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News archive - ICT As Priority Area in FP7

The 7th Framework Programme for Research and Development (FP7) is grouped into four categories. Within the specific programme on “Cooperation”, the ICT sub-programme (Information and Communication Technologies) aims to integrate technologies and to result in new applications for industrial as well as domestic settings. Its objectives are to improve the competitiveness of European industry and to enable Europe to master and shape the future developments of ICT, so that the demands of its society and economy are met. In order to promote these objectives, ICT has an overall budget of 9,110 million euro for the period 2007-2013.

The ICT Work Programme 2007-2008 is in line with the main policy priorities as defined in the i2010 initiative, which sets the strategic framework for ICT policies in the European Union. In order to achieve the best possible impact, it is structured into 7 main challenges. The challenges are driven either by industry and technology objectives or by socio-economic goals. For each challenge precise targets and deliverables are identified in a 10 year time frame.

Challenge 1: Pervasive and Trusted Network and Service Infrastructures
Challenge 2: Cognitive Systems, Interaction, Robotics
Challenge 3: Components, Systems, Engineering
Challenge 4: Digital Libraries and Content
Challenge 5: Towards Sustainable and Personalised Healthcare
Challenge 6: ICT for Mobility, Environmental Sustainability and Energy Efficiency
Challenge 7: ICT for Independent Living and Inclusion

For each objective, the Work Programme defines the target outcome of the supported research and the expected impact of these outcomes on European economy and society.
According to the latest information from the Commission, the first call for proposals is expected to open in January or February and to close in March or April. A second call will follow in May/June 2007 with a deadline in September/October, and a third one may open in December 2007 and close in March 2008. More detailed information will be available after the IST 2006 conference in Helsinki (November 21-23, 2006), organised by the European Commission in cooperation with the Finnish presidency.
However, these first three calls do not have the same weight. The table below shows the number of different objectives that will be covered in each call, and the budget available.

Objectives covered   Budget to be spent
1st ICT call     19       1,139 million euro
2nd ICT call     11         609 million euro
3rd ICT call      5         207 million euro

It is important to note that most of the objectives will be covered only once in the course of the ICT Work Programme 2007-2008. In order to plan your activities and to ensure on-schedule submission of project ideas, it is therefore indispensable to check the whole Work Programme at an early stage. The next possibility might lie somewhere in the more distant future.

Article published in eJournal fall06.
Author: Carmen Siller, ZSI

A draft of the Workprogramme 2007/2008 can be found at /doc/579.html.