EU research budget 2007 - 2013, FP7

The Europe Union is finalising its budget for Framework Programme Seven. So its time to check the figures.

To those who are not in the know, FP7 is the programme through which the European Commission will manage the allocation of its budget for R&D in scientific research and technology development - with the strategic aim to strengthen the European economy and global competitive position. Aligning R&D investment with societal, business, global and economic needs and challenges sits at the heart of the Commissions objectives for FP7.

Today Cordis released a news article indicating that the Commission will be adopting "an amended proposal for the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), which seeks to incorporate amendments made by the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers in their first readings"

FP7 will run for a period of 7 years, from 2007 to 2013. During 2005 the Commission's proposed budget was around 72 billion euro. The budget for FP7 now stands near 48 billion euro, as indicated by EARTO in their news release during May 2006.

The budget for FP6 was 16.3 billion euros and ran over a five year period from 2002 to 2006, for 15 member states. FP7 will be running over 7 years with 25 member states all seeking to participate and access to their share of the funds.

If you have been following the progress of FP7, you will already know that it includes the establishment of a European Reseach Council (ERC) . The ERC will focus on leading edge frontier reseach, with its activities been very much independent of the themes segmented in "Cooperation". ERC will have the ability to conduct its own strategic studies to help direct its operations and activities.

When the Commission initially put forward its proposal for FP7 during April 2005, it requested 11,826 billion euros. Since then the figure has been reduced significantly to 7,460 billion euro.

MEPs have requested a review of the ERC during 2008. The Commission requires more time before a viable review is possible. Janez Potocnik, the EU Commissioner for Science and Research has agreed with the European Parliment that the ERC review will be no later than 2010.

Shak Gohir

Business & Programme Manager

Useful small-scale technologies

I would like to welcome you to Cenamps' blog.

This is Cenamps first online blog. Just as blogging enables new ways of communicating and is changing the future of news, information and publication sectors, Cenamps is about creating and commercialising new technologies that will utimately enhance the quality of our everyday lives, improve our health and establish smart work and home environments. Technologies that benefit society and create value for businesses.

We are a not-for-profit organisation established by One NorthEast during 2003 as a national centre for emerging small-scale technolgies, we are based in one of the UK's fast growing science cities - Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Situated in the North East of England, Newcastle is a city famous for its bridges and is no stranger to science, technology and engineering. It is home also to the Sage. Recently opened during 2005, the Sage houses two of the world best concert halls - just the venue for relaxing and listening to modern, contemporay and classical music.

Technology is the bedrock of economc development. At Cenamps we focus on stimulating technology research, development and commercialisation. We are about tiny or small-scale technologies often refer to as nanotechnologies and microtechnologies or collectively known as MNT. By stimulating technological innovations our aim is to strengthen the regional economy. In doing so our projects and activities are national and international in focus.

Hence, want really interests us are useful small-scale technologies. The emphasis here is on the word "useful". These are technologies that have potential to help solve known problems and global challenges as well as technologies for innovating new products and processes. So we are very much into collaboration, responsible innovation and market-led R&D. Gaining insights into business, economic, government and consumer trends and needs is crucial to us in identifing useful new technologies.

Polymer electronics is one such technology. Polymer electronics will transform the next generation of consumer electronic products - for example in innovating a plamtop with a flexible screen or an electronic newspapers that can simply be folded into your pocket.

Another useful set of technologies are mobile medical diagnostics and genomic technologies. These technologies have the potential to transform healthcare service to one that is more patient-centric, shifting the focus from "cure" to "prevention". They can also shift healthcare away from central hospitals to one where healthcare services are more pervasive and customised to our individual genetic makeup.

In all there are four interralated specific areas form our technology footprint:

• Flexible Function Materials - including Polymer Electronics
• Ambient Instelligence - smart objects and environments
• technologies that improve the quality of our everyday lives at home, work and during recreation
• Healthcare technologies for preventative, early-stage diagnosis and personalised medicine

These four technology areas are set to transform the world we lives at home, work, city spaces and environment.

Shak Gohir
Business & Programme Manager