This funding will advance research on the future internet, robotics, smart and embedded systems, photonics, ICT for energy efficiency, health and well-being in an ageing society, and more. Under the Digital Agenda for Europe, the Commission has committed to maintaining the pace of a 20% yearly increase of the annual ICT R&D budget at least until 2013.

Commission Vice-President for the Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes said: "Increasing overall investment into ICT research is crucial for our future. The EU's support to our world-class researchers announced today must be accompanied by substantial additional investments by the beneficiaries themselves. This research will help Europe's industry to strengthen its competitiveness."

The €780 million call for proposals (ICT Call 7) is part of the biggest ever annual Work Programme under the EU's 7th Framework Programme for Research. Almost €1.2 billion has been budgeted for 2011. €220 million were made available already in July 2010 for public private partnerships focusing on ICT for smart cars, green buildings, sustainable factories and the future internet.

In this call, €120 million will be available to fund research and technological developments in networking, digital media and service infrastructure for the future internet. This is crucial if Europe is to stay ahead of the challenges that its increasingly digital society will face in the next decade, such as the 'Future Internet' Partnership to take advantage of the increasing demand for innovative internet applications that make infrastructures like health systems, energy grids or traffic management systems 'smarter'.

Source and further information: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/1184&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en, as accessed on October 4, 2010.