A conference on FP7 gathered the heads of regional offices in Brussels on 12 May 2006 to discuss the role of regions in European research. The Commission was encouraging the regions to set R&D as a priority in their operational programs for the years to come and urged them to quickly prepare and submit their, even unofficial, operational programs to the Commission to ensure that regions can fully participate in the FP7 right from the start.
FP7, will include two schemes specifically targeted at European regions:
- Regions of Knowledge, to support existing regional research-driven clusters (bringing together regional authorities, universities, research centres and enterprises) and the emergence of new ones.
- Unlocking the research potential, to develop the research potential in the EU's less favoured regions by reinforcing their science and technology capacities (acquisition of research equipment, organisation of conferences for technology transfer etc.) and supporting twinning of their institutions with those of technologically advanced regions.
"Our objectives with the regional schemes in the FP7 are threefold: to increase regional investments in research, to integrate research into regional development strategies and to facilitate the transfer of best practices," said Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potočnik.
The initial FP7 proposal suggested 158 million euro for the first scheme, 554 million for the second. These amounts will somewhat decrease as the FP7's overall budget has been reduced in the negotiations on the EU's long term budget 2007-2013.
The new schemes also aim to improve synergies of the Framework Programs with European Regional Policy to better support research in the regions. To make sure that research in regions is supported even more, the Commission also proposes more use of Structural Funds to support R&D and innovation activities.
