date of the last notification is deemed to be the date of the coming into force of the present Protocol.
2. The present Protocol shall remain in force for a period of five years and shall automatically be renewed for further periods of five years, unless either Contracting Party notifies in writing its intentions to terminate the present Protocol. The termination will come into effect in six months from the date of the said notification.
3. The termination of the present Protocol shall not affect projects or programmes undertaken under the Joint Research Programme and not fully executed at the time of the termination of the present Protocol.
Done in Ljubljana on 15 April 2005 in duplicate in the Slovene, Greek and English languages, all the texts being equally authentic. In the case of any divergence in interpretation, the English text shall prevail.
For the Government
of the Republic of Slovenia
Janez Možina (s)
For the Government
of the Republic of Cyprus
Andreas Moleskis (s)
APPENDIX I
JOINT SLOVENIAN - CYPRIOT COOPERATION PROGRAMME ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
CALL FOR PROPOSALS
The Slovenian Research Agency and the Research Promotion Foundation of Cyprus launch a Joint Research Cooperation Programme and invite the submission of joint research proposals by Higher Educational Institutes, Research Centres, enterprises, public and private organisations engaged in research and development activities established in the two countries.
The following financing conditions will rule the Joint Slovenian - Cypriot Research and Development Cooperation Programme:
1. ACTIVITIES
The Programme’s main aim will be the implementation of joint research and development projects, including the exchange results and the exchange of scientists, researchers and technical experts. The Programme could also include the organisation and participation in meetings, conferences, symposia and workshops. These could include financing for young researchers (up to 35 years old) who wish to visit for a short time (up to three months) research institutes, laboratories, and enterprises of the cooperating country in order to learn new techniques and participate in research activities.
The Programme will cover the following thematic priorities:
– Information Society Technologies
– Food Quality and Safety
– Sustainable Development and Ecosystems
– Life Sciences and Biotechnology
– Social Sciences and Humanities
2. DURATION OF PROJECTS
The proposed research projects should have duration of up to two (2) years.
3. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS
The proposals, which should be submitted to the Slovenian Research Agency and the Research Promotion Foundation of Cyprus, must have specific goals, prove the mutual interest of the research groups from the two countries, and demonstrate the purpose of the specific cooperation.
The proposals must be submitted on specific application forms available from the Slovenian Research Agency and the Research Promotion Foundation of Cyprus. The proposals must be submitted in two copies.
Incomplete proposals or proposals not submitted in both countries will not be accepted for further evaluation.
A Scientific Coordinator could submit up to two proposals during the present call for proposals. However, up to one proposal with the same Scientific Coordinator can be approved for funding.
4. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS
The evaluation process will be organised by the Slovenian Research Agency and the Research Promotion Foundation of Cyprus and with evaluators assigned by each side. The evaluations will be based on the following evaluation criteria:
Evaluation Criteria Table
1. Qualifications and experience of research teams 20%
2. Methodology, approach, strategy, structure, and 20%
documentation
3. Sufficiency of existing and proposed research 5%
infrastructure
4. Level of originality and innovation 15%
5. Social and developmental added value for 15%
Slovenia and Cyprus
6. Purpose of cooperation among the groups 15%
7. Exploitation of results 5%
8. Dissemination of results 5%
The overall presentation of the proposal will be taken into account during the evaluation.
5. FINANCING OF THE PROGRAMME
The Slovenian Research Agency and the Research Promotion Foundation of Cyprus will fund the Joint Slovenian - Cypriot Cooperation Programme with 175,000 euro (approx. 42 millions SIT or 103,000 CYP) and the selected proposals with up to 35,000 euro per project (approx. 8 millions SIT or 20,600 CYP per project). The eligible expenses are defined as follows:
(a) Travel
The Slovenian Research Agency will cover the travel expenses for Slovenian researchers visiting Cyprus as well as the subsistence costs of Cypriot researchers visiting Slovenia. Respectively, the Research Promotion Foundation of Cyprus will cover the travel expenses for the Cypriot researchers in Slovenia as well as the subsistence costs for the Slovenian researchers visiting Cyprus.
The Slovenian Research Agency will grant to Cypriot researchers the amount of 4.555 SIT (19 euro) per day for short-term stays (up to two weeks) and 95.800 SIT (400 euro) per month for long-term stays (up to three months) and provide hotel accommodation.
Respectively, the daily allowance that the Research Promotion Foundation of Cyprus will grant to Slovenian researchers the amount of 75 CYP (approx. 125 euro) per day for short-term stays (up to two weeks) and 750 CYP (approx. 1290 euro) per month for long-term stays (up to three months). The number of trips that the Slovenian and the Cypriot researchers will make in the hosting country will be determined according to the needs of the research project and will be taken into account in each side's required budget when the proposal is submitted.
(b) Other Costs
Other costs may include salaries of young researchers who participate in the project, consumables and equipment, cost for publications, organisation and participation in meetings, conferences, symposia and workshops. Each country will cover the salary and the daily allowance of its own young researchers.
6. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING
The Scientific Coordinator of each selected project will be legally responsible towards the Slovenian Research Agency Research and the Promotion Foundation of Cyprus for the implementation of each funded project.
The Slovenian Research Agency and the Research Promotion Foundation of Cyprus have the right to monitor the implementation of each funded project.
7. SUSPENSION OF FUNDING
The Slovenian Research Agency and the Research Promotion Foundation of Cyprus could either decide the suspension of funding of a funded project or request the return of the whole or part or the funding plus legal interest as reimbursement.
In exceptional cases or in cases of unforeseen circumstances, the Slovenian Research Agency and the Research Promotion Foundation of Cyprus have the right to evaluate or modify a research project.