Old and new strategic roles for the European Union Framework Programme

This paper discusses the achievements of the European Union Framework Programme, paying special attention to its nature as a collaborative research programme. It draws on current studies of the Programme, particularly its various networking impacts, and addresses the new challenges that European research policies need to take into account. It concludes by outlining potential directions which the development of the Framework Programme might take. It suggests that more attention be paid to a greater strategic focus, it recommends greater flexibility and the application of bottom-up principles, it advances pre-competitiveness as a viable principle, and it draws attention to cohesion and the problems brought about by the potential enlargement of
the European Union.