EU Funding

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The Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development are the European Union's main instruments for supporting collaborative research, development and innovations in science, engineering and technology.The Seventh EU Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) was launched at the end of 2006 with a budget of approximately €50 billion covering the period 2007 to 2013.

UCC have developed a strategy to support our researchers in exploiting European funding opportunities to the maximum. This strategy is currently being implemented and includes the development of a dedicated European Research Support Section (and website) within the Office of the Vice President for Research & Innovation.

Access to this resource will be available through this section of the Research Supports Services website.

In the meantime, the National Support Network for FP7 in Ireland have developed a website as a key resource for existing and potential Irish participants in FP7. To access this recommended resource: [CLICK HERE]

FIRST STEP

If you are a UCC researcher:

1. Interested in exploiting European research funding opportunities and would like to learn more.
2. Thinking about participating in an EU-FP7 funding proposal as a partner.
3. Thinking about coordinating an EU-FP7 proposal.
4. Have query about any aspect of EU-FP7 proposal and budget preparation.
5. Have secured EU-FP7 funding

As a first step, Please contact Dr. David O’Connell in the Research Office.

USEFUL INFORMATION

1. UCC Administrative Information — FP7:

Applications to FP7 funding calls are made via the Commission’s Electronic Proposal Submission Service (EPSS) The online application consists of two forms, Form A and Form B:

The coordinator of the proposal is responsible for collating all of the financial and administrative data from each partner (Part A), and for designing and confirming the work package information (Part B).

For your convenience, a pre-filled Part A form, which includes relevant UCC administrative information, is available HERE.

2. Definition of Common FP7 Terminology:

Accession Form (“Form A”): By signing the A Form in three originals, countersigned by the Coordinator, a participant becomes a ‘beneficiary’ and assumes the rights and obligations established by the Grant Agreement with effect from the date on which the grant agreement enters into force.

Beneficiary: A beneficiary is a participant who signs an Accession Form to the Grant Agreement and receives EC funding under that Grant Agreement.

Consortium: A consortium is the term used to describe all of the participants in the same project.

Coordinator: The coordinator has a very specific role amongst the participants in a given project. S/he signs the Grant Agreement directly with the EC and has to has to secure the Form A’s from the other beneficiaries. An important task for the coordinator is to "monitor the compliance by participants [beneficiaries] with their obligations under this grant agreement" (Article II.2.3.e of GA), which includes the participants' obligations regarding IPR, dissemination and use issues.

CPF, GPF, NEF: The Commission is gradually phasing out the use of the Grant Preparation Forms (GPF), in FP7 known as Contract Preparation Forms (CPF), in favour of a new online system, referred to as Negotiation Forms (NEF). At the beginning of the negotiation process, the co-ordinator will receive an online log-in, password and URL address for the NEF. Only one username and password is given to each consortium. It is understood that paper versions of the form may still need to be signed and submitted to the Commission.

Legal entity: Only a legal entity as defined in the Rules for Participation (ie. UCC) can become a participant in a FP7 project. A department (or College, Centre, Institute), which does not have legal status cannot.

3. Main Parties Involved in a Consortium:

Coordinator

• The lead consortium partner, one beneficiary who has extra responsibility (but not necessarily extra rights) and will carry the costs of preparing the proposal.
• Responsible for passing on pre-financing in accordance with the Grant Agreement (and as agreed by beneficiaries in consortium agreement).
• Responsible for reporting to the Commission (finances, payments, task progress
• Has to monitor the compliance by other beneficiaries with their obligations under the Grant Agreement.

EC Project Officer

• The EC's representative.
• Appointed by the EC to a project at the start of grant agreement negotiation stage.
• Responsible for project negotiation towards final grant agreement and start.
• Responsible for monitoring, interim reporting, and processing of finances.
• Responsible for signing off project.

Participants/Beneficiaries/Partners

• Organisations (Companies, Universities etc) signed up to the Grant Agreement [by Form A].
• Each beneficiary has consortium and individual responsibilities.
• Beneficiaries should have the capacity to do their part in the project (as they signed up to it).
• Responsible for managing own performance and finances - including declaring receipts.
• Responsible for the performance of any subcontractors attached to them.

Third Parties

• Organisations which are not considered beneficiaries (i.e. which are not signed up to the Grant Agreement).
• Must be identified in project negotiations, or raised with Project Officer subsequently.
• Have to make some contribution to the project.
• Subcontractors are one type of third party but a third party is not necessarily a subcontractor.
• Can either be (a) a party making resources available (does not perform work) or (b) a party that does part of the work (subcontractor).