30014-Ecfp en PDF

30.12.
2006
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
L 412/1
I
(Acts whose publication is obligatory)
DECISION No 1982/2006/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 18 December 2006
concerning the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007-2013)
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
and strengthen the necessary research and innovation

capacities. The Seventh Framework Programme is a
central Community instrument in this respect, complementing the efforts of Member States and European
industry.
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 166(1) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,
Having regard to the Opinion of the European Economic and
Social Committee (1),
(3)
In line with the Lisbon strategy, the Barcelona European

Council of 15-16 March 2002 agreed that overall
spending on research and development (RTD) and innovation in the Union should be increased with the aim of
approaching 3 % of GDP by 2010, two-thirds of which
should come from the private sector.
(4)
The overriding aim of the Seventh Framework

Programme is to contribute to the Union becoming the
world's leading research area. This requires the Framework Programme to be strongly focused on promoting
and investing in world-class state-of-the-art research,
based primarily upon the principle of excellence in
research.
(5)
The European Parliament has repeatedly stressed the

importance of research, technological development and
the increased role of knowledge for economic growth
and social and environmental well-being, in particular in
its resolution of 10 March 2005 on science and technology Guidelines for future European Union policy
to support research (4).
(6)
Taking into account the research needs of all Community

policies and building upon widespread support from
European industry, the scientific community, universities,
and other interested circles, the Community should establish the scientific and technological objectives to be
achieved under its Seventh Framework Programme in the
period from 2007 to 2013.
(7)
European Technology Platforms (ETPs) and the envisaged

Joint Technology Initiatives (JTIs) are particularly relevant
for industrial research. In this context, SMEs should be
actively involved in their operation. ETPs help the stakeholders establish long-term strategic research agendas and
can further evolve to represent an important mechanism
for fostering European competitiveness.
Having regard to the Opinion of the Committee of the

Regions (2),
Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article
251 of the Treaty (3),
Whereas:
(1)
(2)
The Community has the objective, set out in the Treaty,

of strengthening the scientific and technological bases of
Community industry, thereby ensuring a high level of
competitiveness at international level. To this end, the
Community is to promote all the research activities
deemed necessary, in particular by encouraging undertakings, including small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs), research centres and universities in their research
and technological development activities. In this context,
priority should be given to those areas and projects
where European funding and cooperation is of particular
importance and provides added value. Through its
support for research at the frontiers of knowledge,
applied research and innovation, the Community seeks to
promote synergies in European research and thus provide
a more stable foundation for the European Research
Area. This will make a positive contribution to the social,
cultural and economic progress of all Member States.
The central role of research was recognised by the Lisbon
European Council of 23-24 March 2000 which set the
European Union a new strategic goal for the next decade:
to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable
economic growth with more and better jobs and greater
social cohesion. The triangle of knowledge education,
research and innovation is essential for achieving this
goal, to which effect the Community aims to mobilise
(1) OJ C 65, 17.3.2006, p. 9.

(2) OJ C 115, 16.5.2006, p. 20.
(3) Opinion of the European Parliament of 15 June 2006 (not yet
published in the Official Journal), Council Common Position of 25
September 2006 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and Position
of the European Parliament of 30 November 2006 (not yet published
in the Official Journal). Council Decision of 18 December 2006.
(4) OJ C 320 E, 15.12.2005, p. 259.
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(8)
EN
The objectives of the Seventh Framework Programme

should be chosen with a view to building upon the
achievements of the Sixth Framework Programme
towards the creation of the European Research Area and
carrying them further towards the development of a
knowledge-based economy and society in Europe which
will meet the goals of the Lisbon strategy in Community
policies. Among the objectives of the Seventh Framework
Programme the following are particularly important:
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(13)
In order to realise these objectives it is necessary to

promote four types of activities: trans-national cooperation on policy-defined themes (the Cooperation
programme), investigator-driven research based on the
initiative of the research community (the Ideas
programme), support for individual researchers (the
People programme), and support for research capacities
(the Capacities programme).
(14)
Under the Cooperation programme, support should be

provided for trans-national cooperation at an appropriate
scale across the Union and beyond, in a number of
thematic areas corresponding to major fields of the
progress of knowledge and technology, where research
should be supported and strengthened to address European social, economic, environmental, public health and
industrial challenges, serve the public good and support
developing countries. Where possible, this programme
will allow flexibility for mission-orientated schemes
which cut across the thematic priorities.
(15)
Under the Ideas programme, activities should be implemented by a European Research Council (ERC), which
should enjoy a high degree of autonomy to develop very
high-level frontier research at European level, building on
excellence in Europe and raising its profile at international level. The ERC should maintain regular contact
with the scientific community and European Institutions.
As regards the ERC structures, the mid-term review of
the Seventh Framework Programme may show the need
for further improvements necessitating appropriate
amendments.
(16)
Under the People programme, individuals should be

stimulated to enter into the profession of researcher,
European researchers should be encouraged to stay in
Europe, researchers from the entire world should be
attracted to Europe and Europe should be made more
attractive to the best researchers. Building on the positive
experiences with the Marie Curie Actions under previous
Framework Programmes, the People programme should
encourage individuals to enter the profession of
researcher; structure the research training offer and
options; encourage European researchers to stay in, or
return to, Europe; encourage intersectoral mobility, and
attract researchers from all over the world to Europe. The
mobility of researchers is key not only to the career
development of researchers but also to the sharing and
transfer of knowledge between countries and sectors and
to ensuring that innovative frontier research in various
disciplines benefits from dedicated and competent
researchers, as well as increased financial resources.
trans-national cooperation at every scale across the

EU should be supported,
the dynamism, creativity and excellence of European
research at the frontier of knowledge should be
enhanced, recognising the responsibility and independence of scientists in the definition of broad lines of
research in this area. With this in mind, investigatordriven basic research based on excellence should play
an essential role within the Seventh Framework
Programme,
human potential in research and technology in
Europe should be strengthened, both quantitatively
and qualitatively; better education and research
training, easier access to research opportunities as
well as the recognition of the profession of
researcher are principal tools for achieving this goal,
not least through a significant increase in the
presence of women in research, encouraging
researchers' mobility and career development. The
general principles reflected in the European Charter
for Researchers and in the Code of Conduct for the
Recruitment of Researchers could help to establish a
genuine European labour market for researchers,
while respecting their voluntary nature. In addition,
the excellence of European research institutions and
universities should be developed and enhanced.
(9)
In addition, the dialogue between science and society in

Europe should be intensified in order to develop a
science and research agenda that meets citizens' concerns,
including by fostering critical reflection, and is aimed at
reinforcing public confidence in science.
(10)
Special attention should be paid to facilitating the scientific career of researchers in the most productive period
of life. Early-stage researchers can be a driving force of
science in Europe.
(11)
The research and innovation capacities throughout

Europe should be strengthened, both quantitatively and
qualitatively.
(12)
A wide use and dissemination of the knowledge generated by publicly funded research activity should be
supported.
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EN
(17)
Under the Capacities programme, the use and development of research infrastructures should be optimised;
innovative capacities of SMEs and their ability to benefit
from research should be strengthened; the development
of regional research-driven clusters should be supported;
the research potential in the Union's convergence and
outermost regions should be unlocked; science and
society should be brought closer together in European
society; support should be given to the coherent development of research policies at national and Community
level and horizontal actions and measures in support of
international cooperation should be undertaken.
(18)
The Joint Research Centre (JRC) should contribute to

providing customer-driven scientific and technological
support for the conception, development, implementation and monitoring of Community policies. In this
regard, it is useful that the JRC continues to function as
an independent reference centre for science and technology in the Union in the areas of its specific competence.
(19)
The regions have an important part to play in implementing the European Research Area. Unlocking the
development potential of regions and wide dissemination
of the results of research and technological development
help to bridge the technological divide and contribute to
European competitiveness.
(20)
The Seventh Framework Programme complements the

activities carried out in the Member States as well as
other Community actions that are necessary for the
overall strategic effort to achieve the Lisbon goals, alongside in particular those under the structural funds and
those relating to agriculture, fisheries, education, training,
competitiveness and innovation, industry, employment
and environment.
(21)
Mutual synergies and complementarity should be assured

with Community policies and programmes, while also
addressing the need for a strengthened and simplified
approach to research funding, which is particularly
important for SMEs.
(22)
The Seventh Framework Programme should aim, in particular, to secure the appropriate involvement of SMEs
through concrete measures and specific actions for their
benefit. Innovation and SME-related activities supported
under this Framework Programme should be complementary to those undertaken under the Competitiveness
and Innovation Framework Programme.
L 412/3
(23)
Participation in the activities of the Seventh Framework

Programme should be facilitated through the publication
of all relevant information, to be made available in a
timely and user-friendly manner to all potential participants and the appropriate use of simple and quick procedures, free of unduly complex financial conditions and
unnecessary reporting, in accordance with the Rules for
Participation applicable to this Framework Programme,
laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1906/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December
2006 laying down the rules for the participation of
undertakings, research centres and universities in actions
under the Seventh Framework Programme and for the
dissemination of research results (2007-2013) (1).
(24)
Taking into account the mid-term review of the use of

new instruments under the Sixth Framework Programme
and the Five Year Assessment of the Framework
Programme, a new approach has been defined which
should allow the political objectives of Community
research policy to be reached more easily, more efficiently
and in a more flexible way. To this end, a smaller set of
simpler funding schemes should be used, alone or in
combination, with more flexibility and freedom, to
support the different actions, and stronger management
autonomy should be granted to participants.
(25)
Given the broad interest in the Framework Programme

actions, the leverage effect of funding in national and
private investments, the need to enable the Community
to meet new scientific and technological challenges and
to make full use of its researchers' potential without
discrimination, the vital role the Community intervention
plays in making the European research system more efficient and effective, and the possible contribution of the
Framework Programme to the efforts towards, inter alia,
finding solutions to climate change and sustainability, the
health of Europe's population and the reinvigoration of
the Lisbon strategy, there is a need for Community
research activities.
(26)
Implementation of the Seventh Framework Programme

may give rise to supplementary programmes involving
the participation of certain Member States only, the participation of the Community in programmes undertaken
by several Member States, or the setting up of joint
undertakings or other arrangements within the meaning
of Articles 168, 169 and 171 of the Treaty.
(1) See page 1 of this OJ.
L 412/4
(27)
EN
The Community has concluded a number of international

agreements in the field of research and efforts should be
made to strengthen international research cooperation
with a view to reaping the full benefits of internationalisation of RTD, to contributing to the production of
global public goods and to further integrating the Community into the world-wide research community.
(28)
There is already a significant body of scientific knowledge

capable of drastically improving the lives of those who
live in developing countries; where possible, the Framework Programme will in the framework of the activities described above contribute to meeting the Millennium Development Goals by 2010.
(29)
The Seventh Framework Programme should contribute

towards promoting growth, sustainable development and
environmental protection, including by addressing the
problem of climate change.
(30)
Research activities supported by the Seventh Framework

Programme should respect fundamental ethical principles,
including those reflected in the Charter of Fundamental
Rights of the European Union. The opinions of the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies
are and will be taken into account. Research activities
should also take into account the Protocol on the Protection and Welfare of Animals and reduce the use of
animals in research and testing, with a view ultimately to
replacing animal use.
(31)
(32)
(33)
Under the Seventh Framework Programme the role of

women in science and research will be actively promoted
by appropriate measures with a view to encouraging
greater numbers to become involved in this domain and
further enhancing their active role in research.
This Decision lays down, for the entire duration of the
Seventh Framework Programme, a financial envelope
constituting the prime reference, within the meaning of
point 37 of the Interinstitutional Agreement of 17 May
2006 between the European Parliament, the Council and
the Commission on budgetary discipline and sound
financial management (1), for the budgetary authority
during the annual budgetary procedure.
Appropriate measures proportionate to the European
Communities' financial interests should also be taken
to monitor both the effectiveness of the financial support
granted and the effectiveness of the utilisation of these
funds in order to prevent irregularities and fraud, and the
necessary steps should be taken to recover funds lost,
wrongly paid or incorrectly used in accordance with
Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 of
18 December 1995 on the protection of the European
Communities financial interests (2), Council Regulation
(Euratom, EC) No 2185/96 of 11 November 1996
concerning on-the-spot checks and inspections carried
out by the Commission in order to protect the European
Communities' financial interests against fraud and other
(1) OJ C 139, 14.6.2006, p. 1.

(2) OJ L 312, 23.12.1995, p. 1.
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irregularities (3) and Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of

the European Parliament and of the Council of
25 May 1999 concerning investigations conducted by
the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) (4).
(34)
It is important to ensure sound financial management of

the Seventh Framework Programme and its implementation in the most effective and user-friendly manner
possible, while also ensuring legal certainty and the accessibility of the programme to all participants. It is necessary
to
ensure
compliance
with
Council
Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of
25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to
the general budget of the European Communities (5), and
with the requirements of simplification and better regulation.
(35)
Since the objective of the actions to be taken in accordance with Article 163 of the Treaty, namely contributing
towards the creation of a knowledge-based society and
economy in Europe, cannot be sufficiently achieved by
the Member States and can therefore be better achieved
at Community level, the Community may adopt
measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity
as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty. In accordance with
the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article,
the Seventh Framework Programme does not go beyond
what is necessary in order to achieve this objective,
HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
Article 1
Adoption of the Seventh Framework Programme
The Framework Programme for Community activities in the
area of research and technological development (RTD),
including demonstration activities (the Seventh Framework
Programme) is hereby adopted for the period from 1 January
2007 to 31 December 2013.
Article 2
Objectives and activities
1. The Seventh Framework Programme shall support the
activities set out in points (i) to (iv). The objectives and the
broad lines of those activities are set out in Annex I.
(i) Cooperation: supporting the whole range of research
actions carried out in trans-national cooperation in the
following thematic areas:
(a) Health;
(b) Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology;
(c) Information and Communication Technologies;
(d) Nano-sciences, Nano-technologies, Materials and New
Production Technologies;
(3) OJ L 292, 15.11.1996, p. 2.
(4) OJ L 136, 31.5.1999, p. 1.
(5) OJ L 248, 16.9.2002, p. 1.
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EN
(e) Energy;
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2. The indicative breakdown among the thematic areas of

each activity referred to in paragraph 1 is set out in Annex II.
(f) Environment (including Climate Change);
3. The detailed rules for Community financial participation

in this Framework Programme are set out in Annex III.
(g) Transport (including Aeronautics);

