Description of topic:
This action shall further improve the linking, efficient integration and coordination of national/regional programmes for infectious diseases research, building on previous activities in this field. The proposed new ERA-NET could build upon the previous ERA-NET PathoGenoMics and capitalise on its achievements. It should aim to develop new technologies and employ modern genomic approaches to advance our understanding of pathogenic organisms and interactions with their hosts as well as support the development of new tools to combat or prevent infectious diseases. The action should include a strategy for mutual opening of national/regional programmes to the participants and for the implementation of a series of joint transnational calls, as well as activities aimed at fostering the development of infectious diseases research programmes beyond the participating Member States and Associated Countries. Due consideration should be given to increase the number of participants from Member States and Associated Countries. The ERA-NET should complement the potential implementation of Joint Programming Initiatives (JPIs), such as the JPI on antimicrobial resistance.

Funding Schemes:
Coordination and Support Action (coordinating action)
Only up to one proposal can be selected.

Expected Impact:
This action should deepen and extend the coordination of European research in infectious diseases and be complementary to other European activities in this area. It should provide knowledge of pathogenic organisms and develop tools to combat or prevent infectious diseases.

More Details:
The EU contribution available for this topic is limited to a maximum of EUR 2 000 000
Additional eligibility and specific evaluation criteria for an ERA-NET: Please refer to Annex 4 to the Cooperation work programme.

Description of topic:
The aim of this ERA-NET+ is to pool the necessary financial resources from the participating national (or regional) research programmes and the EU, to launch a joint transnational call for proposals for research, development and innovation in the forest sector. The objective is to support the transformation of European forest-based industry and sustainable forest management for increasing resource efficiency and adapting to and mitigating climate change effects. This will be achieved by integrating knowledge and technologies of large-scale industrial products and processes, as well as primary production. One possible strategic approach could be the substitution of non-renewable resources (e.g. materials and chemicals, in construction or as an energy source), by renewable forest-based solutions to reduce carbon emissions and waste. Strategic renewal in forest industry value chains also needs to consider change in raw material availability and composition due to anticipated impacts of environmental and climate change on forest resources. The joint transnational call will address the whole forest-based value chain, from the sustainable management of forest resources through their efficient utilisation in industrial processes to value added products and competitive customer solutions.
Thematic focusing of this joint transnational call should be commensurate with the funds available, so as to ensure a reasonable rate of success in the call. Details on the topics covered by the call will be decided by the participants in due time but shall be selected upon consultation with the Commission services concerned.

Funding Schemes:
Up to 1 project may be funded
- Coordination and Support Action (coordinating action)
− The topic is implemented jointly with Theme NMP (under topic identifier NMP.2012.4.0-3). It is identical to both themes. Hence each proposal must be submitted only once, either for topic KBBE.2012.1.2-08 or topic NMP.2012.4.0-3, but not both. Only one of the activity codes above should be used to submit application

Expected Impact:
(i) Improve coordination and reduce overlapping in key fields of research; (ii) achieve critical mass and ensure better use of limited resources in fields of mutual interests; (iii) share good practices in implementing research programmes; (iv) promote transnational collaborations and new knowledge generation and innovation; v) mobilise SMEs in the transnational projects to enhance innovation, in particular by allocating a significant share of total EU contribution to SMEs (20%, as indicative target).

Description of topic:
The overall objective of this topic is to further strengthen cooperation and synergy between major European national funders that support research on sustainable exploitation of marine resources in the seafood chain. The project should build on results achieved by the fisheries MARIFISH FP6 ERANET. It should address sustainability in the entire seafood chain from catches and production to end products including fisheries, aquaculture, seafood processing and distribution to the consumer. The project will also consider research which is necessary to provide advice on how ocean and seashore space might be shared without detriment between the different users.
The project will facilitate better cooperation, synergy and efficiency between research funders in Member States and Associated Countries through the launching of joint research initiatives e.g. joint calls, shared research programmes, foresight studies. It will develop a public, "realtime" database on national and regional research programmes and projects in the relevant fields and will stimulate complementarities and synergies between national and EU funded projects and programmes, including international cooperation, through concrete actions including data sharing, twinning activities, common workshops, shared training activities etc. It will also link with relevant European and national Technology Platforms and with stakeholders groups including Advisory Committees, NGOs to ensure complementarities between national and private research initiatives while ensuring that socio-economic aspects are well taken into account.
Strong links will be created with the existing FP7 overarching SEASERA ERANET which aims at embracing the whole spectrum of marine and maritime research. This new ERANET should also support any envisaged Commission Recommendation on the Joint Programming Initiative that would address the 'Healthy and Productive Seas and Oceans', which mirrors the objectives of the EU Strategy for Marine and Maritime Research (COM(2008) 534) with the ambition to bring the marine ERA to a higher level of integration.

Funding Schemes:
Up to 1 project may be funded
- Coordination and Support Action (coordinating action)

Expected Impact:
The project will address EU grand challenges on seafood security, safety and sustainable use of marine resources in the seafood chains in a more coherent and coordinated way. It is expected that the project will contribute in meeting the increasing EU demand for fish and seafood while moving towards an ecosystem based approach.

Description of topic:
Systems biology interconnects various disciplines e.g. mathematics, chemistry, physics, engineering and biology with the overarching efforts of computational modelling to better understand complex biological processes. The challenge in systems biology is to integrate research of biological systems at the sub-cellular, cellular, organ, organism and population levels, using multi-scale modelling, to allow the simulation of all physiological processes for the studied organism or population. The aim of this ERA-NET is the concertation of multidimensional and complementary European projects and programmes on closely related topics, to help tackle complex processes of interest in microorganism, plants and animals which are of interest in the wider area of life sciences and industrial biotechnologies e.g. pharmaceuticals, chemical, biofuels, food safety, agriculture, primary production and ecology. Building on the existing ERA-NET, ERASysBio, this project should increase the level of coordination between European funding bodies, to continue to process and identify complementary features and synergies between the various national and European research funding instruments as well as set up the basis for future joint transnational calls and activities. Important aspects that promise to have an immediate structuring impact on the consolidation of the ERA on systems biology such as: the establishment of transnational systems biology networks; the adoption of data standards and data management best practices; the optimisation of education and training; as well as co-operation with programmes outside Europe, should be taken on board within this project.

Funding Schemes:
Up to 1 project may be funded
- Coordination and Support Action (coordinating action)

Expected Impact:
This ERA-NET will increase the level of coordination between European funding bodies; seeking complementarities between national activities and pooling resources for funding and implementing research activities in a synergistic manner. This project should strengthen the position of European research on Systems Biology. The co-operation with other programmes on a global scale will help to create worldwide networks - a contribution to global communication in the field of systems biology.

Description of topic:
a) Robotic systems operating in real-world environments: Expanding and improving the functionalities of robotic systems and further developing relevant features, such as autonomy, safety, robustness, efficiency, and ease of use. As appropriate, work will include exploring ways of integrating, in robotic systems, new materials and advanced sensor, actuator, effector and leading edge memory and control technologies.
b) Cognition and control in complex systems: Enabling technologies based on the acquisition and application of cognitive capabilities (e.g., establishing patterns in sensor data, classification, conceptualisation, reasoning, planning) for enhancing the performance and manageability of complex multi-component and multi-degree-of-freedom artificial systems, also building on synergies between cognitive systems and systems control engineering. This outcome complements Objective 3.3 / target outcome (d). Realistic, highly demanding, scalable real-world scenarios will motivate and guide research related to targets a) & b), and serve to validate its results. Specific Targeted Research Projects (STREP) are particularly suited to high-risk endeavours, breaking new grounds, with high potential rewards. They are also appropriate for component-level research for particular domains. Integrated Projects (IP) are preferred for system-oriented efforts; they are expected to encompass all stages of the research and development lifecycle and, where appropriate, cutting across research topics.
c) Gearing up and accelerating cross-fertilisation between academic and industrial robotics research to strengthen synergies between their respective research agendas through joint industrially-relevant scenarios, shared research infrastructures; joint small- to mediumscale experimentation with industrial platforms and implementation of comparative performance evaluation methodologies and tools.
d) Fostering communication and co-operation between robotics and cognitive systems research communities through: identification of common interests and areas of co-operation; knowledge sharing between EU, national, and international initiatives; supporting opensource hardware and software developments; updating R&D roadmaps taking account of work under relevant past and ongoing European programmes; addressing issues such as market potential, user acceptance, standardisation, continuing education, ethics, and socioeconomic impacts; outreach to relevant professional and general audiences. e) Speeding up progress towards smarter robots through targeted competitions based on suitably evolving reference scenarios focused on capabilities at issue under this Objective, and involving relevant stakeholders. This includes soliciting private sponsorships, organising and managing pertinent events as well as accompanying dissemination measures and public relations activities.

Funding Schemes:
a)-b): STREP, IP; c) IP; d-e) CSA (CA only)

Expected Impact:
For a), b) and c):
-Integrated and consolidated scientific foundations for engineering cognitive systems under a variety of physical instantiations.
- Significant increase in the quality of service of such systems and of their sustainability in terms of, for instance, energy consumption, usability and serviceability, through the integration of cognitive capabilities.
- Innovation capacity in a wide range of application domains through the integration of cognitive capabilities.
- Improved competitive position of the robotics industry in existing and emerging markets for instance in the following sectors: manufacturing; professional and domestic services; assistance and co-working, production, logistics and transport, construction, maintenance and repair, search and rescue, exploration and inspection, systems monitoring and control, consumer robotics, education and entertainment.
- Consensus by industry on the need (or not) for particular standards. More widely accepted benchmarks. Strengthened links between industry and academia.
For d):
- Stronger cohesion between relevant industrial and academic R&D communities; and a higher level of awareness among wider (including non-professional) audiences of the potential of the technologies at issue.
For e):
- Greater innovation through competitions which allow to measure and compare progress
towards the ambitious goals set under this Challenge.

Description of topic:
Digital preservation research focuses on developing technologies, systems and tools for safeguarding digital content. The objective is to preserve digital content in a more effective and cost-efficient manner while protecting its authenticity and integrity, significantly reducing the loss of irreplaceable information, and ensuring it may be reused in the future.
Target outcomes
a) More reliable and secure preservation technologies and methods. Research should cover techniques and tools for recovering loss and for repairing damaged digital objects as well as solutions guaranteeing the long term availability of newly created resources including 3D objects and models, and conceptual frameworks for quality assurance. Research should also analyse which currently available or emerging methods and technologies are most efficient and in which use context or for which kind of resources. Solutions proposed can go beyond digital objects, and target as well the long-term functionality of system for creation, management and storage of digital resources. This work should be underpinned by research aiming at a deeper understanding of how loss and damage occur and which degree of integrity is required for keeping resources useable.
b) Technologies and systems for intelligent management of preservation. Technologies to support the long term usability of digital resources (including high volume, heterogeneous and volatile content) through a life cycle approach to its preservation. Research should help to support human appraisal and selection processes through innovative technologies that embed reasoning and intelligence in the content itself. Keeping resources usable, i.e. meaningful and understandable overtime, includes taking account of and developing a conceptual understanding of evolving semantics, use contexts, and interpretations. Activities may cover solutions to identify and erase obsolete information.c) Interdisciplinary research networks bridging technological domains and scientific disciplines concerned with information, and expertise in end-user needs.
d) Promotion schemes for the uptake of digital preservation research outcomes including outreach to new stakeholders and road mapping activities.

Funding Schemes:
a) STREP; b) IP; c) NoE d) CSA

Expected Impact:
Reduced information loss through better recovery and repair techniques and through deeper understanding of the reasons and implications of digital decay and other forms of data loss.
Sustainable access to information: keeping resources not only available but also meaningful and usable.
More efficient and effective selection of resources to be preserved and of appropriate preservation processes, methods and technologies.
Wider adoption of research results by supply-industry and by end-users.

Description of topic:
a) Patient-specific predictive computer-based models and simulation of major diseases integrating medical, biological and environmental data. Preference will be given to proposals that manage to explore the interaction and integration of environmental factors with medical and biological factors enabling the development of predictive models and simulation for understanding the evolution and progression of major diseases. These predictive models will allow bio-medical researchers to investigate the influence of environmental factors on major diseases and their interactions with other health factors. The use and benefits of the resulting models must be demonstrated for a specific clinical need covering the onset and the evolution of the disease. All major diseases could be targeted as clinical application.
b) Development of ICT tools, services and infrastructure to obtain more elaborate and reusable multi-scale models (e.g. models of diseases, organs) and larger repositories to show benefits of having both the data and models readily available. Projects should address at least one of the following activities: i) the robustness and reproducibility which are essential to allow models to be re-used when a model representing a physiological function is incorporated into a more comprehensive model. Standards for models and data, tools and repositories should be developed to achieve a high level of robustness and reproducibility of models for re-use; ii) the development of VPH Infostructure including a sustainable VPH model and data repositories. Appropriate tools (e.g. version control, archiving, upgrades…) and attributes such as usability and accessibility should be particularly addressed to ensure VPH community acceptance. The use of open environments and open-source software is expected to improve the accessibly and evolution of the repositories.
c) One Coordination and Support Action to develop an RTD roadmap preparing the ground for a future grand challenge on a "Digital Patient". The "Digital Patient" is a digital representation of the integration of the different patients-specific models for better prediction and treatment of diseases in order to provide patients with an affordable, personalised and predictive care. A road-map should be developed i) to consolidate the research so far, ii) to capture and quantify the needs and iii) to develop a vision and a sound ICT research agenda around the "Digital Patient
d) Early demonstrators and proof of concept of digital representations of health status of patients integrating different patient-specific data and models of organs into a more coherent representation of a "Digital Patient". Innovative digital representations of the health status of patients based on relevant data and models (medical, anatomical, physiological and genetic, etc) , are visualised and represented in 4D models and usable for care, personalized prevention and research.

Funding Schemes:
a-b): IP/STREP; c) CSA d): STREP

Expected Impact:
More predictive, individualised, effective and safer healthcare.
Reinforced leadership of European industry and strengthened multidisciplinary research excellence in supporting innovative medical care.
For a)
Accelerated developments of medical knowledge discovery and management in particular through the exploration of environmental factors in predictive models of diseases.
For b)
Improved interoperability of biomedical information and knowledge.  Increased acceptance and use of realistic and validated models that allow researchers from different disciplines to exploit, share resources and develop new knowledge.
Accessibility to existing knowledge by bio-medical researchers through the VPH repositories linking data with models will prove the large scale benefits of having both the data and models readily available.
For c)
Availability of a common strategic research agenda on the "Digital Patient" between all relevant stakeholders.
For d)
Proven concepts of digital representations of patient health status.

Description of topic:
a) Technologies for creating personalised and engaging digital cultural experiences: research should address adaptability of systems for personalised interaction with users. Research should investigate technologies that add value and new meaning to cultural digital artefacts and improve user engagement with cultural resources, for example through smart, context-aware artefacts and enhanced interfaces with the support of features like story-telling, gaming and learning.
b) Open and extendable platforms for building services that support use of cultural resources for research and education: research should explore seamless and universal, but also customisable access to digital cultural resources across a wide range of technical formats (sound, image, 3D, text), including cultural resources/objects with diverse characteristics (e.g. languages, temporal, spatial). Usability should be demonstrated through large scale pilots and specific contextual use cases (e.g. functionalities that support active research, creation of new knowledge, meaning extraction...).
c) Improved and affordable technologies for the digitisation of specialised forms of cultural resources, including tools for virtual reconstructions: the focus is on innovative approaches for capturing, imaging, 3D (including movement) modelling, resulting in enriched virtual surrogates which convey and embed knowledge beyond the original object.
d) Awareness raising of research results through road mapping and support to validation and take up of such results in practical settings.

Funding Schemes:
a) STREP/IP b) IP c) STREP d) CSAs

Expected Impact:
Affordability and widespread availability of tools and services for releasing the economic potential of cultural heritage in digital form and for adding value to cultural content in educational, scientific and leisure contexts;
Wider range of users of cultural resources in diverse real and virtual contexts and considerably altered ways to experience culture in more personalised and adaptive interactive settings;

Description of topic:
The objective is to conceive theoretically and develop experimentally novel and powerful technological applications of quantum coherence and entanglement. In particular, projects should develop a conceptual platform for potentially disruptive technologies, advance their scope and breadth and speed up the process of bringing them from the lab to the real world. Target outcomes The results obtained should push forward the boundaries of our knowledge and ensure a constant progress in the quantum ICT area, in particular by
a) Demonstration of quantum simulators capable to operate on quantum many-particle systems and to simulate technologically relevant systems (e.g., coupled systems in condensed matter, new materials and chemical compounds).
b) Demonstration of hybrid systems linking different quantum bit realizations (e.g., by bridging atomic/molecular and optical systems with condensed matter systems). Possible devices include those that interconnect different qubit memories and quantum information carriers, and quantum repeaters.
c) Novel quantum devices exploiting entanglement and quantum coherence as a resource, such as quantum sensing, imaging, measurement and communication.
d) Enabling methods and technologies to support aforementioned outcomes (e.g., the control of coherent operations with many quantum bits in the experimental domain, or the search for new algorithms and protocols in the theoretical domain).
e) A joint call for proposals on QICT, to be funded through an ERA-NET-Plus action between national and/or regional grant programmes. STREPs should address at least one of the research foci a)-d), IPs should address two or more.

Funding Schemes:
a)-d): STREP, IP; e): ERA-NET-Plus

Expected Impact:
Significant technological achievements with higher performance and superior energy efficiency such as entanglement assisted sensors and metrology
Better understanding of the dynamics of complex systems and phenomena and design of novel artificial materials with tailored properties through quantum simulators and computers
Extending the distance of secure quantum links through quantum repeaters
Closer cooperation and greater alignment between the participating national/regional research programmes through an ERA-NET-Plus action

Description of topic:
The socio-technical fabric of our society more and more depends on systems that are constructed as a collective of heterogeneous components and that are tightly entangled with humans and social structures. Their components increasingly need to be able to evolve, collaborate and function as a part of an artificial society. A key feature of Collective Adaptive Systems (CASs) is that they comprise many units/nodes, which have their own individual properties, objectives and actions. Decision-making is distributed and possibly highly dispersed, and interaction between the units may lead to the emergence of unexpected phenomena. They are open, in that nodes may enter or leave the collective at any time, and boundaries between CASs are fluid. The units can be highly
heterogeneous (computers, robots, agents, devices, biological entities, etc), each operating at different temporal and spatial scales, and having different (potentially conflicting) objectives and goals. The objective is to establish a foundational framework for CASs.
Target outcomes
a) Operating Principles: principles by which CASs can operate. These should go beyond existing control and optimisation theories, taking into account the diversity of objectives within the system, conflicts resolution, long term stability, and the need to reason in the presence of partial, noisy, out-of-date and inaccurate information
b) Design Principles: principles necessary to build and manage CASs, such as enabling the emergence of behaviour and facilitating prediction and control of those behaviours. These principles should exploit the inherent concurrency and include methods for system validation.
c) Evolutionary Properties: properties concerning the evolutionary nature of CASs, e.g. open-ended (unbounded) evolutionary systems, the trade-off and interaction between learning and evolution, and the effect of evolution on operating and design principles. IPs should address all three target outcomes. STREPs should have a main focus.

Funding Schemes:
IP, STREP

Expected Impact:
New functionalities for adaptive ICT systems enabled through novel principles, methods and technologies for designing and operating collective adaptive systems.
New insights into the general properties of large scale distributed systems.

Description of topic:
Brains are remarkable computing systems which clearly outperform conventional architectures in many real-world tasks. Computational neuroscience has made tremendous progress in uncovering the key principles by which neural systems process information, and ICT has advanced to a point where it is possible to integrate a comparable number of transistors in a VLSI system as neurons in a mammalian brain. Yet we are still unable to build artificial systems with basic "thinking" abilities comparable with even simple insect brains. In particular, this objective addresses the need to:
- learn more about the relationship between structure, dynamics and function in neuronal circuits and assemblies, and how information is represented or “coded” in a brain.
- develop deeper and more comprehensive theories of neural processing, possibly building on results obtained in the domains of dynamic and complex systems.
- close the gap between neuroscience and engineering by motivating interdisciplinary work that ties data with theories, novel computing paradigms, models and implementations.
Target outcome
a) Developing and applying radically new neural recording, imaging or interfacing concepts and designs for a deeper understanding of neural information processing.
b) New multi-scale dynamical theories of neural representation for the development of neuro-bio-ICT systems that can perform high-level tasks (e.g. robust object recognition, or classification), going beyond purely sensory-driven information processing.
c) Development and prototyping of modular brain-like computing architectures that combine neural processing primitives to give a better understanding of brain function and facilitate the design of more complex processing systems for real-time and optimized performance.
d) World-class global research cooperation and alliances in this area, and links with similar actions outside Europe, in particular with participants from USA and Japan.
IP/STREP proposals should address at least 2 of a), b) or c). CSA proposal should address d).

Funding Schemes:
a-c): IP, STREP
d): CSA

Expected Impact:
Target outcome a-c):
- New computing paradigms leading to advanced bio-inspired sensing and processing systems, which are naturally able to learn and adapt
- New concepts leading to new brain-computer interface technologies
Target outcome d):
- New EU and global collaborations between researchers in multiple disciplines spanning engineering, physical and life science domains.

