Welcome address of NRW State Government

Research and innovation are the keys to more growth and employment – this equally applies for North Rhine-Westphalia as for the whole of Europe. With its Seventh Framework Programme and the Framework Programme for Competitiveness and Innovation, the European Union has set the right priorities which will ensure that players from science and commerce can pick up speed in their international activities in the field of research and development. This speed is also important in order to be able to survive in a globalised world with ever shorter innovation cycles.

Our universities, research institutes, researchers in industry and small and medium-sized enterprises are the innovation “motors” in our region. We want them to take part to a greater extent than to date in the competition for EU funding, because participation in the EU funding programmes is increasingly becoming an indicator for European and international competitiveness.  The State Government of NRW along with the National Contact Points and other advice centres in the region are pulling together, so that each and every potential applicant from NRW is given optimum assistance and equipped in the best possible way for participating in the EU funding programmes.

This regional portal gives you a general overview of the Seventh Framework Programme, the Framework Programme for Competitiveness and Innovation and the relevant advice centres in NRW. Here you can also find current news on the EU Framework Programmes, register online for the wide variety of events taking place in the region and catch up on the latest information via the newsletter.

We hope that the portal will be a source of valuable support in all your activities in conjunction with the European Framework Programmes.

Svenja Schulze
Minister for Innovation, Science and Research, State of North Rhine-Westphalia

Harry K. Voigtsberger
Minister for Economic Affairs, Energy, Building, Housing and Transport, State of North Rhine-Westphalia

Dr. Angelica Schwall-Düren
Minister for Federal Affairs, Europe and the Media, State of North Rhine-Westphalia