The Competitiveness Council, held in Luxembourg on 12 October addressed a series of questions regarding the attractiveness of EU Research and Innovation programmes and the challenge involved in their simplification. Ministers agreed that simplification of the research and innovation programmes is a crucial and urgent necessity to overcome the current complexity of funding.

Making Research Framework Programmes a more effective tool to support European research has been a key issue within the Commission and Council agenda over the last months. The Commission, back in April issued its Communication on the simplification of the implementation of the Research Framework Programmes, as a way to make it easier to get access to EU Funding for research projects.

The Council now underlines that excessive administrative burden discourages potential beneficiaries of this funding, in particular in the case of those with a limited administrative capacity.  Ministers pointed out that a better balance between sound management of funds, financial control mechanisms and trust in researchers needs to be found quickly while preserving excellence, and that the simplification process will contribute to the improved implementation of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) and will be a key issue for the forthcoming Research and Innovation Programmes.

In its conclusions, the Council has taken note of the Commission's proposals and initiatives, and made some recommendations in order to speed up the simplification process; accelerate the administrative process (publication, validation, negotiation, project selection, time to grant); and  continue its efforts to shorten time-to-grant and significantly improve the percentage of grants signed in less than eight months in 2011 and in less than six months in 2012 and 2013.

Actions proposed to improve FP7 implementation and R&D Programmes

Among the specific actions the Council considers essential to fully implement the FP7, Minister highlighted the need to finalize and improve the research participant portal as soon as possible and by 2012 at the latest, as well as introduce further transparency and traceability throughout the project cycle.

Council also recommended to complete and test IT tools and processes before launching FP8, in order to maintain them stable during its implementation. It is also crucial to take further steps in order to ensure uniform interpretation and application of the rules and regulations throughout the whole project cycle by thoseresponsible.

Developing synergies with other programmes, such as the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP) or  the Structural Funds, as well as instruments like the Joint Technology Initiatives (JTIs), inter alia, by means of common rules and procedures, will be very beneficial for complete implementation, whenever possible.

Regarding the forthcoming R&I Programmes, Council believes it is necessary maintain different funding rates, indirect cost calculation models for different types of beneficiaries (e.g. universities, research organisations, industry and SMEs) and continue to support universities and other research organisations that wish to move towards full-cost accounting.

It would also add to the process stimulating the debate at European, national and regional level on the forthcoming R&I programmes.