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Véronique Graff
NCP Wallonie, Belgium

'Framework programmes' (FPs) have been the main financial tools through which the European Union supports research and development activities and consortia covering almost all scientific disciplines all over Europe. FPs have been implemented since 1984. It has been proposed for FP7 to run for seven years. It is fully operational as of 1 January 2007 and will expire in 2013. It is designed to build on the achievements of former FPs towards the creation of the European Research Area (ERA).

The idea of a European Research Area grew out of the realisation that research in Europe suffers from weaknesses: insufficient funding, lack of an environment to stimulate research and exploit results, and the fragmented nature of activities and the dispersal of resources. To tackle this problem, the Commission proposed, in January 2000, the creation of a European Research Area that combines three related and complementary concepts: a European "internal market" for research; effective European-level coordination of national and regional research activities, programmes and policies; and initiatives implemented and funded at European level. The concept was endorsed at the Lisbon European Council in 2000 and the European Research Area has become a key reference for research policy in Europe. However, there is still much further to go to build ERA, particularly to overcome the fragmentation of research activities, programmes and policies across Europe.

FP7’s global budget is around 50 billion EUROS for the 2007-2013 period. The calls for proposals under FP7 are set out in annual work programmes which provide details about topics, timing and implementation. First calls for proposals were launched in December 2006.
FP7 is organised in four specific programmes corresponding to four basic components of European research:

• “Cooperation” (32.4 billion €),
• “Ideas” (7.5 billion €),
• “People” (4.7 billion €),
• “Capacities” (4.1 billion €).

In addition, there is a “Specific programme” for the Joint Research Centre non-nuclear activities (1.8 billion €) and one for Euratom nuclear research and training activities (2.8 billion €).

On one hand, the “Cooperation” specific programme will support the whole range of research activities carried out in trans-national cooperation. International cooperation between the EU and third countries is an integral part of this action. This action is industry-driven and organised in four sub-programmes: [1] Collaborative research which constitutes the core of EU research funding; [2] Joint Technology Initiatives mainly created on the basis of the European Technology Platforms; [3] Coordination of non-Community research programmes; and [4] International Cooperation. A bottom-up approach was adopted in this programme: ten high level themes were identified where research must be supported and strengthened to address European social, economic, environmental and industrial challenges :

• Health
• Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Biotechnology (more than € 1.9 billion €)
• Information & communication technologies (ICT)
• Nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials & new production technologies
• Energy
• Environment (including climate change)
• Transport (including aeronautics)
• Socio-economic sciences and the humanities
• Space
• Security

On the other hand, the “Ideas” programme will enhance the European research at the frontier of knowledge while the “People” programme aims at strengthening human resources in research and technology in Europe by putting into place a coherent set of Marie Curie actions. Finally, the “Capacities” programme is built on a top-down approach : it supports research infrastructures, research for the benefit of SMEs and the research potential of European regions (Regions of Knowledge); it stimulates the realisation of the full research potential (Convergence Regions) of the enlarged Union and builds an effective and democratic European Knowledge society.

The next call for proposals of the “Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Biotechnology” theme (the "2008 call") will be published on 30 November 2007. The budget is around 97 millions EUROS and the deadline for proposals is 26 February 2008. Four main activities are defined: [1] Sustainable production and management of biological resources from land, forest and aquatic environment; [2] Fork to farm: Food (including seafood), health and well being; [3] Life Sciences, biotechnology and biochemistry for sustainable non-food products and processes; [4] Other activities. The work programme provides, for each topic, a description of the technical content and scope of the research, any specific participation requirements (if appropriate) and the related expected impact that are expected to be addressed within the proposals. In view of the wider scope of this theme and the more limited financial resources available in the first few years of the FP7, the focus is on topics that cover new areas, as compared to FP6 and the FP7 2007 work programme, or are a necessary continuation or follow-up of previously funded European projects, and/or are of high priority and European added value in terms of recent policy developments. This “2008 call” will exclusively focus on [i] small collaborative projects, where needs in terms of competitiveness or policy support are more tangible and targeted and where clear impacts can be achieved through shorter term projects, and [ii] on small preparatory actions (Coordination & Support Actions – CSA), which will, inter alia, identify and lay the ground for priority actions in later calls. All proposals will be evaluated under the one-stage procedure.

The FP7 National Contact Points (NCPs) are the main structures to provide guidance, practical information and assistance on all aspects of participation in FP7. NCPs are national structures established and financed by governments of the 27 EU member states and the states associated to the framework programme. NCPs give personalised support to FP7 proposers and participants in their own country or region.

The NCP-Wallonie is funded by the DGTRE of the Walloon Region and makes the link between the services of the European Commission and the Walloon FP7 participants. It offers proactive and “free of charge” services related to FP7: general and accurate information, partner searches, opportunities to join FP7 consortia, guidance with projects set up and management (rules for submitting proposals, forms, budget, IPR management …).  Its activities are mainly concentrated on SMEs and Research Centers participation in FP7.