Participation in FP7
FP7 is not only for research groups and industry within the European Union member states. The EU wants to create an open network where knowledge flows freely among member states as well as importing and exporting knowledge with the rest of the world. In order to realise this international setting of the European Research Area it is necessary that European research consortia collaborate with research groups and industry in non-EU countries.
For research in food, agriculture and biotechnology this is even more true. The knowledge-based bio-economy will play an important role in a global economy, where knowledge is the best way to increase productivity and competitiveness and improve our quality of life, while protecting our environment and social model. It is a sector estimated to be worth more than ˆ 1.5 trillion per year.
The European Union is the world’s largest importer/exporter of food products, and trades with countries all over the world in an increasing diversity of food products. With this extensive trade in food products, food safety cannot be seen solely as an internal issue. Exactly the same concerns as regards zoonoses, contaminants and other concerns apply to food products in international trade and international research.
All European research projects are, in principle, open to participation of partners from ICPC-countries (International Cooperation Partner Countries, ICPC-countries, including Russia). In fact, the European Commission stimulates participation of partners from ICPC countries when it comes to research for the Knowledge Based Bio Economy. In many areas the EU and it’s close neighbours are obvious partners when it comes to sustainable exploitation of Europe’s natural resources. Knowledge on for instance forestry, industrial biotechnology, food production and crops for bio-fuels needs to be developed in close cooperation with each other so EU and ICPC countries partners can benefit from each others experience. Partners from Russia, Eastern European and central Asian countries are eligible to receive the same kind of funding of the European Union as their EU-counterparts.
Launching Proposal Preparation for Participation in FP7
In preparing an FP 7 project there a number of steps to be taken from a project idea to starting your proposal:
Step 1: Forming your project Idea
Step 2: Build the consortium
Step 3: Write the proposal
Step 4: Submit the proposal
Step 5: Selection & Evaluation Process
Step 6: Negotiations
Step 7: Start of the project
1. Forming your project Idea
Beginning Before you can participate with European Research you must know what it is what you want to do and if your idea is eligible for funding.
Good ideas are not immediately funded, sometimes it can take up to one or two years of preparations, looking for partners, writing the project proposal, the evaluation process, contract negotiations, etc, before a project can start. It is therefore important you make long-term plans.
When you start to think of participating in European Research it is good to realise that you, as a person, will not be a partner in the project. The organisation you work for will be a partner. Therefore, the idea must not only fit your personal ambitions but also the strategy of your organisation.
Finically, in order to have a chance of getting funding for your idea, your plans must have a large European component. The idea must fit within the scope of FP7 and it must fit the work program.
The Work Programme The work programme is a booklet the European Commission publishes annually for each of the research themes within FP7. The work program, for instance on Food, Agriculture and Fisheries and Biotechnology, is published with each call. The Work Programme states a number of topics which are open for proposals. These topics describe the kind of project sought for, the technological development which should be done within a project, the expected impact of the project, the engagement of industry of ICPC partners, etc.
IT IS ONLY POSSIBLE TO GET FUNDING IF YOUR IDEA FITS ONE OF THE TOPICS IN THE WORK PROGRAMME!
All topics in the work programme are, in principle, open to participation of partners from Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
In many topics in the work program for Food, Agriculture, Fisheries and Biotechnology international co-operation is explicitly encouraged. Often the problems addressed within these topics are global issues in which input from other countries is needed. For these topics the European Commission expects to find at least one partner from a 3rd country to participate in the project.
For a limited number of projects in the Work Programme participation from ICPC countries is obligatory. The problems addressed within these topics are issues for a particular region of the world affecting the Knowledge Based Bio-Economy within Europe. For these topics it is specifically stated which countries should participate in the project. For instance a topic might be: “Functional foods and bioactive compounds from the black sea region.” Open to ICPC countries from that region.
2. Building the consortium
As a general rule in the Cooperation program a consortium must at least exist out of three different partners from three different EU member states or ACC countries. Usually a consortium is larger as the minimum requirements. For a consortium it is often advantageous or even obligatory to include partners from 3rd countries as well.
As a partner from Russia, Eastern Europe or a central Asia you are often not easy to connect to European consortia. European research group usually do not have an extensive network in Russia, Eastern Europe and a central Asia. It is therefore important that, as a partner from Russia, Eastern Europe or a central Asia, you advertise yourself well to the European colleagues.
As a single partner your project idea rarely develops into a complete project proposal. Often your idea has to fit together with other ideas to combine into a good proposal. When forming your ideas to a proposal it is good to write down on a single sheet of paper what your ideas are, what your technological capabilities are to do the prospective research and what your role in the project could be.
Matchmaking
The best and easiest way to find a partner is always to draw on your own network. As a scientist you will undoubtedly attend international conferences on Food, Agriculture, Fisheries or Biotechnology. These conferences are often the first place where plans are made for international research projects. European research projects are well advertised at these conferences; during lectures it is often announced that the work that has been done was funded by the EU and at poster sessions the European projects are always marked by the European flag. The scientists already involved in European research will often look for partners for their next projects; they are a good starting point for your connection to a European network.
A second option to find partners is through the NCP/ICP network. If you have an idea that fit’s the work programme you can contact your National, or Information Contact Point to make a so called ‘Partner Search Request’. The NCP or ICP would want to know, what your plans are, what you have to offer a European project, what topic in the work programme you are interested in. This information is stored in a database and an e-mail is send to all NCPs in Europe. The NCPs will look on a national level if a consortium is forming which is interested in you, as a partner. If this is the case the NCP in that country will contact the NCP or ICP in your country so a match can be made. This may seem a very laborious way to find partners but in some cases it can be very effective.
They efficiency of finding partners is in a great deal dependant on the way you advertise yourself. If you have something interesting to offer a European consortium you will be contacted sooner.
Your role in the consortium
Within each consortium there are different roles a partner can play:- Coordinator
The coordinator is responsible for preparation of the project proposal. He will act as point of contact for the European Commission and is responsible for the distribution of funding and reporting to the European Commission. It is very unusual to have a coordinator who is based in a 3rd country; it is much more convenient to have a coordinator who is from an EU member state.
- Work Package Leader
A Work Package Leader is responsible for the execution of part of the project. He will manage the work within a work package and report to the consortium about the progress within a work package. Often the work package leader is part of the management board of a project.
- Partner
As a partner you are responsible for the work assigned to you. You report to the work package leader or coordinator on the financial and technical progress of the work.
Terms of Russian Participation in FP7
Russia is among the «International Cooperation Partner Countries» (ICPC). For Russian participation in FP7 Calls it is necessary to form consortium or join the existing one. There are 2 ways for Russian Participation in FP7:
1. All Calls are open for Russian Participation.
Russian R&TD and SME teams are legible to participate in any proposal or project and obtain financing in FP7. Minimum number of participants in the bulk of Calls should be 3 independent entities from different member States and Associated countries of EU. Russia can participate as an additional Consortium Partner and this participation gives ADDITIONAL PLUS for submitted Proposal.
2. Russian participation in «Specific International Cooperation Actions» (SICA) Special actions of International Cooperation are directed to solving certain R&TD tasks specific for Russia and for Partner European countries or tasks of global significance. Solving these problems should have mutual interest and benefits for EU-countries and Russia. Minimum number of participants in this kind of Calls should be 2 independent entities from different member States and Associated countries of EU and 2 independent entities from Russia (or other ICPC-countries). Participation of ICPC-countries (including Russia) in any SICA Calls is eligible, and in special SICA Calls for Russia participation of Russia is mandatory.
