FP7 and OMC-NET in a nutshell
FP7
FP7 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 it will run from 2007 to 2013.
The EC budget for the next seven years is € 50.5 billion and the Euratom budget for the next five years is € 2.7 billion1. Overall, this represents a 41% increase from FP6 at 2004 prices and 63% at current prices. FP7 is also designed to respond to Europe’s employment needs and competitiveness. FP7 supports research in selected priority areas - the aim being to make, or keep, the EU as a world leader in those sectors.
How is FP7 made up?
FP7 is made up of 4 main blocks of activities forming 4 specific programmes plus a fifth specific programme on nuclear research:
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Capacities - Research capacities • Research infrastructures • Research for the benefit of SMEs • Regions of Knowledge • Research Potential • Science in Society • Support to the coherent development of research policies • Specific activities of international cooperation
Nuclear research and training • Fusion energy - ITER • Nuclear fission and radiation protection Joint Research Centre • Direct actions in Euratom • Non-nuclear actions
Ideas - European Research Council • Frontier research actions |
Cooperation - Collaborative research • Health • Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology • Information and Communication Technologies • Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies • Energy • Environment (including climate change) • Transport (including Aeronautics) • Socio-economic sciences and Humanities • Security • Space People - Human Potential, Marie Curie actions • Initial training of researchers - Marie Curie Networks • Life-long training and career development - Individual fellowships • Industry-academia pathways and partnerships • International dimension - outgoing and incoming fellowships, international cooperation scheme, reintegration grants • Excellence Awards |
OMC-NET
The Commission’s Action Plan to achieve the 3% target for Europe, “Investing in Research – An Action Plan for Europe” published in April 2003, set out twenty five actions to be progressed through initiatives at Member State (MS) level, assisted by use of the Open Method of Co-ordination (OMC). The Competitiveness Council in September 2003 mandated CREST to progress the application of OMC to MS policy-making in this area. The report on the First Cycle of OMC was agreed at CREST on 1 October 2004.
Objectives of OMC in Research Policy
Future cycles of the OMC process will have two core objectives to be progressed in parallel:
i Objective 1. Monitoring the implementation of recommendations in the EU Action Plan for which competence lies with Member States, through strategic reporting on national activity to raise investment in research, taking account of the output of earlier OMC activity.
ii Objective 2. Developing recommendations and actions for specific topics in the EU Action Plan. Through a focused and work module-based process, the aim is to make progress in the three broad areas of:
- improving the effectiveness of Member State policies by more in-depth analysis of priority issues using peer review and enhanced mutual learning and providing a basis for evidence based policy making;
- developing recommendations for more coherent, concerted action by a number or all Member States in areas of common interest, where there are identifiable benefits for countries working together, using, for example, more in-depth benchmarking and the development of guidelines; and,
- identifying areas for complementary and reinforcing action at Community and Member State level, where simultaneous action is necessary for effectiveness, by defining and scoping objectives and rationale for Community action as appropriate.
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