European Commission

FP 7 European Commission-Website

The funding scheme of the 7th European Framework program is structured in 5 Specific Programs:

• Cooperation
• Ideas
• People
• Capacities
• Nuclear Research

Website

The specific program on Cooperation represents 2/3 of the overall budget in FP7. It supports all types of research activities carried out by different research bodies in trans-national cooperation and aims to gain or consolidate leadership in key scientific and technology areas.
The Cooperation program is sub-divided into ten key thematic areas (eg, Health, Food, etc.).
These ten identified themes reflect the most important fields of knowledge and technology where research excellence is particularly important to improve Europe’s ability to address its social, economic, public health, environmental and industrial challenges of the future.
This is to be achieved through a range of funding schemes: Collaborative projects, Networks of Excellence, Co-ordination/support actions, etc.

Main Characteristics:
• given topics (please refer to current call fiche and work program)
• consortium agreement required for large scale integrating projects
• min. number of participating legal entities: at least 3 independent legal entities established in 3 different EU member states or associated countries
• particular requirements for participation (if not respected => proposals are ineligible!)
• small or medium-scale focused research projects: the requested EC contribution shall not exceed EUR 3 Mio. unless otherwise indicated in the topic description
• large scale integrating projects: the requested EC contribution shall be between EUR 6-12 Mio. unless otherwise indicated in the topic description

The Ideas program supports "frontier research" solely on the basis of scientific excellence. Research may be carried out in any area of science or technology, including engineering, socio-economic sciences and the humanities. In contrast with the Cooperation program, there is no obligation for cross-border partnerships.
Projects are implemented by "individual teams" around a "principal investigator".
The program is implemented via the new European Research Council (ERC). http://erc.europa.eu/.
The ERC actions are open to researchers of any nationality who intend to establish and conduct their research activity in any Member State or associated country. The principal investigator may be of any age and nationality and may reside in any country in the world at the time of the application.

Re-applications and multiple applications rules
As established in the ERC Work Program 2011, rules apply to reapplications for ERC grants by individual researchers who apply as Principal Investigators (Starting and Advanced Grants) and/or Advanced Grant Co-Investigators:

•A Principal Investigator (PI) who served as a panel member on a panel for a previous Starting Grant call may not apply to the Starting Grant of the current call;
•Only one ERC grant managed by a PI can be active at any time;
•A PI may not be associated with more than one application to the ERC calls with deadlines during the same calendar year;
•A PI may not submit an application for an ERC grant during the calendar year following the submission of an unsuccessful application unless his/her proposal was evaluated above the quality threshold at the end of step 1.

ERC – European Research Council - Starting Grants

ERC Starting Grants support excellent researchers who are at the stage of establishing and leading their first research team or program.
The maximum funding is EUR 1,5 Mio for a period of 5 years. An additional EUR 0,5 Mio. can be made available to cover start up costs for PIs moving from a third country to the EU.
Eligible applicants must have been awarded their first PhD (or equivalent doctoral degree) at least 2 and up to 12 years prior to the publication date of the call for proposals. They are expected to have already shown the potential for research independence and evidence of at least one important publication without the participation of their PhD supervisor. Applicants should be able to demonstrate a promising track record including significant publications as main author.

Principal Investigators (PIs) will be subdivided during the evaluation into two main streams taking into consideration the specific stage of their research career at the time of the application:
- “starters” (award of PhD from 2 up to 7 years) or
- “consolidators” (award of PhD over 7 and up to 12 years)

The proposal is evaluated in 2 steps.
Please be aware that at step 1 of the evaluation only Section 1 (B1) is evaluated – therefore the extended synopsis should contain all relevant information including the feasibility of the scientific proposal!

Deadlines:  once per year, usually in fall


ERC – European Research Council - Advanced Investigator Grants

Main Characteristics:
• supports excellent, innovative research projects by leading advanced investigators; researchers that have already established themselves as independent research leaders;
• Funding: EUR 100 – 500k p.a. per grant Max. EUR 2,5 Mio. per grant

Deadlines:  once per year, usually in spring

Marie Curie Initial Training Networks (ITN)

Marie Curie ITNs are designed to provide support for training and career development of early stage researchers (PhD students). This action addresses to joint research training networks in the form of either multi- or mono-partner ITNs.

Main Characteristics:
• supports training and career development of researchers in the context of a common research project
• single stage submission
• project duration: up to 4 years
• bottom up approach – no given topic
• page limits have to be strictly respected
• no consortium agreement required

Deadlines:  once per year, usually in winter

European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research

COST invites researchers throughout Europe to submit proposals for research networks and use this unique opportunity to exchange knowledge and to embark on new European perspectives. A continuous Open Call for Proposals is used to attract the best proposals for new COST Actions.

The Open Call follows a two-stage process whereby applicants, after registering, submit a preliminary proposal by a set collection date. This preliminary proposal provides an overview of proposed Action's goal and its foreseen impact. After assessment, approximately 80 of these preliminary proposals are selected for the second phase. Successful applicants are then invited to submit a full proposal.

Main Characteristics:
• supports networking activities (meetings, conferences, short term scientific exchanges)
• does NOT support research itself
• min. 5 participants of COST member countries
• average funding: ~ EUR 100.000 p.a. for 4 years

Deadlines for online submission (collection dates): usually twice per year in March and September