Membership Information

As a programme of the International Energy Agency (IEA), ETDE offers membership to countries and/or entities wishing to participate in a reciprocal exchange of scientific and technical energy research and technology information. All full members must accept the rights and obligations of Contracting Parties and sign or accede to the ETDE Implementing Agreement. This agreement serves as the legal basis for the Exchange. ETDE is in the process of looking at alternative types of membership for cases where some of the full member obligations cannot be met.

ETDE currently has 12 members. Many developing countries now also have the possibility to access ETDE’s Energy Database information.

The new IEA Framework for International Technology Co-operation, implemented in 2003, provides guidelines for Implementing Agreements to follow. Eligibility for signing on to agreements has been broadened. Instead of only permitting governments to be involved, the guidelines are more flexible, now defining the following types of organizations as being eligible:

• Governmental or energy technology entities representing governments;
• Research institutes and universities; and
• Energy technology companies.

Membership in ETDE is open to any of these entities in countries around the world, subject to the approval of ETDE’s Executive Committee and the IEA in special cases where the country has never been part of an IEA agreement previously. Recognizing that expanding membership increases the value of the database and provides benefits for all involved, ETDE encourages and heartily welcomes new members.

Membership involves both cost-sharing and task-sharing. For cost-sharing, each country contributes to the general operating budget. The annual contribution expected has two components: a base amount and an additional contribution amount based on the country’s research and development expenditures at the time of joining. The ETDE Operating Agent can answer questions related to this calculation. [The IEA Energy Technology R&D Statistics Service provides data on IEA member countries' budgets]. The task-sharing component primarily involves having each member provide database input from their country for the database.

HOW TO JOIN ETDE

The main steps in the membership process are:

• Expression of interest by both ETDE and the country
• Contribution level and membership expectations are agreed upon
• ETDE's Executive Committee unanimously agrees on admission of the new member country/entity
• Exchange of letters (formal invitation, formal acceptance)
• Letter of intent to join sent by the country to the IEA Executive Director
• Contracting Party 'signs' the agreement
• Membership becomes effective
• Fulfillment of obligations expected within a reasonable timeframe

If an entity is seriously interested in membership, an invitation to observe a meeting of the ETDE Executive Committee may be extended, and/or a trial period of database access permitted. Once all details of membership (membership contribution level, amount of database input, etc.) are settled to the satisfaction of the Executive Committee, a formal invitation will be extended by the Executive Committee for the country/entity to participate in the Implementing Agreement. If you would like to learn more about membership in ETDE, please feel free to contact the ETDE Operating Agent to begin a dialogue.

RIGHTS

• Electronic access to ETDE's Energy Database information via ETDEWEB. This access is available for anyone in the member country or international organization subject to availability arrangements made by the member country or organization. Rights to access database products produced by other member countries (such as from commercial online hosts or CD-ROM products) may be negotiated with each country producing the product. In cases of membership by an international organization, access and distribution rights to the database and products will not extend outside the international organization to its member states.
• Electronic access to any embedded features within the ETDEWEB system, such as databases/sites featured in distributed searching.
• Electronic access via ETDEWEB to full text documents supplied to the ETDE Operating Agent by members.
• Electronic access to a file of the recent entries to ETDE's Energy Database for use within their own country/organization if desired.
• The right to reproduce and distribute within their country or international organization the information contained inETDE's Energy Database or any other information provided through ETDE. In cases of membership by an international organization, reproduction and distribution rights will not extend outside the international organization to its member states.
• Access to electronic or printed copies of ETDE publications, such as the ETDE Procedures Manual sections, the ETDE annual report, calendar year statistics and any marketing-related tools, as they are developed. Access to joint publications ETDE has in collaboration with the International Nuclear Information System (INIS) such as the subject thesaurus.
• Privilege to appoint a primary and alternate delegate to serve on ETDE’s Executive Committee. All members are represented on the Executive Committee and the Technical Working Group and have full voting rights and the opportunity to interact with peers.
• Access to the ETDE Members site, list servers and FTP areas.

OBLIGATIONS

• Contribute financially to the ETDE operating budget on an annual basis.
• Submit, at least monthly and in electronic form, bibliographic citations in English of all energy research and technology information published in the country/international organization according to ETDE rules and standards.
• Provide an electronic copy or availability notice for all non-conventional literature published or issued in the country or within the international organization.
• Send a delegate to the Executive Committee meetings and other technical or ad hoc meetings and expend resources if hosting the Executive Committee meeting in its country.
• Commit to regular interaction via electronic means with fellow members and the Operating Agent.
• Market the database and products within national borders.
• Agree that any revenues returned from new-member usage of online or other member products will accrue to the ETDE Common Fund for a set period of years.

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