EU's 6th Framework Programme

The aims of the 6th Framework Programme are ambitious: structuring and strengthening the European Research Area. To achieve this, FP6 is focussing on 7 Priority Thematic Areas.
Additionally, the new instruments, Networks of Excellence and Integrated Projects, are especially designed to integrate the critical mass of research power; about 75-80% of the FP6 budget will be dedicated to these new instruments. The ambitious aims of FP6 are emphasized by a remarkably increased budget of 17.5 billion Euro (14.96 billion Euro in FP5). 15 % (2.1 billion Euro) of this budget is allocated to SMEs, in FP5 just 1.1 billion Euro were dedicated to SMEs.

An overview of the most important features of FP6 can be found below. More specific information, as well as many important links to relevant European web sites can be found on the web site of the European Federation of Biotechnology: www.efb-central.org

Out of the seven Thematic Priority areas listed below, the most interesting thematic priorities for biotechnologists are genomics and biotechnology for health, nanotechnologies and nanosciences, food quality and safety and sustainable development, global change and ecosystems. 

Further information:

General information regarding the seven Priority Thematic Areas: http://www.cordis.lu/fp6/eoi-instruments/tp.htm 

FP6 Calls for Proposals
From 17 December 2002 onwards all open and planned FP6 Calls for Proposals, the deadlines and the allocated budget are published here. This page also gives access to the relevant documents needed to prepare a proposal like the Work Programmes and to the new electronic online proposal and submission system.
http://www.cordis.lu/fp6/calls.cfm 

The instruments listed below will be available to implement the priority themes. The range of instruments of FP6 is a mix of three "new" instruments and "traditional" instruments similar to those in FP5.
Especially the "new" instruments Integrated Projects and Networks of Excellence strive to mobilize the critical mass of expertise needed to achieve ambitious objectives within the priority themes.
Principles guiding their design - especially of the new instruments - were simplification and streamlining, increased legal and financial security, flexibility and adaptability, and increased management autonomy. 

• Integrated Projects   
• Networks of Excellence   
• Article 169 (for the joint implementation of national programmes)   
• "Stairway of Excellence"
  - Specific Targeted Research Projects
  - Coordinated Actions   
• Specific Support Actions.

Integrated Projects 
Integrated Projects are designed to generate the knowledge required to implement the priority thematic areas by integrating the critical mass of activities and ressources. The scientific and technological objectives have to be ambitious, clearly defined and of an European dimension.
The participation of SMEs is strongly encouraged.
IPs are open to participation of legal entities from 'third' countries; for certain groups of such countries, financial support from the EU is possible. 

• Purpose: objective-driven research needed to generate knowledge   
• Primary Deliverable: new knowledge   
• Other deliverables: structuring effects   
• Duration: 3-5 years   
• Scale of effort: medium to high   
• Community contribution: from several millions to several tens of millions of Euro   
• Financial regimen: 'grant to the budget' paid as contribution to actual costs   
• Consortium: at least 3 participants from 3 Member or Associated States, of which at least 2 are Member States or Associated Candidate Countries

Networks of Excellence 
Networks of Excellence mainly address the fragmentation of European research and the strenghtening of excellence on a particular research topic by networking together. 

The keystone of NoEs is the Joint Programme of Activities. This JPA is composed of Integrating Activities like sharing research facilities and staff exchanges, Jointly Executed Research, e.g. developing new research tools and platforms for common use and lastly, Activities for Spreading Excellence like a joint programme for training researchers and communication campaigns.

The financial community contribution is calculated on the basis of the number of researchers in the network. 'A researcher' has to have a PhD or at least four years of research experience; with a bonus for registered PhD students. 

The scale of the critical mass will vary from topic to topic; larger networks are expected to involve several hundred of researchers.
NoEs are open to participation of legal entities from 'third' countries; for certain groups of such countries, financial support from the EU is possible. 

