Framework Programme 7 gets grand launch in Bonn

The keynote speaker Janez Potocnik, Commissioner for Science and Research, sounding relieved to be finally launching the programme, ruminated on the long and drawn out process of agreeing the biggest single publicly funded research programme in the world.

“My journey started in April 2005 when I presented the European Commission's proposals for the Seventh Framework Programme to the EU Council and Parliament. Today, with the launching of FP7, that journey has finally come to an end,” he told delegates.

Since April 2005, there have been over 1600 suggested amendments to the original proposals and the programme has been discussed in almost every EU institution. “We have had opinions from nearly everyone.”  

It has not proved easy to find a common position, with diverging opinions, such as on sensitive issues like funding stem cell research, delays, such as the one affecting the EU's budget, and disappointments, for example over the size of the increase of the research budget, which was lower than the Commission's proposal.

But said Potocnik, FP7, “is an amazing leap forward.” The programme is an achievement in itself, but is also part of a much larger picture in which research takes centre stage. “The next seven years will not only see a bigger, bolder Framework programme. They will also see an increasing dependence on research as Europe continues to build a knowledge society,” said Potocnik.

“FP7 is a first step. But Europe needs much more,” he added. “Europe needs to put money into research and to improve the conditions for innovation in Europe so that the private sector invests more in research and development.”

Europe also needs to collaborate.” We must remember that in research we are 'Team Europe'. The last thing any team needs is players tackling each another.”

Now that the FP7 is up and running Potocnik said his next task is to look again at how research is organised and carried out in the European Research Area.

“I want see how easy it is for researchers to move between facilities and organisations; to have their qualifications recognized; to take their benefits with them; to maintain career development; to find new opportunities in both the public and private sectors; to easily access funding sources; and to use the most advanced infrastructures

Potocnik’s ambition is to create a 'United States of Research', based in Europe. “And here I don't mean 'states' just in the sense of countries of nation states or Member States. I mean states as in states of development, states of cooperation, states of innovation – in short, states of the future, united and working together.”