Description of topic:
a) Actions supporting the coordination and cooperation of the targeted research communities, assessing the impact and proposing measures to increase the visibility of the initiative to the scientific community, to targeted industries and to the public at large. These actions should also foster the consolidation of research agendas.
b) Actions supporting and promoting cooperation with non-EU52 research teams in foundational research on FET topics, with a balanced participation from partners in the EU and from target countries.
c) Short duration actions (typically 6-12 Months) to organise consultations of multidisciplinary communities to formulate novel FET research topics, focussing on new emerging research areas. The main objective should be to identify and motivate one or more new research avenues from a global perspective, the associated fundamental challenges, and to analyse the expected impact on science, technology and society.
d) Actions to organise conferences and workshops which should foster dialogue between science, policy and society on the role and challenges of interdisciplinary ICT related long-term research, increasing Europe's creativity and innovation base and bridging diverse European research communities and disciplines.
e) ERA-NET actions fostering the networking of future and emerging research activities conducted at national or regional level, facilitating the mutual opening of national and regional research programmes where appropriate. These actions should involve national and/or regional research programme owners.
Proposals should focus exclusively on one of the target outcomes.

Funding Schemes:
CSA

Expected Impact:
Reinforced coordination of research projects in FET Proactive Initiatives in current or previous calls, strengthening research excellence and co-operation with partners from outside Europe.
Early identification and increased awareness of new trends emerging on a global scale in support of future proactive initiatives
Novel widely supported and well motivated research topics to be considered as inputs for future ICT work programmes.
Increased visibility of the FET community and links between European research communities
Structuring and integrating effects through ERA-NET actions

Description of topic:
a) Support to dialogues and cooperation with strategic partner countries and regions, to create cooperative research links between European organisations and partners in third countries. The aim is to support dialogues between the European Commission and strategic partner countries and regions, and to increase cooperation with strategic third countries and third country organisations in collaborative ICT R&D both within FP7 and under third country programmes. This could include in particular:
- the identification and analysis of ICT research priorities in third countries, and the provision of recommendations for future co-operation initiatives, including e.g. coordinated calls, and the facilitation of access of European organisations to third country programmes,
- the organisation of events synchronised with dialogue meetings, providing input and follow-up for example on common R&D priorities, opportunities and challenges, - the strengthening of cooperative research links between European organisations and relevant organisations in third countries, with the aim of establishing strategic partnerships,
Targeted countries/regions: ACP, Asia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, High Income Countries, Latin America, Mediterranean Partner Countries and West Balkan Countries. b) Enable Partnership building in low and middle income countries. The aim is to leapfrog from traditional promotion support action projects and launch a set of targeted research projects (STREP/SICAs) addressing at the same time technology and business model innovations. Specific technological targets could include for example lowcost technologies, technologies promoting or enabling use of ICT, intuitive user interfaces and local content provisioning.
Targeted countries: Low and middle income countries53 including Africa

Funding Schemes:
a): CSA (Support Actions)
b): STREP/SICA

Expected Impact:
Reinforcement of strategic partnerships with selected countries and regions in areas of mutual interest and added value in jointly addressing important issues.
Reinforced international dimension of the EU ICT research programme and higher level of international cooperation with low and middle income countries in ICT R&D with a focus on areas where the EU has a comparative advantage and where there are new leadership opportunities for Europe.
Activities under this objective should be covered in balanced partnership with relevant third country organisations. Consortia are strongly encouraged to include, as appropriate, leading research centres/universities, relevant industry representation, third country multipliers (e.g. national research authorities/agencies), communication specialists and/or experienced market research organisations.

Description of topic:
This objective supports the exploration of new and alternative ideas that, because of their risky or non-conventional nature, would not be supported elsewhere in the ICT Work Programme. It seeks:
- foundational breakthroughs as crucial steps towards radically new forms and uses of information and information technologies within a clear long-term vision that is far beyond the state of the art;
- ambitious proof-of-concept and its supporting scientific foundation, where novelty comes from new, high-risk ideas rather than from the refinement of current ICT approaches;
- new inter-disciplinary collaborations, possibly with prominent and internationally recognized non-EU research teams where these can provide a significant added value.
This objective also supports Coordination and Support Actions for creating the best conditions within which FET research can flourish and achieve the transformative impacts that it aspires to. These activities may be, for example:
- actions, including networking and dissemination activities, aiming at the emergence of new research communities or collaborations involving a broad diversity of disciplines and actors into FET research;
- actions towards the increased active involvement of high-tech research intensive SMEs in exploratory research directions relevant to future ICT markets;
- actions that stimulate excellence and future leadership of pioneering teams of young researchers along new, exploratory research directions relevant to future ICT;
- actions aiming to strengthen the international dimension of FET.

Funding Schemes:
STREP, CSA

Expected Impact:
For STREP projects:
• Opening new avenues of research towards future ICT that may be radically different from present day ICT;
• Strengthening the future potential for high-risk / high-impact research and innovation;
• New research alliances in transformative research, exploiting synergies in the global science and technology scene for increased impact and excellence.
For CSA actions:
• Catalyse transformative effects on the communities and practices for high-risk and highimpact research and on the mechanisms to support the global nature of such research;
• New, engaged and risk-taking research communities prepared to develop new and nonconventional approaches for addressing future challenges in science and society.

Description of topic:
This objective fosters the participation of high-tech, research intensive SMEs in a driving role in collaborative research projects targeting visionary, multi-disciplinary research. This will:
- link novel ideas, results or paradigms from science on the one hand, and marketable ideas on the other, that can lead to new, visionary and non-mainstream business opportunities and create future markets;
- generate a new scientific and technological asset base on which the SMEs can establish themselves firmly as future innovation players in areas with a high potential for future commercial or societal impact.
This objective does not seek short term commercial outcomes. It will therefore not support, for example, the incremental improvement of state-of-the-art technology, mainstream research aimed at short term product or service development, the incremental improvement of existing lines of business activity, research aimed to catch-up with the competition, forsighting or market studies, or the mere development of new business models or business plans. The consortium will contain at least one research intensive high-tech SME39 with an established and proven in-house research capacity and that will play a driving role in setting and executing the research agenda of the project. This objective is expected to be addressed by small STREPs proposals, each with a funding in the order of EUR 1 million, where the largest share of the resources is allocated to the participating SME(s).

Funding Schemes:
STREP

Expected Impact:
• Opening new avenues of research towards future ICT that may be radically different from present day ICT;
• In-house research capacity and research eco-system of the SMEs secured and broadened, thus leading to sustainable future innovation potential;
• High-tech, research-intensive SMEs recognised as first-class players in FET research;
• Increased visibility, exposure and impact of FET research.

Description of topic:
This objective aims at capturing the creative potential of young researchers by fostering their leadership and participation in collaborative research projects targeting first-ever and exploratory, multi-disciplinary research. This exploration should be grounded in scientifically plausible ideas that can provide a novel basis for the development of radically new concepts and visions that extend the conventional boundaries of ICT. New multi-disciplinary approaches and unconventional methodologies are encouraged.
This objective is expected to be addressed by small STREP proposals, each requesting a grant in the order of EUR 1 million. A project must be led by a young researcher, and the leadership by young researchers of all work packages is also required. No more than six years should have elapsed between the award of a Ph.D. (or equivalent) for each such young researcher and the date of submission of the short proposal.

Funding Schemes:
STREP

Expected Impact:
• Opening new avenues of research towards future ICT that may be radically different from present day ICT;
• Empower the next generation of European science and technology leaders through their increased leadership of collaborative ICT research;
• Promote early independence of young high potential researchers.

Description of topic:
This objective aims to increase and accelerate the impact of FET research projects by cooperating with non-EU partners of excellent global standing. It targets the extension of ongoing FET projects with complementary research activities in which collaboration with non-EU43 research partners brings significant added value. The research content is expected to focus on new activities that expand the research challenges and reinforce the impact of the ongoing project. The outcome of that research is expected to be made freely and openly available for the benefit of the research community. Funding can be requested by the partners from the ongoing FET project and by the new non-EU research participants to cover the coordination and joint research activities necessary to complement the ongoing project. Proposals must be presented by the coordinator of the ongoing project.

Funding Schemes:
Additional funding to existing grant for on-going FET IP and STREP projects ending at least 18 months after the submission date of the proposal.

Expected Impact:
• Enhanced outcomes, global reach and impact of ongoing FET research projects through research collaboration with non-EU participants with complementary expertise;
• Research cooperation between world-class EU and non-EU researcher teams reinforced, thus facilitating the emergence of global alliances.

Description of topic:
This ERANET aims at coordinating the research efforts of the participating Member States and Regions in the field of nanomedicine and to implement joint transnational calls for proposals to fund multinational innovative research initiatives in nanomedicine.

Funding Schemes:
Coordination and Support Actions (coordinating actions)

Expected Impact:
(i) Improve coordination and reduce overlapping and fragmentation in the fields of research of nanomedicine; (ii) achieve critical mass and ensure better use of limited resources in fields of mutual interests; (iii) share good practices in implementing research programmes; (iv) promote transnational collaborations and generate new knowledge.

Description of topic:
The aim of this ERA-NET Plus is to pool the necessary financial resources from the participating national (or regional) research programmes and the EU, to
launch a joint transnational call for proposals for research, development and innovation in the forest sector. The objective is to support the transformation of European forest-based industry and sustainable forest management for increasing resource efficiency and adapting to and mitigating climate change effects. This will be achieved by integrating knowledge and technologies of large-scale industrial products and processes, as well as primary production.
One possible strategic approach could be the substitution of non-renewable resources (e.g. materials and chemicals, in construction or as an energy source), by renewable forest-based solutions to reduce carbon emissions and waste. Strategic renewal in forest industry value chains also needs to consider change in raw material availability and composition due to anticipated impacts of environmental and climate change on forest resources. The joint transnational call will address the whole forest-based value chain, from the sustainable management of forest resources through their efficient utilisation in industrial processes to
value added products and competitive customer solutions.
Thematic focusing of this joint transnational call should be commensurate with the funds available, so as to ensure a reasonable rate of success in the call. Details on the topics covered by the call will be decided by the participants in due time but shall be selected upon consultation with the Commission services concerned.

Funding Schemes:
Coordination and Support Actions (coordinating action).

Expected Impact:
(i) Improve coordination and reduce overlapping in key fields of research;
(ii) achieve critical mass and ensure better use of limited resources in fields of mutual interests;
(iii) share good practices in implementing research programmes;
(iv) promote transnational collaborations and new knowledge generation and innovation;
(v) mobilise SMEs in the transnational projects to enhance innovation, in particular by allocating a significant share of total EU contribution to SMEs (20%, as indicative target).

More Details:
Additional information:
− The topic is implemented jointly with Theme FAFB (under topic identifier KBBE.2012.1.2-08). It is identical to both themes. Hence each proposal must be submitted only once, either for topic KBBE.2012.1.2-08 or topic NMP.2012.4.0-3, but not both. Only one of the activity codes above should be used to submit application.
− One project may be funded.

Description of topic:
Manufacturing of nanostructured surfaces aims at fundamentally affecting the functionality of manufactured parts. This requires control, over a relatively large
areas (not just over nanoscale areas), of parameters related to tribology, optics, fluidics (affect flow properties by changing the surface), adhesion. Current state-of-the-art processes for measuring at the nanoscale have significant practical limitations as they measure over small distances. The characterisation of surface structures at the nanoscale over large areas, in terms of improved and novel operational performance, will open the way for new products into
existing markets.
Nanostructured coatings are used in diverse applications from automobile components where low friction can increase the fuel efficiency of transport systems, through cutting tools where increased efficiency in manufacture can be realised, to forging and forming operations where increased production rates and less tool wear can be achieved. They provide potential to improve energy efficiency in many areas, with projected improvements in fuel efficiency of 20% in transport and 30% to 50% in manufacturing processes along with major tool lifetime improvements. Reduction of friction in fluid transport (drag) is also known to be improved by introduction of nanostructured coatings. Friction control for transport is a key technology identified by the International Energy Agency. The key performance properties of nanocoatings are the low friction that can be achieved, the reduction and control of wear, and the durability of the coatings under the conditions that pertain in real applications. These properties will in turn depend on how the chemistry of the wear interface, and the mechanical
properties of the coatings such as hardness, fracture and adhesion.
Projects proposed under this topic shall aim at establishing advanced measurement capability in one or more of the following areas:
- To resolve the structure of surfaces of materials at the nanoscale at an acceptable speed.
A step change is required in measurement techniques, sampling methodologies and data processing to enable key 3D physical parameters to be measured in a reasonable time frame. Research is also required to validate correlations made between the physical measurements and functional effects. The results will produce a knowledge base enabling designers and producers to shift from empirical to computer aided approaches. Beyond this, a new raft of measurement tools will be needed to support the tooling of microstructures within the prototyping, product development and manufacturing phase.
- To assess the performance of newly developed nanostructured coatings. This should deliver reliable and accurate measurement results at the nanoscale for morphology (roughness profile), for chemical composition (of surface layers and wear debris), for basic mechanical properties (indentation hardness and stiffness), and for the relevant tribological properties of the coatings (e.g., friction coefficient) in a range of highly demanding industrial applications. In addition, new nanoscale methods need to beb developed to evaluate the durability of nanostructured coatings (e.g., scratch resistance).
The corresponding materials data are required for input into the design of new coating systems to meet challenging operational demands. Methods also need to be developed to evaluate the durability of coatings for severe environments.
Preference will be given to projects that will lead to traceable measurement methods which can become the basis of international standards. In stage-2 proposals, an indicator of this potential will be the involvement of metrology institutes and/or standardisation bodies.
In order to ensure an efficient implementation and maximum impact of SME-related activities, the leading role of SMEs with R&D capacities will be evaluated under the criteria 'Implementation' and 'Impact': the coordinator does not need to be an SME but the participating SMEs should have the decision making power in the project management; and the output should be for the benefit of the participating SMEs and the targeted SME dominated industrial communities.

Funding Schemes:
SME-targeted collaborative projects.

Expected Impact:
The results will lead to radical innovation in the design of products and production processes and to improving the performance of nanostructured coatings,
rationalising industrial material selection, and boosting the competitiveness of the product manufacturers. In the long term, this will lead to enhanced operational performance of products, with impact on both competitiveness and sustainability. Measurement standards are a prerequisite to bring on-line the tooling technologies required to produce these products.
The end users will benefit through lower energy bills and increased robustness of manufacturing systems. Also in the process industry, manufacturers will benefit from lower transportation costs. The results will also create new product opportunities for European instrumentation industry.

Description of topic:
Flame-retardant materials are a major business for the chemical industry and can be found practically everywhere in modern society. However, many additives have detrimental effects on the environment and human health and thus should be limited in use. Some Brominated Flame Retardants have in effect been banned via the RoHS directive (2002/95/EC), but this does not imply that all other flame retardants are free from health and environmental concerns.
Research proposals should focus on developing commercially viable materials for halogenfree flame retardants well beyond the state of the art. The proposals should include a credible validation and demonstration of the required fire classification for the intended applications e.g. by testing for ignitability, fire resistance, fire toxicity, burning behaviour, reaction to fire, and/or flammability according to the appropriate standards. If appropriate, the development of techniques and apparatus to assess the capacity of flame retardants could also be included.
Technical, performance, health, environmental and economic factors must be duly considered in the justification of the choice of the optimum novel flame retardant material for the selected applications. It would be beneficial if the flame retardant could be produced from renewably sourced raw materials. The proposals should follow a life cycle approach at both the level of material and selected products/applications. This includes assessment of health and environmental impacts, Life Cycle Assessment in accordance with the ILCD handbook, economical viability, and development of routes for recycling and/or reuse. The proposals may, if appropriate, address REACH compliance. Standardisation activities may be included; in such cases, collaboration with a suitable technical committee of a standardisation body and/or national metrology institute is encouraged. Up to 10% of the requested contribution may be allocated to development of other uses of the proposed materials, such as replacement of phthalates as plasticisers in consumer goods.
In order to ensure an efficient implementation and maximum impact of SME-related activities, the leading role of SMEs with R&D capacities will be evaluated under the criteria 'Implementation' and 'Impact': the coordinator does not need to be an SME but the participating SMEs should have the decision making power in the project management; and the output should be for the benefit of the participating SMEs and the targeted SME dominated industrial communities.

Funding Schemes:
SME-targeted collaborative projects

Expected Impact:
(i) Deployment and use of new and better performance flame retardants; and (ii) Contribution to achieving EU policies.

Description of topic:
Seventy per cent of all technical innovations have been estimated to be directly or indirectly linked to innovative materials. 'Creative industries', as defined in
the EC green paper 'Unlocking the potential of cultural and creative industries', are those industries which use culture as an input and have a cultural dimension, although their outputs are mainly functional. They include architecture and design, which integrate creative elements into wider processes, as well as subsectors such as graphic design, fashion design or advertising. The economic importance of creative industries has been estimated in terms of employees (almost 6 million in 2004 in EU-25) and in terms of contribution to the GDP (2.6% of the EU-25 GDP). 12 The large majority are SMEs (even micro-companies)
producing unique products and services. Materials for the creative industry are normally associated to interdisciplinarity in the materials science, design and engineering, responsiveness to cultural and social evolution, addressing breadth and depth of human centred applications. Novel and profitable business areas for the European industry can be searched for, through conceiving, manufacturing and marketing innovative products, processes and services which are which are human-centred, need-driven, design-led and materials-anchored. Examples can be touch-screens, ‘feeling-good materials’ or materials for
interior design (at home or office, in the car etc). A great challenge is to conceive a new material at the same time as a new product, thus also defining the appropriate production process and bringing it down the production chain as fast as possible. The advantage of coupling product design with materials development is enormous. A dedicated workshop has recently identified technological and non-technological bottlenecks in the connection materials vs. creative industries; launching dedicated research actions was recommended as well as establishing reinforced relationships between material scientists/engineers and the creative industry professionals/designers.
Research proposals should develop fully novel smart and functional materials which feature particular properties and functionalities, not solely based on physical parameters, but also embedding aesthetic, sensual, tactile, and cultural properties. Materials scientists and industrial designers should work together in the research. Having scientists involved in the design process is expected to increase the designers' knowledge of the performance potential of materials that could be used and their properties; having designers involved in the materials research is expected to boost a ‘pull’ approach inspiring the conception of novel
materials adapted to their industrial use and later on to the commercial success of the future product. Sustainability, environmental impacts and energy efficiency issues must be taken into account and represent an added value of research proposals, which will be taken into account in the evaluations, under the criterion 'Expected impact'.

Funding Schemes:
SME-targeted collaborative projects

Expected Impact:
(i) Novel materials and products where design and the advancement in the properties of the materials are key factor for success; and/or (ii) Boosted dynamism of innovation in the field(s) of the creative industry; and/or (iii) Improved communication between actors in the innovation chain also in view of novel consumption patterns; and/or (iv) Contribution to achieving EU policies, particularly the Europe 2020 and the Innovation Union goals as well as those of the initiative addressing the creative industries.

Description of topic:
The EU industry is becoming more and more dependent on metals which are essential in the manufacture of advanced technological products, such as circuit boards, semiconductors, coatings, magnets, mobile phones, computers, home electronics, and solar panels. For example, these metals include platinum group and rare earth metals. The use of electronic products is increasing globally, because of the combination of shorter product lifecycles and stricter legislation, which are making electronic waste the fastest growing recycling segment.
Recycling technologies reduce waste going to disposal, consumption of natural resources and play an essential role in the move towards sustainable consumption and production.
Within this SME intensive sector, there is also potential to significantly improve recycling efficiency and capacity by encouraging innovation and introducing more effective processes and technologies. This would save costs, energy, and natural resources and thus help Europe to be less dependent on prices and imports of the key metals in high-tech applications.
Research activities should address all of the following areas:
- assess the status of major sensing technologies for the separation of the various materials and address the challenges of a more efficient pre-treatment and the metallurgical refining process for key metals;
- assess the re-usability and recyclability at the end of life of key metals;
- cover the logistics aspects of the value chain of high-tech advanced technological products and include integrated impact assessment studies to assess and evaluate environmental and economic impacts as well as the suitability of the innovative technologies for application within the EU.
The proposals are expected to cover demonstration activities, including pilot implementations in industrial settings and to show a clear application potential in the short-term.
The recycling of batteries for vehicles is already addressed within the Green Car PPP initiative and therefore it is not covered in this call topic. In order to ensure an efficient implementation and maximum impact of SME-related activities, the leading role of SMEs with R&D capacities will be evaluated under the criteria
'Implementation' and 'Impact': the coordinator does not need to be an SME but the participating SMEs should have the decision making power in the project management; and the output should be for the benefit of the participating SMEs and the targeted SME dominated industrial communities.

Funding Schemes:
SME-targeted collaborative projects

Expected Impact:
(i) Reduction of overall waste production and improvement of resource efficiency, through a more efficient recycling of critical materials, for instance from electronic waste, efficient recycling processes, clean recycled products and good working environments within a circular economy. (ii) Competitiveness of SMEs and development of skills.

More Details:
This topic is complementary to a topic in Theme 6, Environment on 'Innovative resource efficient technologies, processes and services' (ENV.2012.6.3-1).

