The European Commission has published in the Official Journal of the European Union, OJEO, on December, 9th, 2008, FP7-INFRASTRUCTURES-2009-1 Call for Proposals, related to the specific “Capacities” Work Programme of the 7th Framework Programme of the European Community for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration Activities (2007 to 2013).

The FP7-INFRASTRUCTURES-2009-1 Call for Proposals is embedded under theme “Research Infrastructures” of the "Capacities" Work Programme, aiming at optimising the use and development of the best research infrastructures existing in Europe, and helping to create in all fields of science and technology new research infrastructures of pan-European interest needed by the European scientific community to remain at the forefront of the advancement of research, and able to help industry to strengthen its base of knowledge and its technological know how.

This Call for Proposals represents an indicative budget for year 2009  up to 9.6 M€. Under this budget, the following actions will be funded:

Support to existing research infrastructures:

• ICT based e-Infrastructures: INFRA-2009-1.2.3: Scientific Information Repository supporting the European FP7 Research Programme. (4 M€)

Support to policy development and programme implementation:

• INFRA-2009-3.1: ERA-NET supporting cooperation for research infrastructures in all S&T fields. (1.6 M€)
• INFRA-2009-3.3: Studies, conferences and coordination actions supporting policy development in the context of international cooperation for e-Infrastructures. (4 M€)

Any legal entity established in a Member State or an Associated country (Albania, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina) or any other third country which may become Associated during the development of the 7th Framework Programme, can be eligible to be funded under this Call for Proposals. This also includes the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, or other entities created under Community law such as a European Economic Interest Grouping.

Applications must be submitted by march, 17th, 2009. Proposals must be submitted electronically via the Commission's Electronic Proposal Submission Service (EPSS). All the information required for submission of applications, Guides for Applicants, as well as details about the different types of Grants, are available at the CORDIS website.