(h) Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities;
(i) Space;
Article 5
(j) Security.
(ii) Ideas: supporting investigator-driven research carried out
across all fields by individual national or transnational
teams in competition at the European level.
(iii) People: strengthening, quantitatively and qualitatively, the
human potential in research and technological development
in Europe, as well as encouraging mobility.
(iv) Capacities: supporting key aspects of European research and
innovation capacities such as research infrastructures;
regional research driven clusters; the development of a full
research potential in the Community's convergence and
outermost regions; research for the benefit of small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) (1); Science in Society
issues; support to coherent development of policies; horizontal activities of international cooperation.
2.
The Seventh Framework Programme shall also support the
non-nuclear direct scientific and technical actions carried out by
the Joint Research Centre (JRC) as defined in Annex I.
For the Community actions financed under this Decision, Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2988/95 and Regulation (Euratom, EC)
No 2185/96 shall apply to any infringement of a provision of
Community law, including infringements of a contractual obligation stipulated on the basis of the programme, resulting from
an act or omission by an economic operator, which has, or
would have, the effect of prejudicing the general budget of the
European Union or budgets managed by it, by an unjustified
item of expenditure.
Article 6
Ethical principles
1. All the research activities carried out under the Seventh
Framework Programme shall be carried out in compliance with
fundamental ethical principles.
Article 3
Specific programmes
The Seventh Framework Programme shall be implemented
through specific programmes. These programmes shall specify
precise objectives and the detailed rules for implementation.
2. The following fields of research shall not be financed

under this Framework Programme:
research activity aiming at human cloning for reproductive
purposes,
research activity intended to modify the genetic heritage of
human beings which could make such changes heritable (2),
Article 4
Maximum overall amount and shares assigned to each
programme
1.
The maximum overall amount for Community financial
participation in this Seventh Framework Programme shall be
EUR 50 521 million. That amount shall be distributed among
the activities and actions referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 of
Article 2 as follows (in EUR million):
Cooperation
Protection of the Communities' financial interests
research activities intended to create human embryos solely

for the purpose of research or for the purpose of stem cell
procurement, including by means of somatic cell nuclear
transfer.
3. Research on human stem cells, both adult and embryonic,
may be financed, depending both on the contents of the scientific proposal and the legal framework of the Member State(s)
involved.
32 413
Ideas
7 510
People
4 750
Capacities
4 097
Non-nuclear actions of the Joint Research

Centre
1 751
(1) Throughout the Seventh Framework Programme, SMEs are understood to include microenterprises.
Any application for financing for research on human embryonic

stem cells shall include, as appropriate, details of licensing and
control measures that will be taken by the competent authorities
of the Member States as well as details of the ethical approval(s)
that will be provided.
As regards the derivation of human embryonic stem cells, institutions, organisations and researchers shall be subject to strict
licensing and control in accordance with the legal framework of
the Member State(s) involved.
(2) Research relating to cancer treatment of the gonads can be financed.
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4.
The fields of research set out above shall be reviewed for
the second phase of this programme (2010-2013) in the light
of scientific advances.
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Seventh Framework Programme and of the efforts made with

regard to simplification.
Monitoring, evaluation and review
3. Two years following the completion of this Framework

Programme, the Commission shall carry out an external evaluation by independent experts of its rationale, implementation
and achievements.
1.
The Commission shall continually and systematically
monitor the implementation of the Seventh Framework
Programme and its specific programmes and regularly report
and disseminate the results of this monitoring.
The Commission shall communicate the conclusions thereof,

accompanied by its observations, to the European Parliament,
the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and
the Committee of the Regions.
Article 7
2.
No later than 2010, the Commission shall carry out, with
the assistance of external experts, an evidence-based interim
evaluation of this Framework Programme and its specific
programmes building upon the ex-post evaluation of the Sixth
Framework Programme. This evaluation shall cover the quality
of the research activities under way, as well as the quality of
implementation and management, and progress towards the
objectives set.
The Commission shall communicate the conclusions thereof,
accompanied by its observations and, where appropriate, proposals for the adaptation of this Framework Programme, to the
European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and
Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.
The interim evaluation shall be preceded by a progress report as
soon as enough data becomes available, giving initial findings
on the effectiveness of the new actions initiated under the
Article 8
Entry into force
This Decision shall enter into force on the third day following
its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
Done at Brussels, 18 December 2006.

For the European Parliament
For the Council
The President
The President
J. BORREL FONTELLES
M. VANHANEN
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EN

ANNEX I
SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL OBJECTIVES, BROAD LINES OF THE THEMES AND ACTIVITIES
The Seventh Framework Programme will be carried out to pursue the general objectives described in Article 163 of the
Treaty, to strengthen industrial competitiveness and to meet the research needs of other Community policies, thereby
contributing to the creation of a knowledge-based society, building on a European Research Area and complementing
activities at a national and regional level. It will promote excellence in scientific and technological research, development
and demonstration through the following four programmes: cooperation, ideas, people and capacities.
I. COOPERATION
In this part of the Seventh Framework Programme, support will be provided to transnational cooperation in different
forms across the Union and beyond, in a number of thematic areas corresponding to major fields of knowledge and
technology, where the highest quality research must be supported and strengthened to address European social,
economic, environmental and industrial challenges. The bulk of this effort will be directed towards improving industrial competitiveness, with a research agenda that reflects the needs of users throughout Europe.
The overarching aim is to contribute to sustainable development.
The ten themes determined for Community action are the following:
1)
Health;
2)
Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology;
3)
Information and Communication Technologies;
4)
Nano-sciences, Nano-technologies, Materials and new Production Technologies;
5)
Energy;
6)
Environment (including Climate Change);
7)
Transport (including Aeronautics);
8)
Socio-economic Sciences and the Humanities;
9)
Space;
10) Security.
These themes are broadly defined at relatively high level, such that they can adapt to evolving needs and opportunities
that may arise during the lifetime of the Seventh Framework Programme. For each of them, a series of activities has
been identified which indicates the broad lines envisaged for Community support. These activities have been identified
on the basis of their contribution to Community objectives, including the transition to a knowledge-based society, the
relevant European research potential and the added value of Community level intervention for these subjects.
Special attention will be paid to ensuring there is effective coordination between the thematic areas and to priority
scientific areas which cut across themes, such as forestry research, cultural heritage, marine sciences and technologies.
Multidisciplinarity will be encouraged by joint cross-thematic approaches to research and technology subjects relevant
to more than one theme, with joint calls being an important inter-thematic form of cooperation.
In the case of subjects of industrial relevance in particular, the topics have been identified relying, among other
sources, on the work of different European Technology Platforms set up in fields where Europe's competitiveness,
economic growth and welfare depend on important research and technological progress in the medium to long term.
European Technology Platforms bring together stakeholders, under industrial leadership, to define and implement a
Strategic Research Agenda. This Framework Programme will contribute to the realisation of these Strategic Research
Agendas where these present true European added value. European Technology Platforms, with the possible participation of regional research driven clusters, can play a role in facilitating and organising the participation of industry,
including SMEs, in research projects relating to their specific field, including projects eligible for funding under the
Framework Programme.
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The ten themes also include research needed to underpin the formulation, implementation and assessment of Community policies, in areas such as health, safety, consumer protection, energy, the environment, development aid, fisheries, maritime affairs, agriculture, animal welfare, transport, education and training, employment, social affairs, cohesion, and the creation of an Area of Freedom, Security and Justice, along with pre-normative and co-normative
research relevant to improving interoperability and the quality of standards and their implementation, thereby also
enhancing European competitiveness. Special attention will be devoted to the coordination of aspects linked to
rational and efficient use of energy within the Framework Programme and coordination with other Community policies and programmes.
Under each theme, beside these activities, two types of opportunities will be addressed in an open and flexible way:
Future and Emerging Technologies: to support research aiming at identifying or further exploring new scientific
and technological opportunities in a given field and/or in their combination with other relevant areas and disciplines through specific support for spontaneous research proposals, including by joint calls; to nurture novel ideas
and radically new uses and to explore new options in research roadmaps, in particular those with a potential for
significant breakthroughs; adequate coordination with the activities carried out under the Ideas programme will be
guaranteed in order to avoid overlap and ensure an optimum use of funding.
Unforeseen policy needs: to respond in a flexible way to new policy needs that arise during the course of the
Framework Programme, such as unforeseen developments or events requiring a quick reaction, for example, the
new epidemics, emerging concerns in food safety or natural disaster response.
The dissemination and transfer of knowledge is a key added value of European research actions, and measures will be
taken to increase the use of results by industry, policy makers and society. Intellectual property rights must also be
safeguarded, including in the context of support to combat counterfeiting. Dissemination will be considered an integral task under all thematic areas, with appropriate restrictions for the security theme due to the confidentiality
aspects of the activities, including through the funding of networking initiatives, seminars and events, assistance by
external experts and information and electronic services in particular CORDIS.
Complementarity and synergy between this programme and other Community programmes will be ensured. Actions
to support innovation will be taken under the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme.
Particular attention should be paid to ensuring the adequate participation of SMEs ( 1), in particular knowledge-intensive SME in transnational cooperation. Concrete measures, including support actions to facilitate SME participation,
will be taken throughout the Cooperation part of the programme in the framework of a strategy to be developed
under each theme. These strategies will be accompanied by quantitative and qualitative monitoring against the objectives set. The aim will be to enable at least 15 % of the funding available under the Cooperation part of the
programme to go to SMEs.
Support will also be provided to initiatives aimed at engaging the broadest possible public beyond the research community in the debate on scientific issues and research results, and to initiatives in the field of scientific communication
and education, including the involvement, where appropriate, of civil society organisations or networks of such organisations. The integration of the gender dimension and gender equality will be addressed in all areas of research.
Raising the competitiveness of European research requires that the potential across the whole European Research Area
is fully unlocked. Projects, aiming at providing scientific excellence, should be managed optimally with particular
regard to the use of resources.
Across all these themes, support for trans-national cooperation will be implemented through:
Collaborative research,
Joint Technology Initiatives,
Coordination of non-Community research programmes,
International cooperation.
Collaborative Research
Collaborative research will constitute the bulk and the core of Community research funding. The objective is to establish, in the major fields of advancement of knowledge, excellent research projects and networks able to attract
researchers and investments from Europe and the entire world.
(1) Throughout the Seventh Framework Programme, SMEs are understood to include microenterprises.
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This will be achieved by supporting collaborative research through a range of funding schemes: collaborative projects,
networks of excellence, coordination/support actions (see Annex III).
Joint Technology Initiatives

In a very limited number of cases, the scope of an RTD objective and the scale of the resources involved could justify
setting up long term public private partnerships in the form of Joint Technology Initiatives. These initiatives, mainly
resulting from the work of European Technology Platforms and covering one or a small number of selected aspects of
research in their field, will combine private sector investment and national and European public funding, including
grant funding from the Seventh Framework Programme and loan and guarantee finance from the European Investment Bank. Each Joint Technology Initiative will be decided upon individually, either on the basis of Article 171 of
the Treaty (this may include the creation of a joint undertaking) or on the basis of Specific Programme Decisions in
accordance with Article 166(3) of the Treaty.
Potential Joint Technology Initiatives will be identified in an open and transparent way on the basis of an evaluation
using a series of criteria:
inability of existing instruments to achieve the objective,
scale of the impact on industrial competitiveness and growth,
added value of European-level intervention,
the degree and clarity of definition of the objective and deliverables to be pursued,
strength of the financial and resource commitment from industry,
importance of the contribution to broader policy objectives including benefit to society,
capacity to attract additional national support and leverage current and future industry funding.
The nature of the Joint Technology Initiatives must be clearly defined, in particular with regard to matters concerning:
financial commitments,
duration of the commitment of the participants,
rules for entering and exiting the contract,
intellectual property rights.
Considering the particular scope and complexity of the Joint Technology Initiatives, strong efforts will be made to
ensure their transparent operation and to ensure that any allocation of Community funding by the Joint Technology
Initiatives takes place on the basis of the Framework Programme principles of excellence and competition.
Particular attention will be paid to the overall coherence and coordination between Joint Technology Initiatives and
programmes and projects in the same fields ( 1), while respecting their existing implementation procedures, as well as
to ensuring that participation in their projects is open to a wide range of participants throughout Europe, in particular
SMEs.
Coordination of Non-Community Research Programmes

The action undertaken in this field will make use of two main tools: the ERA-NET scheme and the participation of
the Community in jointly implemented national research programmes (under Article 169 of the Treaty). The action
may cover subjects not directly linked to the ten themes in so far as they have sufficient European added value. The
action will also be used to enhance the complementarity and synergy between the Seventh Framework Programme
and activities carried out in the framework of intergovernmental structures such as EUREKA and COST ( 2).
(1) In particular with the activities carried out by the intergovernmental structure EUREKA. In addition, the experience gained by EUREKA clusters could be relevant to Joint Technology Initiatives in related areas.
(2) This will include financial support for the administration and coordination activities of COST.
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The ERA-NET scheme will develop and strengthen the coordination of national and regional research activities by:
providing a framework for actors implementing public research programmes to step up the coordination of their
activities. This will include support for new ERA-NETs as well as for the broadening and deepening of the scope
of existing ERA-NETs, e.g. by extending their partnership, as well as mutually opening their programmes. Where
appropriate, ERA-NETs could be used for programme coordination between European regions and Member States
to enable their cooperation with large-scale initiatives,
in a limited number of cases, providing additional Community financial support to those participants that pool
resources for the purpose of joint calls for proposals between their respective national and regional programmes
(ERA-NET PLUS).
The participation of the Community in research programmes jointly implemented on the basis of Article 169 of the
Treaty is especially relevant to European cooperation on a large scale in variable geometry between Member States
sharing common needs and/or interests. In well-identified cases such Article 169 initiatives could be launched in areas
to be identified in close association with the Member States, including the possible cooperation with intergovernmental programmes, on the basis of a series of criteria:
relevance to Community objectives,
the clear definition of the objective to be pursued and its relevance to the objectives of this Framework
Programme,
presence of a pre-existing basis (existing or envisaged research programmes),
European added value,
critical mass, with regard to the size and the number of programmes involved and the similarity of activities they
cover,
efficiency of Article 169 as the most appropriate means for achieving the objectives.
International Cooperation
International cooperation actions, showing European added value and being of mutual interest, under this part of the
Seventh Framework Programme will be:
actions designed to enhance participation of researchers and research institutions from third countries in the
thematic areas, with appropriate restrictions for the security theme due to the confidentiality aspects, accompanied
by strong efforts to encourage them to seize this opportunity.
Specific cooperation actions in each thematic area dedicated to third countries where there is mutual interest in
co-operating on particular topics selected on the basis of the scientific and technological level and needs of the
countries concerned. Closely associated with the bilateral cooperation agreements or multilateral dialogues
between the EU and these countries or groups of countries, these actions will serve as privileged tools for implementing the cooperation between the EU and these countries. Such actions are, in particular, actions aiming at
reinforcing the research capacities of candidate countries as well as neighbourhood countries and cooperative
activities targeted at developing and emerging countries, focusing on their particular needs in fields such as health,
including research into neglected diseases, agriculture, fisheries and environment, and implemented in financial
conditions adapted to their capacities.
This part of the Framework Programme covers the international cooperation actions in each thematic area and across
themes. Such actions will be implemented in coordination with those under the People and the Capacities
programmes. An overall strategy for international cooperation within the Seventh Framework Programme will
underpin this activity.
THEMES
1. Health
Objective
Improving the health of European citizens and increasing the competitiveness and boosting the innovative capacity of European health-related industries and businesses, while addressing global health issues including emerging
epidemics. Emphasis will be put on translational research (translation of basic discoveries into clinical applications
including scientific validation of experimental results), the development and validation of new therapies, methods
for health promotion and prevention, including promotion of child health, healthy ageing, diagnostic tools and
medical technologies, as well as sustainable and efficient healthcare systems.
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Rationale
The sequencing of the human genome and the recent advances in post-genomics have revolutionised research
into human health and diseases. Integrating the vast amounts of data, understanding underlying biological
processes and developing key technologies for health-related bio-industries requires the bringing together of
critical masses of various expertise and resources that are not available at a national level, with a view to developing knowledge and capacity for intervention.
Significant advances in translational health research, which is essential to ensure that biomedical research provides
practical benefits and improves life quality, also require multidisciplinary and pan-European approaches involving
different stakeholders. Such approaches allow Europe to contribute more effectively to international efforts to
combat diseases of global importance.
Clinical research on many diseases (e.g. cancer, cardiovascular and infectious diseases, mental and neurological
diseases, in particular those linked with ageing, such as Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases) relies on international
multi-centre trials to achieve the required number of patients in a short time-frame.
Epidemiological research requires a large diversity of populations and international networks to reach significant
conclusions. Developing new diagnostics and treatments for rare disorders, as well as performing epidemiological
research on those disorders, also requires multi-country approaches to increase the number of patients for each
study. In addition, performing health policy-driven research at the European level enables comparisons to be
made of the models, systems, data, and patient material held in national databases and biobanks.
Strong EU-based biomedical research will help strengthen the competitiveness of the European healthcare biotechnology, medical technology and pharmaceutical industries. EU collaboration with developing countries will allow
those countries to develop research capacities. The EU must also play an active role in creating an environment
conducive to innovation in public and pharmaceutical sectors which address public health needs, in particular to
maximise the success of clinical research. Research-based SMEs are the main economic drivers of the healthcare
biotechnology and medical technology industries. Although Europe now has more biotechnology companies than
the US, most of them are small and less mature than their competitors. Public-private research efforts at the EU
level will facilitate their development. EU research will also contribute to the development of new norms and
standards to set up an appropriate legislative framework for new medical technologies (e.g. regenerative medicine). The global leadership of European research and innovation in the field of alternative testing strategies, in
particular non-animal methods, should be ensured.
The activities that will be addressed, which include research essential to policy requirements, are set out below.
Long-term research agendas such as those established by European Technology Platforms, such as the one on
innovative medicines, will be supported where relevant. To respond to new policy needs, additional actions may
be supported in, for example, the areas of health policy issues and occupational health and safety.
The strategic issues of child health and paediatric diseases as well as of the health of the ageing population will
receive specific attention and will have to be taken into account whenever appropriate across all activities in this
theme.
Ethical, legal and socio-economic issues will be taken into account within each of the following activities.
Activities
Biotechnology, generic tools and medical technologies for human health

