Get support with preparing proposals under the Health themehttp://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/cooperation/health_en.html

National Contact Points (NCPs) in EU Member States and Associated Countries (ACs) provide guidance, practical information and assistance on all aspects of participation in the Framework Programmes: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/ncp_en.html

FP7 contacts in third countriesSome third countries have established Contact Points (CPs) for cooperation with the EU in FP7. The CPs undertake a wide range of activities aimed at providing information, training and networking, thereby facilitating cooperation among the respective scientific communities: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/third-countries_en.html

Eligibility criteria: While FP7 participants can in principle be based anywhere, the eligibility criteria may be different for certain third countries: http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/who_en.html#countries

List of the International Cooperation Partner Countries (ICPCs): http://ec.europa.eu/research/iscp/pdf/icpc_countries_en.pdf

Find FP7 calls and relevant documents

http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/cooperation/health_en.html

Rules on submission and evaluationGuide for applicants Thematic Work Programme FP7 Specific Programme on ‘Cooperation’

Contact

International Cooperation: Dr Indridi BenediktssonTel. +32 22993137E-mail: severine.romain@ec.europa.eu

© European Communities, 2010Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Printed in Belgium.

International Mouse Knockout Consortium (IMKC)Genome Canada, the European Commission, and the National Institutes

of Health (NIH) from within the US Department of Health and Human

Services (HHS) agreed to a collaborative effort to functionally annotate

the genome, using the powerful tools of mouse genetics. This mouse-

gene knockout resource has now been accelerated through three large-

scale programmes: the ‘North American Conditional Mouse Mutagene-

sis’ project (NorCOMM), the ‘European Conditional Mouse Mutagenesis’

project (EUCOMM, financed by the European Commission) and the US

‘Knockout Mouse Project’ (KOMP).

KOMP, EUCOMM, and NorCOMM have agreed to share gene lists and

data to help coordinate these international efforts. Development of the

vectors, mutant embryonic stem (ES) cells, mice and distribution net-

works for producing a knockout mutation for every gene in the mouse

genome will provide valuable research tools in the short-term. It will re-

duce overall costs to the research community by shortening the time

needed to produce experimental data. It will also provide a base for

future research in a wide range of areas for many years to come.

http://www.eucomm.org

http://www.knockoutmouse.org

http://norcomm.phenogenomics.ca/index.htm

Examples of Projects

The role of Europe

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International Cooperationin Health Research

Pharma-PlantaThe ‘Recombinant Pharmaceuticals from Plants for Human Health’ (Pharma-

Planta) project is a consortium of 39 leading scientists from academic and

industrial institutions in Europe and South Africa. Pharma-Planta is a five-

year project in the field of ‘Plant platforms for immunotherapeutic biomolecule

production’. The project will develop robust risk-assessment and risk-

management practices based upon its environmental and health impacts.

Researchers are also working closely with EU regulatory authorities to ensure

safety and acceptance.

Pharmaceuticals derived from plants have the potential to benefit human health

everywhere in the world. The use of Germinated Molecule pharmaceuticals

has precedents, such as human insulin and the hepatitis B vaccine. There

is an undoubted need to develop new vaccines to counter major diseases,

such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. No other production system can

match plants in terms of economy and scale of production. This pioneering

technology will allow the large-scale production of modern medicines in a way

that will benefit poor populations in developing countries.

Partners from: the United Kingdom, Austria, Ireland, Italy, France,

Greece, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Sweden and

South Africa

http://www.pharma-planta.org

AsiaFluCapThe project ‘Health system analysis to support capacity development to re-

spond to pandemic influenza in Asia’ (AsiaFluCap) will last three years and use

operational planning in order to implement strategic pandemic influenza plans.

It will provide a framework for evaluating the operational capacity of health sys-

tems in Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. The project will systematically

identify gaps in the operational capacity of the different countries in order to best

support the containment and mitigation of pandemic influenza.

Partners from: the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Thai-

land, Indonesia, Taiwan and Vietnam

AlloStemThe ‘Development of Immunotherapeutic Strategies to Treat Haematologi-

cal and Neoplastic diseases on the Basis of Optimised Allogeneic Stem

Cell Transplantation’ (AlloStem) project brings together clinical and re-

search groups from the field of immunotherapy to coordinate and comple-

ment their efforts into a unified and directed programme. The partners are

developing new protocols for the treatment of patients with haematological

disease and for the effective delivery of immunogenomics-based thera-

pies. The project delivers improvements in health care for EU citizens’ new

genome-based pharmaceuticals that can be exploited worldwide. Part-

ners in the AlloStem project include small to medium-sized enterprises

(SMEs) with expertise in the area of immunohaematology therapy.

Partners from: the United Kingdom, Russia, the Czech Republic, Spain,

France, Argentina, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Belgium, Brazil,

Sweden. Associate Members both from Europe (e.g. Austria, Ireland, the

former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) and non-European countries

(e.g. Mexico, the United States, Israel, Chile)

http://www.allostem.org

CATAFLU.OR‘Organocatalytic approaches towards easily synthesised, economical and

high-yielding Oseltamivir derivatives’ (CATAFLU.OR) is a three-year project

that addresses a new ‘domino’ reaction based on an organocatalytic ap-

proach to the synthesis of new Oseltamivir derivatives.

