ERA-NETERA-NET 1 First lessons learned from an overview of joint calls under FP6 ERA-NET projects First lessons learned from an overview of joint calls under FP6 ERA-NET projects Feedback from the ERA-NET workshop on « Joint Calls », 14 June 2006 Markku Warras Acting Head of Unit Directorate General for Research European Commission Den Haag, 20 June 2006 European Commission Research DG Support for the coordination of activities EuroHORCs Markku Warras, HoU f.f., DG RTD-B2

ERA-NETERA-NET 2 Level of Ambition Selected CA projects, to 10/ Information exchange & best practices Common strategic issues Joint activities Joint/common calls (fixed for 2005/2006 to 10/05) EuroHORCs Markku Warras, HoU f.f., DG RTD-B2 Support for the coordination of activities

ERA-NETERA-NET 3 uAnalysis based on preliminary data and very different type of calls u15 calls have been launched to date, ~20 under preparation or planned in workprogrammes ~50% of ERA-NETs u Very different type of calls : – Regular call for yearly awards – Major Calls for transnational research projects, both for fundamental and industrial research in various areas (Biotechnology stands out) – Smaller pilot calls testing joint call mechanisms uAlmost 200 Million Euro foreseen, 80% in 3 projects u150 Organisations involved (15% of total), Most countries involved in FP6 are participating Building experience ERA-NETs start making an impact (Overview to June 2006) EuroHORCs Markku Warras, HoU f.f., DG RTD-B2 Support for the coordination of activities

ERA-NETERA-NET 4 uManagement integration : The devil is in the detail – Allows to gather in depth knowledge of different national systems – Design issues : Objective, Target group, Type of project, Type of partnership, Focus on theme or not, Evaluation criteria – Implementation issues : Timing, Information, Evaluation (2-Steps), Contracting, Monitoring, Overall management (Decision making) uMain lessons learned : – Smaller calls are easier : commitments can be decided easier, appear as less threatening. – Pilot calls allow to explore and pave the way before focusing on larger ones with added value for policy makers and impact for target group. – Agreeing on design and implementation is easier – Main difficulties are economic evaluation criteria (industrial projects), different practices for feed-back to proposers (when and what to feed- back?) and different structure and level of overheads Joint calls - Main issues EuroHORCs Markku Warras, HoU f.f., DG RTD-B2 Support for the coordination of activities

ERA-NETERA-NET 5 uFinancial integration : Various mechanisms are tested – Most used is the VIRTUAL common pot – Some have used a REAL common pot – Mixed models have been developed uMain lessons learned : – The virtual common pot is easier : no need for exchange of funds amongst countries. – Various enablers allow to solve main problem of virtual pot Flexibility (Country A increases its commitment) Cross-funding (Country A funds partner from Country B) Joint Top Evaluation Panel takes into account funding levels for final list – However, only a real common pot allows to guarantee funding to all selected trans-national projects. Joint calls - Main issues EuroHORCs Markku Warras, HoU f.f., DG RTD-B2 Support for the coordination of activities

ERA-NETERA-NET 6 u Scientific integration : How to select topics – Most joint calls are bottom-up, with a 2 step mechanism – Some calls have carefully identified scientific priorities – Some partners are also discussing synergies and complementarities with EU RTD programme (FP7) uMain lessons learned : – Focus on some scientific topics is easier for projects involving policy makers (programme owners). More difficult when mostly programme managers are involved. – Virtual common pot is more appropriate for topics where much research is ongoing in many partner countries. – Real common pot poses less problems when addressing a very relevant but new or less investigated topic. – ERA-NET joint calls allow some Member States to have transnational research on topics which were not selected as a priority by the 33 countries involved in the Framework Programme. Joint calls - Main issues EuroHORCs Markku Warras, HoU f.f., DG RTD-B2 Support for the coordination of activities