High-throughput research: to catalyse progress in fundamental genomics (genome and post-genome) and
biomedical research by enhancing data generation, standardisation, acquisition and analysis.
Detection, diagnosis and monitoring: with emphasis on non-invasive or minimally invasive approaches
and technologies such as new preventive tools for regenerative medicine (e.g. through molecular imaging
and diagnostics).
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Predicting suitability, safety and efficacy of therapies: to develop and validate biological markers, in vivo
and in vitro methods and models, including simulation, pharmacogenomics, targeting and delivery
approaches and alternatives to animal testing.
Innovative therapeutic approaches and intervention: to research, consolidate and ensure further developments in advanced therapies and technologies with potential application in many diseases and disorders
such as new therapeutic tools for regenerative medicine.
Translating research for human health
Integrating biological data and processes large-scale data gathering, systems biology (including modelling of complex systems): to generate and analyse the vast amount of data needed to understand better
the complex regulatory networks of thousands of genes and gene-products controlling important biological processes in all relevant organisms and at all levels of organisation.
Research on the brain and related diseases, human development and ageing: to explore the process of
healthy ageing and the way genes and environment interact with brain activity both under normal conditions and in brain diseases and relevant age-related illness (e.g. dementia).
Translational research in infectious diseases: to address drug resistance, the global threats of HIV/AIDS,
malaria and tuberculosis, as well as hepatitis and potentially new and re-emerging epidemics (e.g. SARS
and highly pathogenic influenza).
Translational research in major diseases cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes/obesity; rare diseases;
other chronic diseases including arthritis, rheumatic and musculo-skeletal diseases and respiratory diseases,
including those induced by allergies: to develop patient-oriented strategies from prevention to diagnosis
with particular emphasis on treatment, including clinical research and the use of active ingredients.
Aspects of palliative medicine will be taken into account.
Optimising the delivery of health care to European citizens
Translating clinical outcome into clinical practice: to create the knowledge bases for clinical decisionmaking and to address the translation of outcomes of clinical research into clinical practice, especially
addressing patient safety and the better use of medicines (including some aspects of pharmacovigilance
and scientifically tested complementary and alternative medicines) as well as the specificities of children,
women and the elderly population.
Quality, efficiency and solidarity of health care systems including transitional health care systems and
home-care strategies: to translate effective interventions into management decisions, to assess the cost, efficiency and benefits of different interventions including with regard to patient safety, to define the needs
and conditions for an adequate supply of human resources, to analyse factors influencing equity of access
to high-quality health care (also by disadvantaged groups), including analyses of changes in population (e.
g. ageing, mobility and migration, and the changing workplace).
Enhanced disease prevention and better use of medicines: to develop efficient public health interventions
addressing wider determinants of health (such as stress, diet, lifestyle or environmental factors and their
interaction with medication); to identify successful interventions in different health care settings to
improve the prescription of medicines and their use by patients (including pharmacovigilance aspects and
interactions of medicines).
Appropriate use of new health therapies and technologies: long-term safety and effectiveness assessment
and monitoring of large-scale use of new medical technologies (including devices) and advanced therapies
to ensure a high level of protection and benefit for public health.
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2. Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology

Objective
Building a European knowledge-based bio-economy (1) by bringing together science, industry and other stakeholders, to exploit new and emerging research opportunities that address social, environmental and economic
challenges: the growing demand for safer, healthier, higher quality food and for sustainable use and production of
renewable bio-resources; the increasing risk of epizootic and zoonotic diseases and food related disorders; threats
to the sustainability and security of agricultural, aquaculture and fisheries production; and the increasing demand
for high quality food, taking into account animal welfare and rural and coastal contexts and response to specific
dietary needs of consumers.
Rationale
Innovations and advancement of knowledge in the sustainable management, production and use of biological
resources (micro-organisms, plants, animals), will provide the basis for new, sustainable, safe, eco-efficient and
competitive products for agriculture, fisheries, feed, food, health, forest-based and related industries. In line with
the European strategy on life sciences and biotechnology (2), this will help increase the competitiveness of European agriculture and biotechnology, seed and food companies, in particular high-tech SMEs, while improving
social welfare and well-being.
Research into the safety of food and feed chains, diet-related diseases, food choices and the impact of food and
nutrition on health will help to fight food-related disorders (e.g. obesity, allergies) and infectious diseases (e.g.
transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, avian flu), while making an important contribution to the implementation of existing and the formulation of future policies and regulations in the areas of public, animal and plant
health and consumer protection.
The diversity and mainly small size of the European industries in these areas, while being one of the Union's
strengths and an opportunity, leads to fragmented approaches to similar problems. These are better addressed by
increased collaboration and sharing of expertise, for example on new methodologies, technologies, processes and
standards that result from changing Community legislation.
Several European Technology Platforms contribute to setting common research priorities, in fields such as plant
genomics and biotechnology, forestry and forest based industries, global animal health, farm animal breeding,
food and industrial biotechnology. The research carried out will provide the knowledge base needed to support
the Common Agricultural Policy and European Forest Strategy; agriculture and trade issues; safety aspects of
genetically modified organisms (GMOs); food safety regulations; Community animal health, disease control and
welfare standards; and the Common Fisheries Policy reform aiming to provide sustainable development of fishing
and aquaculture and the safety of seafood products (3): With a view to ensuring social relevance, a flexible
response to new policy needs is also foreseen, in particular with respect to new risks and social or economic
trends and needs.
Activities
Sustainable production and management of biological resources from land, forest, and aquatic environments:
enabling research, including omics technologies, such as genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, systems
biology, bioinformatics and converging technologies for micro-organisms, plants and animals, including
research on the exploitation and sustainable use of their biodiversity.
For land-based biological resources, research will focus on: soil fertility, improved crops and production
systems in all their diversity, including organic farming, quality production schemes and monitoring and
assessment of the impact of GMOs on the environment and humans; plant health, sustainable, competitive
and multifunctional agriculture, and forestry; rural development; animal health and welfare, breeding and
production; infectious diseases in animals, including epidemiological studies, zoonoses and their pathogenic
mechanisms, and diseases linked to animal feedstuffs; other threats to the sustainability and security of food
production, including climate change; safe disposal of animal waste.
(1) The term bio-economy includes all industries and economic sectors that produce, manage and otherwise exploit biological resources and
related services, supply or consumer industries, such as agriculture, food, fisheries, forestry, etc.
(2) Life sciences and biotechnology A strategy for Europe COM(2002) 27.
3
( ) Complementary research relating to the sustainable management and conservation of natural resources is addressed under the Environment
(including climate change) theme.
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For biological resources from aquatic environments, research will support sustainability and competitiveness
of fisheries, provide the scientific and technical basis of fisheries management and support the sustainable
development of aquaculture, including breeding and welfare.
Development of tools (including ICT tools) needed by policy makers and other actors in areas such as agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture, and rural development (landscape, land management practices etc.); socioeconomic and ethical contexts of production.
Fork to farm food (including seafood), health and well being: Consumer, societal, cultural, industrial and
health as well as traditional aspects of food and feed, including behavioural and cognitive sciences; nutrition,
diet-related diseases and disorders, including childhood and adult obesity and allergies; nutrition in relation to
the prevention of diseases (including increased knowledge of the health bringing compounds and properties
of food); innovative food and feed processing technologies (including packaging and technologies from nonfood fields); improved quality and safety, both chemical and biological, of food, beverages and feed; enhanced
food safety assurance methodologies; integrity (and control) of the food chain; physical and biological environmental impacts on and of food/feed chains; impact on, and resistance of, food chains to global changes;
total food chain concept (including seafood and other food raw materials and components); traceability and
its further development; authenticity of food; development of new ingredients and products.
Life sciences, biotechnology and biochemistry for sustainable non-food products and processes: improved
crops and forest resources, feed-stocks, marine products and biomass (including marine resources) for energy,
environment, and products with high added value such as materials and chemicals (including biological
resources utilisable in pharmaceutical industry and medicine), including novel farming systems, bio-processes
and bio-refinery concepts; bio-catalysis; new and improved micro-organisms and enzymes; forestry and forest
based products and processes; environmental bio-remediation and cleaner bio-processing, the utilisation of
agro-industrial wastes and by-products.
3. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
Objective
Improving the competitiveness of European industry and enabling Europe to master and shape future developments in ICT so that the demands of its society and economy are met. ICT is at the very core of the knowledgebased society. Activities will strengthen Europe's scientific and technology base and ensure its global leadership in
ICT, help drive and stimulate product, service and process innovation and creativity through ICT use and ensure
that ICT progress is rapidly transformed into benefits for Eur ope's citizens, businesses, industry and governments.
These activities will also help reduce the digital divide and social exclusion.
Rationale
ICT is critical to Europe's future and underpins the realisation of the Lisbon agenda. It has a catalytic impact in
three key areas: productivity and innovation, modernisation of public services and advances in science and technology. Half of the productivity gains in our economies are explained by the impact of ICT on products, services
and business processes. ICT is the leading factor in boosting innovation and creativity and in mastering change in
value chains across industry and service sectors.
ICT is essential to meeting the rise in demand for health and social care, in particular for people with special
needs, including the ageing population, to modernising services in domains of public interest such as education,
cultural heritage, security, energy, transport and the environment and to promoting accessibility and transparency
of governance and policy development processes. ICT plays an important role in RTD management and communication and is catalytic in the advance of other fields of science and technology as it transforms the way
researchers conduct their research, cooperate and innovate.
The escalating economic and societal demands, together with the continued mainstreaming of ICT and the need
to push further the limits of technology as well as to develop innovative high-value ICT-based products and
services set a growing agenda for research. To bring technology closer to people and organisational needs means:
hiding technology complexity and revealing functionality on demand; making technology functional, very simple
to use, available and affordable; providing new ICT-based applications, solutions and services that are trusted, reliable, and adaptable to the users' context and preferences. Driven by the demand of more-for-less, ICT researchers
are involved in a global race focussing on miniaturisation, mastering the convergence of computing, communications and media technologies, including further interoperability between systems and the convergence with other
relevant sciences and disciplines, and building systems that are able to learn and evolve.
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From these diverse efforts a new wave of technologies is emerging. ICT research activities will also draw on a
broader range of scientific and technological disciplines including bio- and life sciences, chemistry, psychology,
pedagogy, cognitive and social sciences and the humanities.
ICT is one the most research intensive sectors. The ICT research effort, public and private, represents a third of
the total research effort in all major economies. Although Europe already enjoys industrial and technological
leadership in key ICT fields it lags behind its major competitors in investment in ICT research. Only through a
renewed and more intensive pooling of the effort at European level will we be able to make the most of the
opportunities that progress in ICT can offer. ICT research activity based on the open source development model
is proving its utility as a source of innovation and increasing collaboration. The results of ICT research can take
various exploitation paths and lead to various business models.
The ICT research activities will be closely articulated with policy actions for ICT deployment and with regulatory
measures within a comprehensive and holistic strategy. Priorities have been set following extensive consultations
that included input from a series of European Technology Platforms and industrial initiatives in areas such as
nano-electronics, microsystems, embedded systems, mobile and wireless communications, electronic media,
photonics, robotics and software, services and grids, including Free, Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS).
Sustainability issues will also be taken into account, particularly in the field of electronics.
Activities
The role of research into Future and Emerging Technologies is particularly relevant under this theme in order to
support research at the frontier of knowledge in core ICTs and in their combination with other relevant areas and
disciplines; to nurture novel ideas and radically new uses and to explore new options in ICT research roadmaps,
including the exploitation of quantum effects, system integration and smart systems.
ICT Technology Pillars:
Nano-electronics, photonics and integrated micro/nano-systems: pushing the limits of miniaturisation,
integration, variety, storage and density; increasing performance and manufacturability at lower cost; facilitating incorporation of ICT in a range of applications; interfaces; upstream research requiring exploration
of new concepts.
Ubiquitous and unlimited capacity communication networks: ubiquitous access over heterogeneous
networks fixed, mobile, wireless and broadcasting networks spanning from the personal area to the
regional and global area allowing the seamless delivery of ever higher volumes of data and services
anywhere and at any time.
Embedded systems, computing and control: powerful, secure and distributed, reliable and efficient
computing, storage and communication systems and products that are embedded in objects and physical
infrastructures and that can sense, control and adapt to their environment; interoperability of discrete and
continuous systems.
Software, Grids, security and dependability: dynamic, adaptive, dependable and trusted software and
services, platforms for software and services, complex systems and new processing architectures, including
their provision as a utility.
Knowledge, cognitive and learning systems: semantic systems; capturing and exploiting knowledge
embedded in web and multimedia content; bio-inspired artificial systems that perceive, understand, learn
and evolve, and act autonomously; learning by convivial machines and humans based on a better understanding of human cognition.
Simulation, visualisation, interaction and mixed realities: tools for innovative design, and creativity in
products, services and digital media, and for natural, language-enabled and context-rich interaction and
communication.
New perspectives in ICT drawing on other science and technology disciplines, including insights from
mathematics and physics, biotechnologies, material and life-sciences, for miniaturisation of ICT devices to
sizes compatible and interacting with living organisms, to increase performance and user-friendliness of
systems engineering and information processing, and for modelling and simulation of the living world.
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Integration of Technologies:
Personal environments: personal communication and computing devices, accessories, wearables, implants;
their interfaces and interconnections to services and resources.
Home environments: communication, monitoring, control, assistance; seamless interoperability and use of
all devices; interactive digital content and services.
Robotic systems: advanced autonomous systems; cognition, control, action skills, natural interaction and
cooperation; miniaturisation, humanoid technologies.
Intelligent infrastructures: tools making infrastructures that are critical to everyday life more efficient and
user-friendly, easier to adapt and maintain, and more robust to usage and resistant to failures.
Applications Research:
ICT meeting societal challenges: new systems, novel materials, structures, technologies and services in
areas of public interest, improving quality, efficiency, access and inclusiveness, including accessibility for
the disabled; user friendly applications, integration of new technologies and initiatives such as ambient
assisted living,
for health, improving disease prevention and health care provisions, early diagnosis, treatment and
personalisation; autonomy, safety, monitoring and mobility of patients; health information space for
knowledge discovery and management,
to improve inclusion and equal participation and prevent digital divides; assistive technology for the
elderly and for disabled people; design-for-all,
for mobility; intelligent ICT-based transportation systems, vehicles and intelligent service solutions for
tourism enabling people and goods to move safely, ecologically, comfortably and efficiently,
in support of the environment, risk management and sustainable development, to prevent or reduce
vulnerability and to mitigate the consequences of natural disasters, industrial accidents and human
activities related to economic development,
for governments at all levels: efficiency, openness and accountability, for a world-class public administration and links to citizens and businesses, supporting democracy, allowing access to information to
all.
ICT for content, creativity and personal development:
new media paradigms and new forms of content, including entertainment; creation of and access to
interactive digital content; enriched user experiences; cost-effective content delivery; digital rights
management; hybrid media,
technology-enhanced learning; adaptive and contextualised learning solutions; active learning,
ICT-based systems to support accessibility and use over time of digital cultural and scientific resources
and assets, in a multilingual/multicultural environment, and including with regard to cultural heritage.
ICT supporting businesses and industry:
new forms of dynamic networked cooperative business processes, digital eco-systems including for
empowering small and medium-sized organisations and communities; optimised work organisation
and collaborative work environments such as knowledge sharing and interactive services (e.g. for
tourism),
manufacturing, including traditional industries: rapid and adaptive design, production and delivery of
highly customised goods; digital and virtual production; modelling, simulation, optimisation and
presentation tools; miniature and integrated ICT products,
ICT for trust and confidence: identity management; authentication and authorisation; privacy enhancing
technologies; rights and asset management; protection against cyber threats, in coordination with other
themes, in particular the Security theme.
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4. Nano-sciences, Nano-technologies, Materials and new Production Technologies

