EU Announces €11B R&D Programme For 2013

The European Commission yesterday announced its largest research budget ever, allocating €10.8 billion towards innovative research aimed at generating job growth for 2013. It issued a call for proposals that includes €1.5 billion targeted toward information and communications technologies.

The European Commission press release can be found here.

The funding will support organisations and businesses in EU member and partner states that conduct innovative research in efficient use of raw materials and energy, the development of “smart” cities, and public sector reform. Projects also will be related to health, environment and issues such as urbanisation and managing waste.

The funding falls under the 2007 seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7), which has received a total of €55 billion.

EU officials are confident that this funding will help member states undertake the high levels of research needed to compete in the global economy. European Research, Innovation, and Science Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn expressed her support for the new budget, stating: “Knowledge is the currency of the global economy. If Europe wants to continue to compete in the 21st century, we must support the research and innovation that will generate growth and jobs, now and in the future.”