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FP7: research budget agreed
Thu 07 December 2006
The EU budget for the term 2007–2013 was finally agreed in a lengthy evening session on 4 April. The total budget has gone up by €4 billion since the December proposals1. This includes a welcome €300 million extra for the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). However, MEPs were quick to express disappointment at the level of funding for research.
Confusingly, the final figure for the FP7 budget has not yet been ironed out, although it will include the extra €300 million mentioned above. A Commission spokesperson said that the final details were in the “i-dotting and t-crossing” stage. The total extra going to research and education, including FP7 funding, is €2.1 billion over the 2007–2013 timeframe.
In a statement, EU Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik said he was pleased that the agreement on the budget for the framework programme for 2007–2013 had been reached and that additional funds had been found for programmes that are targeted at EU growth and competitiveness. “Now we have to get on with the important task of agreeing the programme that will implement this budgetary framework. The Commission, Parliament and Council will now work closely together to get this done as quickly as possible”, he said.
Source: Cordis 4 April 2006.
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