Regional dimension of the 7th Framework Programme :

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Regional dimension of the 7th Framework Programme
Regions of Knowledge Research Potential
Vilnius, 23.02.2007 Anna Rémond DG RTD B4
Regions of Knowledge Research Potential
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FP7 2007 2013 Cooperation Collaborative
research Ideas Frontier research People
Human Potential Capacities Research Capacity
JRC (non-nuclear) JRC (nuclear) Euratom
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7th Framework Programme specific
programme "Capacities Indicative budget (M)
7th Framework Programme
50.521 Programme Capacities
4.097 Research
Infrastructures
1.715 Research for
the benefit of SMEs
1.336 Regions of
Knowledge
126
Research Potential
340
Science in Society
330
Coherent development of research
policies 70
Activities of International
Cooperation 180
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I. A better consideration for regions in EU RD
Policy 6th Framework Programme Regions of
Knowledge Pilot Action It started in 2003 as
Pilot Action at the request of European
Parliament with budget 2.5 M . It aimed at build
up regional research actors' capacities and know
how on research policy and activities. 53
proposal / 14 selected for funding Regions of
Knowledge II Second call in 2004 with budget
around 11 M focused on analysis of regional RTD
performance, prospective studies, benchmarking,
mentoring etc. 117 proposals / 21 selected for
funding.
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• II. A better consideration for
  regions in EU RD Policy
• 7th Framework Programme
• A new regional dimension particularly under FP7
  Capacities Programme
• Regions of Knowledge
• Research Potential
• Structural funds are also foreseen to reinforce
  RD investment
• Particularly in convergence regions
• Improve conditions for research, innovation and
  the knowledge economy

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• "Regions of Knowledge "
• Two objectives for all European regions
• Strengthen their capacity for investing in RTD
  and carryingout research activities
• Produce research strategies that contribute to
  regional economic development
• through the development of regional
  research-driven clusters

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• What's Research Driven Cluster ?
• Group (Consortium) consisting of
• Research entities (public research centres,
  universities, non- profit bodies),
• local enterprises (large firms, SMEs,
  micro-enterprises),
• regional/local authorities (local government,
  regional development agencies, etc.)
• where appropriate other actors (eg. chambers of
  commerce, banks)
• operating in a particular scientific domain of
  economic sector.

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• Regions of Knowledge will support
• Existing multinational research driven clusters
  or consortia of research driven clusters from
  across Europe dealing with issues of common
  interest
• Creation of new research-driven clusters the
  aim is to stimulate regional or local research
  capabilities around which research driven
  clusters could be set up.

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• Expected impact
• Regional economical growth in selected domains
• Response to the needs of regional business
  communities
• Mobilisation of local, national and community
  funds to implement defined regional "Action
  plans"

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Main activities in 2007

• Three calls for a total of 10 M
• REGIONS-2007-1 (8.8 M )
• Analysis, mentoring and integration of research
  actors
• REGIONS-2007-2 (0.8 M )
• Facilitating the emergence of new clusters and
  mutual information
• REGIONS-2007-3 (0.4 M )
• Transnational cooperation among NCPs

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• Thematic priorities in 2007
• For the first two calls
• Bringing the benefits of Research to SMEs
• Action aimed at increasing integration of SMEs in
  regional research- driven clusters and awareness
  about the potential benefits of research for SMEs
  in their business activities.
• Research and rural economies
• Action aimed at integration of economic actors
  into regional research- driven clusters as a key
  challenge to allow the development of dynamic
  rural and maritime knowledge economies.

