The EU’s Seventh Framework Programme

 

FP7 is the short name for the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development. This is the EU's main instrument for funding research in Europe and it will run from 2007 to 2013.

The EC budget for the next seven years is € 50.5 billion and the Euratom budget for the next five years is € 2.7 billion. 

FP7 supports research in selected priority areas - the aim being to make, or keep, the EU as a world leader in those sectors.

How is FP7 made up?

FP7 is made up of 4 main blocks of activities forming 4 specific programmes plus a fifth specific programme on nuclear research:

Cooperation - Collaborative research

Budget: €32 billion

Under the programme “Cooperation”, research support will be provided to international cooperation projects across the European Union and beyond. In 10 thematic areas, corresponding to major fields in science and research, the programme will promote the progress of knowledge and technology. Research will be supported and strengthened to address European social, economic, environmental, public health and industrial challenges, serve the public good and support developing countries.

“Cooperation” supports research actions in the following thematic areas:

1. Health

2. Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology

3. Information and Communication Technologies

4. Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies

5. Energy

6. Environment (including climate change)

7. Transport (including Aeronautics)

8. Socio-economic sciences and Humanities

9. Security

10. Space 

Ideas - European Research Council

Budget: €7.4 billion

The “Ideas” programme hosts all those activities that are to be implemented by the European Research Council (ERC). The ERC is expected to enjoy a high degree of autonomy in order to develop high-level frontier research at a European level, building on excellence in Europe and raising its profile at the international level.

This programme will enhance the dynamic character, creativity and excellence of European research at frontier knowledge.

Frontier research actions

People - Human Potential, Marie Curie actions

Budget: €4.7 billion

The “People” programme offers individuals the opportunity to follow a career in research. European researchers should be encouraged to stay in Europe whilst at the same time the best researchers in the world should be attracted by European research excellence and infrastructures. Building on the positive experiences with the “Marie Curie Actions”, the “People” programme should encourage individuals to enter the profession of researcher; structure their research training by offering options; and, encourage mobility within the same sector. The mobility of researchers is not only key to the career development of researchers but also vital to the sharing and transfer of knowledge between countries and sectors.

The following types of actions are planned during FP7:

1. Initial training of researchers - Marie Curie Networks

2. Life-long training and career development - Individual fellowships

3. Industry-academia pathways and partnerships

4. International dimension - outgoing and incoming fellowships, international cooperation scheme, reintegration grants

5. Excellence Awards

Capacities - Research capacities

Budget: €4.2 billion

The “Capacities” programme aims to optimise the use and development of research infrastructures, while enhancing the innovative capacities of SMEs to benefit from research. The programme is designed to support regional research-driven clusters and at the same time unlock the research potential in the EU’s convergence and outermost regions. Support is to be provided for horizontal actions and measures underlining international cooperation. Finally, European society and science should be brought closer under the initiatives of the “Capacities” programme.

“Capacities” will operate in seven broad areas:

1. Research infrastructures

2. Research for the benefit of SMEs

3. Regions of Knowledge

4. Research Potential

5. Science in Society

6. Support to the coherent development of research policies

7. Specific activities of international cooperation

Nuclear research

Budget: €2.7 billion

The European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) adopts a separate Framework Programme for nuclear research and training activities. The initial five-year period can be extended to full seven years from 2007 to 2013.