European Parliament Approves €53 Billion Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). (December 3, 2006)

    The European Parliament has approved a record budget for the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), €53 billion (A$89 billion), for 7 years funding, aimed at fostering integration of Europe's research and development scene and improving its global economic competitiveness.

Implementation is to begin this coming January.

Helga Nowotny

ScienceNOW reports, "FP7 invests heavily in applied research for information and communication technology and human and animal health; it also contains funding for new research to fight terrorism, secure borders, and protect computer networks."

But perhaps most noteworthy is the allocation of more than €7 billion (A$11.8 billion) for the fledgling European Research Council (ERC). Comparable to the  U.S. National Science Foundation it will be administered by scientists and will support basic research across Europe on the basis of adjudged excellence.  The funding is to be in addition to national allocations. Many researchers considered the amount to be the minimum for a viable funding agency, says Helga Nowotny, vice-chair of ERC's scientific council.

Another of the FP7 programs, "People", is a €4.8 (A$8.1) billion program aimed at training scientists, improving opportunities for researchers to work abroad, and preventing brain drain by luring expats back to Europe.

The ScienceNOW report concludes, "Formally, FP7 still needs to be approved by the Council of Ministers, in which Europe's governments deliberate. But after intense informal discussions between the two bodies in the past few months, the version now adopted by the Parliament is certain to be approved without further discussion by the council in a meeting later this month, says commission spokesperson Antonia Mochan. The commission expects to launch its first calls for proposals for FP7 on 22 December."