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REGIONS-2007-1

• Supporting analysis, mentoring and
  integration of research actors
• Activities
• Analysis, development and implementation of
  research agendas
• Mentoring of regions with a less developed
  research profile or mutual learning
• Initiatives to improve integration definition of
  joint action plans, together with business plans
  following SWOT analysis and definition of RTD
  needs
• Dissemination activities
• Participants
• Consortia of regional research-driven clusters
• or a single transnational regional
  research-driven cluster
• and always at least 6 partners from 2
  Countries

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REGIONS-2007-2

• Facilitating the emergence of new clusters and
  mutual information
• Activities
• creation of new research-driven clusters
• Analysis, workshops, roundtables, expert group
  meetings, dissemination activities, including
  web-based initiatives
• Participants
• one Research-driven cluster with (at least) 3
  participants (one research entity, one public
  (national/regional/local) authority and one
  enterprise)

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REGIONS-2007-3Transnational cooperation among
NCPs

• Activities
• Reinforcing the network of National Contact
  Points (NCP) by focussing on identifying and
  sharing good practices (benchmarking, joint
  workshops, training, and twinning schemes,
  trans-national brokerage events)
• Specific approach to be adapted to the nature of
  the theme, capacities and priorities of the NCPs
  concerned
• Special attention to helping less experienced
  NCPs
• Proposals to include all officially appointed
  NCPs
• Action to involve official FP7 contacts from
  Associated Countries.

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• REGIONS-2007-3
  Transnational cooperation among NCPs
• Expected impact
• An improved NCP service across Europe, therefore
  helping simplify access to FP7 calls, lowering
  the entry barriers for newcomers, and raising the
  average quality of submitted proposals.
• A more consistent level of NCP support services
  across Europe.

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Funding scheme overview


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• Funding possibilities
• Research activities, the infrastructures etc. can
  be fund by different funding mechanisms, which
  could be
• DG RTD other parts of the 7th Framework
  Programme
• (2007 2013) (50 B)
• DG REGIO Structural Funds (2007 2013)
  
• (347 B)
• DG ENTR Competitiveness and Innovation
  Programme (2007
  2013)(3.2 B)

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• Research Potential

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• "Research Potential " Activity
• (For CONVERGENCE OUTERMOST regions)
• The objective of "Research Potential" activity
  is
• To stimulate the realisation of the full
  research potential of the enlarged Union by
  unlocking and developing the research
  potential in the EUs convergence and outermost
  regions
• To strengthen the capacities of their
  researchers to successfully participate in
  research activities at EU level

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Definition of "convergence" regions JO L
243/44 of 6.09.2006 The regions eligible for
funding from the Structural Funds under the
Convergence objective shall be regions whose per
capita gross domestic product (GDP), measured in
purchasing power parities and calculated on the
basis of Community figures for the period
2000-2002, is less than 75 of the average GDP
of the EU-25 for the same reference
period. Definition of "outermost" regions
Regions defined by art 2992 of EC Treaty
Canary Islands (ES), Açores Madera (PT),
Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique and Reunion (FR)
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• Main activities in 2007
• REGPOT-2007-1 Unlocking and developing the
  research potential in the EUs convergence
  regions and outermost regions 23.5 M
• REGPOT-2007-2 Providing evaluation facilities
  for research organisation in the EUs
  convergence regions and outermost regions 1 M
• REGPOT-2007-3 International cooperation
  focused on Western Balkan countries 8 M (third
  appropriations)
• REGPOT-2007-4 Trans-national co-operation
  among NCPs
• 0.5 M

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• REGPOT-2007-1
  Unlocking and developing the research potential
  in the EUs convergence regions and outermost
  regions
• This activity will support an Action Plan defined
  by the highest quality and/or promising research
  centres in the thematic priorities domains of
  the FP7, which will be based on a coherent set of
  measures for
• Exchange of know-how and experience
• Recruitment by the selected centres of incoming
  experienced researchers
• Acquisition, development or upgrading of
  research equipment
• Organisation of workshops and conferences to
  facilitate knowledge transfer at national and
  international level
• Dissemination and promotional activities .

