EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This first FP7 Monitoring Report covers the year 2007 and is the first one based on a completely new approach: While in FP6 and previous Framework Programmes monitoring had been implemented through annual panels of independent experts which selected specific areas of FP implementation and performance to analyse and report on, the FP7 monitoring system is designed as an internal management tool, based on a coherent system of indicators. The present is thus intended to be a first of a series of annual reports, all structured along the same principles and thus allowing for the first time a kind of longitudinal analysis of the FP7 implementation.

This document explains in Part 1 the new monitoring system in more detail. Part 2 presents a detailed factual analysis of the main elements of the overall FP7 implementation, whereas Part 3 takes a closer look at some new elements and specific fields of the FP. The current situation with regard to the simplification process is described in Part 4, whereas Part 5 is a first attempt to look at impacts and achievements. Although the report is based essentially on existing material which has been already (at least partially) released, it offers for the first time a more holistic view on the different strands of activities.

A couple of selected facts and figures for 2007 in a snapshot style might illustrate the relevance of such a 360° analysis:

• For calls launched in 2007, some 23.000 applications were received and some 2.800 proposals finally retained.
• Proposals retained included some 19.500 applicants and requested Community funding of € 5,7 billion.
• 10% of these applicants in retained proposals are located in the new Member States.
• In terms of funding, the Russian Federation, India, China and the USA are the "Third Countries" that benefit the most from the FP.
• About 19% of the project contact points (team leaders) are women.
• 96% of the evaluators found the quality of the FP7 proposal evaluation they attended
• "Satisfactory" to "excellent", 91% judged it "similar" or "better" than national proposal evaluation exercises they attended.
• Only 0,045% of proposals had to be re-evaluated following the newly introduced redress procedure.
• Time to grant is overall still in a range between 10 and 12 months.
• 245 ethical reviews were launched, with no project being stopped.
• NCPs recognise a considerable progress in simplification from FP6 to FP7.
• New rules in FP7 will lead to a 90% reduction for the number of ex-ante financial capacity checks as well as for the number of audit certificates required.

The next Annual Monitoring Report, covering the activities in 2008, will for the first time allow for some comparative analysis over time in order to identify trends and developments in the FP7 implementation.