Germany presents Presidency research priorities

The German tenure will kick into gear not long after the New Year with an FP7 launch event in Bonn on 15 and 16 January. The event will appeal to German and European researchers committed to participating in European research projects. It will also highlight the new areas to receive funding and the opening up of FP7 to cooperation with non-EU Member States.

Germany will also host a launch event for the European Research Council, which will begin its work in January 2007. With funds exceeding €1 billion per year, the Council will open a new chapter in European research funding.

While FP7 itself will be up and running by January, decisions will need to be taken in the following months on a number of related policy and legal issues of considerable importance. These include the promotion of joint programmes by Member States in line with Article 169 and Article 171 on the Joint Technology Initiatives (JTI).

Plans to boost innovation are also on the cards for the first half of 2007, with the German EU Council Presidency hoping to table an initiative for an IPR Charter for public research and higher education institutions. The aim of the Charter will be to improve the exploitation of research results and prevent the loss of knowledge, thereby increasing Europe's competitive edge globally.

Last but not least, the Germany will aim to raise awareness of the need to help young researchers in Europe get a head start. Prior to its presidency, the German government saw to it that the programme to support young researchers establishing their own teams, which used to come under the Marie Curie Actions, was relocated to the ERC. This new funding channel, the German government believes, will greatly improve the opportunities for young European talent.

As of 2 January, the CORDIS German EU Presidency service will be available at: http://cordis.europa.eu/presidency/