EC Issues Calls For Research Proposals Under FP7

30 November 2007

The European Commission, which manages the EU’s 7th Research Framework Programme (FP7), has issued calls for proposals in 32 research areas, making available about €1.75 billion (US$2.6 billion) in funding. The research areas range from environmental science to sustainable transport, from biotechnology to nanotechnology.

The FP7-Transport theme, which encompasses both air and surface transport, has as its stated objective the development of safer, “greener” and “smarter” pan-European transport systems that will benefit all citizens, respect the environment, and increase the competitiveness of European industries in the global market. Over the full course of FP-7, research under the transport theme will have a total of €4.1 billion (US$6 billion) in funding.

FP-7 puts an emphasis on funding the following types of activities:

• Aeronautics and air transport

  • Reduction of emissions, work on engines and alternative fuels;

  • Air traffic management, safety aspects of air transport; and

  • Environmentally efficient aviation

• Sustainable surface transport: rail, road and waterborne

  • Development of clean and efficient engines and power trains;

  • Reducing the impact of transport on climate change;

  • Inter-modal regional and national transport;

  • Clean and safe vehicles; and

  • Infrastructure construction and maintenance, integrative architectures.

• Support to the European global satellite navigation system

• Galileo and EGNOS;

• Navigation and timing services; and

• Efficient use of satellite navigation.