ERA-NET Scheme

The objective of the ERA-NET scheme is to step up the cooperation and coordination of research activities carried out at national or regional level in the Member States and Associated States through:

• the networking of research activities conducted at national or regional level, and
• the mutual opening of national and regional research programmes.

The scheme will contribute to making a reality of the European Research Area by improving the coherence and coordination across Europe of such research programmes. The scheme will also enable national systems to take on tasks collectively that they would not have been able to tackle independently.

Both networking and mutual opening require a progressive approach. The ERA-NET scheme therefore has a long-term perspective that must also allow for the different way that research is organised in different Member States and Associated States.

Current projects

• ERA-AGE: promote the development of a European strategy for research on ageing and, thereby, to enable Europe to gain maximum added value from investment in this field.
  

• HESCULAEP: overcome current fragmentation in out-of-hospital emergencies research, in order to create a sustainable long-term cooperation between national/regional research programme makers in E.U.
  

• Alliance-O: establish a coordinated action between national/regional research programmes that exist in contracting countries in the field of organ transplantation.
  

• PathoGenoMics: strengthen Trans-European cooperation and coordination of genome sequencing and functional genomics of human-pathogenic microorganisms.
  

• ERASysBio: support the convergence of life sciences with information technology & systems science.
  

• CoCanCPG: development of a common knowledge base to support the coherent development of policies at regional, national and European level to provide equitable access to high quality cancer care.
  

• PRIOMEDCHILD: innovative research programmes and the utilization of research results on Priority Medicines for Children.
  

• E-RARE: development and management of national/regional research programs on rare diseases. The aim of E-Rare is to foster research on rare diseases in Europe.
  

• NEURON: link 16 European national research funding programmes and funding activities in the field of disease-related neurosciences.
  

•  NEW OSH ERA: increase the overall scale and effectiveness of the research into new and emerging risks carried out in the EU by coordination of national research programmes and to contribute in this way to a safer and healthier working life.
  

•  EUROTRANS-BIO: support trans-national R&D private/private and private/public cooperations (biotech sector) .
  

• MATERA+ : provide a simple mechanism for the initiation of transnational projects in the field of materials science and engineering.
  

Open calls

1) EuroNanoMed ERANET initiative (NANOMEDICINE)

Nanotechnology applied to health is a strategic priority for Europe because the technologies related to this sector have a vast potential for developing public welfare and economic growth, changing the way of life of citizens.

The thematic priorities of the call will focus on the strategic research priorities of the European technology platform “Nanomedicine”: diagnostics, targeted delivery and regenerative medicine.

2) " EXCELLENT PAPER IN NEUROSCIENCE " AWARD 2009

The twelve ERA-NET NEURON partner countries will issue the first EXCELLENT PAPER IN NEUROSCIENCE AWARD to recognize the most remarkable and outstanding scientific publications by young researchers in the field of disease related neurosciences. First authors of candidate publications published between the period 1.1.2008 - 31.12.2008 affiliated in the ERA-NET NEURON partner countries are eligible to apply. The deadline for proposal submission is August 15^th, 2009.

A total of € 6000 will be awarded among up to three best proposals, € 5000 being the maximum award for one proposal. The winners will be invited as special ERA-NET NEURON Young Investigator lecturers in the 7^th FENS Forum of European Neuroscience, July 2010 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The award and travel costs related to the lecture will be covered by ERA-NET NEURON.

Partner Countries: Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Luxemburg, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and United Kingdom.

Contact person: Dr. Massimo Casciello

Website: Ministero della Salute
Tel: +39 065994 3686

3) “NEW OSH ERA joint call for research proposals on psychosocial risks at work”

Globalization, increasing competition, introduction of new technologies, restructuring and changing work organisation are changing the world of work at an increased pace. The changes also affect the psychosocial work environment producing new psychosocial risks which can result in increased stress levels.Work-related stress has the potential to negatively affect an individual's mental and physical health, as well as an organisation's effectiveness. Mental health problems and other stress-related disorders are recognised to be among the leading causes of early retirement from work, absenteeism, overall health impairment, and low organizational productivity.

Psychosocial risks at work have been defined by the NEW OSH ERA Consortium as one of the thematic priorities for its joint activities.The objective of this joint call for proposals for research projects on psychosocial risks at work is to promote European research in this field taking a proactive and innovative approach to developing solutions for a sustainable working life. submission will follow a two-stage procedure.

The proposals, both First Stage and Second Stage, must be submitted through the
Electronic Proposal Submission System (EPSS).

Deadline for the submission of First Stage Proposals is 30 June 2009.

Further information on CORDIS