New EU Research Framework Program

EUROPEAN UNION

The European Union's 7th Research Framework Programme 2007–13, adopted on April 6 by the European Commission, is designed to provide a new impetus for increasing competitiveness and employment in the EU. The EC has proposed a budget of approximately $87 billion for the program, doubling that of the sixth framework program.

The framework has four specific programs. The first, known as the cooperation program, aims to build European leadership in key areas through the cooperation of industry and research institutions. Nine themes have been selected: health; food, agriculture, and biotechnology; information and communication technologies; nanosciences and nanotechnologies, materials and new production technologies; energy; environment, including climate change; transportation, including aeronautics; socioeconomic sciences and the humanities; and security and space.

The second program is dedicated to ideas and will include the creation of an autonomous European Research Council to support frontier research. The objective is to foster competition in Europe in all scientific and technological fields.

A program on people aims to reinforce career prospects of European researchers through support of training, mobility, and the development of research careers. The final program will support research and innovation throughout Europe, including research infrastructures and regional research-driven clusters.