The 7th Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Activities (FP7) will last for seven years from 2007 until 2013. The programme has a total budget of over € 54 billion.

The 7h Framework Programme has two main strategic objectives:

• strengthen the scientific and technological base of European industry; 
• encourage its international competitiveness, while promoting research that supports EU policies.

The budget of FP7 will be devoted to  grants for projects including partners from  all over Europe and beyond. Researchers from academia, research organisation and all kinds of companies are invited to participate in order to work on questions dealing with research, technological development and demonstration.  Proposals can be submitted following the publication of respective calls, the highly competitive selection process is done by peer review.

In order to complement national research programmes, activities funded from FP7 must have a "European added value". One key aspect of the European added value is the required transnationality of most actions: research projects are carried out by consortia which include participants from different European (and other) countries; fellowships in FP7 require mobility over national borders. Indeed, many research challenges (e.g. fusion research, etc), are so complex that they can only be addressed at European level by means of cooperation of the best partners from several countries.

 © European Commission - CORDIS