Objective
Improving the competitiveness of European industry and generate knowledge to ensure its transformation from a
resource-intensive to a knowledge-intensive industry, by generating step changes in knowledge and implementing
decisive knowledge for new applications at the crossroads between different technologies and disciplines. This will
benefit both new, high-tech industries and higher-value, knowledge-based traditional industries, with a special
focus on the appropriate dissemination of RTD results to SMEs. These activities are primarily concerned with
enabling technologies which impact all industrial sectors and many other Seventh Framework Programme
themes.
Rationale
The increasing difficulties affecting many industrial activities appear no longer to be limited to traditional sectors
with a high labour intensity, but are beginning to be observed in intermediate sectors which constitute the
established strengths of European industry and even in some high-technology sectors. A strong industrial base
must be maintained by strengthening the knowledge content in the existing industry as well as building, in
Europe, a strong knowledge-based, knowledge intensive industry, stressing the exploitation of basic research for
industrial applications. This will include the modernisation of the existing SME base and the creation and subsequent growth of new knowledge-driven SMEs, from the dissemination of knowledge and expertise through collaborative programmes.
The competitiveness of industry in the future will largely depend on nano-technologies and their applications.
RTD in nano-sciences and nano-technologies taken up in several areas can accelerate European industry's transformation. The EU has recognised leadership in fields such as nano-sciences, nano-technologies, materials and
production technologies, which must be strengthened in order to secure and increase the EU position in a highly
competitive global context.
Materials with new properties are key to the future competitiveness of European industry and the basis for technical progress in many areas.
Industry-relevant priorities and their integration for sectoral applications can be established through activities like
the European Technology Platforms in fields such as nano-electronics, manufacturing, power generation, steel,
chemistry, energy, the transport industry, construction, industrial safety, textiles, ceramics, forest-based industry
and nano-medicine. This will help establish common research priorities and targets. In addition by responding
flexibly to new policy needs that arise during the lifetime of the Seventh Framework Programme, the relevant
policy, regulatory and standardisation, and impact issues will be addressed.
Activities
Nano-sciences, Nano-technologies
Generating new knowledge of interface and size dependent phenomena; nano-scale control of material
properties for new applications; integration of technologies at the nano-scale including monitoring and
sensing; self-assembling properties; nano-motors; nano-machines and nano-systems; methods and tools
for characterisation and manipulation at nano-dimensions; nano- and high-precision technologies in
chemistry for the manufacture of basic materials and components; the study and production of nanometre precise components; impact on human safety, health and the environment; metrology, monitoring
and sensing, nomenclature and standards; exploration of new concepts and approaches for sectoral applications, including the integration and convergence of emerging technologies. Activities will also investigate
the impact of nano-technology on society and the relevance of nano-science and technology for the solution of societal problems.
Materials
Generating new knowledge of high-performance surfaces and materials for new products and processes as
well as for their repair; knowledge-based materials with tailored properties and predictable performance;
more reliable design and simulation; computational modelling; higher complexity; environmental compatibility; integration of nano-micro-macro functionality in the chemical technology and materials processing
industries; new nano-materials including nano-composites, bio-materials, and hybrid materials, including
design and control of their processing, properties and performance.
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New Production
Creating conditions and assets for sustainable knowledge-intensive production, including construction,
development and validation of new paradigms responding to emerging industrial needs and fostering the
modernisation of the European industry base; development of generic production assets for adaptive,
networked and knowledge-based production; development of new engineering concepts exploiting the
convergence of technologies (e.g. nano, micro, bio, geo, info, optical, cognitive technologies and their
engineering requirements) for the next generation of high value-added new or renewed products and
services, and adaptation to changing needs; engaging high-throughput production technologies.
Integration of technologies for industrial applications
Integrating new knowledge, nano- and micro-technologies, materials and production in sectoral and cross
sectoral applications, in areas such as health, food, construction and buildings, transport, energy, information and communication, chemistry, environment, textiles and clothing, footwear, forest-based industry,
steel, mechanical engineering.
5. Energy
Objective
Adapting the current energy system into a more sustainable one, less dependent on imported fuels and based on
a diverse mix of energy sources, in particular renewables, energy carriers and non-polluting sources; enhancing
energy efficiency, including by rationalising use and storage of energy; addressing the pressing challenges of
security of supply and climate change, whilst increasing the competitiveness of Eur ope's industries.
Rationale
Energy systems are confronted with major challenges. There is an urgent need to identify and develop adequate
and timely solutions given the alarming trends in global energy demand, the finite nature of conventional oil and
natural gas reserves, the need to curb dramatically emissions of greenhouse gases in order to mitigate the devastating consequences of climate change, the damaging volatility of oil prices (in particular for the transport sector
which is heavily oil dependent) and geopolitical instability in supplier regions. Energy research is an important
contribution towards ensuring affordable energy costs for our citizens and industries. Research and demonstration
are necessary in order to provide the most environmentally sound and cost-effective technologies and measures
enabling the EU to meet its targets under the Kyoto Protocol and beyond and to implement its energy policy
commitments, as described in the 2000 Green Paper on the security of energy supply ( 1), the 2005 Green Paper
on Energy Efficiency (2) and the 2006 Green Paper on a European strategy for sustainable competitive and secure
energy (3).
Europe has developed world leadership in a number of energy generation and energy efficiency technologies. It is
the pioneer in modern renewable energy technologies, such as solar energy, bio- and wind energy. The EU is also
a global competitor in power generation and distribution technologies and has a strong research capability in the
area of carbon capture and sequestration. These positions, however, are now facing severe competition (in particular from the US and Japan). Therefore Europe must maintain and develop its leading position which requires
substantial efforts and international collaboration.
Radically transforming the energy system into a less- or non-CO2-emitting, reliable, competitive and sustainable
energy system requires new technologies and new materials with risks that are too high and profits too uncertain
for private firms to provide all the investment needed for research, development, demonstration and deployment.
Public support should therefore play a key role in mobilising private investment and European efforts and
resources should be combined in a coherent and more effective manner, to compete with economies that are
investing heavily and consistently in similar technologies. European technology platforms play an important role
in this regard, by mobilising the necessary research effort in a coordinated manner. The activities to meet the
objective are set out below. Increasing efficiency throughout the energy system, from source to user, is essential
and underpins the whole of the Energy Theme. Given their important contribution to future sustainable energy
systems, renewables and end-use energy efficiency will be the major part of this Theme. Particular attention will
be paid to stimulating research, development and demonstration and promoting capacity building in this area.
Synergies with the Intelligent Energy-Europe Programme component of the Competitiveness and Innovation
Framework Programme will be fully exploited in this regard. The potential for future large-scale initiatives integrating funding from various sources (e.g. JTI) will also be explored.
A specific activity on knowledge for energy policy making is included which may also provide support to new
policy needs that emerge relating, for example, to the role of European energy policy in the development of international climate change actions, and instabilities or disruptions in energy supply and price.
(1) COM(2000) 0769.
(2) COM(2005) 0265.
(3) COM(2006) 0105.
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Activities
Hydrogen and fuel cells

Integrated action to provide a strong technological foundation for competitive EU fuel cell and hydrogen
industries, for stationary, portable and transport applications. The Hydrogen and Fuel Cells European Technology Platform contributes to this activity by proposing an integrated research and deployment strategy.
Renewable electricity generation
Technologies to increase overall conversion efficiency, cost efficiency and reliability, driving down the cost of
electricity production from indigenous renewable energy sources, including wastes, and the development and
the demonstration of technologies suited to different regional conditions.
Renewable fuel production
Integrated fuel production systems and conversion technologies: to develop and drive down the unit cost of
solid, liquid and gaseous (including hydrogen) fuels produced from renewable energy sources including
biomass and wastes, aiming at the cost-effective production, storage, distribution and use of carbon-neutral
fuels, in particular biofuels for transport and electricity generation.
Renewables for heating and cooling
Research, development and demonstration of technologies and devices including storage technologies to
increase efficiencies and drive down the costs of active and passive heating and cooling from renewable
energy sources, ensuring their use in different regional conditions where sufficient potential can be identified.
CO2 capture and storage technologies for zero emission power generation
Research, development and demonstration of technologies to drastically reduce the environmental impact of
fossil fuel use aiming at highly efficient and cost effective power and/or heat generation plants with near zero
emissions, based on CO2 capture and storage technologies, in particular underground storage.
Clean coal technologies
Research, development and demonstration of technologies to substantially improve plant efficiency, reliability
and cost through development and demonstration of clean coal and other solid fuel conversion technologies,
including chemical processes, producing also secondary energy carriers (including hydrogen) and liquid or
gaseous fuels. Activities will be linked as appropriate to CO2 capture and storage technologies or co-utilisation
of biomass.
Smart energy networks
Research, development and demonstration on how to increase the efficiency, safety, reliability and quality of
the European electricity and gas systems and networks, notably within the context of a more integrated European energy market, e.g. by transforming the current electricity grids into an interactive (customers/operators)
service network, developing energy storage options and removing obstacles to the large-scale deployment and
effective integration of distributed and renewable energy sources.
Energy efficiency and savings
Research, development and demonstration of new concepts, optimisation of proven concepts and technologies to improve energy efficiency and to enable further final and primary energy consumption savings, over
their life cycle, for buildings (including in lighting), transport, services and industry. This includes the integration of strategies and technologies for energy efficiency (including co- and polygeneration), the use of new
and renewable energy technologies and energy demand management measures and devices, and the demonstration of minimum climate impact buildings.
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Knowledge for energy policy making

