Analysis and inventory of FP7 marine-related proposals - European ...

such diverse initiatives funded under FP7 for 2007-2008. This analysis will consider FP7 as awhole 10 , taking into account the activities of the 4 main specifi c programmes: “COOPERATION”(SP1) for large thematic collaborative research projects, “IDEAS” (SP2) for the support to excellent“frontier research” 11 , “PEOPLE” (SP3) for the support to the training and career developmentof researchers and fi nally “CAPACITIES” (SP4) to foster the improvement of the research capacitiesand environment across Europe (i.e.: infrastructures, research for the benefi t of SMEs, internationalcooperation…).What do we consider as marine-related research proposals within this study?For practical purposes, the term “marinerelatedproposals” will be used in this analysisto qualify all proposals when they have amarine (exploitation of the living and non livingresources from the seas, including marineand fresh water aquaculture activities) orcoastal nature (including estuaries), or whenthey are related to maritime activities or themarine environment. Proposals with potentialapplications for the maritime economyor which can contribute to the preservationof the marine environment have also beenincluded. Therefore the degree of marine“component” can vary between proposalsand is, to some extent, subject to interpretation.Some proposals are 100% marinerelatedsome are partially or even marginallyrelated to the sea. This is part and parcel ofthe approach which aims to make all readersaware of the cross-cutting nature of marinesciences and technologies as well as of thevariety of applications relevant to the maritimeeconomy.10The Joint Research Centre and EURATOM specifi c programmes excluded11ERC grants aim to support “frontier research”, in other words the pursuit of questions at or beyond the frontiers of knowledge,without regard for established disciplinary boundaries: http://erc.europa.eu/10