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REGPOT-2007-1 Unlocking and
developing the research potential in the EUs
convergence regions and outermost
regions Participants Any public or private
research entity in the EU's convergence regions
and outermost regions, being defined as an
existing working unit (a single proposer), either
independent or functioning within a locally
established research organisation in the
concerned regions, having preferably distinct
organisational and administrative boundaries.
The Centre should not be a subsidiary or branch
of an organisation established in another country.
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• REGPOT-2007-1
• Unlocking and
  developing the research potential in the EUs
  convergence regions and outermost
  regions
• Expected impact
• Upgrading the RTD capacity (human potential
  number of new researchers and training of all
  research staff, scientific equipment) and the
  quality of research carried out by the
  selected research entity
• Better integration of the selected research team
  in the ERA as a whole (partnership, including
  twinning with research groups elsewhere in
  Europe)
• Improvement of the capacity of its participation
  in FP7 projects.

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REGPOT-2007-2

• Providing evaluation facilities for research
  organisations in the EUs convergence and
  outermost regions
• Activities
• evaluation of research quality and
  infrastructures by high level independent
  experts (SWOT analysis)
• preparation of an Action Plan to upgrade and
  reinforce its RTD potential by the selected
  centre
• Participants
• public or private research centre in the EU's
  convergence regions and outermost regions

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REGPOT-2007-3
International Cooperation focused on Western
Balkan Countries Objectives This Activity will
promote closer ST cooperation opportunities
between European Union and in particular its
convergence regions, and the Western Balkan
Countries (WBC). Participants Proposals should
include at least 3 participants one from a
convergence or outermost region in the EU, one
from a Member State or an associated country and
one from a WBC.
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• REGPOT-2007-3
  International Cooperation focused on
  WBC
• This activity will support an Action Plan
  defined by the
• concerned research centres, which will be
  based on a coherent set of twinning
  measures for
• Exchange of know-how and experience
• Recruitment by the WBC selected centres of
  incoming experienced researchers.
• Acquisition, development, maintenance, upgrading
  and/or renewal of ST research equipment (for
  WBCs)
• Organisation of workshops and conferences
• Dissemination and promotional activities

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• REGPOT-2007-3 International Cooperation focused
  on WBC
• Expected impact
• Accelerate the setting up of sustainable
  partnerships between the most competitive
  RTD centres of EUs convergence and outermost
  regions, Member States and/or associated
  Countries and Western Balkan Countries whilst
  boosting regional cooperation contributing to
  socio-economic needs
• Reinforce the research centres established in
  the EUs convergence
• and outermost regions through international
  co-operation
• networking integrating exchange of scientific
  know-how, mobilisation of Human Potential and
  exploitation of RTD results

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• Improving and/or enlarging the RTD capacity of
  Western Balkan centres of competence in terms of
  ST policy and research programmes, scientific
  and technical human resources and ST
  infrastructures
• Better and more integrate Western Balkan
  countries in the FP7 networks and RTD projects as
  well as in the Member States national
  cooperation programmes as a prerequisite of these
  countries successful integration into the
  European Research Area.

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REGPOT-2007-4Transnational cooperation
among NCPs

• Activities
• Reinforcing the network of National Contact
  Points (NCP) by focussing on identifying and
  sharing good practices (benchmarking, joint
  workshops, training, and twinning schemes,
  trans-national brokerage events)
• Specific approach to be adapted to the nature of
  the theme, capacities and priorities of the NCPs
  concerned
• Special attention to helping less experienced
  NCPs
• Proposals to include all officially appointed
  NCPs
• Action to involve official FP7 contacts from
  Associated Countries.

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Funding
scheme overview
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Selection and negotiation

• Timetable
• Calls for proposals published on 22/12/2006
• Deadline for submission 24/4/2007
• Evaluation, with help of independent experts
  Selection within 3 months of call closure
  (24/7/2007)
• Negotiation of grant agreements
• Commission decision
• Signature of grant agreement and entry into
  force, if possible before end 2007

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Information

• 7th Framework Programme
• http//cordis.europa.eu/fp7
• Calls for proposals
• http//ec.europa.eu/research/fp7/documents_en.html
  
• Particular questions can be addressed to
• http//ec.europa.eu/research/enquiries
• Expert data base
• https//cordis.europa.eu/emmfp7

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• Thank you for your attention