RESEARCH: RESULTS OF SIXTH FRAMEWORK CALL TENDER.

• Position: EU's Sixth Framework Programme for Research

The theme of "sustainable development, global change and ecosystems" drew the most responses (2,822 out of 12,000) in the context of the tender (in anticipation of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme for Research) published by the European Commission on March 20. Next rank information society technologies (2,591), life sciences, genomics and biotechnology for health (1,997), and finally, nanotechnologies and nanosciences, multi-functional knowledge-based materials and new production processes and provisions (1,670). These expressions of interest concern several hundred thousand research teams spread across 50 countries. Just over 80% of responses were sent in by EU Member States, with two-thirds of those left coming from the candidate countries. About two-thirds of submissions concern large-scale integrated projects, the others opting for excellence networks. The submitters were principally university institutions (46%) and research bodies (32%). Industry accounts for only 14% of submissions, but it would appear that industry representatives have preferred to keep...