Research and innovation
1. FP7: Structure
2. Who can apply?
3. Talking about money
FP7: Structure
The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) is the EU's main instrument for funding research in Europe and it will run from 2007 to 2013.
FP7 is organised into four specific programmes, corresponding to four major objectives of European research policy:
1. Co-operation (€32.3 bn): refers to gaining leadership in key scientific and technology areas by supporting co-operation between universities, industry, research centers and public authorities across the EU and with the rest of the world. Trans-national cooperation will remain the main instrument for carrying out research activities. This programme consists of ten different thematic research areas:
• Information and Communication technologies (€9.1 bn)
• Health (€6 bn)
• Transport (including Aeronautics) (€4.1 bn)
• Nanoproduction (€3.5 bn)
• Energy (€2.3 bn)
• Food, agriculture and biotechnology (€1.9 bn)
• Environment (including climate change) (€1.8 bn)
• Security (NEW! compared to FP6) (€1.4 bn)
• Space (€1.3 bn)
• Socio-economic sciences and the humanities (€0.6 bn)
General information: ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/wp/cooperation/cooperation_intro_wp_201001_en.pdf
2. Ideas (€7.5 bn): is intended to enhance exploratory research in Europe. It refers to the establishment of an autonomous European Research Council (ERC), which will support and stimulate basic research carried out by individual teams competing at European level. In other words, it aims at discovering new knowledge that fundamentally changes our vision of the world and our way of life. In order to achieve this, the ERC will support the most ambitious and innovative research projects. Within this new structure, at the forefront of European research, there will be an autonomous Scientific Council, which will identify priorities and scientific strategies. The aim is to enhance European research excellence by promoting competition and risk-taking.
General information: ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/wp/ideas/l_wp_201001_en.pdf
3. People (€4.7 bn): The People programme provides support for researcher mobility and career development, both for researchers inside the European Union and internationally. It is implemented via a set of Marie Curie actions, providing fellowships and other measures to help researchers build their skills and competences throughout their careers:
• Initial training of researchers - Marie Curie Networks
• Industry-academia partnerships
• Co-funding of regional, national and international mobility programmes
• Intra-European fellowships
• International dimension - outgoing and incoming fellowships,
• international cooperation scheme, reintegration grants
• Marie Curie Awards
General information: ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/wp/people/m_wp_201001_en.pdf
4. Capacities (€4.2 bn): is intended to give researchers powerful tools that will enable them to enhance the quality and competitiveness of European research. It refers to developing and fully exploiting the EU's research capacities through large-scale research infrastructure, regional cooperation and innovating SMEs as well as increased international co-operation and bringing science and society closer together.
It covers the following activities:
• Research infrastructures
• Research for the benefit of SMEs
• Regions of Knowledge
• Research Potential
• Science in Society
• Specific activities of international cooperation
General information: ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/fp7/docs/wp/capacities/capacities_intro_wp_201001_en.pdf
Who can apply?
Participation in FP7 is open to a wide range of organisations and individuals:
• research groups at universities or research institutes,
• companies intending to innovate,
• small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs),
• SME associations or groupings,
• public or governmental administration (local, regional or national),
• early-stage researchers (postgraduate students),
• experienced researchers,
• institutions running research infrastructures of trans-national interest,
• organisations and researchers from third countries,
• international organisations,
• civil society organisations.
The above list is only indicative, not exhaustive. Different participation rules apply, depending on the research initiative in question.
Talking about money
The basic principle of funding in FP7 is co-financing. This means that, in general, the Commission does not "purchase" research services by placing contracts and paying a price. Rather, it gives grants to projects, thus contributing a certain percentage to the overall costs.
The maximum reimbursement rates to the costs of a project depend on the funding scheme, the legal status of the participants and the type of activity. The standard reimbursement rate for research and technological development activities is 50%. Certain legal entities can receive up to 75% (non-profit public bodies, SMEs, research organisations, higher education establishments). For demonstration activities,
the reimbursement rate may reach 50%. For other activities (consortium management, networking, training, coordination, dissemination etc.), the reimbursement can be up to 100% of the eligible costs. The 100% rate applies also to frontier research actions under the European Research Council.