• Purpose: to address the fragmentation of European Research.   
• Primary Deliverable: structuring and shaping of European Research   
• Other deliverables: as the work of excellent research teams will be supported, NoEs will also generate new knowledge   
• Duration: typically 5 years; up to 7 years   
• Scale of effort: medium to high   
• Community contribution: from several millions to some tens of millions of Euro   
• Financial regimen: a fixed grant for integration, disbursed in annual installments on the basis of progress towards achieving lasting integration. Grant calculation:
         50 researchers:         1 mio Euro/year
       100 researchers:         2 mio Euro/year
       150 researchers:         3 mio Euro/year
       250 researchers:         4 mio Euro/year
       500 researchers:         5 mio Euro/year
    1000 researches and above: 6 mio Euro/year
  
• Consortium: at least 3 participants from 3 Member or Associated States, of which at least 2 are Member States or Associated Candidate Countries. But the Commission would expect at least 6 partners per network.

Article 169 
Article 169 is a reference to the article of the Treaty that enables the community to participate in research programmes untertaken jointly by several Member States. The purpose is the joint implementation of national research programmes. Article 169 may be difficult to apply; a first pilot project proposal concerning a 'European and Developing Countries Clinical Trial Partnership' was presented by the Commission to the Council and European Parliament. 

• Purpose: support research programmes jointly undertaken by several Member States and Associated States   
• Scale of effort: high   
• Community contribution: from some tens of millions of Euro upwards

"Stairway of Excellence" 
The "Stairway of Excellence" supports research activities of a more limited scope and ambition, particularly for smaller research actors including SMEs. 

• Specific Targeted Research Projects will be an evolved form of the RTD projects and demonstration projects used in FP5.   
• Co-ordinated Actions are an evolved form of the concentrated actions/thematic networks of FP5.   
• Specific Support Actions are evolved from the accompanying measures used in FP5 and will support e.g. conferences, seminars, working and expert groups, information activities etc.

Specific Targeted Research Projects 
Should be a sharply focused and will take one of the following forms or a combination of both: A research and technological development project to improve existing products, processes and services or to develop new ones or a demonstration project designed to prove the viability of new technologies offering potential economic advantages but which cannot be commercialised directly. 

• Purpose: to support RTD and demonstration activities of a more limited scope and ambition than IPs   
• Primary Deliverable: new knowledge   
• Duration: typically 2-3 years (if justified, possibly more)   
• Scale of effort: low to medium   
• Community contribution: from several hundred thousand to a few million Euro   
• Financial regimen: 'grant to the budget' paid as contribution to actual costs   
• Consortium: at least 3 participants from 3 Member or Associated States, of which at least 2 should be Member States or Associated Candidate Countries

Co-ordinated Actions 
Are intended to promote and support the networking and co-ordination of research and innovation activities aiming to improve integration. Activities are e.g. organisation of conferences, performance of studies, exchange of personnel, exchange of "good practices", and setting up of information systems and expert groups. 

• Purpose: to promote and support the networking and co-ordination of research and innovation activities.   
• Community contribution: up to several hundred thousand Euro (in rare cases, millions)   
• Financial regimen: 'grant to the budget' paid as contribution to actual costs, of up to 100%

Specific Support Actions 
are intended to support the implementation of the Framework Programme. Within the priority thematic areas, they will involve e.g. conferences, seminars, studies, high level scientific awards and competitions, working groups and expert groups, operational support, communication activities. Specific Support Actions will also be implemented encourage and facilitate the participation of e.g. SMEs, small research teams, newly-developed an remote research centers, and participants from candidate countries. 

• Purpose: to support the implementation of FP6.   
• Community contribution: up to several hundred thousand Euro (in rare cases, millions)   
• Financial regimen: 'grant to the budget' paid as contribution to actual costs, or (if necessary) as a lump sum

The information given above is mainly derived from the EC Brochure "FP6 Instruments" To read more: 

FP6 Instruments
Information regarding the new instruments Intergated Projects and Networks of Excellence and the traditional FP6 instruments
http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/research/nfp/networks-ip.html 

"How to Participate"
This very helpful EC brochure provides easy-to-read information covering all relevant FP6 topics.
http://www.kowi.de/rp6/dokumente/download/how-to-participate_en.pdf