Development of tools, methods and models to assess the main economic and social issues related to energy
technologies and to provide quantifiable targets and scenarios for medium- and long-term horizons (including
providing scientific support for policy development).
6. Environment (including climate change)
Objective
Sustainable management of the environment and its resources through the advancement of knowledge on the
interaction between the climate, biosphere, ecosystems and human activities, and the development of new technologies, tools and services, in order to address global environmental issues in an integrated way. Emphasis will
be placed on prediction of climate, ecological, earth and ocean systems changes, on tools and technologies for
monitoring, prevention, mitigation and adaptation of environmental pressures and risks, including risks to health,
and on tools and technologies for the sustainability of the natural and man-made environment.
Rationale
Environmental problems extend beyond national frontiers and require a coordinated approach at a pan-European
and, often, global level. Earth's natural resources and the man-made environment are under intense pressure from
a growing population, urbanisation, construction, continuous expansion of the agriculture, aquaculture, fisheries,
transport, and energy sectors, and climate variability and warming at local, regional and global scales. Europe
needs to engage in a new sustainable relationship with the environment while improving competitiveness and
strengthening European industry. EU-wide cooperation is needed in order to attain critical mass, given the scale,
scope and high level of complexity of environmental research. This will facilitate common planning, the use of
connected and inter-operable databases, and the development of coherent and large scale observation and forecasting systems. Research should address the need for data management and information services and problems
related to data transfer, integration, mapping.
Research is needed at EU level for the implementation of international commitments such as the UN Framework
Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) and its Kyoto protocol, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, the
UN Convention to Combat Desertification, the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, the objectives of the World Summit on Sustainable Development 2002, including the EU Water Initiative, and contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Earth Observation initiative.
In addition, there are significant research needs arising from existing and emerging EU level policies, the implementation of the 6th Environmental Action Plan and associated thematic strategies (e.g. the EU marine strategy),
the action plans, programmes and directives on Environmental Technologies and Environment and Health, the
Water Framework and NATURA 2000.
The EU needs to strengthen its position in world markets for environmental technologies. Such technologies
contribute to sustainable consumption and production, helping to deliver sustainable growth providing eco-efficient solutions to environmental problems at different scales and protecting our cultural and natural heritage.
Environmental requirements act as a stimulus for innovation and can provide business opportunities and higher
competitiveness while at the same time ensuring a more sustainable future for next generations. European Technology Platforms on water supply and sanitation and on sustainable chemistry confirm the need for EU level
action and their research agendas are taken into consideration in the activities below. Other platforms (e.g. on
construction and on forestry) partially deal with environmental technology issues and are taken into consideration
as well. Socio-economic issues have a particularly strong influence on the development of environmental technologies and their introduction to the market and subsequent application, as, for example, is the case with water
resources management. Activities must consider the socio-economic aspects of policies and technological developments, whenever relevant to the topic.
A series of activities are listed below (1) many of which are directly relevant to policy needs. However, additional
support may be provided to new policy needs that emerge, for example, in relation to sustainability impact assessments of EU policies; the follow up to the post-Kyoto action on climate change; and new environmental policies
such as those in the European Soil Strategy and relating to maritime policy, standards and regulations.
(1) Complementary research relating to the production and use of biological resources is addressed under the Food, Agriculture and Fisheries,
and Biotechnology theme.
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Activities
Climate change, pollution and risks
Pressures on the environment and climate: functioning of climate and the earth and marine system
including the polar regions; adaptation and mitigation measures; pollution in air, soil and water; changes
in atmospheric composition and water cycle; global and regional interactions between climate and atmosphere, land surface, ice and the ocean; and impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems, including the effects
of the sea level rise on coastal zones and impacts on particularly sensitive areas.
Environment and health: interaction of environmental stressors with human health including identification
of sources, biomonitoring research for environment related health, indoor air quality and links to indoor
environment, urban environment, car emissions and impact and emerging risk factors; integrated risk
assessment methods for hazardous substances including alternatives to animal testing; quantification and
cost-benefit analysis of environmental health risks and indicators for prevention strategies.
Natural hazards: improvement of forecasting and integrated hazards vulnerability and risk assessments for disasters related to geological hazards (such as earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis) and climate
(such as storms, droughts, floods, forest fires, landslides, avalanches and other extreme events) and their
impact; development of early warning systems and improve prevention, mitigation and management strategies, also within a multi-risk approach.
Sustainable Management of Resources
Conservation and sustainable management of natural and man-made resources and biodiversity: ecosystems; water resources management; waste management and prevention; protection and management of
biodiversity, including control of invasive alien species, soil, seabed, lagoons and coastal areas protection,
approaches against desertification and land degradation, preservation of landscape; sustainable use and
management of forests; sustainable management and planning of urban environment, including postindustrialized zones; data management and information services; assessment and foresight relating to
natural processes.
Management of marine environments: impact of human activities on the marine environment and its
resources; pollution and eutrophication in regional seas and coastal areas; deep sea ecosystems; assessment
of marine biodiversity trends, of ecosystem processes and of ocean circulation; seabed geology; development of strategies, concepts and tools for a sustainable use of the ocean and its resources.
Environmental Technologies
Environmental technologies for observation, simulation, prevention, mitigation, adaptation, remediation

and restoration of the natural and man-made environment: related to water, climate, air, marine, urban
and rural environment, soil, waste treatment, recycling, clean production processes and sustainable
products, chemicals safety.
Protection, conservation and enhancement of cultural heritage, including human habitat: improved
damage assessment on cultural heritage; development of innovative conservation strategies; fostering of
the integration of cultural heritage in the urban setting.
Technology assessment, verification and testing: methods and tools for environmental risk and lifecycle
assessment of processes, technologies and products, including alternative testing strategies and in particular non-animal methods for industrial chemicals; support for sustainable chemistry, forest-based sector
technology, water supply and sanitation platforms ( 1); scientific and technological aspects of a future European environmental technologies verification and testing programme, complementing third party assessment instruments.
(1) The research agendas of relevant European Technology Platforms will be taken into account in the different activities.
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Earth observation and assessment tools

Earth and ocean observation systems and monitoring methods for the environment and sustainable development: contribute to the development and integration of observation systems for environmental and
sustainability issues in the framework of GEOSS (to which GMES is complementary); interoperability
between systems and optimisation of information for understanding, modelling and predicating environmental phenomena, for assessing, exploring and managing natural resources.
Forecasting methods and assessment tools for sustainable development taking into account differing scales
of observation: modelling links between economy/environment/society including market based instruments, externalities, thresholds and developing the knowledge base and methodologies for sustainability
impact assessment on key issues such as land use and marine issues; urban development, social and
economic tensions related to climate change.
7. Transport (including aeronautics)
Objective
Based on technological and operational advances and on the European transport policy, developing integrated,
safer, greener and smarter pan-European transport systems for the benefit of all citizens, society and climate
policy, respecting the environment and natural resources; and securing and further developing the competitiveness attained by the European industries in the global market.
Rationale
Transport is one of Europe's strengths the air transport sector contributes to 2,6 % of the EU GDP (with 3,1
million jobs) and the surface transport field generates 11 % of the EU GDP (employing some 16 million persons).
However, transport is responsible for 25 % of all the EU emissions of CO 2, hence the absolute need for a
greening of the system to ensure more sustainable transport patterns and compatibility with growth rates, as
developed in the White Paper on European Transport Policy for 2010: time to decide (1).
The enlargement (increasing land surface by 25 % and population by 20 %) and economic development of the
EU present new challenges for transporting people and goods efficiently, cost-effectively and in a sustainable
manner. Transport also has direct relevance for other major policies such as trade, competition, employment,
environment, cohesion, energy, security and the internal market.
Investment in RTD in EU transport industries is a prerequisite for ensuring a technological competitive advantage
in global markets (2). Activities at European level will also stimulate the restructuring of the industry, including
the integration of the supply chain and, in particular, SMEs.
The research agendas developed by European Technology Platforms (3) support the need to take a new transport
systems perspective that considers the interactions of vehicles or vessels, transport networks or infrastructures
and the use of transport services, which can only be developed at European level. RTD costs in all these fields are
rising substantially, and collaborative activity at EU-level is essential to enable a critical mass of diverse RTD
providers to address the scale and multi-disciplinary challenges in a cost-effective way, as well as meeting the political, technological and socio-economic challenges of issues such as the clean and safe vehicle of the future, interoperability and intermodality with particular reference to waterborne and rail transport, affordability, safety, capacity, security and environmental impacts in an enlarged Union. Also, developing technologies in support of the
Galileo system and its applications will be essential in implementing European policies.
(1) COM(2001) 370.
(2) The European aeronautics industry invests 14 % of its turnover in research, the European car industry almost 5 % of its turnover; and the EU
shipbuilding industry competitive advantage relies exclusively on RTD.
(3) ACARE: Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe. Launched in 2001, it is the first operational example of a Technology Platform; ERRAC: European Rail Research Advisory Council; ERTRAC: European Road Transport Research Advisory Council; WATERBORNE
Technology Platform.
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As well as the strong industry relevance of the themes and activities set out below, the needs of policy makers
will be addressed in an integrated way covering economic, social and environmental aspects of transport policy.
In addition, support will be provided to respond to existing as well as new policy needs, for example relating to
developments in maritime policy or implementation of the European Single Sky.
Activities
Aeronautics and air transport

