Commission publishes proposals for FP7 Specific Programmes
The European Commission has outlined its detailed plans for implementing the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) with the publication on 21 September of the proposed Specific Programmes. Specific Programmes have been produced for each of the four main pillars of FP7 - Cooperation, Ideas, People and Capacities - as well as for the Commission's in-house research facilities, the Joint Research Centre (JRC). The documents will be discussed with the European Parliament, before a final decision is taken by the Council. Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik welcomed the publication of the Specific Programmes, saying: 'Europe needs a solid framework for its research from 2007. Our proposal is designed to deliver what Europe needs for its future.' He continued: 'What is important now is to allocate sufficient funds to allow this project to achieve its objective of greater competitiveness for Europe and a better quality of life for its citizens. The Commission will take all steps it can to make sure we are ready to implement the programmes once the legislative process has been completed.' The documents outline the broad approach to be taken under each pillar of FP7. The Specific Programme for the Cooperation pillar, for example, sets out the nine thematic areas where the EU will support collaborative research, including the new 'socio-economic sciences and the humanities' and 'security and space' priorities. The document describes each of the nine thematic areas in terms of their overall objective, the approach to implementation, and foreseen activity areas, including certain large-scale initiatives. Under the Ideas pillar, meanwhile, the Commission sets out the main features of the proposed new EU mechanism to support fundamental research. While the Commission assumes overall responsibility for implementing the Specific Programme in this area, in practice this will be achieved through the European Research Council (ERC), consisting of a Scientific Council of researchers, engineers and scholars. The Scientific Council will take responsibility for establishing the work programme of the ERC and defining the methods of peer review and proposal evaluation, while the Commission will act as the guarantor of the ERC's autonomy and integrity. The Capacities pillar is described in the Specific Programme as 'a combination of continuation of [...] actions in previous framework programmes and in addition important novelties'. Novel elements of the programme include a strategic approach to supporting the construction of new research infrastructures, and actions to increase the research potential of the EU's 'convergence' and outermost regions. As well as providing more details of the planned activities under each individual pillar of FP7, the Specific Programmes also identify a number of priority issues that cut across the Cooperation, People and Capacities programmes. These include international cooperation, the contribution of research to EU policy, and the inclusion of societal considerations in all Specific Programmes. Another major cross-cutting issue is supporting the participation of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). In addition to SME specific actions under the Capacities programme, the documents state that 'SME research interests are included throughout the Cooperation programme [...] the activities of the People programme have a special emphasis on the involvement of SMEs; and SMEs will also be able to participate in the Ideas programme.' Simplification and streamlined management methods are further issues that will have an impact across the various programmes of FP7. Most of the detailed measures that the Commission will propose will be presented in the rules for participation and dissemination, notably efforts to significantly reduce red tape and simplify funding schemes and reporting requirements. Within the Specific Programmes themselves, however, proposed improvements include the externalisation of administrative tasks to an executive agency, a clearer presentation of evaluation criteria, and more clearly presented work programmes that will, for example, highlight topics of particular interest to SMEs. The financial figures included in proposed Specific Programmes relate to the Commission's original proposals for the FP7 budget, adjusted for inflation over the seven year period (2007-2013), which aimed at roughly doubling the amount spent by the EU on research compared with FP6. The foreseen budget of the Cooperation programme is 44.43 billion euro - roughly 60 per cent of the total FP7 budget. Mindful that an agreement by Member States to double the EU research budget is still far from secured, the Commission published a memo alongside the Specific Programmes highlighting what its proposals could mean for Europe. The Commission estimates that implementing its proposals would lead to the creation of 220,000 new research posts, the signature of 20,000 research contracts under FP7, and the involvement of over 200,000 participants in the programme.