eTIP Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the TIP?
- What is it used for?
- What is meant by exploitation?
- Who owns the rights to our project results?
- What if my plans are confidential?
- Can more than one organisation own a result?
- How can I further promote my research results on CORDIS?
What is the TIP?
The TIP (Technology Implementation Plan) is information that most EU R&D contractors have to submit as contractual obligation at the end of their FP5 project. It describes the results of the project and the plans that the partners have to use those results and to encourage others to use them.
The TIP was available in electronic form, called the eTIP, which was really a Web interface to a database of TIP data. Using the eTIP, the Project Coordinator could if they wished provide the information on behalf of all the project partners, or they could simply start the eTIP and ask the individual partners to complete the information about their own results and exploitation plans.
At the end of the process the information was formally submitted to the Commission Project Officer who checked if it was adequate, and if so accepted it. This is no longer available. Instead, you may download the TIP file and submit your FP5 results.
To submit results:
- Click on the link above to download the Word version of the TIP file.
- Complete the document and save the file on your computer.
- Send the file by e-mail (or by post in a stored format such as CD or USB stick) to the relevant Project Officer in the Commission.
What is it used for?
The Technology Implementation Plan is an important deliverable which, in a single document, fulfils several requirements.
It is the project contractor's official statement of the actual results achieved by their project, it is a statistical document for the Commission to report on the success of its programmes, and it is a means by which results are communicated to the wider world for which they were developed. It can also be a tool to help your consortium to structure its exploitation plans.
While project reports detail the progress, management, and technical outcomes of a project, and are structured in a project specific way, the TIP is a structured format in which each contractor enumerates and records each useful result that they have achieved, and, more importantly, explains the exploitation efforts that they will undertake to ensure that the results are successfully implemented. This exploitation has always been a condition of receiving EU support. In the past, less evidence was required of the use of the results, and simple publication or 'dissemination' of the results was often all that was required. Increasingly the focus is on proactive exploitation of the results - either within the project consortium or by targeted end users.
All of the FP5 Programmes use the same TIP so that even if you have research projects in more than one area, the TIP you complete will be the same. This is not only saves bureaucracy, but also enables the Commission to report coherently on the achievements of the Framework Programmes as a whole.
You can use the TIP to:
- Help you plan and implement the exploitation with your partners
- Demonstrate the benefits of the research
- Document the ownership of results
- Publish the results
What is meant by exploitation?
Simply using the results. The reason for investing public money via the Framework Programmes is to achieve benefits such as improvements in industrial competitiveness, or in environmental or social factors that affect the European citizen. These benefits will only be realised if the results are used.
For example the project partners might plan to use the results themselves; perhaps as the basis of a new product or service, or to enable some specific scientific projects to be carried out which they will do themselves. By exploiting the results in this way they are satisfying the purpose of the EU support.
If the R&D performers are not the end users of the technology then they must make it available to the target users. This availability can take many forms and may be commercial or not. For example:
- Wide publication on a free-to-use basis
- IPR Protection/patenting
- Licensing to other organisations
- Consultancy
- Start-up businesses
- University spin-offs or graduate enterprise
- Knowledge or tools for public or social good organisations
- Input to Standards
- Input to EU policy making (studies, workshop results)
- Educational initiatives
- Knowledge or tools enabling further collaborative research
Who owns the rights to our project results?
IPR ownership is normally with those partners generating the results, or is agreed at the beginning of a project or by some other agreement. The Commission does not normally own any IPR from shared-cost or co-financed projects.
The model contract provides for all partners to have free access rights to results. In essence this means that those partners may use the results, but they do not 'own' them, so they could not, for example, license them to others. Access rights can be restricted and exclusive access rights are possible if this is agreed contractually at the start of the project. Associated partners and sub-contractors do not normally have any rights to IPR.
What if my plans are confidential?
While your basic TIP information is public domain and may be published, your 'exploitation plans' for using the technology will not be published.
If your own uses of your results are for some reason highly confidential, your own exploitation plans can be communicated in confidence direct to your Commission Project Officer by arrangement with them. You do, however still have to supply the 'public domain' information about your project on the TIP.
Can more than one organisation own a result?
You can have any number of result exploiters listed as 'owners', each of whom will have their own exploitation plan. However, you can only have one contact point listed in the TIP. This should be the best person for a potential exploiter to contact - sometimes it may be a commercial manager within your organisation or it could be another organisation which is your appointed agent, such as an IRC. If a result has many applications and the right contact person depends on the application, each application should be listed as if it were a separate result.
How can I promote my research results on CORDIS?
Your publishable research results will be disseminated through the CORDIS Results Service. In addition, CORDIS Wire allows you to reach a wide European audience of innovation stakeholders by submitting a press release with your newest successes. The service aims to improve communication between research institutions, SMEs, incubators, technology transfer offices, spin-offs, seed and venture capital and any related networks and agencies. Every release goes through a mediation process to ensure a high quality of content. These pages are also accessible to journalists.