Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications

The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), is the main instrument for funding scientific research and technological development over the period 2007 to 2013 . IT bundles all research-related EU initiatives together under a common roof playing a crucial role in reaching the Lisbon agenda goals of growth, competitiveness and employment. The broad objectives of FP7 have been grouped into four categories: Cooperation, Ideas, People and Capacities. For each type of objective, there is a specific programme corresponding to the main areas of EU research policy. All specific programmes work together to promote and encourage the creation of European poles of (scientific) excellence.

The main specific programme Cooperation includes 9 reserach themes that are critical to improve the competitiveness of European industry and to meet the demands of its society and economy. The largest one of them is Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) with a total buget of € 9.1 billion over the duration of FP7. The objective of ICT research  is to improve the competitiveness of European industry - as well as to enable Europe to master and shape the future developments of these technologies so  that the demands of its society and economy are met. Download 4-page overview of ICT in FP7 (172KB)

FP7 research activities will strengthen Europe's scientific and technology base and ensure its global leadership in ICT, help drive and stimulate product, service and process innovation and creativity through ICT use and ensure that ICT progress is rapidly transformed into benefits for Europe's citizens, businesses, industry and governments.