Policy input: EU Framework Programme for R&D: Call for Evidence - closing date 4 January 2011

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has published a Call for Evidence, inviting the UK’s R&D community to have their say on the European Union’s Framework Programme. The Framework is the EU's main mechanism for funding research, technological development and demonstration. UK participation in the current 2007-2013 iteration of the Framework Programme (known as FP7) has been strong – with UK researchers receiving €1.83 billion of funding from the €12.7 billion awarded to date.

BIS would like to hear from those with first-hand experiences of this initiative – academics, researchers and businesspeople – so that BIS can better equip the UK to maximise on the opportunities on offer and strengthen the UK's negotiating position in advance of the next Programme.

The main call for evidence document can be found at www.bis.gov.uk/fp8-call-for-evidence In addition, a more informal discussion is available via the Technology Strategy Board _connect platform.

The call for evidence closes on 4th January 2011.

Event: research connection 2009, Prague, 7 and 8 May 2009

The European Commission is holding a conference, research connection 2009, in Prague on 7 and 8 May 2009, for scientists, entrepreneurs and researchers interested in research and innovation. The European Commission budget for research and innovation is increasing each year, and the conference aims to give participants first-hand information about priorities, objectives and participation rules. The participation fee will be €50 for the two days. One-day passes will be available for €30.

UK R&D Scoreboard and EU Innovation Scoreboards published

The 2008 DIUS R&D Scoreboard, which is endorsed by the R&D Society, published on 26 January 2009, reports on the patterns and trends of the 850 largest corporate spenders of R&D in the UK and the 1,400 companies in the world most active in R&D, based on R&D expenditure reported in company accounts.

The Scoreboard reports that the 850 top-spending UK firms spent £21.6 billion on R&D - a rise of 6.4 per cent on the previous scoreboard. The 1,400 companies in the world that spent the most on R&D increased their expenditure by 9.4% to £274 billion. 79% of this expenditure was by companies based in the USA, Japan, Germany, France and the UK. The figures were for the financial year before the current recession. The R&D Society has commented on the publication of the Scoreboard, urging the Government to maintain and improve their efforts to support UK R&D.

The EU Innovation Scoreboard, released 22 January 2009, compared the 27 EU countries' performance on innovation on 29 individual indicators of innovation, entrepreneurship and knowledge creation and intellectual property. The Scoreboard reports that the UK is one of six "Innovation leaders", grouped with Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Germany and Denmark.

The R&D Society provides short summaries of both these scoreboards, and other indicators of the UK's R&D performance on its website.

Funding: EU Eco-Innovation Funding Call, c/d 11 Sep 2008

This call supports eco-innovative projects in different sectors which aim at the prevention or reduction of environmental impacts or which contribute to the optimal use of resources. The deadline for applications is 11th September 2008. Part of this call seeks:

• Innovative building processes or products that reduce environmental impact and/or support a rational use of natural resources.
• Green building techniques that leverage the use of recycled materials and renewable sources. New water-saving systems such as rainwater collection, grey water use, green roofs. Sustainable construction, maintenance, repair, retrofitting or demolition techniques.

There is more information and some useful guidance from a series of presentations (pdf files - UK in Farnham in May).

(Information courtesy of the MBE KTN)