Introduction into the
6th EU Framework Programme (FP6)
The Sixth Framework Programme (FP6)- 2002-2006 - is the European Unions' main instrument for research funding in Europe. FP6 contributes to the implementation of the European Research Area (ERA) – an internal market for science and technology that overcomes the three weaknesses of European Research: insufficient funding, lack of an environment to stimulate research and exploit results, and the fragmented nature of activities and the dispersal of resources.
Furthermore, FP6 serves two main strategic objectives: Strengthening the
scientific and technological bases of industry and improving competitiveness
and innovation in Europe through the promotion of increased co-operation and
improved coordination between relevant actors at all levels.
FP6, the European Community Framework Programme for Research, Technological
Development and Demonstration, encompasses three main blocks:
BLOCK 1: INTEGRATING AND STRENGTHENING THE EUROPEAN RESEARCH AREA (ERA) - 13.345 Mio € |
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THEMATIC PRIORITIES
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SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES COVERING A WIDER FIELD OF
RESEARCH
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BLOCK 2: STRUCTURING THE ERA - 1.300 Mio € |
BLOCK 3: STRENGTHENING THE FOUNDATIONS OF ERA - 2.605 Mio € |
Please note that there is a new SME definition as from 1st January 2005!!
(http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/enterprise_policy/sme_definition/index_en.htm)
The EU attaches great importance to the participation of Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) in FP6 as SMEs comprise 99% of the European enterprises contributing to 2/3 of employment and economic turnover. Therefore, at least 15% of the budget of the seven Thematic Priorities is collectively to be allocated to SMEs. It is of key importance to encourage and facilitate the involvement of SMEs in FP6, especially in the new instruments Integrated Projects and Networks of Excellence as a significant part of the FP6 budget is expected to be channelled through these project types.
Concerning the new SME definition, the increase of the financial ceilings is designed to take into account subsequent price and productivity increases since 1996, however the headcount ceilings remain fixed.
| SMEs, businesses with: |
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| benefit from participation in European projects at many different levels: |
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The new project types in FP6 - so-called "instruments" - for implementing the priority themes of FP6 are Integrated Project (IP) and Network of Excellence (NoE).
An Integrated Project (IP) is a project type to support objective-driven research, where the primary deliverable is new knowledge. It integrates together the critical mass of activities and resources needed to achieve ambitious clearly defined scientific and technological objectives.
| Components of an IP |
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Number of participants: As a minimum, there must be three participants from
three different Member States or Associated States, of which two shall be
Member States or Associated Candidate Countries. However, in practice, there
are likely to be substantially more participants depending on the critical
mass of resources needed to reach the IPs‘ objectives.
Duration: Typically between 3 to 5 years
The Network of Excellence (NoE) is an instrument for strengthening excellence on a particular research topic by tackling the fragmentation of European research. The main deliverable is expected to be a durable structuring and shaping of the way that research is carried out on the topic of the network. It should bring together the critical mass of resources and expertise needed to provide European leadership and to be world force in that topic. To achieve the goals of the network a so-called „joint programme of activities (JPA)“ will be executed.
| Components of a joint programme of activities in a NoE: |
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Number of participants: Networks of excellence must involve at least three
legal entities from three different Member States or Associated States, of
which two must be Member States or Associated Candidate Countries. The critical
mass of an NoE required to ensure the achievement of its objectives varies
to a great extend, some NoEs involve hundreds of researchers, others are of
a more limited size.
Duration: Typically up to 5 years or in exceptional cases up to a maximum
of 7 years.
Download
of a background document "Provisions for implementing networks of excellence"
"Traditional instruments" – types of projects used already in previous framework programmes - for implementing the priority themes of FP6 are STREP (Specific Targeted Research Project), SSA (Specific Support Action) and CA (coordination Action)
The purpose of a Specific targeted research project (STREP) is to improve European competitiveness and meeting the needs of society or Community policies. It should be sharply focused and will be either a research and technological development project or a demonstration project – or a combination of both.
| Components of a STREP: |
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Number of participants: As an absolute minimum the number of participants
can not be less than three different Member States or Associated States, of
which two must be Member States or Associated Candidate Countries.
Duration: Typically between 2 to 3 years, but in exceptional cases duration
of STREPs may be extended beyond 3 years.
Download
of a background document "Provisions for implementing Specific Targeted
Research Projects"
A Coordination Actions (CA) is an instrument to network or co-ordinate research organisations, initiatives or projects for a specific purpose. coordination Actions do not support research and development activities per se! In contrast to Networks of Excellence, coordination Actions do not envisage long-lasting integration of research capacities.
| Components of a coordination Action: |
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Number of participants: As an absolute minimum, the number of participants
can not be less than three different Member States or Associated States, of
which two must be Member States or Associated Candidate Countries.
Duration: Typically between 2 to 3 years, but in exceptional cases it may
be extended beyond 3 years.
Expected funding: Up to several hundred thousand €, in exceptional cases
up to several million of €.
Download
of a background document "Provisions for implementing coordination actions"
A Specific Support Action (SSA) aims at supporting the implementation of the EU Framework Programme with a view to enabling the Community to achieve or define its RTD strategic objectives regarding the European Research Area.. Specific Support Actions do not support research and technological development per se!
| Components of a SSA |
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Number of participants: Specific Support Actions are exceptional as they
may be executed either by a single, or a larger number of participants!
Duration: Typically varies from some months to 2 - 3 years, but in exceptional
cases may be extended beyond 3 years.
Download
of a background document
In general, submission of proposals is only possible in response to calls for proposals which are published in the Official Journal of the European Union and also on the Cordis web site. For each call, you will find specific information packages including all documents, guides and forms that are needed for preparing a proposal. Calls have strict deadlines that must be kept. Proposals are evaluated and selected for funding by independent scientific experts in a peer-review system.
Thematic priority 1 “Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health”
The 4th and last Call for proposals in Thematic Priority 1 closed on 9. November 2005. No further Calls will be published in TP1 within FP6.
All open Calls of other Thematic Priorities in FP6 can be found on the Cordis web page
under Open Calls
On 21 September 2005 the European Commission approved its proposals for a Council decision concerning the Specific Programmes implementing FP7 the European Union's main instrument for funding research and development.
Proposed to run for seven years, and starting on 1 January 2007, FP7 is designed to build on the achievements of FP6 towards the creation of the European Research Area, and carry it further towards the development of the knowledge economy and society in Europe.
Structure
Corresponding to four basic components of European research, FP7 will be organised in four programmes, i.e. Cooperation (e.g. collaborative research), Ideas (basic frontier research), People (Marie Curie actions) and Capacities(e.g. research for the benefit of SMEs, research infrastructures).
Themes
The nine high level themes proposed for EU action in FP7are covered in the Cooperation programme. They correspond to major fields in the progress of knowledge and technology, where research shall be supported and strengthened in order to address European social, economic, environmental and industrial challenges. The overarching aim is to contribute to sustainable development.
New elements in FP7
Some of the major new elements in FP7 are the following:
The next steps and key milestones towards FP7 can be found in a road map.
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