1. Seventh Framework Programme (FP7)15 July, 2008 Anthea Frendo FP7 National Contact Point

2. FP7 at a glance • EU’s main funding tool for supporting research and technological development • 2007-2013 • Total budget of over € 50 Billion • Supports research in selected priority areas • Objectives • to strengthen the scientific and technological base of European industry • to encourage European competitiveness CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

3. FP7 Structure Cooperation – Collaborative research Ideas – Frontier Research People – Researcher Mobility Capacities – Research Capacity CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

4. Budget: €50,521 Million CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

5. SMEs in FP7 The importance of SMEs in the European economy: • SMEs are at the core of European industry and key players in the innovation system • SMEs account for 67% of European GDP • Provide 55% of the total jobs in the private sector CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

6. SMEs in COOPERATION • Encouraged to participate in collaborative research projects in all 10 research themes • Target of 15% of Cooperation funding dedicated to SMEs • Identification of areas and specific measures of particular interest to SMEs in the WP • Simplified financial and administrative procedures (e.g. 75% funding rate for SMEs, reduced requirements for audit, no bank guarantees) CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

7. Collaborative projects targeted to SMEs: Different types of projects including “projects targeted to special groups such as SMEs” • Stimulate the participation of SMEs • Research-intensive SMEs should play a leading role in such projects • Requested EC contribution to participating SMEs must in all cases be substantial CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

8. PEOPLE • Marie Curie Actions focus on training, mobility and career development of researchers • Open to individual researchers both in public and private sector • No thematic priorities – bottom-up approach CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

9. SMEs in PEOPLE - IAPP Industry-Academia Partnerships and Pathways (IAPP) • supports cooperation between academia and industry and encourage SME participation through: • staff secondments between academia and industry • temporary hosting of experienced researchers from outside • funding is provided mainly for staff exchange; recruitment and networking activities; research costs and equipment costs for SMEs CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

10. SMEs in PEOPLE - ITN Initial Training Networks (ITN) • ITNs are networks of academic and private research organisations which collaborate to train researchers in order to improve their research and entrepreneurial skills, and enhance their career prospects • At least 3 participants proposing a coherent research training programme • Funding covers recruitment of researchers, networking activities and research costs CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

11. IDEAS • New in FP7 • Supports frontier/basic research • Supports individual researcher-projects both from the private an public sectors • Evaluated on the sole criterion of excellence as judged by peer review CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

12. CAPACITIES • Divided into 6 broad areas: • Research Infrastructures • Research for the benefit of SMEs • Regions of Knowledge • Research Potential • Science in Society • Specific Activities for International Cooperation CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

13. Research for the benefit of SMEs Objectives: • Strengthen the innovation capacities of SMEs to develop new products and markets by outsourcing of research • increase their research efforts • acquire technological know-how • extend their networks • improve the exploitation of research results CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

14. Research for the benefit of SMEs Target groups: • Research for SMEs • low to medium technology SMEs with little or no research capability • research intensive SMEs that need to outsource research to complement their core research capability • Research for SME Associations • SME associations representing their members and their common technical problems Bottom-up approach – no thematic focusing CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

15. SMEs in FP7 – why? Economic benefits can be achieved and innovation performance increased • Commercial risks are reduced • Enhanced productivity and market share • Establishing new European and International contacts and partnerships • Access to new markets • Contribution to marketable technology • Staff development • Long term perspectives Successful FP participation can lead to stronger competitiveness of the enterprise CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

16. Role of MCST in FP7 • MCST has appointed an NCP for every thematic and horizontal area in FP7. • Every local NCP is part of a NCP network at the European level. • Disseminates information on FP7. • Identifies opportunities in current calls. • Organises info days and training workshops. • Advises in proposal writing and joining consortia. CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities

17. THANK YOU! anthea.frendo@gov.mt CooperationPeople IdeasCapacities