FP7 Overview

The Seventh Framework Programme runs for 7 years (2007-2013). 

The 7th EU Research Framework Program is organised in four parts corresponding to four major components of European Research:

Co-operation - Collaborative trans-national research activities

Ideas - Basic research implemented though the European Research Council (ERC)

People - Marie Curie actions and other training and mobility initiatives

Capacities - Development of research infrastructures and support to regional clusters, SMEs and international cooperation

Each of them is subject of a Specific Program 

The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) includes the following thematic areas under the Cooperation Program:

·          Health

·          Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology

·          Information and Communication Technologies

·          Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies

·          Energy

·          Environment (including Climate Change)

·          Transport (including Aeronautics)

·          Socio-Economic Sciences and the Humanities

·          Security

·          Space

Ten high level themes implemented via four types of activities:

ü        Collaborative projects and networks (~RTD);

ü        Joint Technology Initiatives (~ ETP);

ü        Co-ordination of national research programs (~ ERA-NET);

ü        International Co-operation (~ INCO)

The ten high level themes are broadly defined, at relatively high level. For each of them, a series of research topics have been identified as priority subjects for EU support. In the case of subjects of industrial nature and relevance in particular, the topics have been identified relying, among other sources, on the work of different “European Technology Platforms” set up in various fields. Under each theme, beside these topics, the possibility will be ensured to address in an open and flexible way two types of opportunities and needs:   

Emerging needs: through a specific support to spontaneous research proposals aiming at identifying or further exploring, in a given fields and/or at the intersection of several disciplines,   new scientific and technological opportunities, in particular linked with a potential for significant breakthroughs;

Unforeseen policy needs: to respond in a flexible way to new policy needs that arise during the course of the Framework Programme, for instance related with unforeseen developments or events requiring a quick reaction like, in the past, the SARS epidemic or emerging concerns in food safety.