Small and medium-sized enterprises in Croatia can, within the framework of the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Union (FP7), obtain the right to co-financing research aimed at improving their technology and innovation, it was highlighted at today’s presentation of the FP7 programme organized by the Croatian Chamber of Economy and the Croatian Institute of Technology (HIT).
Companies with up to 250 employees and an annual revenue of less than 50 million euros can compete for funds from the FP7 programme. The same conditions apply to Croatian companies and their consortia as to companies from full EU member states, reported Marijana Ćutuk from HIT. The rules of the FP7 programme state that consortia composed of at least three independent companies and at least two scientific research organizations, such as research institutes, faculties, and consulting firms, can participate in the competition for co-financing research. Companies or consortia are investors, and they have a classic buyer-supplier relationship with research organizations.
Most often, these are consortia with five to ten members, project budgets range from 500 thousand to 1.5 million euros, and the usual duration is from one to two years, it was stated at the presentation. This year’s competition for funds from the FP7 programme is expected at the end of July. Croatian companies have participated so far; for example, in 2007, 26 projects competed, of which three were co-financed. The following year, there were 28 project proposals, and six were co-financed, while in the last competition, there were 23 applications, and eight projects obtained the right to co-financing from the FP7 programme. The European Union launched FP7 as a key instrument for implementing the Lisbon Strategy for economic development and employment. The budget of the programme for the period from 2007 to 2013 is 50 billion euros. (H)
