Research cooperation in the EU
EU research and development initiatives take place within a Framework Programme funded by the EU budget in which Sweden is greatly involved.
The European Research Area - ERA
The activities and interest in European research and innovation have increasingly intensified. At a meeting in Lisbon in 2000, the Council of the European Union decided to establish the European Research Area (ERA). The vision is to create a research area that is characterised by the free flow of knowledge, researchers and research findings.
At the meeting of the European Council in spring 2010, heads of state and government decided on objectives within the framework of the Europe 2020 strategy. One of the objectives is that total public and private R&D investment should amount to 3 per cent of GDP by 2020.
The EU Seventh Framework Programme for Research
The European Union's Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities is applicable for the period 2007-2013. The total budget is EUR 52 billion. The programme is divided into four sub-programmes: Cooperation, Ideas, People and Capacities. Besides the four sub-programmes, there is also a separate programme within Euratom and activities for Joint Research Centres (JRCs).
Cooperation
The programme Cooperation' is to support research activities conducted as transnational cooperation. Cooperation with countries outside the Union is also included. The programme is divided into ten thematic areas of research:
- Health
- Food, agriculture and biotechnology
- Information and communication technologies
- Nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials and new production technologies
- Energy
- Environment (including climate change)
- Transport
- Socio-economic sciences and the humanities
- Space
- Security
Ideas
The programme Ideas' aims to stimulate research of the highest quality through the independent European Research Council (ERC). The ERC comprises representatives of the European research community and is to provide support to researcher-led, frontier research in all scientific disciplines. The research projects are led by individual researchers who have received these funds amid tough European competition.
People
The programme People' is aimed at supporting mobility of researchers and strengthened research career opportunities. The purpose is to develop Europe as an interesting and competitive research arena. Thereby it is hoped not only to retain well-qualified European researchers, but also to be better able to attract internationally distinguished researchers.
Capacities
The programme Capacities' includes support for research infrastructure, research for the benefit of small and medium-sized enterprises and regional research activities.
