The Seventh Framework Programme is the main EU tool for fomenting and supporting R&D over the 2007-2013 period. With a 50,521 million euro budget, it co-finances research, technology development and demonstration activities.
Structure
The 7FP is split into four specific programmes: Cooperation, Ideas, People and Capacities with an additional fifth programme for nuclear research.
The core of the 7FP, representing two-thirds of the total budget (32,413 million euro), is comprised by the Cooperation programme, fomenting collaborative research around Europe and with other member countries via transnational consortia projects between industry, academic institutions and research centres, public administrations and, in general, any type of public and private institutions in ten key thematic areas:
1. Health
2. Food, agriculture and fishing, and biotechnology
3. ICT
4. Nanoscience, nanotechnology, materials and new manufacture technologies
5. Energy
6. The environment (including climate change)
7. Transport (including aeronautics)
8. Socioeconomic sciences and the humanities
9. Space
10. Security
The Capacities programme, especially relevant for businesses and specifically for SMEs, strengthens research capacities Europe needs to be able to become a prosperous knowledge-based economy. It covers the following activities:
Research infrastructures
Research benefiting SMEs
Knowledge regions
Research potential
Science and society
Specific international cooperation activities
The Ideas and People programmes are mainly aimed at researchers and research centres. Basic research activities are financed via Ideas at the frontiers of knowledge, independently of the thematic areas. The People programme, in turn, is aimed at extending the perspectives of a professional career for European researchers both within and outside the EU.
Operation
Most of the 7FP budget is invested in subsidies for co-financing research projects, technology development and demonstration. The subsidies are awarded following a process of proposal public calls and assessment by experts characterised by strong competition.
In order to be complementary to research programmes in every country, the activities financed by the 7FP must have a ‘European added value’. A fundamental aspect to European added value is the transnational nature to many activities: the research projects are performed by consortia including different European and non-European countries.
Who may participate
Participation is open to a wide range of organisations and individuals: Universities, research centres, multinationals, SMEs, public administrations, including individuals. The specific participation regulations vary in function of the research initiative in question.
As a general rule, the 7FP is open to participants from any country in the world, although the participation procedures and funding possibilities vary according to the country. EU member states enjoy the widest funding rights and access. The same conditions apply to the countries associated to the 7FP (countries contributing to the global 7FP budget). Partner countries in international cooperation (e.g. Russia and other east European and central Asian states, developing countries, Mediterranean partner countries, western Balkan countries) have the right to receive funding in the same conditions as EU member states, with the only restriction that consortia must include a minimum required number of member state or associated country participants. Those from high-income industrialised countries may also participate, although with their own funding since community funding will only be awarded in exceptional cases.
Funding
The basic 7FP funding principle is co-finance. In general, the Commission awards subsidies to projects in order to cover a certain percentage of total costs.
Maximum reimbursement percentages for costs on a specific project will depend on the specific funding system, the participant’s legal status and the type of activity in question. The common reimbursement percentage for research and technology development activities is 50%. Certain legal bodies may attain 75% (public not-for-profit bodies, SMEs, research organisations, secondary and higher education institutions). The reimbursement percentage for demonstration activities is 50%. For other activities (consortia management, network creation, training, coordination, promotion, etc.), reimbursement may run up to 100% of eligible costs).
Web Links for Further information
- CORDIS is the direct source for obtaining all official 7FP information and documentation.
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/home_es.html
- The National Contact Points (NCP) are national representatives and intermediaries for each 7FP thematic area:
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ncp_en.html