Description of topic:
Catalysis is a major science behind sustainability. No matter what the energy source is – oil, natural gas, coal, biomass or solar – a clean sustainable energy future will involve catalysis. Even today catalyst development remains largely descriptive and phenomenological because of the complexity of catalyst compositions and reaction pathways. A development based on fundamental understanding and prediction of catalyst efficacy at the atomic scale is imperative if we are to harvest the enormous potential of catalysis. The strategic objective is to progressively establish over the next years a rationalncatalyst design strategy based on microscopic (atom-to-atom) understanding that wouldnrelease the potential of catalysts for sustainability and productivity.
The aim of this topic is to target the rational design of novel nano-dimensional catalysts for sustainable energy production. It would be based on the detailed understanding gained from fundamental experimental and theoretical studies that relate bulk and surface structure and performance stability to application requirements with very high selectivity. Projects should develop design capability for novel catalytic systems with pre-defined properties, such as improved activity and/or controlled chemical selectivity.
The specific challenges relate to:
- Elucidating the atomic-scale structure and related properties of catalytically active materials and, in interplay between experiment and theory, resolving the key parameters that control catalytic activity and product pattern distribution on the macroscopic scale.
- Catalyst development with respect to porosity, acidity, basicity, metal-support interactions, controlled formation of appropriate (size, shape and composition) catalyst particles.
- Exploration, optimisation and control of the catalytic process. Improved hydrothermal stability and resistance to catalyst deactivation should be considered.
Laboratory-scale validation of the nano-catalyst design and modelling for a specific catalytic process for energy production is essential.
In order to ensure the industrial relevance and impact of the research effort, the active participation of industrial partners represents an added value to the activities and this will be reflected in the evaluation, under the criteria Implementation and Impact.

Funding Schemes:
Small or medium-sized collaborative projects.

Expected Impact:
Rational catalyst design capability will enable fast industrialisation of tailor-made, catalytic materials of very high activity and selectivity, and minimum energy use in their preparation and during the work cycle. Apart from improving the performance of existing industrial processes for energy production, nano-catalysts have the potential to lead to exploitation of renewable, efficient, and inexpensive sources for alternative energy production. Nano-catalysts also have the potential to reduce Europe's reliance on imported rare earths/precious metals.

Description of topic:
The aim is to develop scientifically justified and technically viable methods for modelling human health and environmental effects of engineered nanoparticles,
including their long term effects in the body or the environment. The key research challenge is to establish techniques for modelling relationships between
nanoparticle properties and toxicity. To this end, research projects should address (quantitative) structure-activity relationships, the modelling of the interaction of nanoparticles with biological (macro)molecules, biochemical pathways and systems and/or the analysis of biomolecular signatures and the development of biomarkers suitable to characterise the impact of engineered nanoparticles. The project should aim at the identification of
physicochemical properties to be chosen for establishing groups of structurally similar particles, characterisation and classification techniques, the identification of biological responses relevant for establishing groups of nanoparticles with similar mechanisms of action, the test methods, and the relation of structural descriptors to toxicological targets. Projects should deliver the basis for categorising nanoparticles on the basis of physicochemical, structural and toxicological properties, and establishing relations between experimental (based on available, and critically evaluated, data) and simulated properties.
The Commission will facilitate the clustering of projects financed in this call and other relevant ongoing or future projects in the field of generic toxicity data acquisition and modelling methods. Dissemination of project results to health and environmental authorities as well as to industry must be considered in the proposals.

Funding Schemes:
Small or medium-sized collaborative projects

Expected Impact:
(i) Contribution to the development of robust systems for evaluating the health and environmental impact of engineered nanomaterials. (ii) Reducing the need for empirical testing (reduction of costs, reduced need for animal testing). (iii) In the long term, contribution to predictive models for designing and engineering nanomaterials that are safe by design.
To maximise their impact, funded projects will be expected to establish synergy with the EU NanoSafety Cluster; the EU Research Infrastructure for NanoSafety Assessment and other ongoing projects; and the NanoMedicine ETP; in order to facilitate research cohesion, integration, and advancement of the NanoSafety Cluster agenda.

More Details:
Additional eligibility criterion: The EU contribution must not exceed EUR 1 000 000 per project.

Description of topic:
The properties and functionalities of many hybrid materials, components and devices depend on the organisation of single components on the nanoscale.
Current industrial processes for nanofabrication rely mainly on deterministic top-down processes using techniques such as photolithography. However, the fundamental limits of top-down miniaturisation are approaching, not to mention the typical high investment costs of the manufacturing 'fabs'.
Building nano-devices, assemblies and architectures through development of 'bottom-up' approaches represents a unique possibility to develop radically new bottom-up concepts towards mass fabrication of the next generation of complex nanotechnology products, including electronics, sensing applications, medicine and multiple other applications that requires hierarchical assembly. These processes should be capable of integrating a high number - potentially billions - of nanoscale building blocks with disparate functions. Hence, a massively parallel assembly approach capable of producing higher order structures with
designed properties at industrially relevant scales is required and is the primary aim of this topic.
The focus of the topic is the development of viable and cost effective processes for the assembly of nanoscale building blocks into useful macroscopic devices and products. The proposals should address:
- Organisation and integration of heterogeneous components of different sizes and compositions into higher level structures and devices. Components may include biomolecules, organic molecules and inorganic nanostructures.
- Design principles and new control methods for tunable dimension, structure and property complexity.
- Control and scalability of the process, including quality aspects, as required by the specific application.
The proposals should be application driven and tunability, control and scalability be demonstrated in a laboratory environment. In addition, the project work should include the preparation of a roadmap detailing further development needs for industrial deployment of the developed technology. The process design should aim at inherent safety and EHS assessment from life-cycle perspective must be included.
In order to ensure the industrial relevance and impact of the research effort, the active participation of industrial partners represents an added value to the activities and this will be reflected in the evaluation, under the criteria Implementation and Impact.

Funding Schemes:
Small or medium-sized collaborative projects.

Expected Impact:
In the long term, the results will contribute towards industrialisation of new energy- and material efficient products and processes of breakthrough character; in the medium term the results are expected to provide nanoscale components and structures for applications e.g. in electronics, sensors, energy conversion and storage and biomedical devices; in short term the results will advance the control of nanoscale building blocks and lead to better understanding of scaling problems and phenomena.

Description of topic:
In the drive towards innovation and efficiency in industrial products there is an increased demand for novel materials and components with improved properties e.g. they should be strong, corrosion resistant, impact resistant, lightweight etc.
These are described as 'hybrid' structures, constructed of two or more different types of material, each contributing with unique properties and complementing the properties of the other; different parts of a structure or a product will be thus enhanced in terms of more favourable performance/cost ratios. In addition, many of the new materials are hybrids themselves (such as metal/composite laminates). A great challenge faced by designers and engineers is joining dissimilar materials in a manner that ensures the integrity of the structure throughout its design life, production and in-service performance. In a similar manner to
joining of similar materials, the strength of a joint is a function of the strength of the interface between the two materials and the presence of defects.
The research proposals should address novel joining approaches and technologies between dissimilar materials, e.g. organic and inorganic and/or metals, and novel lightweight materials, as well as integrated characterisation methodologies of the joint. Issues to be investigated are e.g.: type of joining, mechanical properties, surface and interface corrosion etc. To ensure that the best bond is achieved at the interface, surface compatibility between the adhesive agent
and the two main constituent materials of the joint should be studied as well as the manufacturing approach to ensure consistency and reproducibility of the joint strength, the design of the joints themselves such as e.g. joint geometry, microstructure, modelling, repair and recycling issues and the inspection of the integrity of the joints. Validation tests should be performed. Standardisation and/or the production of (certified) reference materials may also be addressed as an integrated part of the research proposal, as well as the definition of novel specific training modules for personnel engaged in the industrial production (not including the training activities per se). Cost-benefit analysis should also be performed. The research proposals should not focus on materials whose exclusive (or principal) applications are in the healthcare and medical fields.
In order to ensure industrial relevance and impact of the research effort, the active participation of industrial partners represents an added value to the activities and this will be reflected in the evaluation, under the criteria Implementation and Impact.

Funding Schemes:
Small or medium-sized collaborative projects

Expected Impact:
(i) Deployment of materials structures with improved performance; and/or
(ii) Improved reliability and in-service performance of components in applications such as vehicles, construction, hybrid materials for electronic application or goods, to name some potential examples; and/or (iii) Improved competitiveness or European industries via more favourable cost/benefit solutions; and/or (iv) New skills (via advanced up-to-date training) in the European workforce resulting also in indirect socio-economic benefits

Description of topic:
CO2 can be a precious raw material for European industry. CO2 and other unconventional carbon sources are becoming an attractive raw material and can open new routes for the sustainable production of fine chemicals and high added-value materials. The use of CO2 as material - direct or indirect, e.g. through algae or synthetic biology - opens up new opportunities for creating value on the basis of a waste product from e.g. the energy intensive industry. The field is new and challenging. Even though fundamental research into organometallic chemistry could deliver important insight into potential catalytic cycles, no efficient processes are currently available. A possible research route is to develop new photocatalytic or electrocatalytic routes modelled on natural processes to directly convert CO2 to high added-value chemicals, which can be competitive to current processes, lowering the overall impact on the environment e.g. in terms of greenhouse gases or the synthesis of value-added products in which CO2 remains in the product as a building block. Another option of CO2 recycling is the CO2 fixation by marine and freshwater micro algae and the utilisation of the biomass harvest as energy source or raw material. The intelligent use of algae for the recycling of CO2, coupled with the production of platform chemicals, is a highly innovative approach inspired by the natural processes in the oceans and could provide a basis for worldwide sustainable growth.
The research proposals should address the production of valuable fine chemicals starting from CO2 directly (e.g. via new photocatalytic, plasma catalytic or electrocatalytic routes) and/or indirectly (e.g. via algae, but not in competition with more socially or economically valuable productions such as food). The potential contribution to the reduction of greenhouse gases emissions should be estimated as well as the cost effectiveness and commercial potential of the innovative technologies. Due to the specific thermodynamic and kinetic boundary conditions, interdisciplinary approaches can be necessary between chemists,
biotechnologists, chemical engineers and process engineers.
In order to ensure industrial relevance and impact of the research effort, the active participation of industrial partners represents added value to the activities and this will be reflected in the evaluation, under the criteria Implementation and Impact.

Funding Schemes:
Small or medium-sized collaborative projects

Expected Impact:
(i) New industrial routes for using CO2; and (ii) Reduction of overall greenhouse gases emissions deriving from industrial processes in Europe.

Description of topic:
Nature has optimised its materials, where needed, for damage management, i.e. the occurrence of damage is accepted as a fact of life and natural materials
can cope with damage because of inbuilt healing abilities. These have in recent years also been developed experimentally in new types of manufactured materials, thus creating a new or improved class of multifunctional materials - the so-called self healing materials.
The research proposals should address the substantial improvement of manufactured materials with the new functionality of self healing after damage caused for example by impact, abrasion, corrosion, wear, fire, ice, etc.
Modelling and characterisation as ancillary activities can be included. Standardisation and/or the production of (certified) reference materials may also be addressed, as well as appropriate novel inspection technologies and methods that might be required for damage detection for specific applications. Research in the field of regenerative medicine is excluded under this topic. In order to ensure industrial relevance and impact of the research effort, the active participation of industrial partners represents an added value to the activities and this will be reflected in the evaluation, under the criteria Implementation and Impact.

Funding Schemes:
Small or medium-sized collaborative projects

Expected Impact:
i) Improved materials with prolonged lifetime and reliability leading to enhanced safety in applications such as for example vehicles, roads and bridges; and/or ii) Societal and economic benefits deriving from the reduction of accidents, injuries, casualties, and permanent damages; and/or
iii) Improved competitiveness of European industry via more favourable cost/benefit ratios.

Description of topic:
Data mass storage technologies are fundamental building blocks of information and communication technologies (ICT), which are becoming increasingly
ubiquitous in the daily life of EU citizens. An exponentially increasing need for more and more 'memory' is shared by most areas of ICT applications, such as enhancing life comfort and security, leisure, education, business and improving work productivity. However, the limits of improving the performance of current technologies in terms of storage density or power consumption are already being approached.
Research proposals should focus on developing advanced materials and/or their precision preparation for next generation non-volatile data storage applications; developments leading to incremental improvements of ‘classical’ charge-storage and magnetic hard disk based memories are excluded. The developed materials should show a clear route to memory cells with a significant advance over the state-of-the-art in terms of parameters such as storage
density, reading/writing time, power/energy requirements, stability, in-service reliability and cost and/or allow additional functionalities. Scalability to the pre-industrial phase may be investigated. While the bulk of the research should be on the materials science, the development of a memory test structure, possibly operational at room temperature, can be included as proof of viability of the new material. The design of devices as such is not included in the present call.

Funding Schemes:
Small or medium-sized collaborative projects

Expected Impact:
(i) Memory cells with storage densities of 5 Tbits/sq.in; and/or (ii) write energy consumption less than 50 pJ/bit; and/or (iii) data rates higher than 10 Gbits/s; and (iv) reasonable future cost per Tbit.

More Details:
Research under this topic will contribute to the FET-Flagship initiative, in synergy with the FP7-ICT work programme.

Description of topic:
High-temperature technology is of major importance in many industries including e.g. primary metal and non-metal production, material processing, chemical engineering, transportation and power generation. For many of these industries the price of fuel is a major component of overall operating costs and the temperature per se may well influence the environmental performance of industrial processes. Materials that allow operation at high temperature are essential for sustainable industrial competitiveness because the efficiency of fuel conversion and use is related to the operating temperature. For instance, power plants operating at temperatures higher than 615 °C are usually not constructed, because of the limitations imposed by the materials used for making the tubes, drums, and pipes which contain and transport the steam; another limitation relates to the materials needed for high temperature sensors used for structure monitoring in power generation. The efficiency of power plants using such concepts is expected to improve as a result of the significant increase of the working temperature.
The research proposals should target radical improvements of materials' in-service properties, such as corrosion resistance, erosion resistance, radiation resistance, reliability and durability, ionic conductivity and mechanical properties. Design studies should also be performed when necessary in order to investigate the potential of reductions in the use of expensive materials so as to make the concept as economically attractive as possible. The materials concepts proposed should be cost effective, easy for fabrication, construction, monitoring and control.
Environmental and safety issues should be addressed as appropriate. Attention should also be paid to the life cycle analysis of the new solutions in comparison to the ones currently used.
Modelling as an ancillary activity for improving and optimising design and for producing cost effective predictive tools could be included, as well as specific sensors to ensure monitoring and enable in-service control. Emphasis should be given to material behaviour modelling and structural integrity analysis under extremely severe operating conditions (e.g. creep, fatigue, thermal-mechanical fatigue, oxidation and their interactions, at high service temperatures). Standardisation and/or the production of (certified) reference materials may also be addressed as an integrated part of the research proposal as well as appropriate novel inspection technologies and methods that might be required.
In order to ensure industrial relevance and impact of the research effort, the active participation of industrial partners represents an added value to the activities and this will be reflected in the evaluation, under the criteria Implementation and Impact.

Funding Schemes:
Small or medium-sized collaborative projects – Specific International
Cooperation Actions (SICA) to promote the participation of emerging economies and
developing countries: Eastern partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia,
Moldova and Ukraine). Consortia must include at least two participants from different
Eastern Partnership countries.

Expected Impact:
(i) Increased power plant efficiency by at least 30% allowing operations at substantially higher temperatures; and/or (ii) Lower emissions (e.g. CO2 and/or other
pollutants) in a cost effective way; and/or (iii) Improved reliability of in-service materials; and/or (iv) Increased safety in the plants of application; and (v) Boosted cooperation between the EU and the Eastern partnership countries

Description of topic:
Off-shore wind offers enormous potential but also poses great technical challenges. The industrial initiative in the European Strategic Energy Technology
Plan (SET-Plan) on wind energy thus considers this as one of its strategic objectives. In particular, new cost-effective materials, architectures, and processes are crucial for the next generation large-scale off-shore wind turbine generators. As a non-binding example: 90 metre blades are considered to be a possible target combination with materials that can offer a weight reduction of about 40% compared with standard designs.
Research proposals should address the development of innovative advanced materials and/or material combinations (including coatings) associated with the rotor, and in particular the blades, of an off-shore wind turbine generator. The reduction of the weight of the components without sacrificing their strength is a key objective with increasing rotor diameter. The proposed solutions should demonstrate to cope realistically with the particular and stringent demands of large blades in view of off-shore applications, such as e.g. long term operation in a corrosive and humid environment, under severe temperature variations and high load conditions. Compliance with environmental regulations as well as the environmental sustainability of each proposed solution shall be assessed with special emphasis on the recyclability. Blade design may be addressed if specifically relevant to the development of the materials. Dedicated modelling, standardisation, improvement of rotor blade test methods and/or the production of (certified) reference materials may also be addressed as an integrated part of the research proposal.
In order to ensure industrial relevance and impact of the research effort, the active participation of industrial partners, including end users and those involved in industrial development in harsh environments, represents an added value to the activities and this will be reflected in the evaluation, under the criteria Implementation and Impact.

Funding Schemes:
Small or medium-sized collaborative projects

Expected Impact:
(i) Considerable reduction in weight of components, based on the properties of the materials, architectures, or processes; and/or (ii) Increasing the reliability
and operational life of components under realistic conditions; and/or (iii) Improving the cost modelling, including maintenance intensity; and/or (iv) Developing manufacturing concepts for the construction of components with less production defects; and/or (v) Improving material use efficiency; and/or (vi) More favourable cost/efficiency ratio; and/or (vii) Improvement also of blades for on-shore turbines; and (viii) Contributing to the achievement of the SET plan.

More Details:
A complementary call for proposals can be found under Theme 5 'Energy'.

Description of topic:
The photocatalyst-based destruction of noxious organic compounds in air, water or soil is a versatile and clean technology, which can be applied to the treatment of a large variety of chemicals, including not fully biodegradable or toxic compounds. This technological approach appears extremely promising for the recovery of polluted media in industrial environments or in difficult to reach areas such as e.g. in the case of accidental oil spills in remote zones, as unfortunately witnessed in the recent past.
Successful and timely intervention can indeed avoid major damages to people, the environment and the economy. Furthermore, remote areas may lack power supplies so that the possibility of using solar light or other naturally available energy would be advantageous.
As a non-binding example, nanostructured photoactive films can be mentioned to improve light harvesting and charge separation, and to extend the photoactivity into the visible light region by altering the band structure of the materials, as well as to develop improved photoreactor units using solar light.
The research proposals should unite EU and ASEAN researchers around the common goal of generating new knowledge on photocatalytic materials and processes, and delivering improved ways to enhance the efficiency. Reaction temperatures are critical and photocatalysis should take place at normal environment temperatures. Cooperation of scientists from different fields is welcome in order to profit from innovative inter-disciplinary or 'converging' approaches.

Funding Schemes:
Small or medium-sized collaborative projects – Specific International
Cooperation Actions (SICA) to promote the participation of emerging economies and
developing countries: ASEAN countries11. Consortia must include at least two participants
from different ASEAN countries.

Expected Impact:
(i) Reinforced scientific knowledge base on improved photocatalytic materials and technologies, particularly when could operate in remote areas; and/or (ii)
Improved protection of the environment via pollution control; and/or (iii) Reinforced international cooperation and interactions between scientists throughout the two geographic areas; and/or (iv) spread of knowledge to stakeholders, particularly decision takers; and (v) Reinforced scientific knowledge base and the synergies in EU-ASEAN cooperation

More Details:
This topic is complementary to other topics in Theme 4, NMP and Theme 2, FAFB, which deal with groundwater (‘Reactive nanoparticles for in-situ site remediation’) and oil-spill remediation (‘Innovative biotechnologies for tackling oil spill disasters’).

Description of topic:
Novel reaction concepts using alternative forms of energy for precise control of chemical transformations and reaction pathways may lead to totally new and highly efficient procedures for chemical synthesis. Examples include electricity as activator for physical and chemical transformations, microwave/plasma-enhanced reaction or ultrasound-assisted dispersion. Selective energy input can also be facilitated by the use of active species with differences in absorbance, e.g. to heat catalytically active particles.
Many of those energy forms can facilitate the intensification of chemical processes with effects exceeding two or even three orders of magnitude. Alternative forms and transfer mechanisms of energy may also significantly enlarge the applicability potential of microstructured reactors via the acceleration of chemical processes to 'fit' in microsystems, reaching higher product yields by combining alternative energy transfer mechanisms with microprocessing features (e.g. fast heating-up of the reactants and a fast quenching of the products), reducing or preventing some basic problems in the microprocessing system operation, such as fouling.
The focus is on visionary research in relation to methodologies for targeted supply of innovative forms of energy integrated with novel reactor concepts for precise control of chemical transformations and reaction pathways. Basic scientific and engineering understanding of the mechanisms behind the alternative energy-based processes and of the relations between various parameters influencing those processes has to be developed using experiments, characterisation and modelling. The project results should determine the range of application for alternative energy based operations and deliver evidence of technical and
economic feasibility of corresponding process concepts as well as concepts for robust and scalable equipment meeting industrial standards.
Close research collaboration between chemical engineering and other disciplines, chemistry, materials science, catalysis, electronics and applied physics in particular, are envisioned. In order to ensure industrial relevance and impact of the research effort, the active participation of industrial partners is expected. The integrated reactor concepts should be demonstrated in order to verify the future potential of the technology.

