Last call on photonics research under FP7
FP7 is making its final ICT call on photonics as the European Commission begins to wind down the current research and innovation framework programme.
The announcement was made on the CORDIS website by APRE, an Italian non-profit research organisation, which said: ‘FP7 is close to its end, with the last ICT call on Photonics being open until April 16th. All activities for the period 2014-2020 will be launched under Horizon 2020, the new research and innovation framework programme of the European Commission.’
APRE also gave an indication of the proposed creation of a new public private partnership (PPP) for the photonics industry during Horizon 2020, a step change from current provision. The organisation stated: ‘The European Technology Platform Photonics21 is proposing to the Commission a PPP. This will allow both industries and academic/research institutions to plan investments and activities on a long-term basis, and thus to overcome the so-called “valley of death” between R&D and innovation to the market, turning it into a “valley of opportunity”’.
Photonics will form part of the ‘Industrial Leadership’ objective in Horizon 2020 and is expected to receive funding as part of the Key Enabling Technologies priority.
FP7 will be replaced by Horizon 2020 from 1 January 2014. The new programme will bring together all existing EU research and innovation funding offered under FP7, as well as the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.
