Access Keys:

How do you rate this information / service?

Find My Nearest
Enter your postcode to find services and information for your area on a map e.g. schools, libraries and GP surgery
Translate this web page

Research and Innovation

Skip main menu

Research and innovation help deliver jobs, prosperity and quality of life for individuals in society.  The EU leads the world in many technologies but it faces increasing challenges from traditional competitors and emerging economies in the world.  Europe needs this cutting edge research and innovation but by pooling research efforts can deliver greater results and breakthroughs than individual EU countries acting in isolation and will stimulate a knowledge-based economy and address pressing problems such as climate change, ageing population and resource scarcity.

The creation of a European Research Area (ERA) is now high on the policy agenda in Europe.  Research and technological development (RTD), is an essential element in the functioning of industrialised countries: the competitiveness of companies and the employment they can provide depend to a great extent on RTD; and RTD is also essential for the support of other policies such as consumer protection or the protection of the environment.

The Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development, abbreviated to FP7this external link will open in a new window, are EU funding programmes in order to support and encourage research.  See their report, Tomorrow's Answers Start Today (PDF 1.6mb), in the council's e-library.

The core of FP7 and its largest component by far, the Cooperation programme fosters collaborative research across Europe and other partner countries in:
  • Health
  • Food, agriculture and fisheries and biotechnology
  • Information and communications technologies
  • Nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials and new production technologies
  • Energy
  • Environment (including climate change)
  • Transport (including aeronautics)
  • Socio-economic sciences and the humanities
  • Space
  • Security

The Ideas programme and the Euopean Research Council (ERC) is the first time an EU Framework research programme has funded pure, investigative research at the frontiers of science and technology, independently of thematic priorities.  As well as bringing such research closer to the conceptual source, this flagship FP7 programme is a recognition of the value of basic research to society’s economic and social welfare.

Research may be carried out in any area of science or technology, including engineering, socio-economic sciences and the humanities. Particular emphases are being placed on emerging and fast-growing fields at the frontiers of knowledge, and on cross-disciplinary research.  Unlike the Cooperation programme, there is no obligation for cross-border partnerships.

The People programme - boosting European research careers - provides significant support for research mobility and career development, both for researchers inside the European Union and externally.  It is being implemented via a coherent set of Marie Curie actions, designed to help researchers build their skills and competences throughout their careers.

The Capacities programme - building the knowledge economy - is designed to help strengthen and optimise the knowledge capacities that Europe needs if it is to become a thriving knowledge-based economy.  By strengthening research abilities, innovation capacity and European competitiveness, the programme is stimulating Europe’s full research potential and knowledge resources.  The programme embraces six specific knowledge areas, including Research Infrastructures, Research for the Benefit of SMEs, Regions of Knowledge, Research Potential, Science in Society and International Cooperation activities.

There is a current Call open under Research for the benefit of SMEs (PDF <1mb)

Publication Date: 20 July 2011
Total Budget: € 219,700,000
Deadline: 06 December 2011 at 17:00:00 (Brussels local time)

Nuclear research

This specific programme comprises two parts – the first part focusing on nuclear fusion and the international ITER research facility which is to be constructed in France.  The objectives are to develop the knowledge base on nuclear fusion, and to realise the experimental ITER fusion reactor.  ITER is set to be the biggest research project on Earth. 

The second part of the programme covers nuclear safety, waste management for nuclear fission facilities, and radiation protection.  The Joint Research Centre's activities in this area include developing a European-level view on management and disposal of radioactive waste, maintaining safe operation of nuclear facilities, and supporting further research into nuclear power.

Cumbrian partners are involved in FP7 programmes.  Contact Europe Direct Cumbria for details and how your organisation can get involved and referral to specialist support.  Ask your questions about any aspect of European research in general and the EU Research Framework Programmes.

The Future of EU Research and Innovation

A particular priority will be business-driven research and innovation.  There will be a Common Strategic Framework for Research and Innovation (CSF).  It will improve dissemination of the know-how needed for innovation and policy-making and be in line with the EU2020 Strategy.  It will focus on:

  • Excellence in the science base
  • Tackling societal challenges
  • Creating industrial leadership and competitive frameworks

For more information, contact Europe Direct Cumbria.

Research Executive Agency

The Research Executive Agency (REA) is a funding body created by the European Commission to foster excellence in research and innovation.  It manages large parts of the Seventh Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Activities (FP7), the main EU funding package to respond to Europe's needs in terms of jobs and competitiveness in the global knowledge economy.

European Research Council

The European Research Council (ERC) was set up to support investigator-driven frontier research.  Its main aim is to stimulate scientific excellence by supporting and encouraging the very best, truly creative scientists, scholars and engineers to be adventurous and take risks in their research.  The scientists are encouraged to go beyond established frontiers of knowledge and the boundaries of disciplines.

The ERC complements other funding activities in Europe such as those of the national research funding agencies, and is a flagship component of the 'Ideas Programme' of the European Union's Seventh Research Framework Programme (FP7).

Researcher’s Night – fourth Friday in September every year

A Europe-wide event called Researchers' Nightthis external link will open in a new window is brings together the public at large and researchers once a year on the fourth Friday of September.  The Researchers' Night is a Europe-wide event bringing together the public at large and researchers once a year on the fourth Friday of September.  During the Researchers' Night you will have the chance to discover research facilities that are usually not open to public (laboratories, research centres, museum collections), to use the most recent technologies and instruments with the guidance of scientists, to participate in experiments, competitions and quizzes, to watch demonstrations and simulations, to exchange ideas and to party with the researchers.  For one night, everyone can be a scientist.

EUREKA's Eurostars Programme

EUREKA's Eurostars Programme is the first European funding and support programme to be specifically dedicated to research-performing SME's. Eurostars will stimulate them to lead international collaborative research and innovation projects by easing access to support and funding.

A Eurostars project is a European research and development project.  It can address any technological area, but must have a civilian purpose and be aimed at the development of a new product, process or service.

Eurostars projects are collaborative, meaning, they must involve at least two participants (legal entities) from two different Eurostars participating countries. In addition, the main participant must be a research-performing SME from one of the participating countries. See the list at http://www.eurostars-eureka.eu/where.dothis external link will open in a new window - it inclues the UK of course!

The role of the SME participants in the project should be significant.  At least 50% of the project's core activity should be carried out by SME's.  This percentage can, however, include minor contracting.  The consortium should be well balanced, which means that no participant or country will be required to invest more than 75% of the total project costs.

A Eurostars project should be market-driven: it must have a maximum duration of three years, within two years of project completion, the product of the research should be ready for launch onto the market.  The exception to this rule applies to biomedical or medical projects, where clinical trials must be started within two years of project completion.

For more information, go to http://www.eurostars-eureka.eu/what.dothis external link will open in a new window Eurostars is open to all sectors for funding applications on a continuous basis until 2013. 2012 Call Closing Dates is 1st March 2012 - 20:00 Central European Time - 19:00 UK time and September 2012 Date TBC.

http://www.innovateuk.org/deliveringinnovation/internationalprogramme/eurekaeurostars.ashxthis external link will open in a new window

Registration at https://www.eurostars-eureka.eu/sbmRequestAccount.do?method=load