Keith Sequeira, Framework Programme; Inter-institutional relations Unit

DG Research, European Commission

Experience of the implementation of FP6; preparations towards FP7

October, 2004

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Contents

Part I: Implementation of FP6Experience so farPolish participationFuture

Part II: Towards FP7Commission proposalsTaking the debate forward: consultation and next steps

PART I

Implementation of the 6th Framework Programme

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Experience with FP6

Very high level of response and participationOver 28,000 proposals and 150,000 institutionsBudget fully committed

Implementation on trackOver 200 IPs and NoEs to date

Issues:OversubscriptionParticipation of New Member States Industrial and SME involvement

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Poland participation in FP5

0

100

200

300

400

500

Enterprise sector Research Centres Higher education Others

Number of Polish participations: 1242

Total funding to Polish partners: 123 M€Total funding to the 962 contracts involved: 1280 M€

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Polish participation in FP5

PL

ES577

PL1242

UK1215

FR965

IT877

NL611

DE1414

Number of cooperative links

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Polish particiation: FP6 (estimated figures up to June 2003)

Number of evaluated proposals: 19307

Number with PL participation: 2888

Total number of participations: 4605

Overall success rate (est.): 18.5%

PL success rate (est.): 13.8%

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Future implementation: Input and Advice

Marimon report and recommendations

“The New Instruments introduced in FP6 are a powerful means to foster transnational collaborative research in the European Research Area…. The New Instruments should therefore be maintained in FP 7. There are however many design and implementation aspects that need to be improved”

Better differentiation of instruments according to their objectives, in particular STREPs and IPs

“Critical mass” depends on the topic and does not necessarily mean “large”

A greater budget for STREPsFurther simplification of administrative procedures and financial

rules

Commission response in SeptemberCorrective measures in FP6 : already adopted and implemented or

to be adopted (those which do not imply a modification of the legal framework);

Considerations for FP7

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Future implementation:Input and advice (2)

2003 Monitoring Report“The panel concluded that the overall implementation of the Framework Programme in 2003 was carried out in an efficient fashion, in so far as the evidence allowed us to see, and that the evaluation procedures had been fair and of high quality”

5 year Assessment Report due at beginning of 2005

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Future implementation: calls for proposals

Calls more focused and prescriptive about instruments

Greater emphasis on STREPs (depending on call)

Moving to electronic only applications

Further use of two stage procedureE.g. Call for Priority 5, published on 14 July

All information on CORDIS http://www.cordis.lu/en/home.html

PART II

Towards FP7

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Strategic Objectives for EU Research Policy

Strengthening research excellence

Creating the European Research AreaGreater coordination of research policies and activities

Increasing research investment Towards 3% of GDP by 2010, with 2/3 financed by

industry

EU to become the world’s most dynamic and competitive knowledge economy

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Commission proposals: financial perspectives

Commission communications (February, July 2004) on the proposed Financial Perspectives covering the period 2007-13

Lisbon agenda, sustainable development, competitiveness as priorities

Significant increase (doubling) of research budget as a necessity to progress more rapidly on the Lisbon agenda

Increasing the added value of EU actions, complementing and reinforcing national actions

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Commission proposals:future EU research policy

Commission communication on future research policy (June 2004)

Increasing the value added and impact of RTD actions

Focusing support on major objectives for Europe, with a balance between:

Continuing and strengthening current approaches New activities to meet new needs

Launching a wide debate and public consultation on the way forward for the 7th Framework Programme

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Commission proposals: Value added of EU actions

Pooling and leveraging resourcesAssembling critical mass, enabling “big science”,

leveraging private investment

Fostering excellence in researchSupporting European research careers and mobility of

researchers, creating world class centres of excellence, EU level competition to drive up quality and creativity

Better integration of EU research Addressing pan-European challenges, coordinating

national and regional policies, conducting comparative research at EU level, disseminating research results more widely

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Commission proposals: focusing support on major objectives

Collaborative research

Basic research, competitive funding

Technology initiatives

Human resources

Research infrastructures

Coordination of national

programmes

6 axes

new

new

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Commission proposals:Continuing and reinforcing activities

Collaborative research

Creating European centres of excellence through collaboration between laboratories

Continuity with FP6, but with improvements, e.g. regarding instruments, procedures etc.

Focused prioritiesWhere European value added is greatestTo support EU policy objectives

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Commission proposals:Continuing and reinforcing activities

Human resources

Making Europe more attractive for the best researchers

Build on success of Marie Curie actions

Trans-national, trans-sectoral, and industry-academia mobility

Research careers and life-long learning

International dimension

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Commission proposals:Continuing and reinforcing activities

Research infrastructure

Developing research infrastructure of European interest

Continued support for transnational access, networking and improved performance

Support to construction and operation of new infrastructures

Role for “European Strategic Forum for Research Infrastructures” (ESFRI)

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Commission proposals:Continuing and reinforcing activities

Coordination of programmes

Improving the coordination of national and regional research programmes

Reinforce ERA-Net scheme and extend funding to research activities

Use of Article 169

Reinforce links with other European research organisations

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Commission proposals: Creating new approaches

European technology initiativesLaunching public private partnerships for research in key

technologies

Formation of “technology platforms” with key stakeholders

Definition of strategic research agendas

Implementation of research agendas In most cases via support to collaborate research (e.g.

Integrated Projects) In limited number of cases via “joint technology initiatives”

based on Article 171

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Commission proposals: Creating new approaches

Basic research

Stimulating creativity and excellence in basic research

All fields of science

Excellence as sole criterion

Grants to individual research teams

Establish a European Research Council/ Agency

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Commission proposals:additional aspects

Raising research performance in all regions

Increased complementarity with the Structural Funds

Improved procedures and management

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Taking forward the debate: Open Consultation on the Communication

Open from 30 July to 15 October 2004

Overall a good responseOver 1700 responses received. Over 100 responses from Germany, UK, Italy, Belgium,

France , Spain Lower level of response from new Member States

From different types of organisations:Universities, SMEs, government bodies, large

companies, associations, individuals, other organisations.

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Taking forward the debate: Open Consultation on the Communication

Very strong support (97%) for strengthening EU support for research

Strong support (over 80%) for the six objectives:Strongest support for human resources and collaborative

research.

Results and analysis to be made available on:http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/future/index_en.html

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June 2004 Communication on the future of EU research policy

Oct 2004Open consultation on the Communication

2004- Development work in consultation with theonwards community (e.g. identifying research topics,

instruments, procedures)http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/future/index_en.html

Early 2005 FP7 proposal, extended Impact Assessment

2006 Decision on FP7

Taking forward the debate:Timetable