Funding Schemes:
Small or medium-sized collaborative projects

Expected Impact:
Substantial advantages in terms of functionalities difficult to achieve with conventional technologies, precision control, selectivity process performance and energy savings are expected to lead to a targeted improvement in resource and energy efficiency of 50%.

Description of topic:
The traditional risk analysis and probabilistic safety assessment methodologies are usually based on oversimplified accident models which in many cases,
during major accidents of the recent past, proved to be not completely adequate, often because the total risks arising from the global interactions between the technical system and the human and organisational dimensions were not or just to a limited extent addressed.
To improve industrial systems reliability and safety performances it is necessary to develop methods and tools to cope with the complexity of risk generation and events propagation. It is necessary to investigate ways to analyse risk exposures and to provide an estimation of the ability to recover from regular and irregular variations, disruptions and degradation of expected and unexpected events (resilience) and properly manage the vulnerabilities through dynamic risk control in their operating environment to enable proper monitoring of production activities including organisational ones and to evaluate the implementation of change.
Particular focus should be on developing integrated solutions coupling the technical procedures for safety-critical operations and equipments with the concerned industrial organisation and possibly contribute to relevant standardisation activities.
A test-bed facility could comprise many supporting technologies for testing proposals and ideas, such as process performance models, risk metric identification, communication networks, virtual/augmented reality representations, computer aided design, information systems and enterprise resource planning, rapid prototyping, etc.
The models, tools and test facilities developed in the project must help predicting the short and long term effects of changes and safety-related decisions which often involves a multilevel decision making process. The developed approaches must be conceived as life long learning systems which should include the experience feedback aspect.
These tools and associated methods should prove to deliver cost-effective added value to the business and should be of practical use, in particular for European SMEs and companies which do not necessarily possess competent expertise within risk analysis in order to substantially reduce the number of accidents in Europe.
It is expected that efforts in safety-related research will be coordinated across several industrial sectors. Demonstration and training activities should be given substantial coverage in the project. International cooperation and possible cooperation with ERA-NETs are welcome.
In order to ensure industrial relevance and impact of the research effort, the projects are expected to be driven by industry or service providers to industry, and this will be reflected in the evaluation, under the criteria Implementation and Impact. End-user participation is also expected and this will be likewise reflected in the evaluation.

Funding Schemes:
Small or medium-sized collaborative projects

Expected Impact:
Improved global safety performance, integrated into business strategies and management decisions, will benefit the whole value chain and stakeholders. This is
expected to generate a competitive advantage for European companies leading to more, healthier and highly specialised jobs. The development and consolidation of an innovative knowledge-based industrial safety management system and culture, at company level, inside a whole industry sector and across industrial sectors is expected to support the sustainable growth of European industry and the development of a more risk informed society

Description of topic:
Europe has responded to a number of (natural) disasters over recent years, be it earthquakes like in L’Aquila (Italy 2009) and Izmir (Turkey 1999), Haiti (2010) or the series of massive forest fires in southern Greece and Russia. During those events the crisis response forces gathered crucial information through their work on the best/most adapted practices. In many cases, e.g. forest fires in southern Europe the responders are confronted with recurrent issues encountered previously during a similar situation by other responders. The existing knowledge of EU responders should therefore be gathered and evaluated through an exchange of information, thus creating a “lessons learned database”. This would in turn serve for the better preparedness and effective response to the future disasters and improve the capability to restore activity after a crisis situation.

Objective:
• As a first step the knowledge acquired by crisis management responders would be gathered, categorised and analysed through consultation with major stakeholders. The methodology should aim for a holistic approach (i.e. including all phases of a crisis, improving the interoperability between first responders and their equipment, the decision making process, identification of victims/people, etc); it could be done through the organisation of workshop(s), conference(s) and/or table-top exercise(s).
• The results of this exercise should then be evaluated involving the main stakeholders on Crisis Management with a focus on the end users. The results should be presented in the form of a “living document” which would be revised on a regular basis.

The learning process itself (from lessons identified to lessons implemented), dissemination means (such as training) have to be investigated. The action should also lead to recommendations for further related research activities. A significant involvement of responders’ organisations is essential.

Funding Schemes:
Small or medium-sized collaborative projects.

Expected Impact:
(i) Availability of high performing materials for e.g. sensors, actuators, ICT applications, refrigerators and/or transport applications (hybrid or pure electric vehicles) or wind turbines or innovative niche applications; and/or (ii) Availability of magnetic material with reduced reliance on scarce elements; and/or (iii) Increased independence of the European supply of critical raw materials; and (iv) support to EU policies.

More Details:
This topic is particularly suitable for cooperation at the international level, e.g. with research teams from Japan and/or USA, however, such cooperation is not obligatory.

Description of topic:
The quality of soil and groundwater is an essential asset. Because of industrial and military activities or accidents, harmful substances are often present in soil
and groundwater (pesticides, nitrates, mineral oils, heavy metals, chlorinated, aromatic or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, phenols, cyanides, arsenic, H2S, etc). Cleaning these substances ex-situ by mechanical removal of the contaminated material (e.g. pump and dump) or active in-situ methods (e.g. pump and treat) is often very costly. Passive in-situ remediation methods utilising nanoparticles, e.g. zero-valent materials (ZVM) which are introduced into the soil have been shown to be effective catalytic materials to transfer organic or inorganic contaminants into less harmful or harmless substances. Absorption of contaminants can also be considered. The topic aims to address the various problems which are still present preventing the widespread use of mobile nanoparticles for in-situ site remediation.
The research objectives are as follows:
- Determination and optimisation of the mobility, reactivity (or absorbability) and functional life-time of nanoparticles in the soil using model soils;
- Determination of the reaction products of model reactions of mobile nanoparticles and assessing any possible unintended secondary effects on environment and ecosystem;
- New analytical methods for determining the fate of nanoparticles in the soil;
- Improving nanoparticles or associated carriers/coatings with respect to efficiency in treating various contaminants or groups of contaminants by modifying e.g. the size, surface chemistry, structure or formulations, as well as treatments schemes.
The project work should include on-site validation of the results on a representative scale both in terms of the effectiveness of nano-remediation as well as the environmental fate of the utilised nanomaterials and associated by-products.
Photo-catalytic materials are excluded from the scope of this topic, as they are covered by topic NMP.2012.2.2-6. In order to ensure industrial relevance and impact of the research effort, the active participation of industrial partners represents an added value to the activities and this will be reflected in the evaluation, under the criteria Implementation and Impact.

Funding Schemes:
Large-scale integrating collaborative projects

Expected Impact:
Current methods for contaminated soil and groundwater treatment are costly and time-consuming. Nanoparticle-based remediation has the potential to minimise the need for treatment and disposal of contaminated soil, by removing organic contaminants or transforming inorganic contaminants into harmless forms. In turn, this will reduce the overall costs and time of cleaning up large-scale contaminated sites. New knowledge will be generated on the long-term feasibility of nanoparticles-based remediation, e.g. for sites involving heavy metals and inorganic contaminants. Understanding the interaction of
nanoparticles with their geological and biological surroundings will also contribute to improve current technologies for mining, oil and gas refining etc. After having more information about the potential hazards of mobile nanoparticles in soil and liquid media, further applications in waste water treatment may be feasible, for instance in removing valuable raw materials such as phosphates.

Description of topic:
Despite the progress of medical science of the past few decades, cardiovascular diseases remain the main cause of death worldwide and their management
requires further improvement especially with regard to diagnosis and therapy of atherosclerosis and its main clinical manifestations (e.g. coronary artery disease and stroke).
This call topic aims at developing novel nanotechnology enabled diagnostic and therapeutic systems for atherosclerosis. An example might be the development of a nanotechnologyenabled combination system which targets atherosclerotic lesions with drugs activated by an external device and which is supported by a system for diagnosis and therapy follow-up.
Priority will be given to research projects starting with available preliminary in-vitro efficacy experimental results and preliminary in-vivo safety data.
The development of a diagnostic and therapeutic nanotechnology-enabled system should be addressed in a multidisciplinary approach. Projects are expected to establish collaboration between stakeholders such as hospitals, the pharmaceutical industry, the medical devices industry, research organisations and academia. Support from an industry and/or a clinical research group with clinical trials experience is highly recommended.
In order to demonstrate biocompatibility and safety of the nanotechnology-enabled system, full toxicology studies have to be performed. Where appropriate, environmental and industrial safety risk assessments will be required. Animal testing should apply the 3R’s principle (replacement, reduction, refinement).
The project should include appropriate regulatory work allowing initial studies on the safety and efficacy of the proposed diagnostic and therapeutic nanotechnology enabled system for human use. Subject to approval by the competent authorities, the conduct of clinical trials can then (but does not have to) be included in the proposed research project.

Funding Schemes:
Large-scale integrating collaborative projects.

Expected Impact:
The expected impacts are:
(i) potential for radical improvement of diagnosis and therapy of atherosclerosis;
(ii) improvement of the competitiveness of the European healthcare industry sector;
(iii) increase of the application of nanotechnology in medicine.

Description of topic:
The rapid expansion of nanomaterials production and use in several products creates a need for understanding the mechanisms of nanomaterial interactions with living systems, and the environment, along their life cycle from manufacturing to recycling and to final disposal processes. Projects should be hypothesis driven investigations focusing on mechanisms of impact and seeking to identify to which degree commonalities across species exist. They should also seek to identify the key physicochemical parameters and surface functionalities of nanomaterials that control environmental fate and biological effects, influence release and (environmental) mobility. To this end, the used materials should be thoroughly characterised, to establish a relationship between material features and observed biological effects. The overall aim is to identify commonalities across particle classes/types, resulting in a framework for classification of nanomaterials according to their biological impacts and to establish a link between nanomaterialbiomolecule interactions, the final sub-cellular localisation and the specific interference with cellular or extracellular signalling pathways (pathogenic mechanism) observed.
Proposals should address some or all of the following issues:
- Understanding the biological processes influenced by nanomaterials in living organisms throughout the life cycle of the nanomaterials.
- Quantification of nanomaterial interactions with biomolecules (proteins, lipids, sugars, nucleic acids) before and after uptake and localisation, and correlation of nanomaterialassociated biomolecules with nanomaterial fate & behaviour in cells / organisms / animals.
- Investigation of the potential for indirect effects related to nanoparticle exposure – e.g. genotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, immunological and signalling responses (including bystander effects between different cell types). Suitable endpoints for the assessment of indirect exposure effects should be defined and appropriate in vitro and in vivo methods for testing these should be assessed and validated. These should be suitable for nanomaterial testing, relevant in terms of outputs, and robust in terms of reliability and reproducibility.
- Systems biology approaches (transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) to understand and compare pathogenic mechanisms of different nanomaterials across several species of increasing complexity.
In order to ensure industrial relevance and impact of the research effort, the active participation of industrial partners and other relevant parties such as authorities represents an added value to the activities and this will be reflected in the evaluation, under the criteria Implementation and Impact.

Funding Schemes:
Large-scale integrating collaborative projects.

Expected Impact:
The research will significantly advance the current state-of-the-art towards
(i) increased understanding of the role of nanoparticle-biomolecule interactions in nanoparticle-induced impacts in living systems;
(ii) gene or protein fingerprints or biomarkers with potential for determination of specific pathogenic mechanisms;
(iii) new methods for systems toxicology leading to safer final nanoproducts through providing targets for engineering refinements of products; (iv) a framework for categorisation of nanomaterials on the basis of their bioaccumulation / biopersistence and a set of risk-factors for specific endpoints, pathogenesis mechanisms; and (v) a screening platform for nanomaterials as part of a 'safe nanomaterials by design' strategy. Solutions will be provided to the long-term challenge of nanosafety and nanoregulation through the generation of high quality, systematic data enabling the identification of no-observed-adverse-effect levels (NOAELs) as well as QSARs and modelling. Tailored outputs will address the needs of each of the stakeholder communities, including the modelling community.
To maximise their impact, funded projects will be expected to establish synergy with the EU NanoSafety Cluster; the EU Research Infrastructure for NanoSafety Assessment and other ongoing projects; and the NanoMedicine ETP; in order to facilitate research cohesion, integration, and advancement of the NanoSafety Cluster agenda.

Description of topic:
The fast development of manufactured nanomaterials and their presence on the market make it necessary to evaluate their environmental and health impacts.
Significant research is being funded from FP7 resources to address these issues. However, steps of the production process and remove this barrier to innovation. The scientific and technical objectives of the topic are therefore (i) to provide legislators with a set of tools for risk assessment and decision making for the short to medium term, by gathering data and performing pilot risk assessment, including exposure monitoring and control, for a selected number of nanomaterials used in products; and (ii) to develop, for the long term, new testing strategies adapted to a high number of nanomaterials with many factors susceptible to affect their environmental and health impact. A second objective is to bring together the activities of national authorities responsible for worker protection, public health and environment and create the basis for common approaches, mutually acceptable datasets and risk management
practices.
Nationally funded projects and programmes and industry active in production and use of nanomaterials in products are encouraged to coordinate their already running efforts for validation and benchmarking and jointly plan and manage future investment for toxicity testing. Governmental authorities and industry participating in the project should define priorities for materials and toxicity end-points. The project may include coordination activities for running projects in toxicity testing, decision making on material characterisation and testing protocols, and exposure and data management. The total value of the effort
leveraged by the project in this way (consisting of the EU contribution, and funding or in-kind contributions by governmental authorities or programmes, industry and other stakeholders) is expected to reach from 3 to 5 times the EU contribution.
Partners should conclude a results communication policy before the start of the project. Work should be streamlined with OECD-WPMN, CEN and ISO, and the FP7 projects in the nanosafety cluster. Active participation of industrial partners represents an added value.
Additional nanotoxicity data for risk assessment are needed. As safety concerns about some nanomaterials undermine the whole range of nanotechnology applications through inappropriate generalisations, it is necessary to address this gap for all these concentrate on breakthrough research and their results are often inadequate for uptake by regulatory bodies.

Funding Schemes:
Large-scale integrating collaborative projects. No more than one project
will be funded.

Expected Impact:
The project should establish seamless collaboration among authorities of the MS governments with regard to the knowledge required for appropriate risk management in this field. This collaboration should be complemented by solid mechanisms networking state and private laboratories in nanotechnology toxicity testing and exposure control.

More Details:
Additional eligibility criterion: The EU contribution must not exceed EUR 10 000 000 per project.

Description of topic:
Following the call topic in the 2011 Work Programme on 'Largescale green and economical synthesis of nanoparticles and nanostructures' for low cost, highvolume synthesis, the primary focus of the present call is the precision synthesis of nanomaterials.
The precise synthesis of nanomaterials with tailored properties is a pre-requisite for many potential high-value applications for example in the fields of nanoelectronics and photonics, energy, nanobiotechnology and nanomedicine.
Most current synthesis routes carrying scale-up potential suffer from the lack of precision and definition of the resulting nanomaterial structure (including size, shape, internal structural gradients) limiting their intended functionality.
Therefore, the aim of this topic is to:
- integrate research activity, science and technology advancements for the synthesis of nanomaterials in order to increase their reproducibility, precision, control of structural parameters (size, shape, roughness, morphology and chemical composition) and to control purity and agglomeration at all synthesis steps. Novel chemical, biological and physical synthesis routes and the combination of these can be considered;
- develop in-situ monitoring methods allowing direct correlation and control of the growth parameters with the nanomaterial structure and composition;
- advance understanding of the initial nucleation and growth process, including theoretical modelling and simulation of the synthesis process as appropriate.
The developed flexible synthesis routes and platforms in this topic are expected to be demonstrated at a pilot-line-scale and deliver a step change in the availability of nanoparticles and nanostructures with high precision. Hence the focus is on materials and synthesis routes with significant demonstrable reduction in critical parameter variation compared with the current state of the art. High-throughput, cost efficient processes for nanomaterials synthesis should be developed for the integration of novel nanomaterials into new products. The flexibility of the synthesis process to produce several product variants for cross-sectoral applications should be demonstrated.
Process safety must be ensured, taking into consideration also the subsequent steps, e.g. handling, packaging and transport. Environmental friendliness, e.g. in terms of energy consumption, waste reduction and recyclability is a further aim.
Proposals should also include cost/benefit calculations for sample potential applications, demonstrating the economic viability and positive energy balance for utilising nanotechnology in these applications. The actual development of these applications is outside the scope of the topic.
Bulk nanomaterials covered by the previous call topic NMP.2011.1.4-1 are excluded from the scope of this topic. In order to ensure industrial relevance and impact of the research effort, the active participation of industrial partners represents an added value to the activities and this will be reflected in the evaluation, under the criteria Implementation and Impact.

Funding Schemes:
Large-scale integrating collaborative projects

Expected Impact:
In the short to medium term, the results are expected to yield up-scaled, innovative industrial processes providing high quality nanomaterials, conforming to
specifications required by high value added applications for example in the fields of nanoelectronics and photonics, energy, nanobiotechnology and nanomedicine; the results are also expected to pave way the synthesis and processing of intelligent and smart nanomaterials with multiple functions (third-generation nanomaterials) in the long term. Projects are expected to provide substantial innovation and market perspectives in industry and to contribute to competitiveness, sustainability and employment in the medium term, enabling competitive and sustainable industrial production of new, high added-value products and components based upon nanomaterials for cross-sectoral applications.

Description of topic:
Implants are widely used in therapeutic applications in many branches of modern medicine. The success of such treatments critically depends on the
biocompatibility, risk of infection and long-term stability of the biomaterial(s) used to produce the implant. Applications may in principle address any disease or condition, with due justification.
Research proposals should aim to develop one or more functional biomaterials for improved biocompatibility and long-term stability of degradable or non-degradable implants. They should also develop (one or more) in vitro assays, useful as indicators of long-term in vivo performance and behaviour. The potential for a significantly improved therapeutic outcome in a defined clinical application should be demonstrated. Proposals should generate comprehensive pre-clinical data, but funding for clinical trials is not eligible. A realistic endpoint of the project should be described and justified. After completion of the project, the material should be in an optimal position for entering clinical trials. Preclinical regulatory affairs, including the investigational medicinal product dossier (IMPD), should be completed or taken to an advanced stage. Consequently, experimental protocols should be planned in consideration of good laboratory practice (GLP) and ISO guidelines. Also, the manufacturing process should be addressed, including up-scaling, good manufacturing practice (GMP), process analytical technology (PAT), and regulatory work as appropriate. In addition, proposals should show that the regulatory and IPR situation is compatible with the overall RTD strategy. At least one implant or implant component should be delivered at the end of the research project together with a proof of concept and preclinical validation.
In order to ensure industrial relevance and impact of the research effort, the active participation of clinicians and industrial partners, including SMEs, represents an added value to the activities and this will be reflected in the evaluation, under the criteria Implementation and Impact.

Funding Schemes:
Large-scale integrating collaborative projects

Expected Impact:
(i) One or more biomaterials with improved biocompatibility and longterm functional stability; and/or (ii) One or more in vitro assays to predict in vivo behaviour of implants in the long term; and/or (iii) Improved therapeutic outcome in a defined clinical application; and/or (iv) Improved quality of life thanks to increased biocompatibility and longer duration of implants; and/or (v) Increased competitiveness of European biomaterials industries.

Description of topic:
As a response to the shortage of some minerals on global markets, the EU Raw Materials Initiative and the Europe 2020 strategy has called for improving the
raw materials efficiency and supply to the EU society. The overall objective is to develop new innovative clean and resource efficient mineral processing routes and technologies for a better utilisation of mineral raw materials that will be acceptable for the EU citizens and easily applicable in a highly regulated EU environment.
The proposals should address the whole processing chain from mined rock to high grade marketable material of one or more selected metallic, industrial or construction minerals.
The research should aim at innovative approaches for developing and integrating new automated, safe, cost-effective and resource-efficient mineral processing routes and technologies, closely linked to extraction. Research activities should focus on several of the following areas:
- in-situ comminution and separation, minimising transport of process volumes and waste;
- novel technologies for the processing of low-quality raw materials and tailings with increased removal of impurities and recovery of usable minerals, including base and precious metals, but also critical raw materials for the EU15, for example rare earth elements.
- closed process system with non-toxic reagents with zero impact on existing surroundings, and where appropriate mobile mineral processing plants;
- advanced waste, water and energy management;
- better process control and automation through intelligent IT based systems for process intensification and reducing human exposure.
Deliverables include the field demonstration of the integrated processes and technologies above. Project proposals are also expected to contribute to:
- roadmaps and other contributions to related policies and initiatives on raw materials at the EU and Member State levels; - promoting best practices and new best available technologies in the field;
- related standardisation and normalisation activities.
In order to ensure industrial relevance and impact of the research effort, the active participation of both minerals and downstream industrial partners represents an added value to the activities and this will be reflected in the evaluation, under the criteria Implementation and Impact.

Funding Schemes:
Large-scale integrating collaborative projects

Expected Impact:
(i) Increase material production efficiency; (ii) Strengthen leadership of European technology providers; (iii) Increase access to raw materials in Europe via new clean minerals processing activities in order to decrease EU dependency on resource imports and to create jobs in Europe; (iv) Mineral processing operations with zero impact on existing surroundings; (v) Create inherently safe working and operating environments; (vi) Replace polluting or dangerous processes, minimise waste, effluents, energy consumption and CO2 emission.

