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South Africa's participation in the FPs dates from the signing of an agreement on scientific and technological (S&T) co-operation between the EU and South Africa in 1996.
The details have varied as the FPs have grown from ECU11 879m in FP4 to €50 521m (excluding EURATOM which has an allocation of €2.7billion for five years) in FP7. However, many of the principles have remained:
- Proposals are submitted in response to calls;
- The FPs are structured around Themes (the bulk of the programme) and cross-cutting issues covering areas such as small and medium enterprises (SMEs), mobility and international co-operation (INCO);
- Projects are consortium driven;
- Delivery is in response to calls and is through project structures called "instruments"; and
- Financial support is through a grant to the project costs i.e. requires co-investment.
Since FP6 South Africa has been able to be funded in the Themes.
Framework Programmes 4 and 5 (FP4 & FP5)
The EU/SA agreement from 1996 recognised South Africa as a developing country and this opened the way for participation in INCO with appropriate funding. INCO is focussed on relevant problems of the developing world and South African researchers were successful in a number of projects.
South African Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the European Union (EU)
In 2002 the DST took a strategic decision to create a focus on greater co-operation with the FPs and put in place a number of support mechanisms:
- "Seed funding";
- Strategic co-investment;
- A network of National Contact Points (NCPs);
- The strengthening of EU/SA relationships through ESASTAP; and
- Locating a Senior Science and Technology Representative in Brussels.
Why become a consortium member in the Framework Programmes?
It enables you to:
- Develop your expertise base;
- Provide opportunities for human resource development;
- Enhance the S&T capacity of South Africa;
- Create S&T networks in the EU and beyond; and
- Leverage your investment.
South African participation
Download and view a list of SA FP6 successful projects
Seed funding reports
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