European Basic Research Policy

Stimulating the creativity of basic research

The European Research Council (ERC) is widely regarded within the scientific community as a necessary component of the European Research Area. In the last few years, it has evolved from a concept to a detailed operational proposal and should become a reality with the 7th Framework Programme. The European Commission has strongly supported the idea of the ERC and worked hard to turn it into reality.

The ERC has the potential to reinforce and further improve the quality and impact of European research, with long term benefits for the competitiveness of our economies and our well-being. It will complement other actions under the 7th Framework Programme by providing a distinctive funding mechanism for “investigator-driven” research: proposals put forward by scientists on their own initiative, focusing on scientific opportunities they themselves have identified.

The ERC will be a powerful stimulus to research excellence in Europe by harnessing competition between teams at continental scale. In this way, the leverage effect of European action on research performance can be exploited.