About FP7

FP7 logoFP7 is the short name for the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development. This is the EU's main instrument for funding research in Europe and runs from 2007 to 2013, with a budget of over € 50 billion.

FP7 is made up of 4 main blocks of activities forming 4 specific programmes plus a fifth programme on nuclear research.
 
 
FP7 sounds complicated. Are there specific areas my company should be looking at? 
 
 
Cooperation
 
This is a specific support programme covering collaborative research projects in pre-selected areas of research and technology development which are of strategic importance to the EU.
 
Sub-divded into ten themes, these pre-selected areas are operationally autonomous but aim to maintain coherence within the Programme - often through cutting across different themes via joint calls.
 
·         Health
·         Food, Agriculture and Fishers, Biotechnology
·         Information and Communications Technologies
·         Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies
·         Energy
·         Environment (including climate change)
·         Transport (including Aeronautics)
·         Socio-economic sciences and humanities
·         Security
·         Space
 
 
Capacities
 
The Capacities programme is for projects that enhance research and innovation capacities and support the coherent development of research policies.
 
Included within this area of FP7 funding is Research for the benefit of SMEs – the aim of which is to strengthen the 'innovation capacity' of SMEs in Europe.
 
Research for SMEs is a bottom-up scheme: this means projects may address any research topic across the entire field of science and technology.