The greening of air transport: reduction of emissions, including green house gases and noise disturbance,
incorporating work on engines and alternative fuels, structures and new aircraft designs including rotorcraft (including helicopters and tiltrotors), airport operations and traffic management.
Increasing time efficiency: improvement of the efficiency of operating schedules focusing on innovative air
traffic management systems in line with the effective implementation of Single Sky policy which integrate
air, ground and space components, including traffic flow and more aircraft autonomy.
Ensuring customer satisfaction and safety: improvement of passenger comfort, innovative in-flight services
and more efficient passenger handling; improvement of all safety aspects of air transport; wider choice of
aircraft ranging from wide body to smaller size vehicles suitable for different applications (including
regional applications).
Improving cost efficiency: reduction of costs associated with product development, manufacturing and
operating costs focusing on innovative and zero maintenance, repair and overhaul, aircraft, increased use
of automation and simulation.
Protection of aircraft and passengers: enhancement of protection measures for the traveller, crew, aircraft
and air transport system, such as improved data and identification methods, protecting the aircraft against
attack, improved security design of aircraft.
Pioneering the air transport of the future: addressing the longer term challenges of aviation with more
radical, environmentally efficient, accessible and innovative combinations of technologies which would
lead to significant steps forward in air transport.
Sustainable surface transport (rail, road and waterborne)
The greening of surface transport: reduction of environmental and noise pollution, including green house
gases; reducing the impact of transport on climate change by reducing emissions through technological
and socio-economic means as well as user training; development of clean and efficient engines and
power-trains, including hybrid technology and the use of alternative fuels for transport applications such
as hydrogen and fuel cells, taking account of cost-efficiency and energy-efficiency considerations; end of
life strategies for vehicles and vessels.
Encouraging and increasing modal shift and decongesting transport corridors: development of sustainable
innovative, intermodal and interoperable regional and national transport and logistics networks, infrastructures and systems in Europe; cost internalisation; information exchange between vehicle/vessel and
transport infrastructure; optimisation of infrastructure capacity; modal shift strategies to encourage energy
efficient means of transport.
Ensuring sustainable urban mobility for all citizens including the disadvantaged: innovative organisation
schemes, including clean and safe vehicles and means of transport with lower levels of pollution, new
high quality public transportation modes and rationalisation of private transport, communication infrastructure, integrated town planning and transport taking into account their relationship with growth and
employment.
Improving safety and security as inherent to the transport system: in transport operations for drivers,
passengers, crew, cyclists and pedestrians, as well as for freight, in the design and operation of vehicles,
vessels, infrastructures, and within the total transport system.
Strengthening competitiveness: improvement of design processes; development of advanced power-train
and vehicle and vessel technologies; innovative and cost-effective production systems and infrastructure
construction and maintenance; integrative architectures.
Support for the European global satellite navigation system (Galileo and EGNOS): precise navigation and
timing services for use in a range of sectors; efficient use of satellite navigation and support for the definition
of second generation technologies and applications.
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8. Socio-Economic Sciences and the Humanities
Objective
Generating an in-depth, shared understanding of the complex and interrelated socio-economic challenges Europe
is confronted with, such as growth, employment and competitiveness, social cohesion, social, cultural and educational challenges in an enlarged EU and sustainability, environmental challenges, demographic change, migration
and integration, quality of life and global interdependence, in particular with the view to providing an improved
knowledge base for policies in the fields concerned.
Rationale
Europe has a strong and high quality research base in socio-economic and socio-cultural sciences and the humanities fields. The diversity of approaches within the EU in the economic, social, political and cultural domains
provides a highly fertile ground for research in these fields at EU level. There is much European added value in
collaborative research addressing European socio-economic and socio-cultural issues in the areas mentioned. First,
the issues and challenges concerned are of high priority at the European level and are addressed by Community
policies. Second, comparative research across the EU or other countries offers a particularly effective tool as well
as important learning opportunities across countries and regions.
Third, EU-level research has particular advantages in being able to develop Europe-wide data collection and to
employ the multiple perspectives needed to understand complex issues. Finally, the development of a genuinely
European socio-economic knowledge base on these key challenges will make an essential contribution to
promoting their shared understanding across the European Union and, most significantly, by European citizens.
The activities to be supported are listed below and are expected to contribute significantly to improving the
formulation, implementation, impacts and assessments of policy and the definition of regulatory measures in a
wide range of areas such as the economic, social, cultural, education and training, gender equality, enterprise,
international trade, consumer, external relations, and scientific and technological spheres, official statistics policies
and the creation of the area of freedom, security and justice. In addition, opportunities will be provided to
address emerging socio-economic challenges as well as to undertake research on new or unforeseen policy needs.
Use may also be made of social platforms to discuss future research agendas.
Activities
Growth, employment and competitiveness in a knowledge society: developing and integrating research on the
issues affecting growth, socio-economic stability, employment and competitiveness, covering topics such as
innovation, education including life-long learning and the role of scientific and other knowledge and intangible goods on a global scale, youth and youth policy, adaptation of labour market policies, and national institutional contexts.
Combining economic, social and environmental objectives in a European perspective: by addressing the two
key and highly interrelated issues of continuing evolution of European socio-economic models and economic
and social and regional cohesion in an enlarged EU, taking into account sustainability and the protection of
the environment, sustainable urban planning, the interaction between environment, energy and society, the
role of cities and metropolitan regions, and the socio-economic impact of European policies and legislation.
Major trends in society and their implications: such as demographic change including ageing and its effects on
pension systems, migration and integration, analysing the implications of the demographic change for urban
development; lifestyles, work, families, reconciling professional and family life, gender issues, disabilities
issues, health and quality of life; economic consumer protection; inequalities; criminality; the role of business
in society and population diversity, ethnicity, religious pluralism, cultural interactions multicultural issues and
issues related to protection of fundamental rights and the fight against discrimination of any kind.
Europe in the world: understanding changing interactions, cross cultural relations and interdependencies
between world regions, including developing regions, and their implications; addressing emerging threats and
risks without undermining human rights, freedom and well-being, and fostering peace.
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The citizen in the European Union: in the context of the future development of the enlarged EU, addressing
the issues of achieving a sense of democratic ownership and active participation by the peoples of Europe;
effective and democratic governance at all levels including economic and legal governance and the role of
civil society as well as innovative governance processes intended to enhance citizen's participation and the
cooperation between public and private actors; research for building a shared understanding and respect for
Europe's diversities and commonalities in terms of culture, religions, cultural heritage, institutions and legal
systems, history, languages and values as building elements of our European multi-cultural identity and heritage.
Socio-economic and scientific indicators: their use in policy and its implementation and monitoring, the
improvement of existing indicators, techniques to analyse them and the development of new ones for this
purpose and for the evaluation of research programmes, including indicators based on official statistics.
Foresight activities relating to major science, technology and related socio-economic issues such as future
demographic trends and the globalization of knowledge, the dissemination of knowledge, and evolution of
research systems and of the future developments in and across major research domains and scientific disciplines.
9. Space
Objective
Supporting a European Space Programme focusing on applications such as GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) with benefits for citizens and for the competitiveness of the European space industry. This
will contribute to the development of a European space policy, complementing efforts by Member States and by
other key players, including the European Space Agency (ESA).
Rationale
The Community can contribute in this field to the better definition of common objectives based on user requirements and policy objectives; to the coordination of activities in order to avoid duplications and maximise interoperability; to improving cost-effectiveness and to the definition of standards. Public authorities and decisionmakers represent important potential users and the European industry will also benefit from a well defined
European Space policy implemented through a European Space Programme, supported in part by the proposed
research and technological development actions. European level actions are also needed to support Community
policy objectives, for example in the fields of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, environment, health, telecommunications, security, transport as well as ensuring that Europe is a respected partner in regional and international cooperation.
In the last 40 years, excellent technological competence has been built up in Europe, both nationally and through
ESA. Sustaining a competitive industry (including manufacturers, service providers and operators) requires new
research and technologies. Space applications bring important benefits to citizens by virtue of technological spinoff effects and are indispensable in a high-tech society.
With particular focus on the use of existing capabilities in Europe, the activities set out below aim at: the efficient
exploitation of space assets (in coordination with in-situ assets, including airborne assets) for the implementation
of applications, namely GMES and their contribution to law enforcement in Community policies; space exploration, allowing international cooperation opportunities and dramatic technological breakthroughs as well as costeffective missions; exploitation and exploration of space supported through enabling activities guaranteeing the
strategic role of the European Union. These activities will be complemented by other actions under the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme and in the Education and Training Programme. The public policy
benefits of the below activities will also be maximised, including by the provision of additional support for new
policy needs that may arise, for example: space-based solutions in support of developing countries and use of
space-observation tools and methods to support developments in Community policies.
Activities
Space-based applications at the service of European society
GMES: development of satellite-based and in-situ monitoring and early-warning systems, including for the
safety of citizens, and techniques relating to the management of the environment and security (including
the management of natural disasters) and their integration with ground-based, ship-borne and airborne
components; support for the integration, harmonisation, use and delivery of GMES data (both satellitebased and in-situ, including ground-based, shipborne and airborne) and services.
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Innovative satellite communication services, seamlessly integrated in the global electronic communication
networks, for citizens and enterprises in application sectors encompassing civil protection, e-government,
telemedicine, tele-education, search and rescue, tourism and leisure time, personal navigation, fleet
management, agriculture and forestry, meteorology and generic users.
Development of monitoring technologies and systems for reducing the vulnerability of space-based
services and for contributing to the surveillance of space.
Applications of space-based systems for risk prevention and risk management and all kinds of emergency,
enhancing convergence with non-space systems.
Exploration of space
Providing RTD support and maximising scientific added value through synergies with initiatives by ESA or
national space agencies in the field of space exploration; facilitating the access to scientific data.
Support to coordinate efforts for the development of space-borne telescopes and detectors as well as for
data analysis in space sciences.
RTD for strengthening space foundations
Space research and development for long term needs including space transportation; research activities to
increase the competitiveness and cost-effectiveness of the European space technology sector.
Space sciences including bio-medicine and life and physical sciences in space.
10. Security
Objective
To develop the technologies and knowledge for building capabilities needed to ensure the security of citizens
from threats such as terrorism, natural disasters, and crime, while respecting fundamental human rights including
privacy; to ensure optimal and concerted use of available technologies to the benefit of civil European security, to
stimulate the cooperation of providers and users for civil security solutions, improving the competitiveness of the
European security industry and delivering mission-oriented research results to reduce security gaps.
Rationale
Security in Europe is a precondition of prosperity and freedom. The EU Security Strategy: A Secure Europe in a
Better World, adopted by the European Council, addresses the need for a comprehensive security strategy encompassing both civil and defence-related security measures.
Security related research is an important building block for realising a high level of security within the area of
freedom, security and justice. It will also contribute to developing technologies and capabilities in support of
other Community policies in areas such as transport, civil protection, energy, environment and health. Security
research needs specific implementation rules to take into account its special nature.
Existing security related research activities in Europe suffer from the fragmentation of efforts, the lack of critical
mass of scale and scope and the lack of connections and interoperability. Europe needs to improve the coherence
of its efforts by developing efficient institutional arrangements and by instigating cooperation and coordination
among the various national and international actors in order to avoid duplication and to explore synergies wherever possible. Security research at Community level will maintain an exclusively civil orientation and focus on
activities of clear added value to the national level. As a consequence, civil security research within the Seventh
Framework Programme will reinforce the competitiveness of the European security industry. Recognising that
there are areas of dual-use technology, close coordination with the activities of European Defence Agency will be
needed in order to ensure complementarity.
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Security research will emphasise European capabilities regarding surveillance, distribution of information and
knowledge of threats and incidents as well as systems for better assessments and situation control through better
use of common ICT-systems in the fields of different operations.
The special requirements concerning confidentiality in this area will be enforced but the transparency of research
findings will not be unnecessarily restricted. In addition, areas in which research findings may be made public
will be identified.
The non defence activities set out below will complement and integrate the technology- and systems-oriented
research relevant to civil security which is carried out in other themes. They will be mission-oriented, developing
the technologies and capabilities as required by the specific security missions. They are by design flexible so as to
accommodate as yet unknown future security threats and related policy needs that may arise, stimulating crossfertilisation and the take-up of existing technologies for the civil security sector, European security research will
also encourage the development of multi-purpose technologies in order to maximise the scope for their application.
Activities
Security of citizens: delivering technology solutions for civil protection, including bio-security and protection
against risks arising from crime and terrorist attacks.
Security of infrastructures and utilities: analysing and securing existing and future public and private critical/
networked infrastructure (e.g. in transport, energy, ICT), systems and services (including financial and administrative services).
Intelligent surveillance and border security: focusing on technologies and capabilities to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of all systems, equipment, tools and processes as well as methods for rapid identification
required for improving the security of Eur ope's land and coastal borders, including border control and surveillance issues.
Restoring security and safety in case of crisis: focusing on technologies providing an overview of, and support
for diverse emergency management operations (such as civil protection, humanitarian and rescue tasks), and
on issues such as inter-organisational preparation, coordination and communication, distributed architectures
and human factors.
The above four areas will be supported by the following themes of a more cross-cutting nature:
Security systems integration, interconnectivity and interoperability: Intelligence, information gathering and
civil security, focusing on technologies to enhance the interoperability of systems, equipment, services and
processes, including law enforcement, firefighting, civil defence and medical information infrastructures, as
well as on the reliability, organisational aspects, protection of confidentiality and integrity of information and
traceability of all transactions and processing.
Security and society: mission orientated research which will focus on socio-economic analyses, scenario
building and activities related to: cultural, social, political and economic dimensions of security, communication with society, the role of human values and policy making, psychology social environment of terrorism,
citizens' perception of security, ethics, protection of privacy, societal foresight and systemic risk analysis.
Research will also address technologies that better safeguard privacy and liberties, and will address vulnerabilities and new threats, as well as the management and impact assessment of possible consequences.
Security research coordination and structuring: coordination of European and international security research
efforts and development of synergies between civil, security and defence research, improvement of legal
conditions, and encouragement to the optimal use of existing infrastructures.
II. IDEAS
Objective
This programme will enhance the dynamism, creativity and excellence of European research at the frontier of knowledge. This will be done by supporting investigator-driven research projects carried out across all fields by individual
teams in competition at the European level. Projects will be funded on the basis of proposals presented by researchers
both from the private and public sectors on subjects of their choice and evaluated on the sole criterion of excellence
as judged by peer review. Communication and dissemination of research results is an important aspect of this
programme.
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Rationale
Investigator-driven frontier research, within the framework of activities commonly understood as basic research, is a
key driver of wealth and social progress, as it opens new opportunities for scientific and technological advance, and is
instrumental in producing new knowledge leading to future applications and markets.
Despite many achievements and a high level of performance in a large number of fields, Europe is not making the
most of its research potential and resources, and urgently needs a greater capacity to generate knowledge and translate
such knowledge into economic and social value and growth.
A Europe-wide competitive funding structure (in addition to and not replacing national funding) for frontier research
executed by individual teams, which may be of national or transnational character, is a key component of the European Research Area, complementing other Community and national activities. It will help reinforce the dynamism and
attractiveness of Europe for the best researchers from both European and third countries, and for industrial investment.
Activities
This action will respond to the most promising and productive areas of research and the best opportunities for scientific and technological progress, within and across disciplines, including engineering and social sciences and the humanities. It will be implemented independently of the thematic orientations of the other parts of the Seventh Framework
Programme, and will pay attention to new generation researchers and new groups as well as established teams.
The Community activities in frontier research will be implemented by a European Research Council (ERC), consisting
of an independent scientific council, supported by a lean and cost-effective dedicated implementation structure. The
management of the ERC will be carried out by staff recruited for that purpose, including officials from
EU institutions, and will cover only the real administrative needs in order to assure the stability and continuity necessary for an effective administration.
The Scientific Council will consist of representatives of the European scientific community, ensuring a diversity of the
research fields, at the highest level, acting in their personal capacity, independently of political or other interests. Its
members will be appointed by the Commission following an independent and transparent procedure for their identification, agreed with the Scientific Council, that includes the consultation of the scientific community and a report to
the European Parliament and the Council. They will be appointed for a period of four years, renewable once, on a
basis of a rotating system which will ensure the continuity of the Scientific Council's work.
The Scientific Council will, inter alia, establish an overall scientific strategy, have full authority over decisions on the
type of research to be funded and act as guarantor of the quality of the activity from the scientific perspective. Its
tasks will cover, in particular, the development of the annual work programme, the establishment of the peer review
process, as well as the monitoring and quality control of the programme's implementation from the scientific perspective. It will establish a code of conduct addressing, inter alia, the avoidance of conflicts of interest.
The dedicated implementation structure will be responsible for all aspects of implementation and programme execution as provided for in the annual work programme. It will, in particular, implement the peer review and selection
process according to the principles established by the Scientific Council and will ensure the financial and scientific
management of the grants.
The administrative and staffing costs for the ERC relating to the Scientific Council and dedicated implementation
structure will be consistent with lean and cost-effective management; administrative expenditure will be kept to a
minimum and will not exceed 5 % of the total financial allocation for the ERC, consistent with ensuring the resources
necessary for high quality implementation, in order to maximise funding for frontier research.
The Commission will act as the guarantor of the ERC's full autonomy and integrity. It will ensure that the ERC acts in
accordance with the principles of scientific excellence, autonomy, efficiency and transparency, and that it follows
precisely the strategy and implementation methodology established by the Scientific Council. The Commission will
draw up, in cooperation with the scientific council, an annual report on the ERC's operations and realisation of the
objectives and submit it to the European Parliament and the Council.
The ERC will have the faculty to conduct its own strategic studies to prepare for and support its operational activities.
In particular, it may consult with European, intergovernmental and national initiatives so as to programme its activities
in the light of other research at European and national level.
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The implementation and management of the activity will be reviewed and evaluated on an on-going basis to assess its
achievements and to adjust and improve procedures on the basis of experience. In the context of the interim evaluation referred to in Article 7(2), an independent review will also be carried out of the ERC's structures and mechanisms,
against the criteria of scientific excellence, autonomy, efficiency and transparency and with the full involvement of the
Scientific Council. This will include the process and criteria for the selection of the members of the Scientific Council.
The review will explicitly look at the advantages and disadvantages of a structure based on an Executive Agency, and a
structure based on Article 171 of the Treaty. On the basis of this review, these structures and mechanisms should be
modified as appropriate. The Commission will ensure that all the necessary preparatory work, including any legislative
proposals which it considers necessary, is undertaken and presented to the European Parliament and the Council, as
required by the Treaty, with a view to a transition to any modified structure required, as soon as possible. To this end,