Description of topic:
The aim of this ERA-NET Plus is to promote joint strategic planning and programming for the implementation of Bioenergy demonstration projects, in accordance with the priorities set out in the SET-Plan European Industrial Bioenergy Initiative (EIBI), as derived from the corresponding Implementation Plan. It will involve the launch of a single joint call for proposals by the promoters of national and/or regional programmes, thereby allowing a more efficient use of existing financial resources and promoting knowledge sharing. Demonstration plants are considered the last non-economic step to demonstrate the performance and reliability of all critical steps in a value chain, so that the first commercial unit can be designed and its performance thoroughly assessed from the outcome of the demo unit. It is expected that the results of the call for expression of interest to be launched by the EIBI, which will be available on the SETIS website, will be used by the ERA-NET Plus participants to prepare the joint call.

Funding Schemes:
Coordination and Support Action (coordination)

Expected Impact:
This ERA-NET Plus will contribute to reach the objectives of the EIBI as far as demonstration projects are concerned, i.e. it will contribute to accelerate the development and deployment of the concerned Bioenergy technologies through an enhanced and effective cooperation between the various stakeholders at European level.

More Details:
Additional information: For further details concerning the implementation of the ERA-NET and ERA-NET Plus calls see Annex 4 of the Cooperation work programme.

Description of topic:
The aim of this ERA-NET is to promote joint strategic planning and programming for RTD&D in the area of solar electricity generation (i.e., PV and CSP), in accordance with the priorities set out in the context of the SET-Plan Solar Energy Industrial Initiative (SEII) as derived from the related PV and CSP Implementation Plans. It will primarily involve the launching of joint calls for RTD&D proposals by the promoters of national and/or regional programmes. It may also involve supporting joint planning and programming by other means such as intensifying the exchange of information and projects/programmes synchronisation between the interested parties, while keeping the overarching objective of implementing the SEII.

Funding Schemes:
Coordination and Support Action (coordination)

Expected Impact:
This ERA-NET will contribute to reach the objectives of the SEII, i.e. to accelerate the development and deployment of the concerned solar electricity technologies through an enhanced and effective cooperation between the various stakeholders at European level.

More Details:
Additional information: Up to one project may be funded. For further details concerning the implementation of the ERA-NET and ERA-NET Plus calls see Annex 4 of the Cooperation work programme.

Description of topic:
A multi-functional photovoltaic module is the basic electricity production element which shows several of the following features: enhanced modularity; simplicity of installation and utilization; suitability for use in a distributed generation configuration; flexibility in the utilization; easiness to integrate in power plants and/or buildings. Multifunctional PV modules development and demonstration combine electricity production with substantial ICT part (e.g. communication standards) and open new fields of applications. In the long run, functions in addition to electricity production such as electricity storage, light transmission or protection, thermal insulation or thermal power production will increase in relevance.
Multi-functional PV modules are the basic brick in the architecture of the smart grid, in stable connection with the network and the load to optimize/control energy use, energy delivery and energy storage and increase overall electricity system flexibility. It integrates the inverter, the monitoring of cell/module/system performances/failures (weather conditions included), the protection and safety devices, is self-configurable, under different shadowing conditions. The demonstration of an innovative multi-functional PV module embedding the required functions may require the introduction new production steps in the already proven manufacturing processes. The demonstration phase follows the equally required development phase. A field demonstration of grid-connected PV systems based on multi-functional PV modules to measure the advantages of the new configurations should also be envisaged.
Implementation/management: The leading role of relevant industrial partners is essential to achieve the full impact of the project. This will be evaluated under the 'implementation' and 'impact' evaluation criteria

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative Project with a predominant demonstration component

Expected Impact:
Higher reliability of the photovoltaic modules and systems; enhanced modularity; simplicity of installation and utilisation, also in a distributed generation configuration.

More Details:
Additional information: This topic is focusing on development and demonstrating of multifunctional PV modules for both large power installations and distributed generation. This action supports the implementation of the Solar Europe Industrial Initiative of the SETPlan (SEII). The European Commission reserves its right to ask the project, during the negotiation, to establish strong links, where appropriate, with relevant R&D projects at EU, national or regional level.
It is envisaged that up to two projects could be funded.

Description of topic:
A strategic objective of the industrial initiative of the SET Plan on wind energy is to reduce cost of energy by improving reliability and availability of wind turbines and their components. Optimizing operation and maintenance is an additional strategy for achieving this objective. Both increasing reliability and optimizing operation and maintenance have a direct impact on the availability of wind turbines and thus reduce costs and increases energy output.
This strategy contributes considerably to making wind energy fully competitive. This topic focuses on the first strategy: improving reliability by incorporating this concept in the design process of the entire wind turbine system.
The main goal of the project will be to upgrade existing reliability engineering methodologies to large wind turbine systems and demonstrate their effects during operation. The projects could address different types of climatic conditions and geographical locations in order to demonstrate improved reliability and availability under such operating conditions.
The application of reliability engineering methods and their validation may be applied to new rotor concepts and other turbine components, such as drive train components, designed for very large wind turbines (in the 2 to 6 MW range), in particular for offshore applications.
The project may focus on one or several of the following areas of work:
• Application of established reliability design methodologies to wind turbine systems, including enhancement, adaptation and demonstration on the basis of specific wind
turbine issues;
• Comprehensive analysis of the flow inside wind farms and its impact on increased fatigue loading of wind turbines operating in wind farms;
• New concepts and materials for components aiming at considerable higher reliability levels.
Implementation/management: The leading role of relevant industrial partners is essential to achieve the full impact of the project. This will be evaluated under the 'implementation' and 'impact' evaluation criteria.

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative Project with a predominant demonstration component

Expected Impact:
• Demonstrate the impact of improved reliability design on the cost of energy for large wind turbines;
• Demonstrate the effects of improved reliability on the maintenance needs and on operation and maintenance cost in general.

More Details:
Additional information: This action supports the implementation of the European Wind Initiative of the SET-Plan (SEII). The European Commission reserves its right to ask the
project, during the negotiation, to establish strong links, where appropriate, with relevant R&D projects at EU, national or regional level.
It is envisaged that up to two projects could be funded.

Description of topic:
This topic aims at demonstrating the manufacturing and the deployment of ocean energy farms for electricity generation, in real sea environments, with an installed capacity of 3MW or over. The energy farms should be composed of several devices of the same type, serving as a reference to facilitate bankability of similar projects in the future. The ocean systems should be connected to the electricity grid. The innovative component of the project, the monitoring of the operation, the reporting and the dissemination activities foreseen are expected to be described in detail. Key outputs should also include a detailed analysis of potential future energy cost reduction and the creation of a detailed business plan for full scale commercialisation.
Implementation/management: The leading role of relevant industrial partners is essential to achieve the full impact of the project. Applicants should be able to demonstrate a past record of success with deployment of large scale technology in the real sea environment and prove their ability to obtain necessary leases and licensees for project delivery (grid, environmental, etc.). Information and main results should be presented in the proposal. This will respectively be evaluated under the 'implementation' and 'impact' evaluation criteria

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative Project with a predominant demonstration component

Expected Impact:
Large scale demonstration of ocean energy technology with a view to its commercial exploitation; higher visibility of the technology; reduction of manufacturing and production costs; improved reliability and efficiency; lower operation and maintenance requirements; increased availability and improved market confidence in the technology

More Details:
Additional information: It is envisaged that up to two projects could be funded

Description of topic:
This topic aims to support the construction of the first pre-commercial plant on lignocellulosic ethanol based on sustainable biomass resources including waste streams. The call aims at industrially led projects with minimum installed production capacity of 60,000 tons per year. The proposals should address the complete value chain including the supply chain of the sustainable biomass resource and the eventual use of the biofuel in the market wherever appropriate. A detailed Life Cycle Analysis and GHG calculations must be included in the proposal and will be evaluated under the "Scientific and Technological Quality" criterion.
Implementation/management: The leading role of relevant industrial partners is essential to achieve the full impact of the project. Applicants must demonstrate that by the time of the submission of their application (deadline of the call) they have been operating demonstration scale plants with minimum installed production capacity of 4,000 tons per year or have such plants under construction with planned commissioning the latest by 31/12/2012 (justification shall be provided in the proposal and will be evaluated under the 'Implementation' criterion). The number of operating hours by the time of the submission of the application (deadline of the call) may be an asset for the applicant. In addition, the proposers must provide additional information by completing Table 1 "Techno-economic Analytical data" and Table 2 "Key Performance Indicators" that have been approved by the TEAM of European Industrial Bioenergy Initiative (EIBI). Tables 1 and 2 as well as information on EIBI are made available through the relevant Guide for Applicants. The elements will be evaluated respectively under the 'Implementation' and 'Impact' evaluation criteria.

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative Project with a predominant demonstration component

Expected Impact:
The construction of such pre-commercial plants will accelerate the deployment of lignocellulosic ethanol technologies aiming to facilitate achieving the EU lignocellulosic biofuels targets of the Renewable Energy Directive. Furthermore it will provide reasonable basis for ensuring the reliable supply of sustainable biomass resources to the plants and it will be the first step towards reducing the relative high cost of the enzymes used in the process and lignocellulosic ethanol. The combined production of a high annual volume of lignocellulosic ethanol will be the first step towards commercialisation and market deployment.

More Details:
Additional information: The topic aims to facilitate the implementation of the SET Plan European Industrial Bioenergy Initiative (EIBI). The European Commission reserves its right to ask the project, during the negotiation, to establish strong links, where appropriate, with relevant R&D projects at EU, national or regional level.
It is envisaged that up to two projects could be funded.

Description of topic:
This topic aims to further develop and demonstrate advanced post-combustion CO2 capture processes, already tested but not yet fully validated, with a view to their implementation and integration with fossil-fuelled power generation. The topic addresses enhancements to currently available post-combustion technologies but is also open to proof of reliability of innovative, next-generation CO2 post-combustion processes (for instance high temperature carbonate looping cycling, membranes or vacuum swing absorption processes and low temperature thermal swing absorption processes) and to the novel use of known technologies. This can also include the construction and operation of appropriately sized slipstream facilities at operational power plant for R&D on advanced solvent development. The focus of the activities should be the up-scaling and demonstration of the proposed capture processes from state-of-the-art to pilot plant stage, ideally in the order of 10 MW or more, depending on the level of maturity and readiness of the technological pathway investigated. The targeted applications are those for both new and retrofitted power plants.
Successful project(s) under this topic are expected to further develop, test and integrate the proposed CO2 capture concepts with the power plant. Issues to be addressed in such projects include: the seamless operation of the capture processes, even at relatively low CO2 concentrations: tolerance to impurities in flue gas, including SOx, NOx, oxygen and water, as well as traces of metals, chlorides and particulate matter.
The proposed technological solutions should aim to optimise critical components of the CO2 capture system for improved overall performance, in terms of efficiency and cost, as well as to fine-tune responses to the power generation process. The objectives are to demonstrate process efficacy, to minimise losses and enhance the capture plant efficiency, to maximise the power output in the integrated system, to reduce the capital and operating costs, and to increase the reliability and operability of the proposed system. Issues such as robustness and environmentally friendly integration, with respect to water consumption, pollutants and waste generation, but also potential health and safety concerns where relevant, should also be carefully addressed.
Implementation/management: The leading role of relevant industrial partners is essential to achieve the full impact of the project. This will be evaluated under the 'Implementation' and 'Impact' evaluation criteria.

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative Project with a predominant demonstration component

Expected Impact:
The successful project(s) should result in a major step forward in the validation and demonstration of integrated CO2 post-combustion capture technologies in power generation, leading to significantly lower energy penalties and environmental impacts, and mitigating the drawbacks of current processes.

More Details:
Additional information: This action supports the implementation of the European Industrial Initiative on CCS of the SET-Plan. The European Commission reserves its right to ask the project, during the negotiation, to establish strong links, where appropriate, with relevant R&D projects at EU, national or regional level.

Description of topic:
This topic aims to conduct research and demonstrate inherent CO2 separation technologies based on Chemical Looping Combustion (CLC) and realise their integration in to an industrial pilot plant for the reduction of efficiency penalties and costs. Successful project(s) are expected to verify an optimised performance of the CLC concepts investigated with respect to, for instance, the fuel conversion process, the performance and subsequent scaled-up potential of: oxygen carriers (in terms of capacity, kinetics, mechanical and chemical stability, or possibilities for fuel flexibility) and ash separation. In addition, reactor design and eventually structural optimisation will be rerequisites for the effective scaling-up of the process and should be accordingly addressed. The overall performance of the optimised CLC/CO2 capture process configuration and its plant integration should be demonstrated under real operating conditions to fully validate its potential, compared to currently available processes or those under development, for: lowering energy consumption, significantly improving net plant efficiency, reducing operating costs, and enhancing fuel or load flexibility. In addition, the environmental viability of the proposed integrated solution, and its impact on the power plant operation, should be carefully assessed, building upon current experiences and state-of-the-art data. The demonstration should ideally be performed at a scale in the order of 10 MW to enable conclusions to be drawn about large-scale plant implementation.
Implementation/management: The leading role of relevant industrial partners is essential to achieve the full impact of the project. This will be evaluated under the Implementation' and 'Impact' evaluation criteria.

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative Project with a predominant demonstration component

Expected Impact:
The successful project(s) should result in the acceleration of the development path of emerging CO2 capture technologies with a view to their later integration in power plants and their potential for lowering costs and increasing net efficiencies

More Details:
Additional information: This action supports the implementation of the European Industrial Initiative on CCS of the SET-Plan. The European Commission reserves its right to ask the project, during the negotiation, to establish strong links, where appropriate, with relevant R&D projects at EU, national or regional level.

Description of topic:
Penetration of PV electricity in the European market is expected to increase. In order to reach grid-parity for photovoltaics, an intensive and constant R&D support is required to achieve cost reduction of the technology (€/Wp), increased performance, functionality, reliability and lifetime. Enhancement of these aspects at cell and module level has so far been quite extensively investigated. The present topic addresses these issues at system level, through integrated-testing, monitoring and performance modelling. Emphasis is given to:
• robust modelling for system design, addressing e.g., plant size and yield, module size, cell material and technology, BoS components, costs, uncertainty estimates;
• robust modelling for predicting and optimising the system output with respect to both the solar resource and local weather conditions, and the system behaviour itself;
• integrated energy management and storage control for both ground-based installations and building-integrated PV;
• sensors, advanced communication and feedback, real-time power control, global system monitoring and control for PV installations;
• hardware and software solutions (as a "toolbox") for field and laboratory testing.
The tools developed should take into consideration the variety of solar resource and photovoltaics systems in Europe and should be validated in a representative set of
installations.
The extent of innovation of the projects will be measured, inter alia, against the envisaged impact on the enhancement of the system performance and reliability, the reduction of power losses and the improvement of grid integration. Implementation/management: The active participation of key industrial partners and technology suppliers is essential to form a multisectorial, multidisciplinary consortium able to achieve the full impact of the project. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Implementation' criterion.
For the system validation, coverage of a pan-European dimension is recommended in the analysis of existing PV installations or data collection from manufacturers. For this purpose, networking with relevant actors in the photovoltaics market and R&D community is strongly encouraged.

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative project

Expected Impact:
Quite apart from further advances in the core technology itself, the development of toolbox solutions for system modelling, monitoring and control is expected to optimize and enhance performances and reliability of the state-of-the-art commercial PV technology.
Proposals will have to include a clear plan for the exploitation of the scientific and technical results. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Impact' criterion

More Details:
Additional information: This action supports the implementation of the Solar Europe Industrial Initiative of the SET-Plan (SEII). Some issues of this topic are intended to be complementary to the activities of the project SOPHIA of the FP7 Research Infrastructures Programme. The European Commission reserves its right to ask the project, during the negotiation, to establish strong links, where appropriate, with relevant R&D projects at EU, national or regional level.
Up to 2 projects may be funded.

Description of topic:
A multi-functional photovoltaic module is the basic electricity production element which shows several of the following features: enhanced modularity; simplicity of installation and utilization; suitability for use in a distributed generation configuration; flexibility in the utilization; easiness to integrate in power plants and/or buildings. Multifunctional PV modules development and demonstration combine electricity production with substantial ICT part (e.g. communication standards) and open new fields of applications. In the long run, functions in addition to electricity production such as electricity storage, light transmission or protection, thermal insulation or thermal power production will increase in relevance.
Multi-functional PV modules are the basic brick in the architecture of the smart grid, in stable connection with the network and the load to optimize/control energy use, energy delivery and energy storage and increase overall electricity system flexibility. It integrates the inverter, the monitoring of cell/module/system performances/failures (weather conditions included), the protection and safety devices, is self-configurable, under different shadowing conditions. The demonstration of an innovative multi-functional PV module embedding the required functions may require the introduction new production steps in the already proven manufacturing processes. The demonstration phase follows the equally required development phase. A field demonstration of grid-connected PV systems based on multi-functional PV modules to measure the advantages of the new configurations should also be envisaged.
Implementation/management: The leading role of relevant industrial partners is essential to achieve the full impact of the project. This will be evaluated under the 'implementation' and 'impact' evaluation criteria

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative Project

Expected Impact:
Higher reliability of the photovoltaic modules and systems; enhanced modularity; simplicity of installation and utilisation, also in a distributed generation configuration.

More Details:
Additional information: This topic is focusing on development and demonstrating of multifunctional PV modules for both large power installations and distributed generation.
This action supports the implementation of the Solar Europe Industrial Initiative of the SETPlan (SEII). The European Commission reserves its right to ask the project, during the negotiation, to establish strong links, where appropriate, with relevant R&D projects at EU, national or regional level.
It is envisaged that up to two projects could be funded.

Description of topic:
The topic aims to support applied research, development and testing of solar dish technology, which has the main advantages of high efficiency and modularity. Further research and development is needed in order to reduce operation and maintenance costs and increase system reliability and life-time. This can be obtained, among others, by means of increased engine efficiency, increased mirror reflectivity, innovative and optimal designs and configurations, power block optimisation, and substitution of the Stirling engine with other types of engines, while keeping manufacturing costs low. The feasibility of linking the dish system to a storage system should be verified and developed if considered beneficial. The development should be undertaken with due consideration of the optimal range of output capacity of solar dish systems.
The project shall test the equipment developed at industrial scale.
Implementation/management: The active participation of key industrial partners and technology suppliers is essential to form a multisectorial, multidisciplinary consortium able to achieve the full impact of the project. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Implementation' criterion.
The participation of SMEs is particularly encouraged. This will be considered under the 'Impact' criterion.

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative project

Expected Impact:
Improved reliability, extended life-time and lower costs, notably for operation and maintenance costs, can significantly contribute to the widespread deployment
of the solar dish technology.
Proposals will have to include a clear plan for the exploitation of the scientific and technical results. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Impact' criterion.

More Details:
Additional Information: Consortium(a) ultimately supported under this topic will be requested to participate, in the course of the execution of the project(s), in workshops organised between China and the EU in this area, aiming at defining areas of mutual interest for further exchange of information and cooperation with relevant Chinese projects. The costs of attending these workshops will be met by the European Commission.
This action supports the implementation of the Solar European Industrial Initiative of the SET-Plan (SEII).
Up to 2 projects may be funded.

Description of topic:
The objective of this topic is to support research, development and demonstration activities in the area of hybridisation of CSP technologies with other energy generation systems. Different configurations can be considered to increase the efficiency, power availability, flexibility, dispatchability, energy storage, etc.
Project will have to demonstrate its potential in these respects and will have to prove the concepts at least at pre-industrial scale.
Implementation/management: The active participation of key industrial partners and technology suppliers is essential to form a multisectorial, multidisciplinary consortium able to achieve the full impact of the project. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Implementation' criterion.
The active participation of relevant partners from Mediterranean Partner Countries could lead to an increased impact of the RD&D activities to be undertaken. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Impact' criterion.

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative project

Expected Impact:
Efficient hybridisation of CSP plants is expected to broaden substantially the potential for use of the CSP technology Proposals will have to include a clear plan for the exploitation of the scientific and technical results. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Impact' criterion.

More Details:
Additional Information: Only the additional costs related to the innovative elements of the CSP plant and the hybridisation will be eligible for support. This action supports the implementation of the Solar European Industrial Initiative of the SET-Plan (SEII).
Up to 1 project may be funded.

Description of topic:
The activities under this topic will focus on research and development of innovative systems for low temperature power generation such as binary plants and/or installations based on low enthalpy resources suitable for commercial scale power production. The aims are to significantly improve the current technologies and to increase the overall conversion efficiency in order to produce electricity from thermodynamic cycles of both of lowest possible temperatures and lowest possible temperature differences. Implementation/management: The active participation of key industrial partners and technology suppliers is essential to form a multisectorial, multidisciplinary consortium able to promote the innovative results of the projects and to achieve the full impact of the project at European level. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Implementation' criterion.

