EC & ICT Information

Research & Technological Development

European Commission’s Research & Technological Development Framework Programme (FP6) Funding is available for the participation of researchers, teams and institutions from third countries in projects within the seven Priority Thematic Areas of Research, as well as under "Specific activities covering a wider field of research" within the European Commission’s Framework Programme.

What are the main objectives of EU's Sixth Research Framework Programme (FP6)?

FP6 aims to contribute to the creation of a true "European Research Area" (ERA). ERA is a vision for the future of research in Europe, an internal market for science and technology. It fosters scientific excellence, competitiveness and innovation through the promotion of better co-operation and coordination between relevant actors at all levels. Economic growth increasingly depends on research, and many of the present and foreseeable challenges for industry and society can no longer be solved at national level alone. At their summit in Lisbon in March 2000, heads of state and governments called for better leveraging of European research efforts through the creation of ERA.

What are the FP's main priorities?

The FP aims for more focussed and integrated research at EU level and at structuring ERA and strengthening its foundations. The biggest part of FP budget will be spent on "focussing and integrating" future research activities on seven thematic priority areas:

Life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health

• ^{Information society technologies (IST)}
• ^{Nanotechnologies, multifunctional materials and new production processes}
• ^{Aeronautics and space}
• ^{Food quality and safety}
• ^{Sustainable development, global change and ecosystems (including energy and transport research)}
• ^{Citizens and governance in a knowledge-based society.}
  

What is the IST Programme?

European research activities are structured around consecutive four-year programmes, or so-called Framework Programmes (FP). The Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) sets out the priorities - including the IST Priority - for the EU's research, technological development and demonstration (RTD) activities for the period 2003-2006. These priorities have been identified on the basis of a set of common criteria reflecting the major concerns of increasing industrial competitiveness and the quality of life for European citizens in a global information society.  


What is the 2005-2006 IST Work Programme?

The Information Society Technologies Work Programme sets out in greater detail the objectives and scientific and technological priorities of the IST priority thematic area of the FP6 Specific Programme for "integrating and strengthening the European Research Area" (SP1). It defines the objectives and technical content of calls for proposals, the implementation plan and the criteria that will be used for evaluating proposals responding to these calls. It incorporates the relevant section of the entire Work Programme of the Specific Programme "Integrating and Strengthening the European Research Area" from which it has been extracted.


When are the deadlines to submit a proposal for the next Calls?

Call 4:  opened (November 17, 2004) - closed on 22 March 2005 at 5:00 pm Brussels local time
Call 5: open May 17, 2005 - closing on 21 September 2005 at 5:00 pm Brussels local time

Research topics covered by FP6 Calls 4 & 5

FP6 IST Call 4	FP6 IST Call 5
Nanoelectronics	Photonic components
Technologies and devices for micro & nano scale integration	Micro & nano based sub-systems
Towards a global dependability and security framework	Embedded Systems
Broadband for All	Advanced Grid Technologies, Systems and Services
Mobile and Wireless Systems and Platforms Beyond 3G	Software and Services
Networked Audio Visual Systems and Home Platforms	Research networking test beds
Semantic-based Knowledge and Content Systems	Multimodal Interfaces
Cognitive Systems	ICT for Networked Businesses
IT Research for Innovative Government	Collaborative Working Environments
Technology-enhanced Learning	Access to and preservation of cultural and scientific resources
Integrated biomedical information for better health	eInclusion
eSafety	ICT for Environmental Risk Management
Co-operative Systems for Road Transport	Simulating Emergent Properties in Complex Systems
Advanced Computing Architectures
Presence and Interaction in Mixed Reality Environment
Situated and Autonomic Communications

Education & Training

MARIE CURIE PROGRAMME

Marie Curie actions are open to third country researchers under all the Host driven schemes (Marie Curie Research training networks, Marie Curie Early stage host fellowship, Marie Curie Conferences and training courses and the excellence promotion schemes). Experienced researchers can apply for a Marie Curie International Incoming fellowship scheme, and organisations in Third country can host European researchers under the Marie Curie International outgoing fellowship scheme.

ASIA LINK PROGRAMME

The Asia-Link Programme is an initiative by the European Commission to promote regional and multilateral networking between higher education institutions in EU Member States and South Asia, South-East Asia and China. The programme aims to promote the creation of new partnerships and new sustainable links between European and Asian higher education institutions, and to reinforce existing partnerships.

ERASMUS MUNDUS

The Erasmus Mundus programme is a co-operation and mobility programme in the field of higher education which promotes the European Union as a centre of excellence in learning around the world. It supports European top-quality Masters Courses and enhances the visibility and attractiveness of European higher education in third countries. It also provides EU-funded scholarships for third country nationals participating in these Masters Courses, as well as scholarships for EU-nationals studying in third countries.

Commercial Co-operation

ASIA INVEST

Asia-Invest is a European Union (EU) initiative that aims to promote and support business co-operation between the EU and Asia. The overall aim is to increase trade and investment flows between the two regions. The  key objectives are:
 

• _{Increasing awareness of business potential between the EU and Asia}
• _{Facilitating opportunities for partnerships between companies, in particular SMEs, in the EU and Asia}
• _{Reinforcing institutional capacity and networking of business intermediaries}
• _{Enhancing Asian private sector development and the capacity for an international business strategy}

6th Framework Programme in brief
For more about the EU's 6th Framework Programme please click here