the Framework Programme will be adapted or supplemented in codecision pursuant to Article 166(2) of the Treaty.
The progress report referred to in Article 7(2), preceding the interim evaluation, will give initial findings on the functioning of the ERC.
III. PEOPLE
Objective
Strengthening, quantitatively and qualitatively, the human potential in research and technology in Europe, by stimulating people to enter into the profession of researcher, encouraging European researchers to stay in Europe, and
attracting to Europe researchers from the entire world, making Europe more attractive to the best researchers. Building
on the experiences with the Marie Curie actions under previous Framework Programmes, this will be done by
putting into place a coherent set of Marie Curie actions, particularly taking into account the European added value in
terms of their impact on the European Research Area. These actions will address researchers at all stages of their
careers, from initial research training specifically intended for young people to life-long learning and career development in the public and private sectors. Efforts will also be made to increase participation by women researchers, by
encouraging equal opportunities in all Marie Curie Actions, by designing the actions to ensure that researchers can
achieve an appropriate work/life balance and by facilitating the resumption of a research career after a break.
Rationale
Abundant and highly trained qualified researchers are a necessary condition to advance science and to underpin innovation, but also an important factor to attract and sustain investments in research by public and private entities.
Against the background of growing competition at world level, the development of an open European labour market
for researchers free from all forms of discrimination and the diversification of skills and career paths of researchers are
crucial to support a beneficial circulation of researchers and their knowledge, both within Europe and in a global
setting. Special measures to encourage early-stage researchers and support early stages of scientific career, as well as
measures to reduce the brain drain, such as reintegration grants, will be introduced.
Mobility, both trans-national and intersectoral, including the stimulation of industrial participation and the opening of
research careers and academic positions at European scale, is a key component of the European Research Area and
indispensable to increasing European capacities and performance in research. International competition between
researchers will remain central in order to ensure the highest quality of research under this activity. Increasing the
mobility of researchers and strengthening the resources of those institutions which attract researchers internationally
will encourage centres of excellence around the European Union. To ensure training and mobility within new research
and technology areas, appropriate coordination with other parts of the Seventh Framework Programme will be
ensured and synergies will be sought with other Community policies, e.g. on education, cohesion and employment.
Actions on linking science education to careers, and research and coordination actions on new methods in science
education are foreseen under the Science in Society part of the Capacities programme.
Activities
Initial training of researchers to improve their career perspectives, in both public and private sectors, inter alia
through the broadening of their scientific and generic skills, including those relating to technology transfer and
entrepreneurship, and attracting more young people to scientific careers. This will be implemented through Marie
Curie Networks with the main objective being to overcome fragmentation of and to strengthen at European level
the initial training and career development of researchers. Support is foreseen for the best early-stage researchers
to join established research teams. Members of the trans-national networks must exploit their complementary
competencies through integrated training programmes. Support will comprise recruitment of early stage
researchers, organisation of training events also open to researchers outside the network and senior chairs and/or
industry positions for knowledge transfer and supervision.
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Life-long training and career development to support the career development of experienced researchers. With a
view to complementing or acquiring new skills and competencies or to enhance inter/multidisciplinarity and/or
inter-sectoral mobility, support is foreseen for researchers with particular needs for additional/complementary
competences and skills, for researchers to resume a research career after a break and for (re-)integrating researchers
into a longer term research position in Europe, including in their country of origin, after a trans-national/international mobility experience. This action line will be implemented through both individual fellowships awarded
directly at Community level and through the co-financing of regional, national or international programmes
where this fulfils the criteria of European added value, transparency and openness.
Initially the co-financing mode will be implemented on a controlled scale allowing for the necessary experience to be
gained.
Industry-academia pathways and partnerships: Support for longer term cooperation programmes between organisations from academia and industry, in particular SMEs and including traditional manufacturing industries, will
aim at stimulating intersectoral mobility and increasing knowledge sharing through joint research partnerships,
supported by the recruitment of experienced researchers to the partnership, by staff secondments between both
sectors, and by the organisation of events.
The international dimension: to increase the quality of European research by attracting research talent from
outside Europe and fostering mutually beneficial research collaboration with researchers from outside Europe. This
will be addressed through international outgoing fellowships (with an in-built mandatory return phase); international incoming fellowships; partnerships to support the exchange of researchers. Common initiatives between
European organisations and organisations from countries neighbouring the EU and countries with which the Community has a Science and Technology agreement will also be supported. The activity will include measures to
counter the risk of brain drain from developing countries and emerging economies and measures to create
networks of European researchers working abroad. These actions will be implemented in line with the international activities under the Cooperation and Capacities programmes.
Specific actions to support the creation of a genuine European labour market for researchers, by removing obstacles to mobility and enhancing the career perspectives of researchers in Europe. Incentive measures for public institutions that promote the mobility, quality and profile of their researchers will also be supported. Furthermore,
awards to improve the public awareness of Marie Curie actions and their objectives will be provided.
IV. CAPACITIES
This part of the Seventh Framework Programme will enhance research and innovation capacities throughout Europe
and ensure their optimal use. This aim will be achieved through:
Optimising the use and development of research infrastructures,
Strengthening innovative capacities of SmEs and their ability to benefit from research,
Supporting the development of regional research-driven clusters,
Unlocking the research potential in the EU's convergence and outermost regions,
Bringing science and society closer together for the harmonious integration of science and technology in European
society,
Support for the coherent development of research policies,
Horizontal actions and measures in support of international cooperation.
RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES
Objective
Optimising the use and development of the best research infrastructures existing in Europe, and helping to create in
all fields of science and technology new research infrastructures of pan-European interest needed by the European
scientific community to remain at the forefront of the advancement of research, and able to help industry to
strengthen its base of knowledge and its technological know-how.
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Rationale
Research infrastructures play an increasing role in the advancement of knowledge and technology and their exploitation. The importance of such infrastructures is already well established in areas such as energy, space and particle
physics and is increasing in other areas. For example, radiation sources, data banks in genomics and data banks in
social science, observatories for environmental and space sciences, systems of imaging or clean rooms for the study
and development of new materials or nano-electronics, are at the core of research. They are expensive, need a broad
range of expertise to be developed, and should be used and exploited by a large community of scientist and customer
industries on a European scale.
The development of a European approach with regard to research infrastructures, including computing and communication based e-infrastructures and virtual infrastructures, and the carrying out of activities in this area at Union level,
can make a significant contribution to boosting the potential of European research and its exploitation and contributing to the development of the European Research Area.
While the Member States' role will remain central in the development and financing of infrastructures, the Community
can and should play a catalysing and leveraging role by helping to ensure wider and more efficient access to, and use
of, the infrastructures existing in the different Member States, by stimulating the development of these infrastructures,
and their networking, in a coordinated way, and by fostering the emergence of new research infrastructures of panEuropean interest in the medium to long term. In this respect, the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) plays a key role in identifying needs and a roadmap for European research infrastructures.
Activities
Activities carried out under this heading will be executed across the whole field of science and technology. They will
be implemented in close cooperation with the activities taking place in the thematic areas to ensure that all the
actions undertaken at European level in the Community framework respond to the needs for research infrastructures
in the areas concerned, including international cooperation.
The activities will be the following:
Support for existing research infrastructures
Integrating activities to structure better, on a European scale, the way research infrastructures operate in a
given field and to promote their coherent use and development, in particular through trans-national access, to
ensure that European researchers, including researchers from industry and SMEs, may have access to high
performing research infrastructures to conduct their research, irrespective of the location of the infrastructure,
Strengthening research e-infrastructure by fostering the further development and evolution and global connectivity of high-capacity and high-performance communication and grid infrastructures and reinforcing European
computing capabilities, as well as encouraging their adoption by user communities where appropriate, enhancing their global relevance and increasing the level of trust and confidence, building on the achievements of
GEANT and Grid infrastructures and based on open standards for interoperability.
Support for new research infrastructures
Construction of new infrastructures and major upgrades of existing ones focussing mainly on preparatory
phases, to promote the emergence of new research facilities, in accordance with the principle of variable
geometry, building primarily upon the work conducted by ESFRI ( 1),
Design studies, through a bottom-up approach of calls for proposals, to promote the creation of new research
infrastructures by funding exploratory awards and feasibility studies for new infrastructures.
Infrastructures projects proposed for funding in this respect will be identified on the basis of a series of criteria
including in particular:
Inability of existing mechanisms to achieve the objective.
Added value of Community financial support.
(1) ESFRI was launched in April 2002. ESFRI brings together representatives from the 25 EU Member States, appointed by Ministers in charge of
Research, and a representative of the European Commission. The countries associated with Framework Programmes for Research were
invited to join in 2004.
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Capacity to offer a service in response to the needs of users from the scientific (academic and industrial) community throughout Europe, including added value to the European Research Area.
Scientific excellence.
Relevance at international level.
Contribution to technological development capacity.
Contribution to developing research-based clusters of excellence.
Technological and organisational feasibility.
Possibilities for European partnership and strong financial and other commitment of Member States and other
major stakeholders, as well as the possible use of EIB loans and Structural Funds.
Evaluation of construction and operating costs.
As far as the construction of new infrastructures is concerned, the potential for scientific excellence of the convergence regions as well as the outermost regions should be taken into account, whenever appropriate. An efficient coordination of the Community financial instruments, in particular the Seventh Framework Programme and the structural
funds, will be ensured.
RESEARCH FOR THE BENEFIT OF SMEs
Objectives
Strengthening the innovation capacity of European SMEs and their contribution to the development of new technology based products and markets by helping them outsource research, increase their research efforts, extend their
networks, better exploit research results and acquire technological know how, bridging the gap between research and
innovation.
Rationale
SMEs are at the core of European industry. They should be a key component of the innovation system and in the
chain of transformation of knowledge into new products, processes and services. Faced with increasing competition in
the internal market and globally, European SMEs need to increase their knowledge and research intensity, enhance the
exploitation of research, expand their business activities into larger markets and internationalise their knowledge
networks. Most Member State actions relevant to SMEs do not encourage and support trans-national research cooperation and technology transfer. Actions at EU level are necessary to complement and enhance the impact of actions
undertaken at national and regional level. In addition to the actions listed below, the participation of SMEs will be
encouraged and facilitated, and their needs taken into account, across the Seventh Framework Programme.
Activities
Specific actions in support of SMEs are conceived to support SMEs or SME associations that need to outsource
research: mainly low to medium-tech SMEs with little or no research capability. Research intensive SMEs may participate as providers of research services or outsource research to complement their core research capability. Actions will
be carried out in the entire field of science and technology with a bottom-up approach. Actions will include support
of demonstration and other activities to facilitate the exploitation of research results, ensuring complementarity with
the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme. Financial means will be allocated through two schemes:
Research for SMEs: To support small groups of innovative SMEs to solve common or complementary technological problems.
Research for SME associations: To support SME associations and SME groupings to develop technical solutions to
problems common to large numbers of SMEs in specific industrial sectors or segments of the value chain.
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The clear focus will be on support for research projects. In addition, support will be granted to national schemes
providing financial means to SMEs or SME associations to prepare proposals for actions under Research for the
benefit of SMEs. During the implementation of the Community RTD Framework Programme, complementarity and
synergy will be ensured with the actions of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme.
The Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme will encourage and facilitate the participation of SMEs in
the Seventh Framework Programme through its horizontal services in support of business and innovation. Complementarity and synergy with other Community programmes will be ensured.
REGIONS OF KNOWLEDGE
Objectives
Strengthening the research potential of European regions, in particular by encouraging and supporting the development, across Europe, of regional research-driven clusters associating universities, research centres, enterprises and
regional authorities.
Rationale
Regions are increasingly recognised as important players in the EU's research and development landscape. Research
policy and activities at regional level often rely on the development of clusters associating public and private actors.
The pilot action on Regions of Knowledge demonstrated the dynamic of this evolution and the need to support and
encourage the development of such structures.
The actions undertaken in this area will enable European regions to strengthen their capacity for investing in RTD and
carry out research activities, while maximising their potential for a successful involvement of their operators in European research projects and facilitating the emergence of clusters, thereby promoting regional development in Europe.
Actions will facilitate the creation of regional clusters which contribute to the development of the European Research
Area.
Activities
The new Regions of Knowledge initiative will involve and bring together regional actors involved in research, such as
universities, research centres, industry, public authorities (regional councils or regional development agencies). Projects
will cover joint analysis of research agendas of regional clusters (in coordination with other activities on the broader
issue of regional innovation clusters) and the elaboration of a set of instruments to address them in specific research
activities, including through the mentoring of regions with less developed research profiles by highly developed
regions and support for emerging Regions of Knowledge.
This will comprise measures aiming at improving research networking and access to sources of research funding as
well as better integration and linking of research actors and institutions in regional economies. These activities will be
implemented in close relationship with Community regional policy (structural funds), the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme and the education and training programmes.
In the context of the specific activity of Regions of Knowledge synergies will be sought with Community regional
policy as well as with relevant national and regional programmes, in particular with regard to convergence and outermost regions.
RESEARCH POTENTIAL
Objective
Stimulating the realisation of the full research potential of the enlarged Union by unlocking and developing existing
or emerging excellence in the EU's convergence regions and outermost regions ( 1), and helping to strengthen the capacities of their researchers to successfully participate in research activities at Community level.
(1) Convergence regions are those set out in Article 5 of the Council Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006 of 11 July 2006 laying down general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund and the Cohesion Fund (OJ L 210, 31.7.2006, p. 25). This
includes convergence objective regions, regions eligible for funding from the Cohesion fund, and outermost regions.
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Rationale
Europe does not fully exploit its research potential, in particular in less advanced regions remote from the European
core of research and industrial development. In order to help researchers and institutions, whether in the public or
private sector, of these regions to contribute to the overall European research effort, while taking advantage of the
knowledge and experience existing in other regions of Europe, this action aims at establishing the conditions that will
allow them to exploit their potential and help to fully realise the European Research Area in the enlarged Union. The
actions will build on past and existing measures such as the European Centres of Excellence under the Fifth Framework Programme in what were then acceding and candidate countries and Marie Curie Host Fellowships for the
Transfer of Knowledge.
Activities
The action in this domain will comprise support for:
Trans-national two-way secondments of research staff between selected organisations in the convergence regions,
and one or more partner organisations; support for selected centres of existing or emerging excellence for the
recruitment of incoming experienced researchers, including managers, from other countries.
The acquisition and development of research equipment and the development of a material environment enabling
a full exploitation of the intellectual potential present in the selected centres of existing or emerging excellence in
the convergence regions.
The organisation of workshops and conferences to facilitate knowledge transfer; promotion activities as well as
initiatives aiming at disseminating and transferring research results in and to other countries and international
markets.
Evaluation facilities through which any research centre in the convergence regions can obtain an international
independent expert evaluation of the level of their overall research quality and infrastructures.
Strong synergies will be sought with Community regional policy. Actions supported under this heading will identify
needs and opportunities for reinforcing the research capacities of emerging and existing centres of excellence in
convergence regions which may be met by structural and cohesion funds.
Synergies will also be sought with the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme in order to promote
the regional commercialisation of RTD in collaboration with industry.
SCIENCE IN SOCIETY
Objective
To stimulate, with a view to building an open, effective and democratic European knowledge-based society, the harmonious integration of scientific and technological endeavour, and associated research policies in the European social
web, by encouraging pan-European reflection and debate on science and technology and their relationship with the
whole spectrum of society and culture.
Rationale
The influence of science and technology on our daily lives is becoming increasingly profound. Products of social
activity and shaped by social and cultural factors, science and technology nevertheless remain a remote domain far
from the daily concerns of a large part of the public and of policy decision makers, and continue to be the subject of
misunderstandings. Contentious issues relating to emerging technologies should be addressed by society on the basis
of well informed debate leading to sound choices and decisions.
Activities
The substantial and integrated initiative undertaken in this field will comprise support for:
Strengthening and improving the European science system, and addressing the following issues: improving the use
and monitoring the impact of scientific advice and expertise for policy-making (including risk management); the
future of scientific publications; measures to make scientific publications more accessible to members of the
public wishing to consult them; safeguards for scientific domains open to misuse; and issues of fraud, trust and
self regulation.
Broadening the engagement of researchers and the public at large, including organised civil society, with sciencerelated questions, to anticipate and clarify political and societal issues, including ethical issues.
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Reflection and debate on science and technology and their place in society, drawing on disciplines such as history,
sociology and philosophy of science and technology.
Gender research, including the integration of the gender dimension in all areas of research and the promotion of
the role of women in research and in scientific decision-making bodies.
Creation of an open environment which triggers curiosity for science in children and young people, by reinforcing
science education at all levels, including in schools, and promoting interest and full participation in science among
young people from all backgrounds.
Strengthening the role of research carried out in universities and other higher education institutes and the engagement of such universities and institutes in the challenges of globalisation.
Improved intercommunication and mutual understanding between the scientific world and the wider audience of
policy-makers, the media and the general public, by helping scientists better communicate and present their work
and by supporting scientific information, publications and media.
These activities will take the form of, in particular, research projects, studies, networking and exchanges, public events
and initiatives, prizes, surveys and data collection. In many cases they will imply international partnerships with organisations from third countries.
SUPPORT FOR THE COHERENT DEVELOPMENT OF RESEARCH POLICIES
Objectives
Enhancing the effectiveness and coherence of national and Community research policies and their articulation with
other policies, improving the impact of public research and its links with industry, and strengthening public support
and its leverage effect on investment by private actors.
Rationale
Increasing investment in research and development up to the 3 % objective and improving its effectiveness is a top
priority of the Lisbon strategy for growth and employment. Thus, the development of effective policies to leverage
public and private research investments is a major concern of public authorities in light of the need to accelerate the
transition towards a competitive knowledge-based economy. This calls for adaptability of research policies, the mobilisation of a broader range of instruments, coordination of efforts across national boundaries and the mobilisation of
other policies to create better framework conditions for research.
Activities
The activities undertaken under this heading will complement the coordination activities under the Cooperation
programme and will aim at improving the coherence and impact of regional, national and Community policies and
initiatives (e.g. funding programmes, legislation, recommendations and guidelines). The activities will be the following:
Monitoring and analysis of research related public policies and industrial strategies, including their impact, and
development of indicators to provide information and evidence in support of the design, implementation, evaluation and trans-national coordination of policies.
Strengthening, on a voluntary basis, the coordination of research policies via actions to support the implementation of the open method of coordination (OMC) and bottom-up trans-national cooperation initiatives undertaken
at national or regional level on issues of common interest.
ACTIVITIES OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