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative project

Expected Impact:
The efficient exploitation of low enthalpy resources is expected to significantly broaden the potential of geothermal electricity production. Furthermore, as the use of the technology is not limited to geothermal resources it will also allow the efficient exploitation of other low enthalpy resources and make the European energy system more
resource efficient. New technologies, new job opportunities and new markets are also expected.
Proposals will have to include a clear plan for the exploitation of the scientific and technical results. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Impact' criterion.

More Details:
Additional information: Up to 2 projects may be funded

Description of topic:
The activities under this topic will focus on research and development of processing systems to convert microalgae or macroalgae in either an intermediate energy carrier or in biofuels ready for use. The project will bring together specialists from both algae production and algae conversion to biofuels in order to ensure adequate R&D feedback loops
between the two communities. The aims are to reach optimum overall energy and mass balances, to improve the reliability and robustness of the relevant biofuels production systems, and to lower capital and operational costs. Research on production, development and optimization of algae strains will be conducted hand-in-hand with research on conversion and extraction technologies.
Research may consider the exploitation of co-products derived from algae conversion, but this is not the primary aim of the project.
Implementation/management: In order to maximise industrial relevance and impact of the research effort, the active participation of industrial partners, including SMEs, along with research organisations is essential. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Implementation' criterion.

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative project

Expected Impact:
The development of new or improved production technologies of algal biofuels is expected to foster the production of sustainable biofuels in an economically, socially, and environmentally manner, to largely contribute to the increasing demand from the transport sector and to alleviate possible problems regarding competition with food in the bioenergy field. New competences, new job opportunities and new markets are also expected.
Proposals will have to include a clear plan for the exploitation of the scientific and technical results. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Impact' criterion.

More Details:
Additional information: Up to two projects may be funded.
This action supports the implementation of the European Bioenergy Industrial Initiative of the SET-Plan.

Description of topic:
The topic will support the development and testing of biofuels for use in air transport. The project is expected to demonstrate the production of biofuels suitable for aviation at large enough scale and through long enough production runs in order to allow testing them in typical short to medium distances in Europe. The project should target the best possible sustainable feedstock and second generation conversion processes and building where relevant on existing plants. It should also make use of existing infrastructures for transportation, logistics, fuelling and testing. Flight testing shall be carried out and relevant datasets shall be collected for the final assessment.
The project should also investigate the complete engine fuel system with a special attention to the relationship between fuel composition range, combustion and air pollutant emissions. The potential variation of fuel blend properties resulting from the conversion process or from the mixing should be studied. Health and safety aspects of the fuel handling should be addressed, as well as logistic issues, such as transport and storage.
The project must meet relevant aviation fuel quality standards (ASTM specification). An environmental, economic and social sustainability assessment of the fuel cycle should be done. The biofuels should meet the 60% greenhouse gas emission saving requirement of the Renewable Energy Directive. The project should also address barriers to innovation and include a study of the economic, social and regulatory implications of the large-scale biofuels utilisation in aviation.
Implementation/management: In order to maximise industrial relevance and impact of the research effort, the active participation of all relevant industrial actors from the production of the fuel to its testing is essential. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Implementation' criterion.

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative project

Expected Impact:
This project is expected to demonstrate the readiness of the technology to produce aviation biofuels in an economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable manner. The results should also serve the development of future scientifically sound regulatory framework. Recommendations to solve potential barriers to large-scale commercialisation should be drawn. Proposals will have to include a clear plan for the exploitation of the scientific and technical results. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Impact' criterion

More Details:
Additional information: Up to one project may be funded. This action supports the implementation of the European Bioenergy Industrial Initiative of the
SET-Plan. The work should complement the results of the SWAFEA study.

Description of topic:
Increasing the temperature range of collectors up to 250°C would open the way for industrial use of solar thermal energy, encompassing power generation, heating and
cooling. The projects will develop innovative concepts and technologies to extend the working temperature range of solar collectors up to 250°C, to keep collector efficiency above 50%, to reduce heat losses and optimise energy output of collectors for industrial use. Projects will also have to consider the manufacturing issues (cost, equipment) associated with these novel collectors.
Implementation/management: The active participation of key industrial partners and technology suppliers is essential to form a multisectorial, multidisciplinary consortium able to promote the innovative results of the projects and to achieve the full impact of the project at European level. This will be considered during the evaluation. The active participation of relevant partners from Mediterranean Partner Countries could lead to an increased impact of the RD&D activities to be undertaken. This will be considered
during the evaluation under the 'Impact' criterion.

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative project

Expected Impact:
Expanding the temperature range in which solar collectors can be efficiently used will result in novel devices for power generation, heating and cooling. The technology is generic and hence a large economic impact and significant contributions to decarbonising our economy by replacing fossil fuels with an increased use of solar power are
expected. Proposals will have to include a clear plan for the exploitation of the scientific and technical results. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Impact' criterion

Description of topic:
Pilot tests to validate and improve model predictions of the behaviour of injected CO2 at scale, and demonstrate the technologies and protocols for successfully implementing and validating long-term safe storage of sequestered CO2. Injection of CO2 should be at a meaningful scale, allowing extrapolation of the results to industrial scale storage operations. Research could include storage complex characterization (testing of reservoir/cap rock systems), modelling of injection and storage (including model verification with field test data), risk assessment, well technology, reactive transport processes, etcetera.
Projects should include real-time monitoring (including for induced seismicity) and should address mitigation/ remediation of leakage as well as public engagement and education. Proposals should demonstrate how they plan to obtain any necessary leases and licenses, as well as how they plan to engage with the local community.
Additional eligibility criterion: The requested EU contribution per project shall not exceed EUR 9 Million.

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative project

Expected Impact:
To maximise the EU-added value, the test site(s) used in the project should be developed into open-access laboratories for research and training. The project should contribute significantly to increasing public understanding through effective and continuous communication, in particular using real-time visualisation of the CO2 containment. Knowledge sharing with other storage pilots and industrial CCS demonstration projects is a key element of this topic. In order to validate the results of the project and to maximise the potential impact, the consortium should establish cooperation with the research carried out in at least one industrial-scale CCS demonstration projects including those supported by the European Energy Programme for Recovery (EEPR) and the NER300 of the Emissions Trading Scheme.
Proposals will have to include a clear plan for the exploitation of the scientific and technical results. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Impact' criterion.

More Details:
Additional Information: To realise such storage pilot at meaningful scale, a substantial part of the funding is expected to come from third parties. In case the total volume to be stored exceeds 100 kilo tonnes, the Directive on Geological Storage of CO2 applies. This topic contributes to realising the Implementation Plan (2010-2012) and the Technology Roadmap (2010-2020) of the European Industrial Initiative on CCS, and the resulting project(s) will form part of the EII.
Up to 2 projects may be funded.

Description of topic:
Techno-economic assessment of the impact of impurities in CO2, from power plants and other CO2 intensive industries, on fluid properties, phase behaviour and chemical reactions in the transport pipelines and the storage infrastructure and storage site integrity. This should include the determination of physical-chemical characteristics of most important mixtures, assessing their impact on pressure drop, compressor power and design of pipelines/wells, and testing the behaviour of these mixtures at relevant conditions. Projects should include a pre-normative research component; results should form the basis for a classification of impurities in CO2 streams from power plants and other CO2 intensive industries with CCS, and provide recommendations for tolerance levels, mixing protocols and material selection for transport and storage infrastructure, on storage site integrity, and health and environmental hazards.
Implementation and management: The active participation of relevant partners from the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum, in particular the U.S., Canada and China, could add to the scientific and/or technological excellence of the project(s).

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative Project

Expected Impact:
Mixing CO2 streams of different composition is a challenge for the development of integrated CO2 pipeline infrastructure. Projects should provide a technical knowledge base for the definition of protocols, pipeline specifications and safety regulations. Inclusion of research organisations specialising in relevant pre-normative research, as well as industrial partners active in CO2 capture, could lead to an increased impact of the research to be undertaken. Proposals will have to include a clear plan for the exploitation of the scientific and technical results. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Impact' criterion.

More Details:
Additional Information: This topic contributes to realising the Implementation Plan (2010-2012) and the Technology Roadmap (2010-2020) of the European Industrial Initiative on CCS, and the resulting project(s) will form part of the EII.

Description of topic:
The project should provide recommendations as well as scalable and replicable solutions for the technical, regulatory and economic challenges of integrating a very large share of distributed renewable generation units in distribution networks while maintaining reliable and high quality power, with particular emphasis on medium-scale resources. The work should be motivated by experiences from analyses, pilot projects and early demonstrations and should plan its validation in advanced large-scale demonstration projects. It may address issues such as network design rules, optimised connection and protection schemes, real-time supervision and operation, and remedies for harmonics and other disturbances that could be generated by power electronic interfaces. The solutions may require active real-time management of distributed generation and loads and/or the involvement of electricity storage options. Appropriate coordination with the transmission level system operation and market operations should be considered. The project should analyse and compare different technical and organisational solutions being tested in Europe and measure these against appropriate key performance indicators. It should prepare replication options for the successful solutions.
Implementation and Management: The project(s) supported under this topic will require strong links with R&D and large-scale pilot/demonstration projects in Europe to form a family of projects addressing a functional project of the SET Plan European Electricity Grids Industrial Initiative. Links with grid integration projects expected to be supported by the NER300 scheme may also be included. It is expected that most demonstration activities will take place in these linked projects.

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative Project

Expected Impact:
The results should open the path for technically and economically viable deployment of smart grids solutions that enable a substantial increase of the hosting capacity for medium- and small-size renewable sources (mainly wind and PV farms) in existing medium-and low-voltage networks and allow an effective planning of necessary network reinforcements. It should allow distribution networks to be operated with reverse flows of electricity at times of high renewable electricity generation and low load. It should also allow for better observability of distributed resources for the system operator. Significant Distribution System Operator (DSO) involvement is crucial for maximising the impact of the project. This will be considered in the evaluation under the ‘Impact’ criterion. Proposals will have to include a clear plan for the exploitation of the scientific and technical results. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Impact' criterion

More Details:
Additional Information: This family of projects is expected to form part of the EEGI and to contribute to its monitoring and knowledge sharing scheme.

Description of topic:
The project should provide recommendations as well as scalable and replicable solutions for the application of advanced distributed sensors, monitoring and control systems to increase the intelligence of electricity distribution networks. The solutions may cover the assessment and monitoring of the components of the electricity system (condition monitoring), as well as the enhancement and optimization of the real-time operation of networks in real time at all voltage levels, with a special focus on the distribution network. The solutions should enable the dynamic loading of the components and the continuous assessment of their progressive ageing. The R&D activities could include the integration of distributed, simple and cheap sensors supporting local intelligence, inter-sensor communications, and communication with a central supervision system. Development of sensors should be excluded from the research activities. Reliability and security issues should be considered. Compatibility with network supervision systems (SCADA - supervisory control and data acquisition) and with existing equipment should be demonstrated. Interoperability of the sensors and of the communication schemes shall be at the core of all the developed systems. The work should contribute to mapping relevant standards and provide information for the development of further standardization activities. The project should analyse and compare different technical and organisational solutions being tested in Europe and measure these against appropriate key performance indicators.
Implementation and management: The project supported under this topic will require strong links with R&D and large-scale demonstration projects in Europe to form a family of projects addressing a functional project of the SET Plan European Electricity Grids Industrial Initiative.

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative Project

Expected Impact:
The systems developed and demonstrated should enable the deployment of cost-effective solutions for enhancing the observability and intelligence of European electricity networks, leading to more rational network management and appropriate scheduling of network investments. Significant Distribution System Operator (DSO) involvement is crucial for maximising the impact of the project. This will be considered in the evaluation under the ‘Impact’ criterion. Proposals will have to include a clear plan for the exploitation of the scientific and technical results. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Impact' criterion.

More Details:
Additional Information: This work should take into account results of previous projects. This family of projects is expected to form part of the EEGI and to contribute to its monitoring and knowledge sharing scheme

Description of topic:
The project should investigate barriers, opportunities and solutions for the active participation of users in active demand and in energy efficiency of the overall electricity system. This R&D project should emphasize the socio-economic aspects of demand participation and should investigate customer behaviour for different classes of users such as residential and small commercial/industrial users. The project should analyse and compare different technical and user interaction solutions and customer awareness initiatives being tested in Europe and measure these against appropriate key performance indicators. It should ensure the engagement of customer representation and pay particular attention to data protection issues.
Implementation and management: The FP supported R&D project will require strong links with R&D and large-scale demonstration projects in Europe to form a family of projects addressing a functional project of the SET Plan European Electricity Grids Industrial Initiative.

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative Project

Expected Impact:
The results should allow a better understanding of the measures that allow the active participation of the demand side in electricity markets and its contribution to the stability of the electricity networks. It should facilitate the deployment of active demand programmes in Europe by collecting and comparing technology solutions, providing a better understanding of customer behaviour, and providing insight in the success factors of customer awareness measures. Proposals will have to include a clear plan for the exploitation of the scientific and technical results. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Impact' criterion.

More Details:
Additional Information: This family of projects is expected to form part of the EEGI and to contribute to its monitoring and knowledge sharing scheme.

Description of topic:
Pan-European electricity networks may need to be enhanced with "electricity highways", in order to reliably deliver renewable electricity from distant sources to the load areas, to allow pan-European market flows and to exploit storage capacities where needed. The project should develop methods and tools to support the planning of these highways, based on various future power system scenarios, including for back-up and balancing generation and storage capacities, and develop options for a pan-European grid architecture under different scenarios, taking into account benefits, costs and risks for each. It should engage a wide range of stakeholders in this process. The project should consider a wide range of drivers and potential barriers such as functionalities and boundary conditions of such highways, grid design options, technology bottlenecks, technical planning, operation and management, supply chain gaps, environmental and public acceptance as well as implications for market models, governance and regulation. It should also address transition planning between now, 2020, 2030, 2040 and 2050. The project should consider existing standardisation efforts and contribute as appropriate to their future development. It should in addition clearly identify bottlenecks needing additional research and development, including through demonstrators and in-situ testing, both onshore and offshore.
Additional eligibility criterion: Participation of at least 3 European Transmission System Operators (TSO's) is an eligibility criterion.

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative Project

Expected Impact:
The project should clarify realistic options for future electricity highways in Europe and allow planning of their progressive deployment. It should hence contribute to the European policies on energy infrastructure. It should also provide information on required technology standardisation and regulatory changes that will unlock a staged deployment programme and prepare the way for further research, development and demonstration needed in the coming decade. The active involvement and commitment of European TSO's is crucial for maximising the impact of the project. This will be considered in the evaluation under the ‘Impact’ criterion. Proposals will have to include a clear plan for the exploitation of the scientific and technical results. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Impact' criterion.

More Details:
Additional Information: This work should take into account the results of previous projects and be coordinated with ongoing R&D projects concerning the planning and operation of the pan-European electricity transmission network. The project(s) will contribute to realising the Implementation Plan (2010-2012) of the European Electricity Grids Industrial Initiative and is/are expected to form part of the EEGI and the work performed under the Electricity Highways Platform of the Florence Electricity Forum and to participate in its monitoring and knowledge sharing scheme.

Description of topic:
Research should focus on safety aspects of Li-ion batteries with a cell size larger than 10 Ah and in a system larger than 1 MWh. The work should take account of international activities in the field of standardisation. Through the use of recognised risk assessment, the research should propose improved methodologies and protocols for safety testing in several or all of the following sub-areas: transport, installation/commissioning, operation, periodic inspection, maintenance, decommissioning, and removal phase. Relevant environmental aspects should be considered in the proposal. The work should include modelling, measurement and testing development with robust validation. The consortium composition should be balanced. The involvement of the battery manufacturing industry and end-users is encouraged.

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative Project

Expected Impact:
The results should contribute to safe deployment of Li ion batteries for grid applications. Proposals will have to include a clear plan for the exploitation of the scientific and technical results. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Impact' criterion

More Details:
Additional Information: With a view to promoting international cooperation with Japan, initiatives for collaboration between project(s) under this topic and selected Japanese
project(s) will be encouraged on the basis of mutual benefit and reciprocity. The Commission reserves the right to ask the coordinators of FP7 projects, during the contract negotiations, to include collaboration activities (e.g. exchange of information, exchange of researchers) with selected Japanese project(s) that are financed by the Japanese Ministry for Economy Trade and Investment (METI) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).

Description of topic:
This R&D topic is aimed at development of very efficient heat pumps using alternative refrigerants (e.g. natural refrigerants), sorption heat pump technologies and high power heat pumps. Projects will also investigate heat pump systems combined with other renewable energies and intelligent integration of heat pumps into large renewable energy systems including storage.
Implementation/management: The active participation of key industrial partners and technology suppliers is essential to form a multisectorial, multidisciplinary consortium able to promote the innovative results of the projects and to achieve the full impact of the project at European level. This will be considered during the evaluation.

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative Project

Expected Impact:
Heat pumps are components that can enhance significantly the efficiency of various energy systems, e.g. for heating and cooling and in geothermal installations. The research project will enhance the application range of heat pumps by focusing on high power heat pumps and heat pumps with environmentally friendly working fluids as well as their cost effective integration into larger systems. Proposals will have to include a clear plan for the exploitation of the scientific and technical results. This will be considered during the evaluation under the 'Impact' criterion.
Additional information: Up to 2 projects may be funded.

Description of topic:
Technical content/scope: Progress in energy research requires advances in both science (new phenomena, tools and techniques) and technology (new design devices and systems). This topic aims at ensuring a genuine chance for “emerging ideas” to be funded and consequently follows a complete bottom-up approach. This topic is also designed to provide reward for “high risk / high impact” approach and to vigorously promote multi-disciplinarity. Research should focus on novel technologies and novel materials for energy applications, should have tangible objectives, go beyond conventional paths, and be highly innovative and very ambitious – the FET "spirit". However, this topic is “purpose driven” and not “blue-sky” research. “Increased understanding” alone would not be considered sufficiently tangible. Projects should try reaching clearly defined scientific goals and/or creating a new basic technology. They should have the potential to open up new fields of inquiry and be well beyond the international state
of the art. When developing a new technology one often encounters gaps in understanding that require going back to science to develop new knowledge. This feedback loop between science and technology is a critical part of how progress is made. The more active the feedback loop, the higher the likelihood of rapid success. This key element of innovation is at the core of this FET topic. Also, real breakthroughs in the energy sector are quite often due to the radical upgrade in the properties of the materials. Proposals related to advanced materials for energy applications, and particularly proposals on materials that could find their way into a continuum of energy applications, are within the scope of this topic (providing they have the FET "spirit"). Any research that constitutes a technology demonstration or a combination of existing technologies will not be considered for funding. Research directed towards hypothetical phenomena, with no convincing evidence as to their existence also falls out of scope of this topic.
Implementation and management: Projects shall involve multinational partnerships, often from different scientific disciplines and/or different technological sectors, in order to cross traditional boundaries. High-tech SMEs participation is encouraged.

Funding Schemes:
Collaborative Project

Expected Impact:
New paths leading to highly innovative technologies for energy applications, and contribution to the establishment of a strong scientific and technical base for European science and technology in emerging areas in the energy field. The potential impact on the energy system has to be clearly demonstrated, already at stage 1.

More Details:
Additional eligibility criterion: Requested EU contribution per project shall not exceed EUR 3 Million.

Description of topic:
Reliable seasonal-to-decadal climate predictions are of paramount value, since society and key economic sectors (e.g. energy, transport, agriculture, and tourism) have to base their short and medium term planning and decisions on robust climate information and the associated environmental and socio-economic impacts. Although substantial progress has been made in the past, the current outcome of climate models at temporal and spatial scale is not sufficient to meet the expectations and needs of the various stakeholders at European, regional and local level. In view of developing reliable climate services, research should focus on key problems and uncertainties to advance our understanding of critical processes at different scales. It should take into account trends, interactions, feedbacks, teleconnections and threshold levels of the Earth climate system or its compartments. Actions will include the reliable quantification of the impacts of climate variability and change at regional and local scales and the assessment of the vulnerability of society, economy and ecosystems. Integration of instrumental and Earth observation climate data-sets (and derived knowledge) with high-resolution proxy datasets obtained from natural climate archives may be considered, including integral field campaigns where necessary. Proposals may focus on specific knowledge gaps and should demonstrate the degree by which they will contribute to the improvement of the reliability, precision and accuracy of seasonal-to-decadal climate predictions at regional and local scales. The participation of relevant stakeholders involved in the decision making process is highly recommended. Cooperation with other non-EU initiatives and with non-EU partners in the field is encouraged.

Funding Schemes:
CP

Expected Impact:
Improved preparedness from seasons to years ahead of climatic conditions, in particular for the occurrence of high-risk patterns. Reduced costs of emergency
interventions. Better market preparation to availability of climate-dependent products or services (e.g. agricultural products, energy distribution, transport services). Higher business continuity and resilience of society towards the impacts of climate variability and change. Contribution to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) Global Framework for Climate Services. New business opportunities for SMEs offering specialised climate services

More Details:
Projects selected under this topic will be linked through a coordination mechanism that will be defined during the negotiation stage.

