Towards the EC Seventh Framework Programme 2007-2013 and its support to Research Infrastructures Elena Righi SKADS kick-off meeting Chateau de Limelette, 17-18 November 2005
Outline FP7 overview Specific Programmes Research Infrastructures Risk-Sharing Finance Facility Next steps
FP7 overview
Proposal for FP7 EC Seventh Framework Programme Commission s proposal: 6 April 2005 currently debated at the Council and the European Parliament Proposed duration: 7 years (2007 to 2013) Proposed budget: ~73 billion Organised in 4+1 specific programmes
Proposal for FP7 FP7 budget breakdown Capacities 10% JRC nonnuclear 2% People 10% Ideas 16% Cooperation 62%
FP7 Specific Programmes
FP7 Cooperation Areas Trans-national cooperation on the thematic areas: Proposal for FP7 Health Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology ICT Nano-sciences & -materials, Materials and Production Technologies Energy Environment (incl. climate change) Transport (incl. aeronautics) Socio-economic Sciences and the Humanities Security and space
Collaborative research Proposal for FP7 FP7 Cooperation Implementation the bulk and the core of EU research funding Projects, NoE, Coordination/support actions Joint Technology Initiatives resulting from the ETPs public/private funding, loans foreseen in the specific programmes or to be launched as Joint Undertakings under art. 171 Coordination of non-ec research programmes art. 169, topics may not be directly linked to the 9 themes International cooperation opening of all activities of thematic areas specific co-operation actions
Proposal for FP7 FP7 Ideas To enhance: dynamism, creativity and excellence of European research at the frontier of knowledge By supporting: investigator-driven research projects on subjects chosen by the researchers themselves Implemented by a European Research Council members identified independently and appointed by the EC full autonomy
FP7 People To strengthen the human potential in R&T enter into the researcher s profession stay in Europe attract to Europe researchers from the entire world A coherent set of Marie Curie actions initial training (MC Networks) Proposal for FP7 life-long training and career development fellowships and co-financing of regional, national or international programmes industry-academia pathways and partnerships international dimension specific actions
Proposal for FP7 Research Infrastructures FP7 Capacities SMEs Strengthen their innovation capacity: increase research effort, network, exploit results, acquire knowhow Regions of knowledge regional research-driven clusters Research potential for convergence and outermost regions : secondments, equipment, conferences, evaluation of overall quality and RI Science in society International cooperation horizontal actions
Proposal for FP7 FP7 Non nuclear JRC actions To provide S & T support to policy making, implementation and monitoring Prosperity in a knowledge-intensive society Solidarity and responsible resource management includes support to INSPIRE and GMES Security and freedom Europe as a world partner
FP7 Capacities Research Infrastructures
Research Infrastructures at the core of the knowledge triangle Research Research Infrastructures Education Innovation
Proposal for FP7 Research Infrastructures Objectives Optimising the use and development of the best research infrastructures existing in Europe helping to create in all fields of S & T new research infrastructures of pan-european interest needed by the European scientific community to help industry to strengthen its base of knowledge and its technological know how
Proposal for FP7 Support to existing Research Infrastructures Activities: transnational access integrating activities e-infrastructures Implementation: bottom-up calls for proposals open to all fields of science in close cooperation with the thematic areas
Proposal for FP7 Support to new Research Infrastructures Activities and implementation: construction of new infrastructures and major updates to existing ones based on the work conducted by the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) may be decided on the basis of: art.171 the specific programme design studies bottom-up approach
Support to new Research Infrastructures Criteria Added value of EU financial support catalysis and leveraging effect support to ERA Capacity to offer a top-level service to scientists (academic and industrial) at European level Relevance at international level Technological feasibility EU partnership and commitment of major stakeholders Construction and operating costs evaluated maturity life-cycle costs business case Proposal for FP7
