The future competitiveness of Europe's companies, the health and well-being of its population and the security of its environment depend on many factors. Underlying them all, however, is the requirement for world-class research and development to provide the knowledge and technologies that European industry and society need.
With a budget of just under 15 billion euros, the Fifth Framework Programme will help generate that knowledge by focusing Europe's considerable research resources on problems which are better tackled at a European level. Projects must include partners from at least two EU Member States, or from one Member State and one of the 16 Associated States(1).
Organisations from some 30 other countries also have the right to participate at their own expense, with many able to apply for financial support from other EC programmes dedicated to their region.

Four Thematic Programmes

The Fifth Framework Programme is composed of seven programmes, of which four - the "thematic" programmes - fund R&D to solve problems in four strategically vital areas:

• Quality of life and management of living resources: improving our health, developing "bio-industries" and making the use of Europe's natural resources more sustainable.
• User-friendly information society: developing information and communication technologies for European industry and society.
• Competitive and sustainable growth: tackling the key challenges facing European industry - sustainable transport, efficient and quality-based production, materials for the 21st century, measurement for quality control and more.
• Energy, environment and sustainable development: making Europe's energy system, industry and society "eco-efficient", helping solve global environmental challenges, and reconciling economic development with environmental sustainability.

These programmes focus most of their resources on a limited number of key actions, each concentrating on a specific set of social and economic problems and bringing together academia, industry, users, and political and economic decision-makers. In addition, the programmes also fund more generic, longer-term research and support the optimal use and development of Europe's scientific infrastructure.

Three Horizontal Programmes

The thematic programmes are complemented by three "horizontal" programmes, which address issues common to all areas of science and technology.

• Confirming the international role of Community research: promoting cooperative R&D between EU companies and research institutes and Europe's partners throughout the world.
• Promotion of innovation and encouragement of participation of SMEs: strengthening Europe's "innovation infrastructure" and helping companies, particularly SMEs, get involved in and benefit from research.
• Improving human research potential and the socio-economic knowledge base: ensuring Europe makes the most of its human and scientific resources through research training, exchanges of scientists and research best practices, and linking research to society's needs.

The Fifth Framework Programme also partly funds the Joint Research Centre (JRC), which provides the EC with independent scientific and technical support for conceiving, implementing and monitoring EU policies.

Budget Breakdown

(1) As Associated States contribute to the Fifth Framework budget, their organisations may receive Community support for their project participation, on the same as EU Member States. They comprise 11 countries preparing to join the EU (Bulgaria, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia), the EEA countries (Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein) and Israel. Switzerland will associate during the Fifth Framework Programme - until then the Swiss authorities supply equivalent funding.