Funds available as part of the EU's Fifth Framework Programme. Research funding sources can be submitted to research@thesis.co.uk

The Fifth Framework Programme (FP5)

The programme sets out the priorities for the European Union's research, technological development and demonstration (RTD) activities for the period 1998-2002. It has been conceived to help solve problems and to respond to major socio-economic challenges facing the European Union.

"Key Actions" are major innovations of FP5. They will enable the many and varied aspects of the economic and social issues to be targeted, by integrating the entire spectrum of activities and disciplines needed to achieve the objectives.

"Generic Activities": Research and technological development activities of a generic nature. These complement the key actions. The main aim is to help the Community maintain and improve its scientific and technological capability in those areas of research and enabling technologies which should be used widely.

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"Work Programmes" Drawn up for each programme, describing the specific activities and the various research areas. It is essential to consult these for the detailed and extensive entries on priority areas for the 1999 calls, which underlie the Key Actions. The Work Programme includes a timetable or "roadmap", indicating which parts of the Work Programme will be opened, by calls for proposals, and deadline(s) involved.

Fixed calls for proposals and deadlines

The first wave of calls made in March have deadlines in June and October - consult the relevant Work Programme to check which deadlines apply to the specific research areas of interest. Work programmes, application forms and related materials, including guidelines on finding suitable research partners, can be downloaded from the Specific Programme Websites, the URLs of which are provided under each heading. Main FP5 home page is lu/fp5/home.html.

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Other support is available under Open Calls for Research Infrastructures and training Fellowships.

FP5 has two main components: 1. Fifth (EC) RTD Framework Programme, comprising four focused Thematic programmes and three wide-ranging Horizontal programmes; 2. Fifth (Euratom) Framework Programme, comprising a Thematic programme in the nuclear sector.

Thematic Programmes "Improving the quality of life and management of living resources" ( home.html).

Research Areas

Key Actions: Food, nutrition and health Control of infectious diseases The "cell factory" Environment and health Sustainable agriculture, fisheries and forestry and integrated development of rural areas including mountain areas The ageing population and disabilities Generic Activities Chronic and degenerative diseases, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and rare diseases Research into genomes and diseases of genetic origin Neurosciences

Public-health and health-services research (including drug-related problems) Research relating to persons with disabilities Biomedical ethics and bioethics in the context of respect for fundamental human values Socio-economic aspects of life sciences & technologies.

Calls launched March 6: Fixed deadline proposals for collaborative RTD actions, including INCO bursaries (1999/C 64/14).

Closing date: differs according to area - see annex in Call text Open call proposals for Training fellowships, SME specific measures, Accompanying Measures and Support for Research Infrastructures (1999/C 64/13) Contacts:

Quality of Life Information Desk, European Commission. Email: life@dg12.cec.be National Contact Point: Dr. David Coates, Office of Science and Technology. Tel: 0171 1 2012 Fax: 0171 1 2016. Email: david.coates @osct.dti.gov.uk "Creating a user-friendly information society (IST)'" ( home.html) Research Areas: Key Actions Systems and services for the citizen New methods of work and electronic commerce Multimedia content & tools Essential technologies and infrastructures IST Calls for Proposals launched on March 19: Fixed Deadline Calls RTD Projects (Call Identifier: IST-99-1-1A) Take-Up Actions (Call Identifier: IST-99-1-1B) zContinous Submission Scheme RTD Projects (Call Identifier: IST-99-1-2A) Support Measures (Call Identifier: IST-99-1-2B) Intelligent Manufacturing Systems Opening date: March 16. Closing date: See Call text.

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Call for Expression of Interests (EOI), January 16.

Contacts: IST Information Desk, European Commission, DGXIII, G7. Email: ist@cec.be. National Contact Point: Mrs Margaret Dennis, Department of Trade and Industry. Tel: 0171 215 1355 Fax: 0171 931 7194. Email: margaret.dennis@ ciid.dti.gov.uk "Promoting competitive and sustainable growth" () Research Areas. Key Actions Innovative products, processes and organisation Sustainable mobility and intermodality Land transport and marine technologies New perspectives in aeronautics Generic Activities Materials and their technologies for production and transformation (MAT) New and improved materials and production technologies in the steel field Measurements & testing.

Calls launched on March 16: Fixed Deadline Calls - Continuous Submission Scheme Expressions of Interest for specific research needs Opening date: March 16. Closing date: See Call text.

Intelligent Manufacturing Systems. Opening date: March 16. Closing date: See Call text.

Contacts: Competitive and sustainable growth Information Desk, European Commission E-mail: growth@dg12.cec.be National Contact Point: Mr. Trevor Fraser, Department of Trade and Industry. Tel: 0171 215 1454 Fax: 0171 215 1461. Email: trevor. fraser@eam.dti.gov.uk "Energy, environment and sustainable development" ( home.html).

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Research Areas A.

Environment and sustainable development Key Actions: Sustainable management and quality of water Global change, climate and biodiversity Sustainable marine ecosystems The city of tomorrow and cultural heritage Generic Activities Fight against major natural and technological hazards Development of generic earth observation satellite technologies Study of socio-economic aspects of development of environmental change within the perspective of sustainable development (impact on society, the economy and employment). Support for Research Infrastructures, Facilities supported include: Climate and global change research facilities Marine research facilities Natural hazards research facilities B. Energy Key Actions Cleaner energy systems, including renewables Economic and efficient energy for a competitive Europe Note: See also Key Actions implemented under the specific programme of research and training in the field of nuclear energy.

