The Office of Science and Technology has launched a public consultation on the 7th European Union R and D Framework Programme
The consultation paper outlines the key issues and initial government thinking, and is inviting responses by 26 July 2004.
The Framework Programme makes a major contribution to UK science and technology and strengthens partnerships with teams across Europe and beyond, providing approximately 0.5bn euro of funding to UK participants each year.
The programmes are the EU's primary mechanism for supporting and encouraging R and D in the European Community and are open to public and private entities, large and small.
Through the programmes, the EU provides funding for collaborative R and D projects, researcher mobility and the development of infrastructure.
The current four-year programme (FP6) was launched in November 2002 with a budget of 17.5bn euro, rising to 19bn euro from 1 May 2004 as a result of EU enlargement.
The 7th Framework Programme (FP7) will cover the period 2006-2010.
The European Commission's formal proposal is expected in the first half of 2005.
The member states and parliament will negotiate the new programme during 2005 and 2006, and it is expected that the programme will be agreed and launched towards the end of 2006.
The UK consultation will close on 26 July 2004.
Initial feedback will be published on the OST website in August, and responses will feed into a UK position paper on FP7, to be published in early autumn 2004.
The government will publicise the paper with the European institutions and other member states.
It will inform UK input to discussions between member states and the commission.
Hard copies of the consultation document, response form and shorter executive summary can be ordered from DTI Publications Orderline.