Description of topic:
Research on the environmental and socio-economic opportunities and impacts of climate change mitigation policies are of paramount importance for the development of a resource efficient and climate resilient society. Climate-energy-economy models are fundamental tools to evaluate mitigation strategies, assessing the costs and inform decision makers. However, currently available tools have relevant limitations such as the difficulty to represent pervasive
technological developments, positive feedbacks, the difficulty to represent non-linearities, thresholds and irreversibility, and the insufficiently developed representation of economic sectors with a significant potential for mitigation and resource efficiency. Research should focus on the development and validation of new models, new model components or in the improvement/upgrading of existing models. Economic impacts of implemented and planned mitigation policies in the EU and beyond should be assessed at different scales and for the key economic and societal sectors. Transparency in the description of the models' functioning, of their strengths and limitations is requested with a view to unequivocally frame the relevant area of application of each model and hence to improve users confidence in the results. The availability of large datasets for model validation purposes has to be taken into account, and their completeness should be improved. International collaboration to address the key challenges in Europe and globally is encouraged. The involvement of relevant stakeholders is highly recommended.

Funding Schemes:
CP

Expected Impact:
Reduced costs, improved acceptance, higher confidence on mitigation trajectories. More effective knowledge-based climate mitigation policy options. Support to the Roadmap for moving to a low carbon economy by 2050.

More Details:
Projects selected under this topic will be linked through a coordination mechanism that will be defined during the negotiation stage.

Description of topic:
Research on adaptation to climate change is imperative in order to better inform and support the development and implementation of adaptation policies and related action programmes at international, European and Member State level. Research should build a strong and comprehensive knowledge base that is required to identify appropriate options and develop medium and long-term strategies for adaptation at national, regional and local scales. Methods and tools should be developed to assess climate impacts, vulnerability, risks and their costs, and to predict the environmental, social and economic effects of adaptation
options. Of particular relevance will be the bottom-up assessment of the full economic costs and benefits of climate change adaptation at sector level with particular attention to sectors of high economic and social importance, as well as the aggregation of such bottom-up approaches to enable the estimation of economy wide costs and benefits at EU and national level. Appropriate consideration should be given to human responses to change and to the complex interlinkage of adaptation policies with other policies including the investigation of conflicts and synergies between mitigation and adaptation actions. International cooperation to address key challenges in Europe and globally is encouraged. Participation of stakeholders is highly beneficial.

Funding Schemes:
CP

Expected Impact:
Reduced costs, better understanding and acceptance of adaptation measures. Improved integration of adaptation research into decision making leading to more effective knowledge-based decision making, in adaptation policy as well as in all other policy and business areas potentially affected by climate change. Enhanced understanding of and participation of society in adaptation measures. Social and economic benefits for the sectors and policy areas mentioned in the White Paper 'Adapting to climate change: Towards a European framework for action'. Research activities under this topic are expected to contribute to an enlargement of the databases of socio-economic data related to climate change impacts, vulnerability and adaptation (e.g. the adaptation Clearing House Mechanism).

More Details:
Projects selected under this topic will be linked through a coordination mechanism that will be defined during the negotiation stage using project resources

Description of topic:
Ecosystem services and natural capital are increasingly put forward as key conceptual approaches to inform sustainable land, water and urban management and develop innovativepublic goods and sustainable economic activities. This requires a better understanding of (i) the potential of the ecosystem services and natural capital approach and (ii) how best to operationalise these concepts within key regulatory frameworks and in decision making processes. Integrated natural, social and economic research is needed to assess the ecosystem services relevant to human well-being, and analyse links between and comparisons across locales, sectors, scales and time (for example, across a coherent set of case studies) in a range of social-ecological systems that must at least include fresh water bodies, coastal zones, urban and rural areas and their interfaces. Focusing on the bio-physical control of ecosystem services, research will examine the effects of multiple drivers (including the use of renewable resources), structural and functional factors (including biodiversity and tipping points), and
human feedbacks on ecosystem services. Such research is to (i) provide a better understanding of how drivers and management, including the green infrastructure approach, ecological restoration, and EU regulatory framework (e.g. Water Framework Directive), change ecosystem services, and (ii) explore, demonstrate and validate mechanisms instruments and best practices that will serve to maintain and enhance a sustainable flow of a broad range of services from ecosystems while preserving their ecological value and biological diversity. Focusing on the socio-economic implications of choices on the use of ecosystem services, research will address the trade-offs and synergies between ecosystem services and between components of social and individual well-being that arise from the demands on these systems. Such research is to (iii) qualify and quantify these trade-offs and synergies and link them to the respective stakeholders across locales, sectors, scales and time, (iv) identify the potential for the development of innovative and sustainable processes derived from ecosystem services, and (v) explore, demonstrate and validate instruments and practices that will serve to align disconnected and conflicting interests and take power asymmetries into account in balancing trade-offs in social and individual well-being. In both bio-physical and socio-economic dimensions, work will (vi) develop methods and coherent and shared protocols to provide consistent and integrated datasets and knowledge (vii) and explore and where possible implement ways to ensure the perennity of any key data base, decision support system or other major product of the research. Integrating these strands of investigation, research should examine the potential of existing policies and provide plural and conditional alternatives for enhanced operationalisation of the concept of ecosystem services and natural capital to support the formulation and implementation of regulatory frameworks such as the Water Framework Directive, Air Quality Framework Directive, the Common Agricultural Policy, the Green Infrastructure approach, the Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment and Environmental Impact Assessments. International collaboration, especially in developing countries is strongly encouraged, to qualify and quantify the
interrelations and trade-offs between the provision and use of ecosystem services and natural capital on a global scale.

Funding Schemes:
CP

Expected Impact:
Improved understanding of how ecosystem services and natural capital contribute to human well-being across locales, sectors, scales and time. Contribution to more sustainable ecosystem management maintaining and enhancing a sustainable flow of a broad range of services from ecosystems while preserving their ecological value and biological diversity. Contribution to more effective and inclusive management of ecosystem services balancing trade-offs in social and individual well-being. Increased EU competitiveness by innovative processes and services derived from operationalising the concept of ecosystem services and natural capital.

More Details:
SMEs are expected to play a role in developing services and products derived from ecosystem services or in assessing and monitoring them. Projects selected under this topic will be linked through a coordination mechanism that will be defined during the negotiation stage using project resources.Projects will only be selected for funding on the condition that the estimate EU contribution going to SMEs is 15% or more of the total estimated EU contribution for the project as a whole. This will be assessed at the end of the negotiation, before signature of the grant agreement. Proposals not fulfilling this criterion will not be funded.

Description of topic:
Although the number of existing biodiversity observations is very large, these observations are very uneven in spatial, temporal, topical, and taxonomic coverage. This heterogeneity of the biodiversity datasets needs to be addressed in the context of the implementation of several environmental policies like the Habitats Directive in Europe, the future Marine Strategy Directive Framework, or the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).The topic is intended as a European contribution to the assessment of global biological resources, across both terrestrial freshwater and marine
ecosystems, linking biodiversity to environment structures. It will support the implementation of the GEO Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON), which is developing a coordinated, global network gathering and sharing information on biodiversity and ecosystems. It will integrate long-term national and European biodiversity resources and Global biodiversity data sources, (e.g., LTER-Europe, UNEP-WCMC, IUCN and its RedList of threaten species, GBIF), into GEO BON to provide a basis for dynamic and adaptive strategies for biodiversity conservation under changing environmental and societal conditions. Comprehensive and standardized biodiversity datasets, biological knowledge and filling out of taxonomic gaps at different scales using remotely-sensed, in-situ and collectionbased
observations will be delivered. Changes affecting the stock and nature of biological resources will be estimated by modelling distributions of species and their sensitivity to environmental changes. The project will deliver observation and monitoring protocols to assess long-term status and trends in biodiversity, in Europe specifically in under-sampled areas. SMEs are expected to participate in the data handling and the development of the observation system components enabling emerging biodiversity services and products (e.g. new business models for use and protection of biodiversity, applications to biomaterials and
biosensors).

Funding Schemes:
CP

Expected Impact:
Global system of in-situ marine and terrestrial observations, integrated with remote sensing measurements, for the monitoring and assessment of global biological resources. Reinforced cooperation between national governments, supporting the development of national BON’s in Europe. Strengthened knowledge on global biological resources integrating biodiversity, climate and ecosystem data and resources. Reduced risk from biological invasion. Improved biodiversity data interoperability arrangements. Support to the monitoring requirement of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UN CBD).

More Details:
Projects will only be selected for funding on the condition that the estimate EU contribution going to SMEs is 15% or more of the total estimated EU
contribution for the project as a whole. This will be assessed at the end of the negotiation, before signature of the grant agreement. Proposals not fulfilling this criterion will not be funded.

Description of topic:
The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) defines GES having regard to the structure, functions and processes of marine ecosystems. In addition, marine biodiversity is a key descriptor for the assessment of the environmental status of marine waters. However the understanding of the relationships between pressures from human activities and climatic influences and their effects on marine ecosystems including biological diversity are still only partially understood. There are a number of aspects of these relationships which need to be better understood in order to support the ecosystem based management and fully achieve a good environmental status (GES) of marine waters, the objective of the MSFD. The topic will contribute, in a harmonized way for the four regions identified in the MSFD, to (i) improve our understanding of the cumulative impact of human activities -and variations associated to climate on marine biodiversity, (ii) test indicators (referred in the Commission Decision on GES) and develop options for new ones for assessment, particularly for biodiversity, at several ecological levels (species, habitat, ecosystems), -and the characterization and status classification of the marine waters, (iii) develop, test and validate,
on the basis of observations, innovative integrative modelling tools in order to further strengthen our understanding of ecosystem and biodiversity changes in space and time due to human impacts and climatic influences. The resultant outputs and models should be developed for implementation as operational tools for managers and policy makers with a view to reduce pressures through actions. The project shall also contribute to (i) enable the development of adaptive management (ecosystem-based management approach) strategies and management measures taking into account the role of industry and relevant stakeholders, (ii) provide economic and social assessment of the consequences of management practices, (iii) identify the barriers (socio-economic and legislative) that prevent progress towards GES, (iv) provide a set of policy options for the relevant authorities to prioritize actions to reduce pressure from human activities and climatic influences. In addition the project should propose and demonstrate the utility of innovative monitoring systems capable of providing data on a range of parameters, efficiently and effectively, that may be used as indicators of good environmental status.

Funding Schemes:
CP

Expected Impact:
Contribute to the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and associated Commission Decision on Good Environmental Status
(GES) in particular to the requirements of descriptor (biological diversity) and also those parts of descriptors and that relate to the impacts of human activities and climatic influences on biological diversity. Promote EU-wide harmonisation in the environmental status classification of the marine waters in the four regions for a coherent implementation by all Member States. Improved capacity to provide assessments and where possible predictive advice and strengthen the knowledge base necessary to address sustainable management of seas and oceans resources. Contribute to enhance European leadership in innovation on the field of marine environment monitoring tools.

More Details:
The participation of SMEs is encouraged particularly with regard to the development of the monitoring systems. Projects will only be selected for funding on the condition that the estimate EU contribution going to SMEs is 15% or more of the total estimated EU contribution for the project as a whole. This will be assessed at the end of the negotiation, before signature of the grant agreement. Proposals not fulfilling this criterion will not be funded.

Description of topic:
The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) describes marine litter as one of the descriptors for determining Good Environmental Status (GES). The Commission Decision on the criteria and methodological standards on good environmental standards of marine waters requires Member States to assess the distribution, properties and quantities of marine litter. Litter enters the marine environment from numerous sources and is dispersed throughout the seas by winds and currents. Evaluations of sources alone are not sufficient to measure the various negative impacts caused and long term monitoring in the marine
environment is required. Working at the European scale will be essential for litter evaluation in the marine and coastal environment and for measuring the degradation processes using standard protocols.To address this need the project should aim at providing estimates of the quantities of marine
litter discarded into the marine and coastal environment, describe the composition and distribution of litter, including rates of fragmentation to micro-particles (in particular microplastics). It should also aim to provide a better informed answer to the scale of the physical and chemical impacts on marine organisms. The topic will contribute, in a harmonized way for the four regions identified in the MSFD, to further developing and testing indicators (referred in the Commission Decision on GES), especially those relating to biological impacts and to micro-particles (in particular micro-plastics) and for the assessment of their
potential social, economic and ecological harm. The project shall also contribute to (i) the development of management strategies and management measures taking into account the role of industry and relevant stakeholders, (ii) the development of environmental integrated impact assessments (including economic and social aspects) in order to adapt the management practices, (iii) the identification of barriers (socio-economic and legislative) related to the marine litter that prevent the achievement of the GES, (iv) the provision of a set of policy options for the relevant authorities. Furthermore the project should propose and demonstrate the utility of innovative monitoring systems capable of providing data, on a range of related parameters, efficiently and effectively, that
may be used as indicators of good environmental status. This will be done taking into account the on going process of cooperation between Member States, stakeholders and the Commission on the implementation of the MSFD on marine litter.

Funding Schemes:
CP

Expected Impact:
An improved knowledge base for the management of litter in the marine environment in the context of addressing major societal challenges. The knowledge generated and its transfer will support the implementation of EU policies such as in particular the requirements of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and associated Commission Decision on Good Environmental Status (GES) and more broadly the Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP), the Thematic Strategy on the Prevention and Recycling of Waste, the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Enhanced European leadership in innovation in the field of marine environment monitoring tools.

More Details:
The participation of SMEs is encouraged particularly with regard to the development of the monitoring systems. Projects will only be selected for funding on the condition that the estimate EU contribution going to SMEs is 15% or more of the total estimate. Projects will only be selected for funding on the condition
that the estimate EU contribution going to SMEs is 15% or more of the total estimated EU contribution for the project as a whole. This will be assessed at the end of the negotiation, before signature of the grant agreement. Proposals not fulfilling this criterion will not be funded.

Description of topic:
Natural resources including fuels, mineral resources, but also water, air, soils, biomass or land are facing higher demand and intensification of use. Therefore greater efforts have to be made to fully valorise their potential and avoid growth ruptures while mitigating unsustainable pressures on the environment. New innovative solutions are essential for the necessary transition towards a more resource-efficient and circular economy. Research should provide new knowledge and develop highly innovative technologies, processes or services for radical improvement of resource-efficiency in and across major sectors of the European economy. The specific objectives are (i) to reduce input, maximise resource productivity and minimise waste from processing along the value chain, (ii) to re-use, recycle and recover valuable materials notably from urban waste, and/or (iii) exploit alternative solutions taking into account the potential of services. The proposals shall demonstrate expected resource efficiency and environmental gains, assess market barriers and demonstrate medium-term potential of the proposed solution, include a Life Cycle Assessment approach as appropriate, benchmark with respect to best available technologies and contribute (where appropriate) to the standardisation process. Social and organisational changes should be also considered, while re-thinking, where appropriate, processes and products, the related value chains, and their relations to consumption patterns and possible rebound effects. In addition proposals will have to demonstrate tangible measures and progress towards the implementation of Resource efficient- Europe and the Innovation Union Flagship initiatives and relevant EU policy initiatives.

Funding Schemes:
SME-targeted CP

Expected Impact:
Proposals will demonstrate a clear impact towards: (i) reducing the pressure on primary raw materials and help preserving the environment and reducing pollution, (ii) fostering the use of secondary raw material, including – if relevant – in the context of urban mining, (iii) building up on more sustainable consumption and production patterns, (iv) increasing the role of SMEs as end users or developers of green technologies, and (v) opening opportunities for new start-ups and markets in the mediumterm.

More Details:
This topic is mainly addressed to SMEs and industries, in appropriate partnership with research institutions and other stakeholders. Involvement of R&D
performing SMEs is encouraged to ensure maximum impact. Projects will only be selected for funding on the condition that the estimate EU contribution going to SMEs is 30% or more of the total estimated EU contribution for the project as a whole. This will be assessed at the end of the negotiation, before signature of the grant agreement. Proposals not fulfilling this criterion will not be funded.

Description of topic:
Climate change is expected to induce modifications in frequency, severity and duration of hydro-meteorological hazards and extremes. This may lead to increasing changes in vulnerability and thus induce new risk situation for society over time. Furthermore in the field of geo-hazards characterized by low probability - high consequence events, Europe is also at threat of catastrophic events which can hit the growing densely populated urban areas or several sectors of the increasingly interlinked European economy, with very high economic impact. The disastrous effects of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan are an
evident example. The research challenge is now to strengthen the economic and societal resilience to potential disasters and to improve preparedness, prevention and mitigation through more appropriate risk assessment and new management schemes. Dynamic vulnerability or exposure patterns – inter alia due to climate change and economic development - will need to be assessed in relation to the occurrence of potential catastrophic events in Europe. In this context, considering key representative geological and/or hydrometeorological hazards, the research should develop new probabilistic hazards and risk
scenarios and improve the methodologies for risk assessment and for estimating disaster impacts. On this basis, the research should elaborate improved risk governance and management responses, with the key goal to improve or redefine the respective roles or possible forms of partnerships between the private sector (including the (re)insurance and finance sectors), the relevant authorities and stakeholders. This will contribute to produce innovative risk management solutions combining a cost-effective variety of risk reduction measures such as risk transfer and financing, adaptation and mitigation.

Funding Schemes:
CP

Expected Impact:
Contribution to a new pan-European harmonised risk assessment for disaster management scheme and to the elaboration of a new risk management governance approach. Support to EU relevant policies and to the UN Risk Reduction Hyogo framework for action. Reduction of risks of major economic losses through innovative non-structural mitigation measures and new public-private partnerships on financial and insurance schemes.

More Details:
Partnership with relevant private and public key actors in risk management is highly recommended. Projects selected under this topic will be linked through a
coordination mechanism that will be defined during the negotiation stage.

Description of topic:
There is an urgent need to proceed with long-term monitoring and study of European reference sites located on land in high-risk seismic and volcanic areas and their associated landslide zones, to provide a better scientific understanding of the occurrence of those natural hazards. This approach fits in the international 'Supersite' initiative which aims to monitor and study, key regions or areas prone to hazards. The projects should provide focal points for a large geographical region, where all building blocks of a value chain from observations to end users can be linked together and applied to the phases of the risk management cycle
relevant for this region. The choice of the geo-hazard 'Supersite(s)' needs to be carefully justified enabling precise geophysical measurements prior to, during and following geohazard events. Where supersites are adjacent to European Seas, coordination with existing marine systems necessary for comprehensive monitoring of the site could be included in the project. The monitoring of the 'Supersites' should be conducted through a fully integrated conceptual approach based on collaboration with existing monitoring networks and international initiatives, developing new instrumentation such as in-situ sensors, and aggregating space and ground-based observations (including from subsurface), and geophysical monitoring. The project(s) will develop and demonstrate the next generation of geo-hazards monitoring/observing systems, and contribute to establishing comprehensive natural hazards observatories through a cross-cutting approach. The development of novel monitoring systems and new instrumentation will be conducted in collaboration with the relevant industrial sectors and SME's. The projects should provide models of ground motion and deformation and necessary information at the 'Supersites' to mitigate and improve the preparedness of geological disasters. The selected project(s) should run a monitoring pilot phase as a European supersite demonstrator.

Funding Schemes:
CP

Expected Impact:
Increased European technical know-how for the monitoring of geological disasters and contribution to the development of the relevant European industrial sector (e.g. space applications, in situ sensors, adapted communication devices). Improved use of observations and related information to inform policies, decisions and actions associated with disaster prevention, preparedness and mitigation. Improved access to observations and related information to facilitate warning, response and recovery to disasters. Increased communication and coordination between national, regional and global communities in support of disaster risk reduction, including clarification of roles and responsibilities and improved resources management.

More Details:
The projects should collaborate at international level with other supersites to build a successful Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) while making a significant European contribution to the GEO 2012-2015 Work Plan. Projects selected under this topic will be linked through a coordination mechanism that will be defined during the negotiation stage. Projects will only be selected for funding on the condition that the estimate EU contribution going to SMEs is 15% or more of the total estimated EU contribution for the project as a whole. This will be assessed at the end of the negotiation, before signature of the grant agreement. Proposals not fulfilling this criterion will not be funded.

Description of topic:
Large amounts of environmental (e.g. on exposure to chemicals or particulate matter) and health data (e.g. disease prevalence, cause-specific mortality, reproductive health) have been collected in various EU regions by many national and EU-funded projects and agencies. Environmental exposures are acknowledged to play a major role in human health and wellbeing. However, many environmental exposure-health associations remain uncertain due to lack of exploitation and integration of data and of global view on population exposures including critical periods of exposure such as foetal and child development. There is a need for a new way to study the environment-human health relationships, including threshold values and the role of individual variability.
The aim will be to exploit available or to-be-developed novel tools and methods (e.g. remote sensing/GIS-based/spatial analysis, 'omics'-based approaches, biomarkers of exposure, exposure devices and experimental models, new tools for combined exposures, novel study designs, burden of disease methodologies) to integrate and link environmental data with health data and information, and to apply them to (large-scale) population studies including
new ones if deemed necessary (a concept that was recently proposed in the literature as 'exposome'). Cooperation with other non-EU initiatives in the field is encouraged.

Funding Schemes:
CP

Expected Impact:
Contribution to the definition of an integrated exposure concept and prediction of individual disease risks related to environment. Reduction of uncertainty in risk assessments of chemicals. Better understanding of the effect of multiple exposures, such as to mixtures of chemicals. Improvement of preventive strategies to lower health costs. Increased EU competitiveness, especially that of SME's that may find new business sectors in exposure characterisation and modelling. Address the priority goals of the Parma Declaration on Environment and Health (2010). Contribution to EU policies on Environment and Health.

