Research fundings: "Factories of the Future"

Research grant funds: "Factories of the Future"

Deadline: 1st December 2011

MAIN AREAS OF INTERVENTION:

Nanosciences, nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production

• Adaptive production systems and measurement and control equipment for optimal energy consumption and near-to-zero emissions in manufacturing processes
• Methodologies and tools for the sustainable, predictive maintenance of production equipment
• Intelligent production machines and 'plug-and-produce' devices for the adaptive system integration of automation equipment, robots and other intelligent machines, peripheral devices, smart sensors and industrial IT systems
• High – performance manufacturing technologies in terms of efficiency (volumes, speed, process capability etc), robustness and accuracy
• High precision production technologies for high quality 3D micro-parts
• Knowledge-based tools and approaches for process planning and integrated process simulation at factory level
• Innovative technologies for casting, material removing and forming processes

ICT – Information and Communication Technologies

• Smart Factories: Energy-aware, agile manufacturing and customisation
• Manufacturing solutions for new ICT products

Research on Environment (including climate change)

Two calls are expected under the FP7 Environment Theme targeting five challenges, including climate change, sustainable use and management of land and seas, improving resource efficiency, protecting citizens from environmental hazards, and mobilizing environmental knowledge for policy, industry and society.

Specific objectives for the environment and climate research are:

• Provide knowledge-based options for addressing major societal challenges notably climate change, biodiversity loss, land and sea management and resource efficiency.
• Develop and strengthen European leadership in innovation including key environmental technologies pursuing a broad concept of innovation, both research driven innovation and new business models, eco-design, services (e.g. ecosystem services) and innovation in policy, governance and consumption behaviour.
• Promote and facilitate knowledge transfer, assessment, uptake and exploitation of scientific data and results, in particular through demonstration and delivery of innovative tools and services such as ecosystem services and earth observation systems.

Publication Date: 20/07/2011

FUNDINGS: ENVIRONMENT POLICY AND GOVERNANCE

EU Grant funds: environment policy and governance

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES:

Only innovative or demonstration projects are eligible.

• Climate change: to stabilise greenhouse gas concentration at a level that prevents global warming above 2 °C,

• Water: to contribute to enhanced water quality by developing cost-effective measures to achieve good ecological status in view of developing river basin management plans under Directive 2000/60/EC (Water Framework Directive),

• Air: to achieve levels of air quality that do not give rise to significant negative impacts on and risks to human health and the environment,

• Soil: to protect and ensure the sustainable use of soil by preserving soil functions, preventing threats to soil, mitigating their effects and restoring degraded soils,

• Urban environment: to contribute to improving the environmental performance of Europe's urban areas,

• Noise: to contribute to policy development and implementation on environmental noise,

• Chemicals: improve the protection of environment and health from risks posed by chemicals by 2020 by implementing chemicals legislation, in particular Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH) and the Thematic Strategy on the sustainable use of pesticides,

• Environment and health: to develop the information base for policy on the environment and health (the Environment and Health Action Plan),

• Natural resources and waste: to develop and implement policies designed to ensure sustainable management of natural resources and wastes, and to improve the environmental performances of products, sustainable production and consumption patterns, waste prevention, recovery and recycling; to contribute to the effective implementation of the Thematic Strategy on the prevention and recycling of waste,

• Forests: to provide, especially through an EU coordination network, a concise and comprehensive basis for policy relevant information on forests in relation to climate change (impact on forest ecosystems, mitigation, substitution effects), biodiversity (baseline information and protected forest areas), forest fires, forest conditions and the protective functions of forests (water, soil and infra­ structure) as well as contributing to the protection of forests against fires,

• Innovation: to contribute to developing and demonstrating innovative policy approaches, technologies, methods and instruments to assist in the implementation of the Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP),

• Strategic approaches: to promote effective implementation and enforcement of Union environmental legislation and improve the knowledge base for environmental policy; to improve the environmental performance of SMEs

BENEFICIARIES:

Proposals must be presented by entities registered in the Member States of the European Union being public and/or private bodies, actors and institutions

DEADLINE: July 18^Th, 2011.

EU Grant funds for eco innovation

EU contribution - Eco Innovation programme

DEADLINE: 8th September 2011

 

BENEFICIARIES: SMEs, large entreprises, any public or private organisation based in one of the following countries:

• The 27 member states of the EU 
• Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Albania, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Israel. Serbia and Turkey.