To become competitive and play a leading role at world level, the European Community needs a strong and coherent
international science and technology policy. The international actions carried out under the different programmes
within the seventh Framework Programme will be implemented in the context of an overall international cooperation
strategy.
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This international policy has three interdependent objectives:

To support European competitiveness through strategic partnerships with third countries in selected fields of
science and by engaging the best third country scientists to work in and with Europe;
To facilitate contacts with partners in third countries with the aim of providing better access to research carried
out elsewhere in the world;
To address specific problems that third countries face or that have a global character, on the basis of mutual
interest and mutual benefit.
Cooperation with third countries in the Seventh Framework Programme will be targeted, in particular, at the following
groups of countries:
Candidate countries;
Countries neighbouring the EU, Mediterranean partner countries, Western Balkans countries (WBC) ( 1) and the
Eastern European and Central Asian countries (EECA) (2);
Developing countries, focusing on the particular needs of each country or region concerned ( 3);
Emerging economies.
The theme-oriented international cooperation actions will be carried out under the Cooperation programme. The
international actions in the area of human potential will be carried under the People programme.
Horizontal support actions and measures with a focus other than a specific thematic or interdisciplinary area covered
in Cooperation programme will be implemented under the Capacities programme, and could be supplemented, in a
limited number of cases, by specific cooperation actions of mutual interest. Efforts will be undertaken to improve the
coherence of national activities by supporting the coordination of national programmes on international scientific
cooperation. Taking into account the experience gained through INTAS and building on its work in the framework of
cooperation with the Eastern European and Central Asian countries, activities providing continuity will be undertaken
through this programme and the Cooperation and People programmes.
The overall coordination of the international cooperation actions under the different programmes of the Seventh
Framework Programme, as well as with other Community instruments, will be ensured.
NON-NUCLEAR ACTIONS OF THE JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE (JRC)
Objective
To provide customer driven scientific and technical support to the Community policy making process, ensuring
support to the implementation and monitoring of existing policies and responding to new policy demands.
Rationale
The JRC's independence of special interests, whether private or national, combined with its technical expertise enable
it to facilitate communication and consensus building between stakeholders (industry associations, environmental
action groups, Member States' competent authorities, other research centres etc.) and policy makers, especially at the
Community level and notably with the European Parliament. Through scientific and technological support the JRC
helps to make the Community policy process more effective, transparent and based on sound science. Where and
when appropriate, research conducted by the JRC should be coordinated with the research undertaken under the
Themes of the Cooperation Specific Programme, in order to avoid overlap and duplication.
(1) Other than associated candidate countries.
(2) Formerly called the New Independent States: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
(3) Noting that Latin America includes both developing countries and emerging economies.
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The JRC will strengthen its position in the European Research Area. In facilitating access to its facilities by European
and non-European researchers, including early-stage researchers, it will increase its cooperation with other public and
private research organisations, consistently improve the scientific quality of its own activities and contribute more
scientifically to training, which will remain a high priority for the JRC.
The usefulness and credibility of the JRC's support to Community policies is closely linked to the quality of its scientific expertise and its integration in the international scientific community. The JRC will therefore continue investing
in research and networking with other centres of excellence in relevant fields. It will participate in indirect actions in
all areas with emphasis on common scientific reference systems, networking, training and mobility, research infrastructure and participation in technology platforms and coordination instruments where it has the relevant expertise to
produce added value.
The JRC will actively pursue the promotion of the integration of new Member States and candidate countries in its
activities to the level currently enjoyed by the EU-15.
Activities
The JRC's priorities will be in fields which are strategically important for the Union and where its input provides high
added value. Scientific and technical support to Community policies will continue to be delivered in core areas such
as sustainable development, climate change, food, energy, transport, chemicals, alternative methods to animal testing,
research policy, information technologies, reference methods and materials, biotechnology, risks, hazards and socioeconomic impacts. Growth will be in areas of key concern for the Community:
Prosperity in a knowledge-intensive society
To carry out and develop advanced econometric modelling and analysis techniques in the context of policy
definition and monitoring, for example in the follow-up to the Lisbon Strategy, the Internal Market and Community research and education policies.
To develop models to support a new balance between sustainability objectives and competitiveness in a
responsible way.
To provide its scientific/technical support to the development of risk assessment and management procedures
as a tool for the European decision-making process.
Solidarity and responsible management of resources
To become a recognised science and technology reference centre for sustainable agriculture focusing on food
quality, traceability and safety (including GM food and feed), spatial management and cross-compliance and to
support the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy.
To provide the Common Fisheries Policy with S&T support.
To enhance the provision of harmonised European geo-referenced data and spatial information systems
(support to INSPIRE) and to continue developing new approaches to global environmental and resources
monitoring (support to GMES).
To provide expertise and play a role in the GMES research activities and in the development of new applications in this field.
To support the implementation of the EU Action Plan on Environment and Health including providing
support to on-going activities to establish a Community integrated environment and health information
system.
To promote and enhance the development and validation of alternative strategies, and in particular non-animal
methods, in all relevant areas of research (safety assessment, vaccine testing, health and biomedical research
etc.).
Freedom, security and justice
To develop activities contributing to the establishment of the area of freedom, security and justice, especially in
areas related to protection against terrorism, organised crime and fraud, border security and prevention of
major risks, in cooperation with relevant bodies.
To support the Community response to natural and technological disasters.
Europe as world partner
To strengthen support to Community external policies in specific areas such as external aspects of internal
security, development cooperation and humanitarian aid.
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ANNEX II
INDICATIVE BREAKDOWN AMONG PROGRAMMES
The indicative breakdown among programmes is as follows (in EUR million):
I. Cooperation (1) (2)
32 413
Health
6 100
Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology
1 935
Information and Communication Technologies
9 050
Nano-sciences, Nano-technologies, Materials and new Production Technologies
3 475
Energy
2 350
Environment (including Climate Change)
1 890
Transport (including Aeronautics)
4 160
Socio-economic Sciences and the Humanities
623
Space
1 430
Security
1 400
II. Ideas
7 510
III. People
4 750
IV. Capacities
4 097
Research Infrastructures
1 715
Research for the benefit of SMEs
1 336
Regions of Knowledge
126
Research Potential
340
Science in Society
330
Coherent development of research policies
70
Activities of International Cooperation
180
V. Non-nuclear actions of the Joint Research Centre
1 751
TOTAL
50 521
(1) Including Joint Technology Initiatives (including financial plan, etc.) and the part of the coordination and international cooperation
activities to be funded within the themes.
(2) The aim will be to enable at least 15 % of the funding available under the Cooperation part of the programme to go to SMEs.
Special provisions concerning the Risk-Sharing Finance Facility (RSFF)

The indicative budgets for the Cooperation and Capacities programmes include contributions to the European Investment Bank (EIB) for the constitution of the RSFF referred to in Annex III. The Council decisions adopting the contributing
specific programmes will establish, inter alia, the implementing arrangements under which the Commission will decide on
the reallocation to other activities of the Framework Programme of the Community contribution to the RSFF and the
income it generates that are not used by the EIB.
The Seventh Framework Programme will contribute an amount of up to EUR 500 million to the RSFF until 2010. For the
period 2010-2013, there will be the possibility to release up to an additional EUR 500 million following the evaluation
of the European Parliament and the Council in accordance with the procedure set out in Article 7(2) of this Decision on
the basis of a report by the Commission containing information on the participation of SMEs and universities, the fulfilment of the Seventh Framework Programme selection criteria, the kind of projects supported and the demand for the
instrument concerned, the duration of the authorisation procedure, the project results, and the funding distribution.
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EN
The amount made available out of the Seventh Framework Programme is to be matched by an equivalent amount from
the EIB. It will come from the Cooperation programme (up to EUR 800 million by proportional contribution of all
thematic priorities, except socio-economic sciences and humanities) and the Capacities programme (up to
EUR 200 million from the research infrastructure line).
The amount will be made available progressively to the EIB taking account of the level of demand.
In order to ensure a rapid launch with a critical mass of resources, an amount in the order of EUR 500 million will be
progressively allocated in the budget for a period up to the interim evaluation of the Seventh Framework Programme,
referred to in Article 7(2) of this Decision.
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EN

ANNEX III
FUNDING SCHEMES
Indirect Actions
The activities supported by the Seventh Framework Programme will be funded through a range of Funding schemes.
These schemes will be used, either alone or in combination, to fund actions implemented throughout the Framework
Programme.
The decisions for specific programmes, work programmes and calls for proposals will specify, as and when appropriate:
The type(s) of scheme(s) used to fund different actions;
The categories of participants (such as research organisations, universities, industry, SMEs, public authorities) which
can benefit from it;
The types of activities (such as research and technological development, demonstration, management, training, dissemination, and other related activities) which can be funded through each of them.
Where different funding schemes can be used, the work programmes may specify the funding scheme to be used for the
topic on which proposals are invited.
The funding schemes are the following:
(a) To support actions which are primarily implemented on the basis of calls for proposals:
1. Collaborative projects
Support for research projects carried out by consortia with participants from different countries, aiming at developing new knowledge, new technology, products, demonstration activities or common resources for research. The
size, scope and internal organisation of projects can vary from field to field and from topic to topic. Projects can
range from small or medium-scale focused research actions to large-scale integrating projects for achieving a
defined objective. Projects will also be targeted to special groups such as SMEs and other smaller actors.
2. Networks of Excellence
Support for a Joint Programme of Activities implemented by a number of research organisations integrating their
activities in a given field, carried out by research teams in the framework of longer term cooperation. The implementation of this Joint Programme of Activities will require a formal commitment from the organisations integrating part of their resources and their activities.
3. Coordination and support actions
Support for activities aimed at coordinating or supporting research activities and policies (networking, exchanges,
trans-national access to research infrastructures, studies, conferences, etc.). These actions may also be implemented
by means other than calls for proposals.
4. Support for frontier research
Support for projects carried out by individual national or transnational research teams. This scheme will be used to
support investigator-driven frontier research projects funded in the framework of the European Research Council.
5. Support for training and career development of researchers
Support for training and career development of researchers, mainly to be used for the implementation of the Marie
Curie actions.
6. Research for the benefit of specific groups (in particular SMEs)
Support for research projects where the bulk of the research and technological development is carried out by
universities, research centres or other legal entities, for the benefit of specific groups, in particular SMEs or associations of SMEs. Efforts will be undertaken to mobilise additional financing from the EIB and other financial organisations.
(b) To support actions implemented on the basis of decisions by the Council and the European Parliament (or by the
Council in consultation with the European Parliament) based on a proposal from the Commission, the Community
will provide financial support to multi-financed large-scale initiatives.
A financial contribution from the Community to the joint implementation of well identified national research
programmes, on the basis of Article 169 of the Treaty. This joint implementation will require the establishment or
existence of a dedicated implementation structure. Community financial support will be provided subject to the
definition of a financing plan based on formal commitments from competent national authorities.
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EN
A financial contribution from the Community to the implementation of Joint Technology Initiatives to realise
objectives that cannot be achieved through the funding schemes identified in part (a) above. Joint Technology
Initiatives will mobilise a combination of funding of different kinds and from different sources; private and public,
European and national. This funding may take different forms and may be allocated or mobilised though a range
of mechanisms: support from the Framework Programme, loans from the European Investment Bank (EIB), risk
capital support. Joint Technology Initiatives may be decided and implemented on the basis of Article 171 of the
Treaty (this may include the creation of joint undertakings) or through the Decisions establishing the specific
programmes. Community support will be provided subject to the definition of an overall blueprint of financial
engineering, based on formal commitments from all parties concerned.
A financial contribution from the Community to the development of new infrastructures of European interest.
This contribution may be decided on the basis of Article 171 of the Treaty or through the Specific Programme
Decisions. The development of new infrastructures will mobilise a combination of funding of different nature and
origin: national funding, Framework Programme, Structural funds, loans from the EIB and others. Community
support will be provided subject to the definition of an overall financial plan based on a commitment from all
parties concerned.
The Community will implement the funding schemes identified in part (a) above in compliance with the provisions of the
regulation to be adopted pursuant to Article 167 of the Treaty, the relevant State aid instruments, in particular the Community framework for State aid to research and development, as well as international rules in this area. In compliance
with this international framework, it will be necessary to be able to adjust the scale and form of financial participation on
a case-by-case basis, in particular if funding from other public sector sources is available, including other sources of Community financing such as the EIB.
In addition to providing direct financial support to participants in RTD actions, the Community will improve their access
to debt finance through the Risk-Sharing Finance Facility by providing a contribution to the EIB. The Community contribution must be used by the EIB, which will be a risk sharing partner, to contribute to the provisioning and capital allocation for loan and guarantee financing from its own resources. There will be no further liability for the Community
budget. Subject to and in accordance with arrangements to be established by the regulation adopted pursuant Article 167
of the Treaty and the Council decisions adopting the specific programmes, this mechanism will enable the EIB to increase
the amount of financing of European RTD actions (such as joint technology initiatives, large projects-including EUREKA
projects, and new research infrastructures and projects run by SMEs) to help overcome market deficiencies.
In the case of participants in an indirect action established in a region lagging in development (convergence regions and
outermost regions (1)), complementary funding from the structural funds will be mobilised wherever possible and appropriate. In the case of participation of entities from the candidate countries, an additional contribution from the pre-accession financial instruments may be granted under similar conditions. As regards actions in the research infrastructures
part of the capacities programme of the Seventh Framework Programme, the detailed funding arrangements for these
will be defined with a view to ensuring that there is effective complementarity between community research funding and
other Community and national instruments, notably the structural funds.
Direct actions
The Community will undertake activities implemented by the Joint Research Centre, which are referred to as direct
actions.
(1) Convergence regions are those set out in Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006. This includes convergence objective regions, regions
eligible for funding from the Cohesion fund, and outermost regions.
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30.12.

Official Journal of the European Union

DECISION No 1982/2006/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

and strengthen the necessary research and innovation

In line with the Lisbon strategy, the Barcelona European

The overriding aim of the Seventh Framework

The European Parliament has repeatedly stressed the

Taking into account the research needs of all Community

European Technology Platforms (ETPs) and the envisaged

Having regard to the Opinion of the Committee of the

The Community has the objective, set out in the Treaty,

(1) OJ C 65, 17.3.2006, p. 9.

(4) OJ C 320 E, 15.12.2005, p. 259.

Official Journal of the European Union

The objectives of the Seventh Framework Programme

In order to realise these objectives it is necessary to

Under the Cooperation programme, support should be

Under the People programme, individuals should be

trans-national cooperation at every scale across the

In addition, the dialogue between science and society in

The research and innovation capacities throughout

Official Journal of the European Union

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) should contribute to

The Seventh Framework Programme complements the

Mutual synergies and complementarity should be assured

Participation in the activities of the Seventh Framework

Taking into account the mid-term review of the use of

Given the broad interest in the Framework Programme

Implementation of the Seventh Framework Programme

(1) See page 1 of this OJ.

Official Journal of the European Union

The Community has concluded a number of international

There is already a significant body of scientific knowledge

The Seventh Framework Programme should contribute

Research activities supported by the Seventh Framework

Under the Seventh Framework Programme the role of

(1) OJ C 139, 14.6.2006, p. 1.

irregularities (3) and Regulation (EC) No 1073/1999 of

It is important to ensure sound financial management of

HAVE DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Official Journal of the European Union

2. The indicative breakdown among the thematic areas of

(f) Environment (including Climate Change);

3. The detailed rules for Community financial participation

(g) Transport (including Aeronautics);

2. The following fields of research shall not be financed

Protection of the Communities' financial interests

research activities intended to create human embryos solely

Non-nuclear actions of the Joint Research

Any application for financing for research on human embryonic

Official Journal of the European Union

Seventh Framework Programme and of the efforts made with

Monitoring, evaluation and review

3. Two years following the completion of this Framework

The Commission shall communicate the conclusions thereof,

Done at Brussels, 18 December 2006.

For the Council

Official Journal of the European Union

Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology;