EU Seventh Framework Programme (FP7)
The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7)
for
research and technolgical development is the European Union’s main funding instrument for collaborative research in Europe. The seven-year programme with over € 50 billion to spend has passed its midterm. Nevertheless, with an increase of up to 40% of available budget for the period 2011-2013, a considerable amount of money is still available for the co-financing of research, technological development and demonstration projects. (Read more)
The CORDIS
website is the gateway to European Research Funding providing useful information on:
- Calls
- Partners
- National Contact Points
- Projects
- Documents
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Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP)
With small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as its main target, the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme
(CIP)
supports innovation activities (including eco-innovation), provides better access to finance and delivers business support services in the regions. The CIP runs from 2007 to 2013 with an overall budget of € 3621 million.
It encourages a better take-up and use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and helps to develop the information society. It also promotes the increased use of renewable energies and energy efficiency.
The CIP is divided into three operational programmes:
- The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (EIP)
- The Information Communication Technologies Policy Support Programme (ICT-PSP)
- The Intelligent Energy Europe Programme (IEE)
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EUREKA
EUREKA
is not in itself a funding mechanism - it is a Europe-wide network for industrial research and development, designed to strengthen EU competitiveness by promoting market-driven collaborative projects. These involve mainly industry, but also research institutes and universities across Europe, and use advanced technologies which result in innovative products, processes and services for civilian purposes.
Launched in 1985, EUREKA now has 29 full member countries - including Russia and the EU: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and the EU. In addition, organisations from five more countries, where national information points have been set up, also participate in projects - Albania, Bulgaria, Estonia, the Slovak Republic and the Ukraine.
EUREKA will consider a project from any technological area, providing it:
- will be undertaken on a co-operative basis involving independent organisations from at least two member countries having access to the necessary financial and qualified resources; and
- should aim to result in a significant technological advance in its sector, and a marketable product, process or service for civil use.
One of the network's major attractions is its non-bureaucratic approach.
EUREKA also helps to put projects together, through a busy schedule of 'brokerage events'.
> > > > > EUREKA's Eurostars Programme
EUREKA's Eurostars Programme
is the first European funding and support programme to be specifically dedicated to research-performing SMEs. A Eurostars project is a European research and development project. It can address any technological area, but must have a civilian purpose and be aimed at the development of a new product, process or service. Eurostars projects are collaborative, meaning they must involve at least two participants (legal entities) from two different Eurostars participating countries.
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European Space Agency (ESA)
The European Space Agency (ESA)
is a key ordering customer for European industry. The bulk of the technology implemented to carry out the host of projects launched by ESA is elaborated by European industrial companies.
Communication systems, platforms for broadcasting multimedia content via satellite, as well as advanced electronics and precision mechanics are some examples of technologies developed by businesses answering the numerous calls for tenders and calls for proposals issued by ESA.
Luxembourg, official member of ESA since 2005, enables companies and research centers to take part in numerous European space programs in various fields such as:
- Earth, Sun & Space observation;
- Development of satellites and new booster rockets;
- Implementation of telecommunication and satellite navigation systems
Luxinnovation, as National Contact Point
for the ESA, provides companies and research centres with information on how the ESA operates and offers support to entrepreneurs and researchers willing to work with the European Space Agency.