Generic Activities Study of socio-economic aspects of energy within the perspective of sustainable development (impact on society, the economy and employment).

Calls for Proposals: Part A: Fixed Deadline Calls - Continuous Submission Scheme (Call identifier: EESD-ENV-99-1) Opening date: March 20. Closing date: See Call Text Part B: First Fixed Deadline Call for Proposals: Shared-Cost Actions - Concerted Actions - Thematic Networks (1999/C 77/13). Opening Date: March 20. Closing Date: June 15.

Second Fixed Deadline Call for Proposals: Shared-Cost Actions - Concerted Actions - Thematic Networks (1999/C 77/14). Opening Date: March 20. Closing Date: October 4.

Continuous Submission Scheme: RTD Activities of a Generic Nature - SME Measures - Training - Accompanying Measures (1999/C 77/15) Opening Date: March 20. Closing Date: See evaluation cut-off dates in call text.

Contacts: Energy, Environment and sustainable development Information Desk, European Commission E-mail: eesd@dg12.cec.be. National Contact Point: Dr Arwyn Davies, DETR. Tel: 0171 890 51 Fax: 0171 676 2356 X400 :c=gb ;a=bt ;p=doe ;g=arwyn ;s=davies (for environment and sustainable development) David Irving, Department of Trade and Industry ENT 3, 1 Victoria Street, London SW1H 0ET Tel: 0171 215 2812 Fax: 0171 828 7969. Email: david.irving@hend.dti. gov.uk .

Horizontal Programmes "Confirming the international role of Community research" Research Areas Cooperation with third countries Pre-accession states NIS and other CEECs not in the pre-accession phase Mediterranean partners Developing countries Emerging economy countries and industrialised countries Training of researchers Coordination: within FP5 and with other Community programmes; with COST, EUREKA and international organisations; and, with Member States.

Contacts: Confirming the international role of Community research Information Desk, European Commission E-mail: inco@dg12.cec.be National Contact Point: Dr Peter Lee, Office of Science and Techonology. Tel: 0171 1 2099 Fax: 0171 1 2143. Email: peter.lee@ osct.dti.gov.uk "Promotion of innovation and encouragement of SME participation" ().

Research Areas Promotion of innovation Encouraging SME participation Joint innovation/SME activities. Calls for Proposals: Innovation Projects - Accompanying Measures to Innovation Projects (1999/C80/07) Opening Date: March 23. Closing Date: June 2. Advance notice for Calls for Proposals for the Promotion of innovation and encouragement of SME participation. Contacts: Promotion of innovation and encouragement of participation of SMEs Information Desk, European Commission E-mail: innovation@lux.dg13.cec.be For SME-Specific Measures E-mail: sme@dg12.cec.be CRAFT National Contact Point: Mr. David Moore, Office of Science and Technology. Tel: 0171 1 6518 Fax: 0171 1 6523 e-mail: david.moore @osct.dti.gov.uk CRAFT: Mr. Bob Keown, Beta Technology Ltd, Riverside House, Weedon Street, Sheffield S9 2FT Tel: 0114 242 2004 Fax: 0114 256 0950 Email: bob@ betatechnology.co.uk "Improving human research potential and the socio-economic knowledge base" ( home.html).

Research Areas: Improving human research potential Supporting training and mobility of researchers Enhancing access to research infrastructures Promoting scientific and technological excellence *Key action: Improving the socio-economic knowledge base Support for the development of scientific and technology policies in Europe.

Calls launched on March 16. Research Training Networks Marie Curie Individual Fellowships Marie Curie Industry Host Fellowships Access to Research Infrastructures Socio-Economic Research Science and Technology Policies - Strategic Analysis High-Level Scientific Conferences Raising Public Awareness. Contacts: Improving Human Potential Information Desk, European Commission. Email: improving@dg12. cec.be. National Contact Point: Mrs. Helen Hughes McKay, Office of Science and Technology. Tel: 0171 1 2087 Fax:0171 1 2016 Email: helen.hughes-mckay@osct.dti.gov.uk Euratom - "Research and Training in the field of Nuclear Energy" ().

Research Areas: Key Actions Controlled thermonuclear fusion Nuclear fission Note: The Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development programme includes RTD activities in the non-nuclear sector implemented under the Fifth (EC) Framework Programme.

Calls for Proposals First Fixed Deadline Call for Proposals (Key Action 2 - Nuclear Fission): Shared-Cost Actions, Concerted Actions and Thematic Networks (1999/C 77/09) Opening Date: March 20. Closing Date: June 17.

Second Fixed Deadline Call for Proposals (Key Action 2 - Nuclear Fission): Shared-Cost Actions - Concerted Actions - Thematic Networks (1999/C 77/10) Opening date: March 20. Closing date: October 4.

Continuous Submission Scheme: RTD Activities of a Generic Nature - Support for Research Infrastructures - Training - Accompanying Measures (1999/C 77/11) Opening date: March 20. Closing date: See evaluation cut-off dates in call text. Contacts: not yet available.

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Funding listings compiled by Sarah Knowles 0171 782 3225. Email: sarah.knowles @newsint.co.uk.