PURPOSE: adoption of the EU’s 7th Framework Programme (2007-2013).
LEGISLATIVE ACT: Decision 1982/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community, for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007-2013).
CONTENT: the 7th Framework Programme seeks to strengthen the EU’s industrial competitiveness and to respond to the research needs of SME’s, research undertakings and universities. The overriding aim of the programme is to contribute towards the EU becoming the world’s leading research area. In order to implement these objectives five specific programmes have been established, namely: Co-operation, Ideas, People , Capacities and funding for the Joint Research Centre. Each of the Specific Programmes is the subject of a separate legislative act. (See: Co-operation: CNS/2005/0185 ; Ideas: CNS/2005/0186;People: CNS/2005/0187 ; Capacity: CNS/2005/0188).
- Co-operation: The purpose of this specific programme is to support the whole range of research actions carried out in trans-national co-operation according to the following themes: Health; Food, Agriculture and Fisheries; Biotechnology; Information and Communication Technologies; Nano-sciences, nanotechnologies, Material and New Production Technologies; Energy; Environment (including Climate Change); Transport; Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities; Space; and Security.
- Ideas: The purpose of this specific programme is to support “investigator-driven” research carried out across all fields by individual national or transnational teams in competition at the European level.
- People: The purpose of this specific programme is to strengthen, quantitatively and qualitatively, the human potential in research and technological development in Europe, as well as encouraging mobility.
- Capacities: The purpose of this specific programme is to support key aspects of European research and innovation such as research infrastructures; regional driven clusters; the development of a full research potential in the Community’s convergence and outmost regions; research for the benefit of SME’s; “Science in Society”; support to the coherent development of policies; and horizontal activities of international co-operation.
- JRC: In addition, the 7th Framework Programme will also support the non-nuclear direct scientific and technical actions carried out by the Joint Research Centre.
The 7th Framework Programme introduces a new approach which allows the political objectives of Community research policy to be reached more easily, more flexibly and more efficiently. To this end the new programme offers:
- smaller and simplified funding schemes;
- enhanced co-ordination between industry, private investors and researchers;
- researchers (under some actions) to identify topics for future funding;
- the setting up of a Risk-Sharing Facility to improve access to EIB loans for large scale European actions and
- the establishment of a European Research Council under the Ideas initiative;
- new management methods of the framework programme by introducing improved efficiency drives through the externalisation of administrative tasks to an executive agency;
- a clearer presentation of evaluation criteria; and
- streamlined procedures for approving projects.
The 7th framework programme will contribute towards promoting growth, sustainable development and environmental protection, including that of climate change. All research activity carried out under the 7th Framework programme will be carried out in compliance with fundamental ethical principles. The following research topics will, as a result, not be financed:
- human cloning for reproductive purposes;
- research intended to modify the genetic heritage of human beings which could make such changes heritable; and
- research intended to create embryos solely for the purpose of research or for the purpose of stem cell procurement including by means of somatic cell nuclear transfer.
Research on human stem cells, both adult and embryonic, may be financed depending on the contents of the scientific proposal and the legal framework of the Member State involved. Any application for financing on human embryonic stem cells must include details of licensing and control measures. Institutions, organisations and researchers will be subject to strict licensing and control in accordance with the legal framework of the Member Stat(e)s involved.
No later than 2010, the Commission will carry out, with the assistance of external experts, an evidence based interim evaluation of the 7th Framework programme.
The maximum overall amount for Community financial participation will be EUR 50 521 million. For further details on the financial aspect of the Regulation refer to the financial summary below.
ENTRY INTO FORCE: 2 January 2007.