European Charter for Researchers - Commission Recommendation of 11 March 2005 on the European Charter for Researchers and on a Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers

Summary of the initiative

Objective(s)
The European Charter for Researchers aims to: Improve Europe's attractiveness to researchers and strengthen the participation of researchers by helping to create the necessary conditions for more sustainable and appealing careers for them in R&D; Encourage researchers' mobility and contribute to the creation of an open labour market for researchers.

Description of the Initiative

    Sector

    Sector

    Contact Point - Commission
    Research Executive Agency, Department A (Excellent Science)

    Self/Co-Regulation Basic Act

    NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT
    Year
    2005
    Title of Act
    European Charter for Researchers - Commission Recommendation of 11 March 2005 on the European Charter for Researchers and on a Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, Official Journal L 075, 22/03/2005 P. 0067 - 0077;

    Geographical Coverage

    Global coverage
    Participating Countries
    Austria

    Description

    Problems that lead to the introduction of Self/Co-Regulation and the adoption of the Founding Act
    The potential shortage of researchers, particularly in certain key disciplines, will pose a serious threat to EU´s innovative strength, knowledge capacity and productivity growth in the near future and may hamper the attainment of the Lisbon and Barcelona objectives.
    Target Group(s)
    Individual researchers, universities, research institutions and organisations funding research;
    Type of Instrument(s)
    Charter: The European Charter for Researchers has been drafted by the European Commission on the basis of a wide public consultation. It held the role usually given to the private party mandated by stakeholders to draft a code of conduct. The Charter is a set of general principles and requirements which specifies the roles, responsibilities and entitlements of researchers as well as of employers and/or research funding institutions. The Recommendation, among other things, invites MS to promote codes of conduct in the research institutions and to transpose the code of conduct in their national legislation. Various activities to raise awareness and support the implementation of the recommendation on C&C have been undertaken at EU level (i.e. creating a C&C web page on the Europa server, adding web references on the national portals, organising different working groups with stakeholders, contributing to the realisation of a large conference in co-operation under the Austrian Presidency).
    Level(s) at which private rules should be defined and applied
    Type of Financing
    Funders, which provide funding (including stipends, awards, grants and fellowships) are public and private research institutions, including institutions for higher education. In this role they might stipulate as a key condition for providing funding that the funded institutions should have in place and apply effective strategies, practices and mechanisms according to the general principles and requirements presented in this Recommendation.
    Type of Monitoring
    Conduct an initial survey of compliance capacity of future regulateesConduct regular visits and spot checksInitiate complaints proceduresMaintain database of those bounded by the normsProduce regular reportsReceive complaints and verify if norms were breached or notReflexive dialogue with the - stakeholdersOther
    European Commissionyes
    National public authorityyes
    International public authority
    Private regulator (code owner)
    Private independent party with a mandate (e.g. auditors)
    Self-appointed private parties (e.g. NGOs)
    Succinct description of the type of Monitoring
    At EU level a roadmap summarising the implementation activities undertaken in the different Member States is regularly up-dated. It gives an overview of the different ongoing activities at national level, it identifies problems encountered and reported by the members of the Steering Group Human Resources and Mobility (government representatives) in view of the implementation of the Charter/Code. Member States are urged to put in place the necessary monitoring structures to review the recommendation regularly, as well as to measure the extent to which employers, funders and researchers have applied the European Charter for Researchers. Member States are invited to inform the Commission by 15 December 2006 and annually thereafter of any measures they have taken further to this recommendation as well as report reasons for any difficulties in implementing the Charter and Code. Besides MS are invited to inform the Commission of the first results of its application as well as to provide examples of good practise.
    Type of Enforcement
    Faming, shaming and blamingJudicial sanctionsMembership suspension/exclusionPrivate finesOther
    Private Regulator
    Private independent party with a mandate (e.g. auditors)
    Court system
    Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) / Online dispute resolution (ODR)
    Succinct description of the type of Enforcement
    Employers and/or funders of researchers should establish, in compliance with national rules and regulations, appropriate procedures, possibly in the form of an impartial (ombudsman-type) person to deal with complaints/appeals of researchers, including those concerning conflicts between supervisor(s) and early-stage researchers. Such procedures should provide all research staff with confidential and informal assistance in resolving work-related conflicts, disputes and grievances, with the aim of promoting fair and equitable treatment within the institution and improving the overall quality of the working environment.
    Researchers need to be aware that they are accountable towards their employers, funders or other related public or private bodies as well as, on more ethical grounds, towards society as a whole. In particular, researchers funded by public funds are also accountable for the efficient use of taxpayers’ money. Consequently, they should adhere to the principles of sound, transparent and efficient financial management and cooperate with any authorised audits of their research, whether undertaken by their employers/funders or by ethics committees.