International Cooperation in Framework Programme 7

International cooperation is an integral part of FP7. It refers to cooperation and collaboration with countries and regions outside of the EU.

The 2012 call has now been published. Full details can be found on the EC's new Participant portal. If you are looking for partners the EC has a Partner Service.

The Commission has developed Powerpoint presentations that set out the international dimension of the work programme and aim to provide researchers working in non-EU countries with a brief overview of the content of the work programme and the current calls, and highlight some specific topics which may be of particular interest for major partner countries and/or regions. An example is the presenation on opportunities for Sub- Saharan Africa.

International Cooperation addresses three interdependent objectives:

• Supporting European competitiveness through strategic partnerships with third countries in selected fields of science, and by engaging the best third country scientists to work in and with Europe
• Facilitating contacts with partners in third countries with the aim of providing better access to research carried out elsewhere in the world
• Tackling specific challenges that third countries face or having a global character on the basis of mutual interest and mutual benefit (e.g.contributing towards Millennium Development Goals and addressing global climate change, combating biodiversity loss, water and energy scarcity).

There are opportunities for international cooperation throughout each of the four FP7 areas: cooperation, capacities, people and ideas.

Cooperation

The 10 themes outlined in the Cooperation programme have opportunities for international cooperation when there is a specific topic or issue that would benefit from collaboration with particular countries (identified in calls as Specific International Cooperation Actions –SICAs). 

See Opportunities in 2012 for the latest international cooperation activities across all themes.

Capacities

International cooperation (INCO) activities under Capacities support dialogue on current and future research priorities between different stakeholders in the EU, third countries and regions.

Different types of activities are funded by the INCO Capacities programme:
 
INCO-NET  - Bi-regional coordination of S&T cooperation including priority setting and definition of S&T cooperation policies. See the FP7 website for details.

BILAT - Bilateral coordination for the enhancement and development of S&T Partnerships.

ERA-NET - Supporting the coordination of national policies and activities of Member States and Associated States on international S&T
INCO-NCP project.

INCONTACT - network of the INCO National Contact Points (NCPs).
 
ACCESS4EU - Supporting the EU access to Third Country programmes.

See the latest international cooperation activities (INCO) under Capacities.

People

International actions in the area of human potential can be found under the People programme.