More Details:
Projects selected under this topic will be linked through a coordination mechanism that will be defined during the negotiation stage.

Description of topic:
New and innovative environmental monitoring and information capabilities can enable effective participation by citizens in environmental stewardship, based on broad stakeholder and user involvement in support of both community and policy priorities. The objective is to develop 'citizens' observatories' using innovative earth observation technologies. These 'citizens' observatories' should include community-based environmental monitoring, data collection, interpretation and information delivery systems. This will require the development of highly innovative monitoring technologies, (e.g. low-cost reliable micro-sensors), which can be embedded into large numbers of instruments, including highly portable devices. Citizens should be able to effortlessly collect environmental data on a range of parameters, automatically transmit this data to suitable data repositories and exchange their knowledge and experience within a citizens' observatory framework, (e.g. using smart phone applications), thereby enabling citizenship co-participation in community decision making and co-operative planning. Advanced data management strategies, based on open ecollaboration, should enable the sharing of data and information, whilst addressing questions of privacy, data standards, quality and reliability. Suitable pilot case studies and acceptance activities should be included to test, demonstrate and validate: the concept of 'citizens' observatories'; the direct transfer of environmental knowledge for policy, industrial, research and societal use; the possibilities for a comprehensive implementation and application of the technology. Possible examples of pilot case studies could include: civil protection agencies and wide-scale flooding; estimation of personal exposure within various microenvironments (health sector); air quality and noise levels; the identification of flora, birds and wildlife, their habitats and migration paths; the surveillance of invasive alien species and their pathways of introduction and spread; illegal dumping of hazardous materials, etc.

Funding Schemes:
SME-targeted CP

Expected Impact:
Empowerment of citizens and citizen's associations, allowing them to contribute to environmental governance processes in the domains of transparency, knowledge management, accountability and responsiveness. The provision of models for decisionmakers, facilitating connections to governance and global policy objectives.

More Details:
SMEs are expected to play a major role in addressing the goals described, including the development of innovative sensor technologies, data management strategies and new applications to facilitate the exploitation of the data and processed information for policy, industry and society at large. The consortia will be required to cooperate within an open e-collaboration framework to establish common methodologies and standards for data archiving, discovery and access within the GEOSS framework. The data collected should be made available through the Global Earth Observation System of Systems without any restrictions. Projects selected under this topic will be linked through a coordination mechanism that will be defined during the negotiation stage. Proposals will only be selected for funding on the condition that the estimated EU contribution going to SMEs is 30% or more of the total estimated EU contribution for the project as a whole. This will be re-assessed at the end of the negotiation, before signature of the grant agreement. Proposals not fulfilling this criterion will not be funded.

Description of topic:
Previous successful EU funded research projects, often did not succeed to demonstrate the long term viability of their final products (prototypes, operational tools, management systems) and to ensure a widespread uptake by public authorities and the industry. The objective of this topic is to scale up, optimize and demonstrate the innovation potential of those technologies. Research should focus on the testing of the performance and viability of such technologies in
real cases from an integrated point of view (technical/economical/operational/social) including the assessment of their risks (including health) and benefits to the society and the environment. Technology transfer, training activities and standardisation activities in cooperation with appropriate European standardisation bodies should be also included. Focus should be given to environmental technologies in the water and waste sectors that had a systemic, multidisciplinary and transectorial nature and can contribute to several EU policies. Proposals should bring together researchers, industries and enterprises, and regulators to
foster knowledge sharing, overcome the current barriers which prevent the wide application of these technologies and assess market needs and potential. A relevant participation of industrial actors and SMEs is requested.

Funding Schemes:
SME-targeted CP

Expected Impact:
To exploit at the maximum the potential of existing technologies and previous results studies in order to increase their chances to innovate (technological and nontechnological innovation). Impact is expected in the creation of new markets and on the application and use of innovative environmental technologies and methodologies. To decrease substantially the environmental impact of the existing technologies. To support the development of new standards and better link with the supply site. Better use of knowledge between, business, researchers and end-users. Increased public trust of environmental technologies, improve uptake of innovative environmental technologies and support to the Eco-innovation Action Plan.

More Details:
Proposals will only be selected on the condition that the estimated EU contribution going to SMEs is 30% or more of the total estimated EU contribution for the project as a whole. This will be re-assessed at the end of negotiations, before signature of the grant agreement. Proposal not fulfilling this criterion will not be
funded.

Description of topic:
The aim of this initiative will be to continue to strengthen the foundation of the European Research Area for surface transport through coordination and cooperation of national and regional research programmes. Activities will include: exchange of information and knowledge, implementation of joint activities and trans-national research. The partnership will be composed of representatives from national and regional authorities responsible for the programming of transport research and implementing research on transport. Care should be taken to ensure synergies with the activities carried out in ERA-NET ‘Transport’ and ERA-NET ‘Transport II’. ERA-NET ‘Transport III’ will aim at:
• Broadening the geographical scope by the inclusion of new members from national and regional programmes whose transport research potential needs to be developed.
• Supporting cooperation of national/regional transport research programmes.
• Testing and exploitation of further large-scale cooperation such as ERA-Net Plus or further innovative means that are feasible for public research programmes.
• Fostering a more intensive cooperation of national/regional programmes and the EU’s Framework Programme.
• Structuring of public funding through an increased complementary effect and concentration of efforts towards common aims, this effort will be supported by the creation
of a knowledge based system on national and regional transport research programmes.
• Supporting the ERA for Transport by enhancing the visibility of nationally/regionally financed research in the frame of suitable European conferences, ideally in the context of a multimodal European transport conference.

Expected Impact:
It is expected that further coordination efforts in the area of sustainable surface transport will consolidate the initiated process of identifying major research needs, extending the partnership, making better use of scarce resources and avoiding double funding, reducing fragmentation of research efforts at national and regional level. Ultimately, the cooperation shall lead to a self-sustainable and long-lasting network of funders in the surface transport area.

Description of topic:
A coordination action will be established, consolidating the Inland Waterways Transport (IWT) network and partnership as established with the support of the FP7 project PLATINA and to ensure a solid knowledge basis for the implementation of the NAIADES programme. The coordination action will build on the results of PLATINA and will reflect the multi-disciplinary requirements and complexity of the subject. The coordination action will be organised around the five NAIADES action areas, but will also take into account the results of the NAIADES progress report and other related activities. The coordination action will, in close cooperation with the European Commission, set up a roadmap for the implementation of actions not yet started or to be finalised and ensure the support to permanent–type of actions. It will identify the appropriate measures and define the necessary means and tools.
Implementation and management: The coordination action will ensure an active participation of key industrial stakeholders, Member States administrations, industry associations and river commissions.

Funding Schemes:
CSA-CA

Expected Impact:
The coordination action will take the lead in coordinating and supporting activities relevant to the promotion and development of the inland waterway sector. It will help to increase awareness regarding the possibilities the sector offers. It will identify best practices and serve as an exchange, discussion and promotion platform. It will further strengthen the coordination between national, EU and industrial research, assist in assessing research and related implementation activities and assist in technology assessment, forecast and transfer

Description of topic:
Several EU and national projects have been working on the prevention of accidents with vulnerable road users through new or improved intelligent transport systems
(ITS). Advanced vehicle safety systems, infrastructure based ITS and cooperative systems based on communication from vehicle-to- X54 or infrastructure-to-vehicle/user can however have both positive and negative impacts on the safety/well-being and quality of mobility for vulnerable road users. This project should contribute to assessing the safety and comfort related impacts of selected ITS applications and to paving the way for the promotion and enhanced deployment of services with positive impact and a pan-European coordinated mitigation of negative effects. It should also take into account relevant results achieved by the European Standardisation Organisations. Vulnerable Road Users (VRU) are to be considered as all “non-motorised road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists as well as motorcyclists and persons with disabilities or reduced mobility and orientation”. This comprises a series of heterogeneous sub-groups with specific characteristics, abilities, behaviours and requirements, which should all be taken in consideration. The work should include:
• Qualitative and quantitative assessment of the impact of selected ITS Services and applications on the safety and comfort of (sub-groups of) VRU; assessment and recommendations on the potential clustering of measures.
• Identification of the needed technological improvement in order to reduce or neutralise any negative effect and underpinning of recommended actions at European level to foster accelerated deployment of ITS services and applications with clear positive impact.
• Specific attention to the development and operational use of Human-Machine-Interface (HMI) responding to the needs of an ageing population.

Funding Schemes:
CP

Expected Impact:
• Qualitative and quantitative underpinning of recommendations for action at European level.
• Full integration of all road users in co-operative systems, taking in due account the simplicity of use of the technologies to be developed and deployed for every mobility mode considered.
• Development (including pilot deployment and testing) of innovative on-board or infrastructure based ITS and/or cooperative systems aimed at easing the mobility of specific groups of VRU, such as the disabled, the elderly and children.

Description of topic:
The maritime sector is heavily regulated. The interaction between the national, European and international institutions is a complex subject area. This situation creates inefficiencies in regulation enforcement. On the other hand differing interpretations of regulations creates difficulties for shipping companies to manage compliance at each port of call. The EU e-Maritime initiative is aimed at making maritime transport safer, more secure, more environmentally friendly and more competitive by improving knowledge, facilitating networking and dealing with externalities. A key priority for e-Maritime is supporting authorities and shipping operators to collaborate electronically in regulatory information, management and to address the challenges outlined above. Activities will include:
• Establishment of a cooperation model between regulation setting and enforcement authorities, both for port state control and IMO regulations, for modelling and interpreting regulations, ensuring harmonisation across national and organisational boundaries.
• Demonstration of automated compliance management by:
- Modelling and delivery of regulations in electronic format.
- Harmonised e-Services for more effective and coordinated enforcement controls and inspections.
- E-services in support of the class requirements, particularly on surveys and for ship risk management in upgraded e-Maritime applications.
• Evaluation of the practical implementation of the above in representative networks and the provision of recommendations for e-Maritime policies
Implementation and management: Proposals should build on the results of the FP6 project FLAGSHIP and existing e-services provided by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS).

Funding Schemes:
CP-FP

Expected Impact:
• Evaluated governance solutions for harmonised and common interpretation of maritime regulation that can be carried out and processed electronically for operations in Europe.
• Validated tools for designing and implementing regulations in a rational manner, easily integrated into operational information systems.
• Extensive dissemination and an industry engagement programme to create lasting solutions based on organisational and technological innovation.

Description of topic:
The objective of the project is to demonstrate logistic solutions with electric vehicle applications to optimise urban logistics efficiency to improve transport flow management and reduce environmental impact in urban areas. Fleets are expected to include autonomous road vehicles with differing drive-train technologies, provided that electricity for
the electric drive can be taken from the grid. The project time-frame should consider the latest technological developments in EU-funded or national and regional programmes. Fuel cell electric vehicles are not included here, as they are covered by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen JTI. The project will address the following issues:
• Assessment of the state of the art of city freight movements and development of new governance models, based on real and close co-operation between public bodies, retailers and distributors. These can be used in order to deploy sustainable policies able to assure environmental improvements with economical sustainability.
• Demonstration of urban and logistics solutions with electric vehicle fleets with the aim to validate the feasibility of logistics solutions on the basis of electric vehicle applications.
• Demonstration of required ICT for final users and fleet managers.
• Assessment of public acceptance of demonstrated new delivery systems.
• Assessment of the impact on urban transport and delivery market such as size of deliveries, frequencies and vehicle types.
• Assessment of the impact on energy, environment, overall efficiency and cost.
Implementation and management: A typical consortium will include cities, logistics fleet operators, vehicles and equipment manufacturers, utilities, research centres and universities.
The project should have a predominant demonstration component. The marginal cost associated with the innovation element compared to state-of-the-art vehicles will be
considered as eligible cost. This demonstration project should take into account the first results of projects under topic GC.SST.2011.7-5 (Urban – interurban shipments).

Funding Schemes:
CP

Expected Impact:
• Optimisation of urban logistics efficiency to improve transport flow management and reduce environmental impacts (noise, CO2 emissions and pollutants) as well as typical
congestion in urban areas.
• Contribute to the clarification of the safety, economic and technical viability of electrical vehicles for clean city logistics applications.
• Input for further deployment of clean logistics systems technologies through the European Investment Bank instruments.

Description of topic:
The overall objective is to perform a large-scale demonstration in order to facilitate a broad market development for heavy duty trucks running with liquefied
methane. The specific objectives for the project should be:
• To optimise the complete powertrain and storage system of LNG heavy duty vehicles with respect to energy efficiency and pollutant emission, by fully utilising the technical
potential of liquefied methane in an optimised fuel-engine system. The project should take into account the work of complementing projects such as GREEN, INGAS and any other developing similar technologies and should address all the key components of LNG powertrain including:
- High performance heavy duty natural gas engine including injection systems, aiming at efficiency close to that of current diesel engines.
- Low temperature after-treatment systems for heavy duty natural gas engines, to abate in particular NOx and unburned methane emissions, to comply with post-Euro VI
requirements.
- Liquefied natural gas tank systems including boil-off treatment or high volumetric efficiency solid state compressed natural gas storage systems.
• To analyse data from current pre-commercial demonstrations, and to perform additional demonstrations in different environments, in order to facilitate a market development for heavy duty vehicles running medium and long distances with LNG.
• To carry out benchmarking and assessment of the different vehicles technologies, where needed by coordinating with existing projects at EU and national level, including full safety assessment.
• To evaluate energy efficiency, costs, performance, environmental benefits and durability of heavy duty vehicles running on LNG under different climatic, geographic and traffic conditions.
• To provide recommendations for the development of relevant standards, in particular for the homologation of LNG heavy duty vehicles and refuelling stations.
• To demonstrate a LNG distribution system by road tankers as a means of distribution of LNG to refuelling stations available in different parts of Europe.
• To provide recommendations for cost-efficient and safe distribution network and refuelling stations for liquefied methane.
Implementation and management: The project should involve cooperation between heavy duty vehicle manufacturers, fuel suppliers, fuel distributors and fleet operators, including trucks and buses. The heavy duty vehicles demonstration should be carried out in at least three Member States, and should be complementary to existing demonstrations running at national level. The project should include a first definition of European LNG Blue Corridors, with strategic LNG refuelling points which would help to guarantee LNG availability for road transport in a simple and cost effective way. The demonstration part of the project should help to improve the knowledge and general awareness of LNG as alternative fuel for medium and long distance road transport. The project should also serve to remove the existing barriers for heavy duty vehicles running on LNG.

Funding Schemes:
CP

Expected Impact:
• Oil substitution through the use of alternative fuels, namely liquefied methane (LNG).
• Reduction of GHG emission from transport using liquefied methane as fuel in heavy duty vehicles.
• Market development for heavy duty vehicles running with liquefied methane.
• Increase of energy efficiency of heavy duty natural gas engines to the level of the current diesel heavy duty vehicle engines.
• Achievement of EUROVI standard for LNG heavy duty vehicles.

Description of topic:
Transport is a series of systems comprising many actors covering areas such as research, technology, planning and scheduling, operations, energy, infrastructure, authorities at local, national and EU level, etc. Reaching the ambitious objectives of the transport sector as defined in the White Paper on Transport will demand a change of the direction of the overall transport system. This will require all involved actors moving jointly towards the same goals. The Commission therefore proposes to set up a forum to foster discussions and joint actions between actors. This action will:
• Identify relevant actors to be involved in the Forum.
• Select at least 3 relevant topics in line with goals of the White Paper. Notably goals 1, 3, 4 and 8 of the White Paper require concerted action of stakeholders and the activation of different policy measures.
• Organise meetings and working groups with actors on identified topics to discuss and propose joint recommendations and potential roadmaps for their implementation.
The Forum and its working groups should give special attention to the research and innovation activities, in addition to any coordination and support measures needed, to meet the goals of the White Paper. Of particular relevance is the target for the transport sector to reduce GHG emissions by 60% below 1990 levels by 2050.
Implementation and management: Activities funded under this topic would liaise and coordinate as appropriate with on-going related activities (e.g. Technology Platforms, ‘European Green Cars Initiative’ and ‘eSafety Forum’) and should help implement the ‘Strategic Transport Technology Plan’.

Funding Schemes:
CSA-SA

Expected Impact:
• A forum for actors representing the whole transport system and relevant stakeholders to discuss how to achieve relevant goals defined in the White Paper.
• Recommendations and roadmaps based on inputs from stakeholders on joint actions required to meet these goals.
• A detailed strategic outlook into the future European transport system envisaged by the White Paper, influencing the development of concrete policy proposals.

Description of topic:
The Commission has put an important emphasis on the development of transport models in previous Framework Programmes. The latest transport model developed for the Commission was TRANSTOOLS, which is a detailed European network model, currently being updated as version 3. Besides analysis at a very detailed level using TRANSTOOLS and TREMOVE, the Commission wishes to develop a high-level strategic transport model to scan transport policy options. This action should provide an IPR-free tool pomprising passenger and freight transport for EU27 as well as all relevant components of transport modelling for the assessment of economic, social and environmental impacts of broad transport policy options. Relevant input parameters and output indicators will be defined. Key is to determine a comprehensive set of output indicators based on the Impact Assessment guidelines of the Commission and based on which policy options can be assessed. The tool will contain equations and elasticity developed in previous or ongoing research projects. The goal is to group and combine all known and relevant relations between policy and the transport system to develop a comprehensive and reliable strategic modelling tool. The tool will be broadly consistent with TRANSTOOLS and TREMOVE and enable comparison with the reference scenarios of these models. Moreover the tool will be validated by means of statistics and case studies. The tool will be user friendly and accessible for nonexperts,
possibly built on Excel.

Funding Schemes:
CSA-SA

Expected Impact:
This action will provide better basis for decision making for overall transport policy decisions. It will allow for quick scan of policy options for pre-impact assessment use. Retained policy options would subsequently be subject to more in-depth analysis using more detailed models. The action would use the new tool in collecting all necessary data and relevant parameters, and develop criteria to enable comparisons

Description of topic:
Investigation of emerging technologies or technologies from other sectors which have the potential to bring radical new approaches to the vehicles, the propulsion technology, the energy needed for the flight, the tools to provide guidance and control to the vehicles, the ground infrastructures for passengers and freights and the impact of the air transport on the environment. The research work will make the best use leading-edge facilities and/or simulation tools. At the end of the project, the progress against the technology readiness scale will be evaluated, the potential of the technologies to be developed at further technology readiness level will be assessed and barriers that could prevent such development identified.

Funding Schemes:
Level 0 - CP-FP

Expected Impact:
Proposals should investigate breakthrough technologies and concepts that have the capacity to cause a step change in aeronautics and air transport in the second half of this century.

Description of topic:
Investigation of radical new concepts for the air transport system. The research work will propose and assess new approaches to systems for the air transport such as new approaches to the control and guidance of vehicles, the way passengers or freight access the vehicle, the way air transport is connected with other modes and the way travel information is handled. The functioning of the concept should be technically proven. The performance will be assessed preferably quantitatively against the relevant criteria such as for example economic viability, time efficiency, safety, environmental friendliness, energy sustainability, etc. Qualitative assessment will be done for non quantifiable criteria such as for example potential to cope with evolutions of current regulations, passenger friendliness, social acceptance etc. The investigation will also address the evolution from / compatibility with today's transport system.

Funding Schemes:
Level 0 - CP-FP

Expected Impact:
Proposals should investigate breakthrough technologies and concepts that have the capacity to cause a step change in aeronautics and air transport in the second half of this century.

Description of topic:
Drug abuse and drug-related crimes continue to be an unresolved issue in the European Union, with heavy consequences at political, economic and social level. The EU Drug Strategy 2005-2012 considers that information, research and evaluation are key elements in understanding the drug problem better than at present. The Council of the EU has agreed to strengthen research capacity through closer coordination between policy and research bodies with a particular focus on fostering interdisciplinary links in these areas of research. Within this policy context, the aim of the ERA-NET is to enhance EU research capability and capacity in drug-related research by improving coordination, cooperation and synergies between national and regional funding programmes.

The ERA-NET will establish a platform for identifying priorities for research in the field of illicit drugs, and the development of a joint strategy, ultimately leading to the pooling of resources and the launch of joint research projects, enhancing collaboration among researchers from different countries.

The ERA-NET should address research gaps in the fields of reducing the demand for drugs, and reducing their supply. Giving the multifaceted nature of drug problems in European society, the ERA-NET should promote multidisciplinary and cross-national research activities with added European value. These activities should aim to improve understanding of the cause and nature of drug problems and how these develop in society; analyse trends and developments (e.g. patterns of consumption, drug markets) and promote effective policy responses based on new knowledge translated into practice. Research activities to be coordinated may include, in particular, psycho-social interventions, treatments for addiction, and enhanced assessment of the drug-crime nexus. They could also be devoted to new evaluation methods, examining both theory and practice, thus providing innovative insights for policy and science. Cooperation with research bodies outside the EU will be encouraged where relevant.

NB: This topic is part of a separate horizontal Call within the ‘Cooperation’ work programme. For Call details please refer to the FP7-ERANET-2012-RTD call fiche in Annex 4 to the 2012 ‘Cooperation’ work programme.

Funding Schemes:
Coordination and support action
(coordinating action)