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Opening Address by the Minister of Science and Technology
Mosibudi Mangena at the launch of the Max Planck Science
Tunnel at Sci Bono Discovery Centre, Johannesburg, on 18 May
2007
Seventh
Framework Programme (FP7)
On 18 December 2006, the
Council adopted decisions establishing the Seventh Framework
Programme of the European Community (EC) for research and
technological development for the period 2007 to 2013, and
the FP7 for nuclear research activities (Euratom) for 2007
to 2011. The Council also adopted a regulation laying down
the rules for the participation of undertakings, research
centres and universities in actions under FP7-EC and for the
dissemination of research results. Following the adoption of
the Seventh Framework Programme on 18 December, the Specific
Programmes were also adopted by the Council on 19 December.
FP7 is divided into four
specific programmes. The "Co-operation" programme will
support research co-operation in a number of specified
thematic areas. "Ideas" will fund investigator-driven
research through a newly created European Research Council.
The "People" programme will support training and
researchers' career development, while "Capacities" will
support the co-ordination and development of research
infrastructure, regional research clusters, international
co-operation and closer ties between science and society.
The total budget amounts to EUR 54.582 billion.
The first calls for
proposals were published on 22 December 2006. You can find
all the information about them and how to apply on the
CORDIS web site.
For further
information, visit:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/fp7/index_en.cfm
http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/home_en.html (mainly for
participants)
European Research Council
The European Research
Council, a new EU funding body for frontier research, was
officially launched on 27 February, 2007. For further
information, visit their website at:
http://erc.europa.eu
The SA-EU Joint Science
and Technology Co-operation Committee (JSTCC) is tasked with
reviewing collaboration between the two parties, including
SA participation in the Framework Programmes, sharing new
developments in science and technology policy matters and
devising strategies for enhancing future collaboration. For
further information, visit the
SA Department of Science and Technology.
The
European - South African
Science and Technology Advancement Programme (ESASTAP),
implemented by the SA Department of Science and Technology
and funded by the European Commission under the Sixth
Framework Programme, aims to enhance the support and
assistance available to both SA and European researchers to
ensure optimal benefits from this partnership. The contact
e-mail address is
contact@esastap.org.za
Council Decision of
10 November 1997 concluding the Agreement on scientific and
technological co-operation between the European Community
and the Republic of SA
(OJ L313 of 15 November 1997)
Council Decision
Agreement
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Information on International Co-operation in FP7
To become more
competitive and play a leading role
globally, the European Community needs a
strong and coherent international science
and technology (S&T) policy with three
objectives:
- support European
competitiveness through strategic
partnerships with non-EU countries in
selected fields of science and by
engaging the best scientists from such
countries to work with and in Europe;
- enhance the
production of knowledge and scientific
excellence by enabling European
universities, research institutions and
firms to establish contacts with their
partners in such third countries,
thereby facilitating access to research
environments outside Europe and
promoting synergies on a global scale;
- address specific
problems that third countries
face, or that have a global character,
on the basis of mutual interest and
mutual benefit.
For more information on
international cooperation (INCO) activities
please see the
EUROPA INCO service or the
CORDIS INCO Portal
SA participation in the 6th Framework
Programme (2002 - 2006)
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Useful
Links
Research Directorate-General
Community
Research and Development Information Service (CORDIS)
RTD Info - Magazine on European Research
Impact Assessment Report on the Specific Programme:
"International RTD Co-operation Fifth Framework Programme
1998-2002" (September 2005) |
Additional Areas of Co-operation