ESFRI What is it A neutral forum between Member States and the Commission to look at the chess board of opportunities under variable geometry conditions Information sharing, tracking progress, creating roadmaps, providing advice to the Commission it is not a decision making body it will not prioritise or decide on location 3 Working groups: Physical Sciences and Engineering Biological and Medical Sciences Social Sciences and Humanities
ESFRI List of opportunities 23 European projects In astronomy: Km3NeT ELT 5 global projects In astronomy: SKA
FP7 Research Infrastructures Existing Future Strategic Bottom-up Support of excellence Optimisation of Resources Support of ideas (design studies) Reinforcement of Capacities (engineering support of European-interest RI) ESFRI Roadmap
Support to emerging needs for Research Infrastructures Support measures to the development of a European policy for RI to the development of international cooperation through targeted approach bottom-up approach
The FP7 Risk-Sharing Finance Facility (RSFF)
Risk-Sharing Finance Facility Need Conclusions of the March 2005 European Council: The European Investment Bank will have to extend its Structured Finance Facility to R&D projects and, together with the Commission, explore new ways of using Community funds as levers for EIB loans. Innovative financing mechanism: Generate a leverage effect so that the volume of extra lending by EIB is a multiple [3-4] of the EC funds allocated to the facility. Budget from FP7 Cooperation and Capacities/RI
Risk-Sharing Finance Facility Implementation For major European RTD needing extensive finance Joint Technology Initiatives large collaborative projects, including Eureka projects new Research Infrastructures Step 1: eligibility: automatic if FP7 grant; otherwise to be checked Step 2: bancability: To be checked by the EIB
RSFF Additionality in terms of volume and level of risk EIB current scheme Added value (more volume and more risk) of the FP7 Risk-sharing Facility Level of risk Normal EIB Project SFF Project EIB BS EL RR Ratio of risk sharing between EIB and the Commission (FP7) is only preliminary indication (width is much larger) Limited amount Larger Amount Additional Amount Very large lending volume Lending volumes made possible by the coverage of risk Risks covered by: EIB COM
RSFF Use of the EC grant by the EIB Payment of the Community grant Start of lending operation: Funds are set Aside to cover the lending risks Change in the level of lending risk SFF-RTD is not needed anymore: Funds set aside to cover the risks are recycled for new lending operations Loan is paid back: Funds set aside to cover the risks are recycled for new lending operations Time line Phase n 1 Before launch of lending operation Phase n 2 Use of part of the grant to cover risk Phase n 3 Part of the grant is consumed Possible problems in reimbursing the loan: Funds set aside to cover this risk are consumed
FP7 and after: Support at project level ERDF EIB M Construction FP Design studies Upgrades Timeline: 20 to 50 years With continuous national support, also for running costs
Next steps
Towards FP7 Co-decision Commission opinion on EP amendments Direct approval if agreement with EP Consultations (online etc) CREST Council 2 4 5 (within 3 months) (approval within 6 weeks) Commission Proposal Opinion Common position Amendments (absolute majority of members) Conciliation: joint text Adoption FP evaluations European Research Advisory Board (within 3 months) 1 3 4 5 European Parliament (approval within 6 weeks) Council decides by qualified majority except on EP amendments not approved by the Commission
Timetable for FP7 adoption 6 April 2005 EC FP7 proposal 21 September 2005 EC FP7 Sp. Progr. proposal December 2005? First reading at EP January 2006? Common position at Council March 2006? 2nd EP reading and approval June 2006? Adoption November 2006? First calls for proposals January 2007? Launch Conference
FP7 Further information http://europa.eu.int/comm/research/future/index_en.cfm EU research policy http://europa.eu.int/pol/rd/index_en.htm Implementation of research programmes http://www.cordis.lu/en/home.html European Technology Platforms http://www.cordis.lu/technology-platforms Information on FP6 infrastructures http://www.cordis.lu/infrastructures ESFRI site http://www.cordis.lu/era/esfri_home.htm