Applied research has a strong role in the FP7 ICT 2013 work programme

Perttu Heino:

I was surprised to learn this in the meeting of the ICT working group of the ERRIN network on June 28th in Brussels. Ms. Zulema Olivan from the DG INFSO of the European Commission told that this last year of the ICT programme aims to form a bridge to the coming Horizon 2020 programme by experimenting with the emerging new priorities.

The pre-commercial procurement scheme is an important new priority. What does it mean in practice? It means that public authorities such as cities can take into use innovative products and technologies which are not yet accessible through a conventional competitive purchasing process. In this way public organizations can decide to take the role of pioneering users and first references for promising new products of European companies. This is a great opportunity for innovative SME’s and their university partners!

Earlier the same day I had a cup of coffee with Antonio Loredan who works in the SME unit of the DG Research and Innovation. His message was the same. The remaining calls of FP7 will focus on the new emerging priorities of Horizon 2020. Concerning research for the benefit of SME’s, he believes that Horizon 2020 will be more flexible than FP7 and allow projects which focus on an innovative product of a single European company with an international market potential. Although co-operation between European organizations will still be desired, the proposers would not be forced to involve extra partners just for the sake of the European dimension.

Let’s make the gears and wheels in our brains roll for new project ideas!