EU Seventh Framework Programme
The European Union’s framework programmes for research are the European Community’s tool for science and technology funding with a view to raising European competitiveness. Through the framework programmes funding is provided to R&D projects and networks carried out mainly as international cooperation. The EU Seventh Framework Programme is scheduled from 2007 through to 2013.
The framework programme provides a great number of opportunities for a wide range of actors. Participants may include a research institute, a university, a business company, an individual researcher or some other organisation carrying out or applying research, such as a federation or a city. The projects to be funded are selected among the project proposals submitted to the European Commission within the set application time. The proposals are evaluated by experts representing different scientific fields, invited by the Commission.
In Finland, framework programme information is compiled on the website of the Finnish Secretariat for EU R&D. The pages are updated by experts responsible for the specific programmes at the Academy of Finland and Tekes, in cooperation with the Secretariat.
The Academy’s Biosciences and Environment Research Unit is responsible for the theme Environment (including Climate Change) within FP7.
The Culture and Society Research Unit is responsible for the thematic area Socio-economic Sciences and the Humanities of the Specific Programme Cooperation of FP7.
The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Unit has secondary responsibility for the specific themes Information and Communication Technologies and Space, for which Tekes has primary responsibility.
The Health Research Unit is responsible for the thematic area Health of FP7. The Unit has secondary responsibility for the theme Foods, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology, for which Tekes has primary responsibility.
The Communications Unit is responsible for the theme Science in Society.
The Program Unit is responsible for the theme Ideas.