European research under FP7 for Small and Medium Enterprises Bari, 16 September 2006 Gianluca Coluccio European Commission ▪ DG Research Unit M4: Research and SMEs

Where do we come from? SMEs in FP6 - Facts and Figures  Cooperative Research: M€ proposals, 390 proposals funded  Collective Research: M€ proposals, 80 proposals funded  SME participation in the Thematic Priorities (main listed proposals) 2003: 12,4% March 2005: 15,2% IPs:13,4% NoEs 5,0% STREPs:16,4%

FP6 – situation today  Outsourcing scheme  Full IPR ownership for the target group and  100% reimbursement of the total eligible costs of the RTDP  Minimum share of 40% outsourcing, the average is 50%  Average funding rate at project level: 60%  High oversubscription (12% success rate)

What’s new in FP7? Main new elements compared to FP6:  Duration increased from five to seven years  Annual budget increased  Basic research (European Research Council)  New structure: cooperation, ideas, people, capacities  Flexible funding schemes  Simpler procedures  Logistical and administrative tasks external structures

Cooperation – Collaborative research People – Human Potential JRC (nuclear) Ideas – Frontier Research Capacities – Research Capacity JRC (non-nuclear) Euratom + FP – 2013 Specific programmes

1.Health 2.Food, agriculture and biotechnology 3.Information and communication technologies 4.Nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials and new production technologies 5.Energy 6.Environment (including climate change) 7.Transport (including aeronautics) 8.Socio-economic sciences and the humanities 9.Security and space +Euratom: Fusion energy research, nuclear fission and radiation protection COOPERATION Nine themes

1.“Cooperation” programme: –Areas of particular interest to SMEs will be identified in the individual work programmes –Dedicated SME strategy under each Theme –Greater flexibility in choosing the funding scheme –Facilitating SME participation through improved and simplified financial and administrative procedures –Technology Platforms support the development and implementation of research strategies in key areas relevant for the European industry  Input from and participation of SMEs SMEs in FP7 proposal Main initiatives

2. “People” programme: Industry-academia partnerships and Marie-Curie actions –Actions support longer term cooperation between academia and industry, in particular SMEs –Encouraging increased SME participation in this action through  Staff secondment between research and industry  Temporary hosting of experienced researchers from outside  Possible financial contribution to small equipment related to SME participation SMEs in FP7 proposal Main initiatives

3. “Capacities” programme: Research for the benefit of SMEs –Strengthen the innovation capacities of SMEs and their ability to benefit from outsourcing of research –Help SMEs to develop new products and markets: Increasing their research effort Extending their networks Improving the exploitation of research results Acquiring technological know-how SMEs in FP7 proposal Main initiatives

SME specific measures (I) Research for SMEs: All SMEs that need to outsource research activities:  Mainly low to medium technology SMEs with little or no research capability  Research intensive SMEs that need to outsource research to complement their core research capability Research for SME associations:  SME associations which are normally best placed to know or identify the common technical problems of their members

SME specific measures (II) Common features of the two SME specific measures: Bottom-up approach: entire field of science and technology Types of activities: Research and technological development, demonstration, consortium management (and training, technology transfer, knowledge management and IPR protection) Other enterprises and end-users can participate if it is in the interest of the SMEs or SME associations  Evaluation puts a special emphasis on the expected economic impact for the SMEs

SME specific measures (III) Funding Scheme “Research for the benefit of specific groups (in particular SMEs)” Support to research projects where the bulk of the research is carried out by universities, research centres or other legal entities, for the benefit of specific groups, in particular SMEs or associations of SMEs.

4. EUROSTARS: Joint implementation of national programmes for research performing SMEs (article 169 initiative)  Initiative launched by Eureka  Targeting R&D performing SME to boost their research and innovation capacity through support of transnational, multipartner R&D projects  Up to twenty-one Eureka countries have agreed to participate in a joint programme  Community could provide financial support to the initiative  Separate decision on the basis of Article 169 SMEs in FP7 proposal Main initiatives

Research for the benefit of SMEs Indicative budget breakdown FP6: annual average

Budget allocation to SMEs in FP6 and FP7

FP7 – situation tomorrow  Higher funding rates for RTD activities ► 75% for SMEs and most SME associations ► 75% for most of the RTD performers  Wider scope of the measures ► demonstration and training activities and participant category “other enterprise and end-user” for the two SME measures  More flexible IPR regime ► Rules for participation: “unless otherwise agreed”

SMEs in FP7 – Take Home Messages  SMEs are a key component of main-stream research activity: broad participation across the Framework programme  Simplification will foster SME participation  SME strategy in the Themes will provide a wider range of opportunities for SME related research  Sharpened profile of the SME specific measures will increase the impact at programme and project level  Significant budget increase for SMEs

Distribution of Participants in SME Specific Measures FP6

Number of Project Co-ordinators by Country in SME Specific Measures FP6

EC Contribution (€ Million) By Country in SME Specific Measures FP6

Distribution of Italian Participants in SME Specific Measures FP6

For more information CORDIS: sme.cordis.lu/research/fp6_support.cfm SME TechWeb: sme.cordis.lu/research/fp6_support.cfm SME National Contact Points: sme.cordis.lu/assistance/ncps.cfm