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Background information
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Background Information
Addendum Framework Programme 7
Framework Programme 7
The European Commission’s main proposal for FP7 was published last April, followed on September 21st by its proposal of specific programmes. The following summary of the latter is aimed to stimulate and encourage interest in the diverse opportunities ahead of ETP stakeholders.
Duration, start date, financial size and structure
FP7 will last for seven years [2007-13], with the first calls expected at the end of 2006.
The proposed budget is 72.7 billion euros, but a final decision on the budget awaits a decision by EU Member States on the wider EU Budget. The proposed figure would double annual EU R&D spend from 2010 [ca. 10 billion euros/year].
FP7 will be built around four specific programmes [known as pillars or axes]:
- Co-operation: this will support the whole range of research activities carried out through trans-national co-operation [familiar from FP6], from collaborative projects and networks to co-ordination of research programmes. International co-operation between the EU and third countries is an integral part of this action.
- Ideas: An autonomous European Research Council will be created to support investigator-driven basic research carried out by individual teams competing at European level. All scientific areas are included, also social science and the humanities. The sole criterion for evaluation will be excellence.
- People: Activities supporting training and career development of researchers [Marie Curie actions], with a greater emphasis on skills and career development, strengthened links with national programmes and academic/industry exchanges.
- Capacities: Key aspects of European research and innovation capacities will be supported, including research infrastructures, research for the benefit of SMEs, regional research-driven clusters, unlocking the full potential of EU convergence regions, “science in society” issues and international co-operation [INCO].
In addition there will be funding for non-nuclear research activities of the Joint Research Centre, JRC.
Further details are given below.
- Co-operation [44431 m euro]
Nine broad, high-level themes [sub-programmes] have been identified where research must be supported and strengthened to address key European social, economic, public health, environmental and industrial challenges. Seven themes [highlighted] may be of relevance to ETP stakeholders, with the main opportunity within theme 2.
- Health [8317 m euro]
- Food, Biotechnology and Agriculture [2455 m euro]
- Information and Communications Technologies [12670 m euro]
- Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and New Production Processes [4832 m euro]
- Energy [2931 m euro]
- Environment [including Climate Change] [2535 m euro]
- Transport [including Aeronautics] [5940 m euro]
- Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities [792 m euro]
- Security and Space Research [3960 m euro]
The second theme, Food, Biotechnology and Agriculture [also referred to as the Knowledge-based Bio-economies, KBBE, theme] has the following elements:
[I] Sustainable production and management of biological resources from land, forest and equatic environments, covering:
- Enabling research, including “omics” technologies, converging technologies and systems biology approaches for micro-organisms, plants and animals, including exploitation of biodiversity;
- Sustainable, competitive and multifunctional agriculture, forestry, fisheries and aquaculture;
- Improved crops for different production systems, including organic farming, quality production themes and GMOs and their impact; Plant health;
- Animal welfare, breeding and production; Infectious diseases in animals, including zoonoses; Safe disposal of animal waste;
- Developing the tools needed by policy makers and other actors in particular in Building the European KBBE.
[II] Fork to farm; health and well-being, covering:
- Consumer, behavioural, societal and cognitive sciences related to food and feed;
- Nutrition and diet-related diseases, including obesity;
- Innovative food and beverages production technologies [including packaging]; Traceability;
- Improved quality and safety, both chemical and microbiological, of food, beverage and feed;
- Environmental impacts on and of food/feed chains;
- Total food chain concept.
[III] Life sciences and biotechnology for sustainable non-food products and processes, covering
- Strengthening the knowledge base and developing advanced technologies for terrestrial or biomass production for applications in energy and industry.
In addition, for each theme there will be funding for emerging needs [spontaneous research proposals aiming at identifying or further exploring, in a given field and/or at the intersection of several disciplines, new scientific and technological opportunities, in particular linked with a potential for significant breakthroughs] and unforeseen policy needs.
- IDEAS [11862 m euro]
This programme will aim to enhance the dynamism, creativity and excellence of European research at the frontier of knowledge, which is now reflected as “a new understanding of basic research, an intrinsically risky endeavour that involves the pursuit of fundamental advances in science, technology and engineering, without regard for established disciplinary boundaries or national borders”. This will be done by supporting investigator-driven research projects carried out across all fields of research by individual teams in competition at European level.
Projects will be funded on the basis of proposals presented by researchers on subjects of their choice in any scientific and technological field which falls under the scope of Community research under FP7, including engineering, socio-economic science and humanities and evaluated on the sole criterion of excellence as judged by peer review.
The programme will be implemented through the ERC, which will include an independent Scientific Council and a dedicated implementation structure.
- PEOPLE [7129 m euro]
This will support the training and career development of researchers, with a focus on key aspects of skills and career development and strengthened with links to national systems. Activities will include:
- Initial training of researchers [PhD students];
- Life-long training and career development, Marie Curie Fellowships;
- Industry-academia partnerships and pathways;
- International dimension:
Ontgoing international fellowships
Incoming international fellowships
Partnerships of research organisations
Return fellowships;
- Specific actions.
- CAPACITIES [7486 m euro]
The aim is to develop research innovation capacities, so that the European science community has the best possible capacities at its service. Activities will include:
- Research infrastructures, existing and new;
- Research for the benefit of SMEs;
- Co-operative and Collective research;
- Regions of Knowledge;
- Research potential;
- Science and society;
- International co-operation.
The Commission is committed to making FP7 simpler and more streamlined. This will cover the complete funding cycle, including simplification of funding schemes, administrative and financial rules and procedures, as well as the readability and user friendliness of documents.
FP7 will be implemented in close association with CIP, the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme [also lasting from 2007-2013]. CIP will have a budget of 4.2 billion euros and will aim to:
- Foster the competitiveness of enterprises [especially SMEs];
- Promote innovation, including eco-innovation;
- Accelerate the development of a competitive, innovative and inclusive Information Society;
- Promote energy efficiency and new and renewable energy sources, including transport.
More information from http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7
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