What is FP7?

FP7 is the European Community Framework Programme for Research, Technology, Development and Demonstration covering almost all scientific disciplines. It is a collection of actions at EU level to fund and promote research.

The main objective of FP7 is to support the Lisbon strategy, in directing Europe towards becoming the one of the most competitive, knowledge-based economies in the world. In order to ensure this objective and help create a European Research Area, FP7 will run for a period of seven years, (2007–2013). It will fund hundreds of projects originating from European players in research and innovation.

The structure of FP7 consists of four specific programmes, corresponding to the four major objectives of European research policy:

• Cooperation
  • Health
  • Food, Agriculture and Biotechnology
  • Information & Communication Technologies (ICT)
  • Nanosciences, Nanotechnologies, Materials and New Production Technologies
  • Energy
  • Environment (including Climate Change)
  • Transport (including Aeronautics)
  • Social sciences
  • Security
  • Space
• Ideas 
• People
• Capacities
  • Research Infrastructures
  • Research for the benefits of SMEs
  • Regions of Knowledge
  • Research Potential
  • Science and Society
  • International Cooperation
  • Support for the Coherent Development of Research Policies

The overall budget for FP7 is approximately Euro 50.5 billion. The amount is divided among the activities and actions:

Cooperation – €32,292 million

Ideas – €7,460 million

People – €4,727 million

Capacities – €4,291 million