IT is the biggest winner in the European Commission’s Eu54bn (£36bn) plan to boost economic growth through innovation and scientific research.
The seventh framework programme (FP7) runs from 2007-2013 and includes a Eu9bn (£6bn) IT research fund, which was given the go-ahead by the European Parliament last week.
The investment is part of Europe’s i2010 strategy to become the world’s most competitive knowledge economy and companies will be able to bid for grants from January.
But business groups say FP7’s impact may be lessened by the bureaucracy involved in applying for funding. Firms have been deterred by the need to form consortia with non-commercial organisations, for example.
Aligning FP7 with the i2010 targets is a positive step, says Beatrice Rogers, senior programme manager at supplier trade body Intellect.
‘FP7 shows the Commission’s awareness of the need to put its money where its mouth is and not just talk about improving Europe as a knowledge economy,’ she said.
‘But what is important is that it can be accessed in a practical way and that innovators are not put off from working with the money that is available.’
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is also doubtful of the value added by European research grants.
‘The broad assessment from companies is that it is still very difficult to make a sensible case to be able to access the money,’ said the CBI’s head of innovation, Tim Bradshaw.
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