CERN in FP7: very successful participation so far
The first two years of the seventh Framework Programme were very successful for CERN – 27 EU projects were selected for funding in 2007 and 2008, with the total EC contribution exceeding 33 million euros.
The seventh European Union Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities (FP7) started on 1 January 2007 and will cover the period from 2007 to 2013. With a total budget of 50.5 billion euros, FP7 is the largest Framework Programme in the history of the EU.
FP7 consists of four major sub-programmes, referred to as "Specific Programmes":
"Cooperation" is focused on collaborative research projects and is divided into 10 thematic areas. "Ideas" is a new EU programme for funding frontier research in all fields of science. "Capacities" aims at strengthening the research capacities in Europe, including research infrastructures and e-infrastructures. Finally, "People" succeeds the previous Marie Curie Programmes and targets the development of Europe’s human potential.
During the first two years of FP7, CERN actively participated in proposals for new EU projects, mainly in three domains - accelerator and detector R&D activities, projects for the development of Grid infrastructures, and different Marie-Curie host actions. The success rate in 2007 and 2008 was very high – some 27 projects, with a duration of 2 to 5 years were selected for funding, with a total EC (European Commission) contribution for CERN participation exceeding 33 million euros. Compared to the previous Framework Programme (FP6), the number of projects coordinated by CERN has considerably increased.
Under the Research Infrastructures Programme, CERN is coordinating the SLHC-PP project (Preparatory Phase of the Large Hadron Collider Upgrade), as well as EuCARD, a large Integrating Activity project supporting the implementation of a coordinated accelerator R&D programme in Europe.
Under the e-Infrastructures Programme, CERN is continuing to coordinate and lead EGEE (Enabling Grids for E-sciencE), currently in phase three. EGEE-III is one of the largest FP7 projects and is the flagship of the ongoing Grid development and deployment activities in Europe, co-funded by the EC.
Under the Marie Curie Programme, CERN is coordinating three Initial Training Networks for the training of young researchers in different technical fields – ACEOLE, MC-PAD, and PARTNER. Some 65 fellow-years will be funded by the EC during the implementation of these three projects. In addition, CERN has obtained EC funding for enhancing its Fellowship Programme, and a number of CERN Fellows will be offered 3-year fellowships with the possibility to spend up to one year in another European laboratory, company or research institute.
Under the Ideas Programme, the Theory Group of the PH Department is hosting two of the prestigious ERC Grants – COSMO@LHC, a Starting Grant, and MassTeV, an Advanced Investigator Grant.
Last but not least, under the Science in Society Programme CERN is coordinating SOAP, a project that will support a study on open access publishing, including viable business models, in different scientific fields.
The EU Projects Office (DG-EU) provides detailed information on FP7, the rules for participation and funding schemes, the Work Programmes of interest to CERN, as well as general advice on the preparation of project proposals.
More information concerning FP7, the Calls for Proposals, and the participation of the Organization in FP7 projects is available on the EU Projects Office website:
