The European Commission has launched a competition for researchers, engineers, entrepreneurs, innovators, students and other creative individuals to suggest a relevant, appealing and catchy name for the new EU research and innovation programme that will run post-2013. All those willing to take part in this contest can send their suggestions to the Commission by 10 May. All suggestions will be reviewed by an international jury and shortlisted ideas will be them voted online.

The Green Paper presented by the European Commission in February 2011 proposes a Common Strategic Framework for research and innovation that breaks with the past and takes a fresh approach towards meeting the challenges Europe will face over the next decade and beyond. As this new approach calls for a new identity, the Commission has decided to launch a competition in order to find a name for the new Programme.

The name to be selected among all the suggestions posted in the 'You name it!' contest website, must be original and easily associated with research and innovation. It has to be a name easy to remember as well as to pronounce and spell, and should be useable in a wide range of languages or easy to translate.

All those wishing to take part in the contest can send their suggestions by 10 May. Once all suggestions have been received an international jury will select three proposals to be put to a public vote via the web. The winning name will be announced by Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn at the conference concluding the current consultation on the Common Strategic Framework, to be held in Brussels on 10 June. Further to this, the winner will get an expenses paid trip to the European Innovation Convention, which will take place in Brussels at the end of 2011, and he or she will meet the Commissioner and other leading political, scientific and business figures.

International Jury of 'You name it!' contest to select the name for the research and innovation programme

• Carmen Vela, manager director at INGENASA, an innovative SME biotechnology company based in Madrid, Spain.
• Frank Gannon, Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR), Director and CEO.
• Anne L'Huillier, European Research Council grant holder. Atomic Physics Professor at the Univerity of Lund, Sweden. L'Oréal-Unesco price winner 2011.
• Eric Hollander, Creative Director from AIRONAIR, expert in branding/communication.
• Anna Innamorati, President of McCann Company (Rome office), expert in branding/communication
• Massimo Busuoli, Head of the Brussels Office of ENEA (Italian national agency for new technologies, energy and sustainable economic development).

The new funding system for research and innovation will build upon the successes of the current Seventh Framework Programme for Research (FP7), the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). The ultimate aim is to maximise the contribution of EU funded research and innovation to sustainable growth and jobs and to tackling the grand challenges facing Europe such as climate change, energy and food security, health and our ageing population.