Work in Parliament Meeting with Commissioner Geoghegan Quinn

Maria da Graca Carvalho announced the main lines of the Report on Simplification of the Rules for Participation of current and future European Programmes in Science to the Commissioner Geoghegan Quinn

In a bilateral meeting between the Commissioner for Energy, Science and Innovation and Maria da Graca Carvalho in Strasbourg, the main lines of the Report on the Simplification of Rules for the participation of current and future European Programmes for Science and Innovation were discussed.

During the meeting the deputy explained to the Commissioner that the report is to include the viewpoints of the different partners, universities, research centers and companies with the goal of establishing the major rules of participation in European Programs for Science and Innovation. To date more than 8000 invitations to put their points of view have been sent .

In addition, individual meetings were held throughout the month of June in Brussels and Strasbourg.  Two wo meetings in Portugal are also scheduled in July and a hearing at the European Parliament is scheduled foR 1 September.

During the meeting, Maria da Graca Carvalho presented the Commissioner Geoghegan Quinn with the priorities for the report, including

    A system of funding based on scientific excellence, with the simplification of financial control, replacing the current control focused on administrative and financial aspects.

    * Harmonisation of rules and procedures for the different instruments used in the Commission's programmes, with rules for its own research centres and universities, for industry and for SMEs

    * Simplification of the rules regarding a financial approach based on trust and a higher risk tolerance.

This report will redefine the rules for participation in the Framework Programme for Research (52 billion euros) as well as in all other programs of Science and Innovation, in order to facilitate participation and raise rates of implementation. This report aims to be the script for the participation in current and future programs after 2013.

Commission Communication: http://ec.europa.eu/research/fp7/index_en.cfm?pg=documents

For more information about the measures taken in the past and on the review of FP 7. see MEMO/10/156