In an exclusive interview to i4d, Mr. Klaus Pendl outlines the future opportunities for ICT projects within the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme for research (FP7, 2007-2013) Klaus Pendl Project Officer, International Relations Unit, Information Society and Media, European Commission, Belgium Klaus.PENDL@ec.europa.eu
What are the goals and objectives of ‘European Research Funding’?
EU research funding primarily aims to improve the competitiveness of European industry and to enable Europe to master and shape future developments so that the demands of its society and economy are met.
Please specify the main programmes around which the new Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) is structured?
FP7 is made up of 4 specific programmes plus a fifth programme on nuclear research, as well as funding for the EU’s Joint Research Centre. The four main programmes are ‘Cooperation’ (collaborative research), ‘Ideas’ (frontier research actions implemented through a new ‘European Research Council’), ‘People’ (human potential and mobility), and ‘Capacities’ (research capacities such as infrastructures).
What are the core thematic areas supported by FP7 funding and the average corpus earmarked in each area?
The overall budget from 2007 to 2013 is more than 50 billion