Neuraminidase is an essential enzyme for viral replication in influenza virus-

es. Inhibitors of neuraminidase such as oseltamivir phosphate (Tamiflu®) or

zanamivir (Relenza®) are essential for defence against influenza and for the

possible mitigation of a pandemic. Public demand for the stockpiling of Osel-

tamivir derivatives has greatly increased recently. However, natural sources of

the drug are scarce and the ways known for synthesising it are complex and

expensive. Therefore, new pathways are required for chemical synthesis, in

order to identify new drug candidates, cut the costs and improve upon avail-

ability and efficiency.

Partners from: Italy, Slovakia, Germany, Finland and China

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Programme-Level Cooperation with Industrialised Countries

4

This type of cooperation is a result of common planning for calls leading to individually funded projects work-ing together towards a common goal. The European Commission and the other funding agencies involved fund projects according to the respective rules of the agencies. This follows a common workshop which specifies the sub-areas to be covered by each agency. This is appropriate in cases where the size of the undertaking is such that a single country or region cannot be expected to complete the task on its own but can also be considered for smaller undertakings. Past examples of such cooperation include the sequencing of genomes, where each part-ner could be made responsible for certain chromosomes. The EC currently funds projects on Mouse Genomics, which cooperate with complementary North American initiatives (see example overleaf). Other examples include metagenomics, proteomics and paediatric medicines. The Commission Services can play an important role in coordinating the European effort in such international initiatives.

The partnership in Health Research projects (1) was extended beyond EU Member States and Associated Coun-tries (ACs) as early as the start of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) in 2002, allowing partners from almost any country in the world to participate in FP projects.

The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) has seen this general opening up continue and a gradual increase in the participation of third countries (TCs) can be observed from one call to the next. This expansion of the programme is underpinned by the fact that the FP7 is by definition a multi-country programme and therefore lends itself to wider collaboration.

With regard to the funding of non EU/non AC participants in the projects, those from lower- and middle-income countries are eligible for funding. But those from high-income countries are normally expected to cover their own expenses, except when this funding is essential for carrying out the overall project. An exception is made for US-based entities, which can receive funds in any case, in recognition of the openness of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) programmes.

General Opening of Health Topics1

Specific International Cooperation Actions (SICAs)2

The Specific International Cooperation Actions (SICAs) address distinct issues relevant to cooperation with par-ticular countries or regions and require the participation of International Cooperation Partners Countries (ICPCs). The minimum requirement is for two participants from EU Member States / Associated Countries (ACs), and two from different ICPCs (2). Topics are chosen with a view to special qualities or requirements of the partner countries. These may be the result of bilateral or multilateral dialogues or workshops with the target regions.

Cooperation with developing countries seeking solutions to particular problems, such as neglected diseases or issues of public health, should always ensure the highest standards and quality. Wherever science has a role in addressing a problem, the Health theme can aid cooperation. There is a need for greater encouragement for both established and younger researchers to work in science areas relevant to the developing world. It is also important to build on broad interdisciplinary experience as was done in the Integrated Projects.

The SICA concept is, in part, a continuation of the FP6 INCO programme for supporting research collaboration with third countries. By linking these projects to the ‘European’ projects, an improved synergy and visibility can be achieved.

2 For certain big ICPCs (Brazil, China, India, Russia), it is sufficient to have two partners from different regions within the country.

1 Life Sciences, Genomics and Biotechnology for Health.

International Cooperation in Health Research follows four main routes:

Timeframe for FP7 projects

Connecting the global scientific community and underpinning the role of Europe in international research and technology for Health

The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) on ‘Cooperation’ funds research activities jointly undertaken by different research bodies through transnational cooperation. The aim is to support European leadership in key areas of science and technology. FP7 allocates EUR 32.4 billion to the Cooperation programme, of which EUR 6.1 billion will be available for Health Research. International cooperation via the Framework Programme involves collaboration between the institutions of EU Member States and countries associated to FP7 (ACs) on the one hand and non-associated third countries (TCs) on the other.

International cooperation is one of the key aspects of FP7 and an integral part of the Health theme. Project consortia in all areas of Health are encouraged to include research entities from TCs, including International Cooperation Partner Countries (ICPCs) and countries with Scientific and Technological cooperation agreements with the EU. The participation of non-associated TCs is possible under all topics of the theme and is mandatory for Special International Cooperation Actions (SICAs). This represents an expansion of the EU Framework Programmes, which aim to remove barriers between countries and different types of organisations and disciplines.

general opening of all topics to any country in the world;

Specific International Cooperation Actions;

coordinated topics with certain TCs;

programme-level cooperation with industrialised countries.

Last projects endFirst projects start Last projects startFirst calls

Official duration of FP7 2007-2013

Projects resulting from FP7 calls operating

Results from FP7 projects in use

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

A new feature in FP7 is the opening of coordinated topics for co-financing between the EC and the target coun-tries. In this case, the topics are defined in close collaboration with researchers and funding agencies of the target country. The intention is to support projects with partners from the EU (and ACs) funded by the EC and from the participating TC, which will finance the expenses of its own partners.

This type of cooperation is ideal for large nations that contain many regions and have the capacity to collaborate on an equal basis with several EU/AC partners.

In 2008, Russia had already participated in such a coordinated call with two topics that had been selected at a workshop in St Petersburg in 2007. These topics were issued as SICA topics in order to guarantee the inclusion of a target country’s institutions. It is expected that this model will lead to a close integration of the projects’ partners and may pave the way for a wider co-funded cooperation in the future.

The unity of the funded projects will be guaranteed through a combination of management and scientific reporting, although administratively they are two separate initiatives.

Coordinated Topics with Certain Countries3

International Cooperation in Health Research