Duration of the project: up to 36 months

 

MAIN AREAS OF INTERVENTION:
The Eco-innovation initiative is a cross-cutting programme that supports eco-innovative projects in different sectors which aim at the prevention or the reduction of environmental impacts or which contribute to the optimal use of resources.

 

Current priority areas:

• material recycling,
• sustainable building products,
• the food & drink industry
• green business
• water

 For further information contact us!

EU GRANT FUNDS: NATURE AND BIODIVERSITY

European fundings: Nature and Biodiversity

OBJECTIVE:

To protect, conserve, restore, monitor and facilitate the functioning of natural systems, natural habitats, wild flora and fauna, with the aim of halting the loss of biodiversity, including diversity of genetic resources, within the EU

ACTIVITIES:

NATURE

These projects contribute to the implementation of the birds and/or habitats directives, including at local and regional level, and support the further development and implementation of the Natura 2000 network, including coastal and marine habitats and species. The focus in on long-term sustainable investments in Natura 2000 sites and on the conservation on species and habitats.

Nature project must be best practice or demonstration projects.

BIODIVERSITY

These projects are focused on the demonstration of measures and practices that contribute to halting the loss of biodiversity on the territory of the Member States. They must be demonstration or innovation projects. They must all have as an integral part of the project the evaluation and active dissemination of the results and lessons learnt during the project

DEADLINE: July 18Th, 2011.

BENEFICIARIES:

Proposals must be presented by entities registered in the Member States of the European Union being public and/or private bodies, actors and institutions

GRANT FUNDS - NATURE, LIFE, BIODIVERSITY

EU Fundings: NATURE- CLIMATE CHANGE-BIODIVERSITY

OBJECTIVE

To disseminate information and raise awareness on environmental issues, including forest fire prevention; and to provide support for accompanying measures, such as information, communication actions and campaigns, conferences and training, including training on forest fire prevention.

BIODIVERSITY

• Halting the loss of biodiversity
• Launching national campaigns to promote Natura 2000

• Awareness raising campaigns on biodiversity aimed at explaining to the general public what biodiversity is and why it is important

• Promoting the integration of biodiversity concerns in territorial planning procedures

• The promotion of connectivity between natural areas (green infrastructure by explaining it better to citizens

• The implementation of art. 6 of the Habitats Directive

• Integrating the concept of ecosystem services in private company management or in public spending in particular in connection to Green Public Procurement

• Skills development for Natura 2000 site managers

RESOURCE EFFICIENCY

• Sustainable consumption and production
• Natural resources and waste, to develop and implement policies designated to ensure sustainable management and use of natural resources and waste

• Water scarcity/efficiency awareness raising campaign focused on water-stressed Member States

CLIMATE CHANGE

• Raising public awareness of climate change and its impact, particularly in EU12 countries

• Forest and climate change

OTHER

• Compilation and active transfer to relevant stakeholders that could usefully implement them of the techniques used and results and lessons learnt from a significant number of previous LIJE project for a specific theme/habitat/species (e.g. rivers, bogs, bats)

• Project related to the protection of marine environment on issues targeted by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive

• Increasing the awareness and knowledge about the importance of soil and soil biodiversity and its main ecological functions, and sustainable land use

• Awareness raising and education on citizens’ exposure to air pollutants though the comparative assessment of air pollution levels in various larger cities of the EU

• Environmental noise

• The broad and targeted dissemination on best practices

DEADLINE: July 18^Th, 2011.

BENEFICIARIES:

Proposals must be presented by entities registered in the Member States of the European Union being public and/or private bodies, actors and institutions

Partner search for EU funded project - SWITCH ASIA PROGRAMME

PROFILE:

• Not-for-profit intermediary (business) organisations and networks (e.g. chambers of commerce or industry associations)
• Not-for-profit organisations aiming at pursuing sustainable development
• Governmental institutions at the regional and local level

The project deals with new technologies for sustainable energy (e.g for buildings) or fuel production from organic compost/biological waste.


PARTNERS MUST BE FROM ONE OF THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES:
Afganistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China (excluding Hong Kong, Macau, and Chinese Taipei), India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, DPR Korea, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam
 
More information on the Switch Asia programme can be found here


Contacts: www.igcsas.com/contact
2 PROJECTS WERE SUBMITTED FOR THIS CALL!