The calls, which together offer EU funding of more than €80 million, are designed to deliver "Research for the benefit of SMEs" and fall under FP7’s "Capacities" work programme.

The overall goal is to bolster the innovative capacity of Europe’s SMEs and strengthen their contribution to the development of new technology-based products and markets. This will be achieved by helping SMEs outsource their research, increase their research efforts, boost their networking activities, and by improving the way they exploit their results and acquire knowledge.

The larger call – FP7-SME-2008-2 – has a budget of €78.55 million and seeks to encourage project proposals from SME associations in all research fields.

Project consortia must consist of at least three independent SME associations from three Member States or Associated Countries, or one European SME association from one eligible country. Participants must also include at least two RTD performers and at least two SMEs. This call closes on 18 December 2008.

The second call – FP7-SME-2009-1 – covers support and coordination actions and has a €4 million budget. This call is for studies on regional, national and European SME research support programmes and actions. The goal of support actions is to contribute to the implementation of the EU’s framework programmes and future RTD policies, as well as to help SMEs and other bodies participate in European research. This call closes on 27 January 2009.

The full texts of the calls may be consulted here (web archive) and here (web archive)