FP7 CALL ON RESEARCH FOR THE BENEFIT OF SMES

Background                                                                                     Total budget of the call: EUR 219.700.000

Under this call, projects may address any research topic across the entire field of science and technology, since research for the benefit of SMEs is a bottom-up scheme. Research for SMEs supports innovative SMEs to solve common or complementary technological problems. Projects must be centered on the innovation needs of the SMEs which outsource research to RTD performers and must demonstrate a clear exploitation potential for the SMEs concerned.

Budget for the call

- EUR 219.7 million

Eligibility

From the WBC, this call is open to the participation of SMEs and RTD performers from the countries associated to FP7.
For those not associated to FP7, an international cooperation is also foreseen via this call:
Although international cooperation is not the main aim of this programme, it can play a role. SMEs can outsource work to RTD performers from any country, including third countries, if these have the right expertise and the research activity provided is cost-effective. This may also be helpful to SMEs to expand their markets. In addition, information and good practices based on the European experience in relation to SMEs and research can be disseminated to third countries in order to enable them to create the necessary structures and support mechanisms for the creation of viable and effective SME support activities.

Eligibility criteria

A proposal will only be considered eligible if it meets all of the following conditions:

     - It is received by the Commission before the deadline given in the call text.
     - It involves at least the minimum number of participants given in the call text.
     - It is complete (i.e. both the requested administrative forms and the proposal description are present)
     - The content of the proposal relates to the topic(s) and funding scheme(s), including any special conditions, set out in those parts of
       the relevant work programme

Deadline: 6 December 2011

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