Understanding FP7

John, my Pingar partner based in the UK, is contracted to the European Commission as Technology Expert, Rapporteur and Assessor for requests for funding of R&D and commercialisation projects in the European ICT sector.

John’s work includes working with the Sixth & Seventh Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development (FP7 & FP7). FP7 is the European Union’s chief instrument for funding research over the period 2007 to 2013.

This week, he is on duty in Brussels carrying out this task.

I have been trying to work out where New Zealand and New Zealand business fits into all this. To help, I have been accessing the main FP7 portal. I have found a list of International Co-operation Partner Countries. It makes interesting reading.

There is another interesting list of ‘other’ countries missing. They are Associated Countries – countries with science and technology cooperation agreements that involved contributing to the framework programme budget. Is New Zealand one of these? I don’t know. It is important that I should.

I am presently working my way through a number of ‘Guides’ provided by the European Commission to help me understand how FP7 works. They can be accessed here. They are reasonably technical, but they are covering off some of the questions I have about how to co-operate with others in this Programme. Its scope is wide, its budget is massive. And at € 54 billion over the next seven years, I mean massive. It’s important for research and development here that New Zealand is involved. You can view the FP7 launch Press Release here to start understanding what it is all about.