Have any Project Idea? Interested to be a partner for FP7 projects?

How to participate in FP7?

There are two ways to participate in FP7.

• You have an innovative research idea
• You are interested to partner with another project consortium in formation

Do you have any Project Idea to Propose?

If yes, the following are the steps to be followed:

1. Read the Work Programme

The FP7 work programme is an official document of the European Commission that presents the research objectives and topics to be addressed. The nature of the FP7 research programs is top down i.e., the specific technical areas to be funded are predefined. Other topics would not be eligible for funding. Hence it becomes obligatory to thoroughly analyze the objectives and target outcomes addressed in the Work Programme.

Work Programmes provide all the information based on which the EU launches the Calls for Proposals.  In order to prepare a successful proposal one has to read vigilantly the work programme and the appropriate calls that are open. These are revised annually for each sector.

The Work Programme provides complete description of the following:

• Thematic priorities (i.e. sectors) with expected impacts and target outcomes for each objective
• Instruments used (funding scheme)
• Evaluation procedure
• Criteria
• Deadlines and
• Roadmaps

2. Identify Partners for your consortium

Proposals for R&D are always made in consortia. One member / organization of the consortium is designated as the Coordinator and it is their job to put together the proposal and submit it to the Commission as required. For most R&D proposals there MUST be a minimum of three partners from three member or associated states each of which should have an authentic role and a reasonable share of the project work and funding. Finding appropriate partners is vital to have successful proposal and eventual project.

3. Write the Proposal

To write a proposal the following steps should be followed: 

1. Check if your project idea addresses the WPs expected impact and target outcomes of the objective you are interested in.
2. Check participation rules and funding, clarify FP7 Nodal agreement complies with your organization’s legal agreements.
3. Study in detail “Guide for Proposers/ Guide for Applicants” (give link in our website to Templates for Proposal Writing) one per call & funding scheme
4. Read Carefully “Guide for Evaluators” (give link in our website to presentations to evaluate procedures).

The Proposals involves 2 key parts: Part A and Part B

Part A:

It forms an integral part of the project proposal. It encompasses administrative information about the proposals and the proposers. Some of the information that need to be furnished for  consists of the following information - proposal name, proposers' names and addresses, brief description of the proposal, total funding requested by type of activity etc.

Part A is further divided into 3 sections. Section A1, section A2 concerns you and your organisation, while section A3 deals with money matters:

• Section A1: Summary
• Section A2: Participants (a form per participant)
• Section A3: Budget

Note: Part A is generally filled by the Project Coordinator specifically section A1 and A3.

Part B:

It comprises of proposal structure that has to be followed. It consists of scientific work and project management. It will provide a description about the nature of the proposed work, the participants and their roles in the proposed project. It also describes on the reasons for carrying out the work and the advantages from it.

Part B is further divided into 4 sections.

• Section 1: Scientific and/or technical quality, relevant to the topics addressed by the call
• Section 2: Implementation
• Section 3: Impact
• Section 4: Ethical Issues

4. Submit the Proposal

Project Proposals should be submitted in compliance with the time set out by the call for proposals. Proposal submission involves rigid time limit.  Proposals are always submitted by Project Coordinator.

How to submit a project proposal?

In FP7, project proposal are submitted electronically through a web based service called Electronic Proposal Submission Service (EPSS).

What is Electronic Proposal Submission Service (EPSS)?

The Electronic Proposal Submission Service (EPSS) is an internet-based application that provides a secure work space for a consortium to prepare and submit a proposal mutually.
To obtain more information on EPSS, please see EPSS user guide and EPSS online FAQ’s

What is Participant Identification Code (PIC)?

All the organisations participating in the FP7 projects will be given a Participant Identification Code (PIC) which can be used for all FP7 Calls. It is vital for organisations to have PIC by registering in the Unique Registration Facility (URF) which is hosted in the Participant Portal. To obtain more information on PIC and in order to register your organisation in URF, click here.

What is Legal Entity Appointed Representative (LEAR)?

LEAR is a legal signatory of each legal entity/organisation. The Commission will ask to appoint one person (the so-called LEAR - Legal Entity Appointed Representative) for being the correspondent towards the Commission on all issues related to the legal status of the entity in order to provide the Commission with up-to-date legal and financial data of your organization (including supporting documents, where necessary) and commits to maintain the information up-to-date, enabling future use for grants and other transactions between the entity and the Commission research (and other) programmes. To download the LEAR Appointment form and the LEAR role and tasks documents, click here.

For further information for electronic proposal submission, click here.