Introduction and scope

In April 2007, the European Commission, through the Directorate-General for Research, commissioned Matrix Insight to evaluate the impact of the ERA-NET scheme and related ERA-NET actions under the 6th Community Framework Programme for Research (FP6).
The study focused on 71 ERA-NET coordination actions launched under the FP6 ERA-NET scheme in the 27 Member States of the European Union, Associated countries and Third countries over the FP6 period (i.e. 2002-2006). Rambøll Management and independent experts supported Matrix Insight in delivering the impact assessment.

The ERA-NET scheme funded a diverse set of ERA-NETs. The 71 ERA-NETs funded were regrouped ex-post into 8 different thematic areas:
• Energy (ENE);
• Environment (ENV);
• Fundamental Sciences (FS);
• Industrial Technologies and SMEs (IND);
• International Cooperation (INCO);
• Life Sciences (LS);
• Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH); and
• Transport (TR).
One additional horizontal “regional thematic area" was derived from a small number of ERA-NETs associated with the Transport, Industrial Technologies and SMEs, and Environment themes...