7th Framework Programme

FP7 (European Union 7th Framework Programme) is included in the Lisbon strategy plan for the years 2007-2013. Within the general programme funds of 54 mld euro, intended for cofinancing the research and development activities in EU, the sum of 11 mld is planned within the IST (Information Society Technologies) priority. It is estimated, that most of this funds would be allocated for progressive development of information and telecommunications technologies.

Presently the FP7 programme is in the final preparations stage. In the middle of 2006 the European Comitee has approved the plan and detailed specification defining the formal and substantive range of the programme. The deployment report, presented by a team lead by a member of European Parliament for FP7 issue - prof. Jerzy Buzek (a former prime minister of the Republic of Poland) - has been approved and accepted. In the end of 2006 the FP7 information campaign will begin and first competitions concerning the defined priorities are planned to be started with the year 2007.

The constituted structure of FP7 defines four fundamental programme instruments:

• Collaborative Projects, permitting cooperation within international research syndicates (with priority for syndicates originating in the area of intersection between business and academic environments, and with particular consideration of small medium business sector), budget limited to the range of 4 mln - 50 mln euro;
• Research Potential (equivalent of Centres of Excellence in the FP6 Programme), repeating within its scope a competition for about 100 Centres of Excellence in Poland;
• Ideas (Individual Grants) directed to research employees and R&D units submitting participation requests directly to the newly formed EU Research Board;
• Marie Curie scholarships (People) intended for extraordinarly talented young scientists.

The detailed information can be found on EU websites: cordis.europa.eu/fp7.

Particularly important in CompResearch strategy is wide cooperation in utilizing various FP7 instruments.

To exchange information concerning potential areas and possibilities of cooperation in the scope of FP7 programme please do not hesitate to contact us.