About Coordination of Research Activities

The objectives of Community action in this field is to contribute to the creation of the European Research Area (ERA) by stimulating and supporting programme coordination and joint activities conducted at national or regional level, as well as among European organisations, and thus help to develop the common knowledge base necessary for the coherent development of policies. These activities may be in any scientific and technological area, including in the thematic priority areas.

Coordination of national activities

The objectives are to encourage and support initiatives undertaken by several countries, in areas of common strategic interest, to develop synergy between their existing activities through coordination of their implementation, mutual opening and mutual access to research results, as well as to define and implement joint activities.

Coordination at European level

The objective is to enhance the complementarity and synergy between Community actions undertaken under the Framework Programme and those of other European scientific cooperation organisations, such as COST, EUREKA and thematic international organisations, as well as among these organisations themselves. Through increased coordination and collaboration the various European cooperation frameworks will contribute more effectively to the overall coherence of European research efforts and the establishment of a European Research Area. Community participation in international activities can be supported in duly justified cases.

ERA-NET Bioenergy

The six member states with the largest national bioenergy programmes have taken the initiative, proposing to set up a co-ordination action for systematic information exchange on national research / innovation programme management, common strategic issues, joint activities and the implementation of transnational research programmes. After the initial start 4 more members joined the network.

The goals of the ERA-NET Bioenergy are to strengthen European efforts to realise the potential of renewable energy production from biomass, and to strengthen industrial production by enhancing research co-operation and co-ordination on a European level, through the networking of bioenergy RTD programmes of national governments. Aiming to improve the cost efficiency of public fund spending and increase the quality of the results. The proposed project will in the long term, provide a framework for co-operation, with this project being the starting up period.

For more information on ERA-NET: www.cordis.lu/coordination.