OFFER FOR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN THE EU 7 FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME – YEARS 2007-2013



The beginning of the New Year 2007 has been – among others – also the beginning of the new and long expected Seventh Framework Programme (2007-2013) of the European Union and its Community for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Activities with the substantially increased budget in comparison with the previous 6FP in years 2002-2006. 
An another important characteristics of the EU/7FP is the fact that it is very liberal regarding countries being eligible for funding by the EU under this framework program. With exception of very few of them, practically all developing and also countries in transition are eligible for becoming partners for particular international projects consortia. We could say that this new 7FP has been prepared as a truly and fully global one practically without almost any political, ideological, cultural, geographic or other boundaries. An another noticeable feature is that the 7FP has been directly approaching also the SME sector. Hence, the new 7FP has been offering more opportunities to many more partners and for a longer period regarding potential funding of research and development activities also in the area of the ICT – Information and Communication Technologies that has been a continuation but also a replacement of the previous IST – Information Society Technologies than the previous 6FP.
In this connection, the EU has - already on 22 December 2006 – published the Call No.1 for submission of project proposals in the area of ICT with the deadline for submission on 8 May 2007 at 17.00 o’clock Brussels local time. The total budget for this Call in ICT is over one billion Euro or more precisely it is exactly 1, 019. 000.000.00 Euro.
All more detailed and necessary information regarding the particular Call including its 7 Priority/Challenges areas for projects to be submitted in the area of the ICT can be – among other sources – found also on the specialized web site of our e-Europe Research & Development Centre at www.fm.uniba.sk/erdc under the title of CORDIS (a direct link to the official web site of the EU) where under the heading “First FP7 calls published” in the part “Cooperation” has been also the Call “FP7-ICT-2007-1” with all detailed information regarding the particular Call 1 as needed for preparation and submission of projects corresponding to the particular priorities, challenges and objectives of the given Call!
On the basis of our practical experiences from our successful active participation in numerous successful projects financed by the EU within the previous 5FP and mainly 6FP (for more information, please, see the Section on “our” project activities at our above web site), herewith, we wish to advise all interested potential partners that we are ready to share our particular practical experience and know how with all those who are interested in their own active participation in the EU/7FP but do not know yet how to start and/or are afraid of the relatively high complexity of the overall EU projects preparation methodology, etc. 
In such cases we are ready to help and/or assist all potential partners in particular regarding:

- a transformation of your ideas on a future potential project to be funded by the EU into the prescribed standard form as required by the EU general methodology and/or specifics of the particular Call
- a preparation of “good” projects according all necessary requirements regarding various formal, structural, content, objectives, budget specifics, etc.
- a creation of inevitable international consortia consisting of obligatory partners from the EU member states as well as partners from eligible countries from the outside of the EU. In this respect we have a full list of various partners from our previous and/or current EU funded projects (see again our web site under the heading “Our Partners”) so we could find among them the most suitable ones for any kind of (your) ICT related projects 
- any other potential problems, questions, requirements, etc. regarding this particular ICT Call No. 1 
- a preparation of projects also from other than only ICT area as in general the entire 7FP has been again in principle using the same project methodology and requirements.

In order we could help you in the above problem areas regarding projects to be prepared and submitted under the new EU/7FP we need from your side only a “good project idea” that corresponds by its substance to some of the particular Challenges, Objectives, etc. In such a case we are sure that on the basis of our experiences we will be able - in our mutual cooperation – to prepare a “good” project that will have all required parameters and thus also chances to become one of those rather few that finally will be selected by the EU to be financed from the budget as allocated for this just starting 7FP.
In this connection we wish in particular to underline an important fact regarding potential partners from countries outside of the EU. During the recent - by the European Commission specially organized - events in Singapore (EUSEA) and New Delhi (BELIEF) in particular the very efficient “Get-in-Touch” sessions have clearly demonstrated that many participants from the outside of the EU including those from developing countries have presented very interesting and challenging project ideas that after some formal, content and organizational (becoming a part of the required consortia) finalization could have a very good chance to become projects funded by the EU within this new 7FP! Herewith, we would like to encourage all of those with good project ideas to contact us and we are ready to help them to transform their ides into workable EU funded projects! 

In all above areas and problems we are ready to help you and are looking forward towards our new fruitful cooperation not only in the New Year 2007 but also throughout the entire 7FP until its final year 2013,



Prof. Dusan Soltes
Director
e-Europe Research & Development Centre