Final Report Summary - ERA-CHEMISTRY (Implementation of joint bottom-up European programmes in chemistry) ERA-CHEMISTRY (Implementation of joint bottom-up European programmes in chemistry) was funded within the framework of the ERA-NET scheme of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). It aimed at improving the coherence and coordination across Europe of research programmes and projects considering the research field chemistry as a representative example. In order to attain this goal, the ERA-CHEMISTRY consortium envisaged the establishment of an ERA in curiosity-driven chemical research (basic and applied chemistry including chemistry-based trans-disciplinary projects) without noticeable national, formal and research subject boundaries. Like this it would allow national systems to solve problems collectively that they would not have been able to tackle independently. ERA-CHEMISTRY has also started resolving the responsibilities of R&D ministries and national research councils at the interface between science-driven and industry-initiated research yet to be settled.During its funding period ERA-CHEMISTRY has been especially concentrating on:- developing optimised tools for the common evaluation and joint / common financing of trans-national proposals including common pot schemes; - establishing a high level Scientific advisory board (SAB) for all scientific activities (calls, workshops, research conferences); - developing flexible solutions for the rapid integration of research funding organisations / institutions from new European Union (EU) countries (and from other partners not yet participating in the network) into all ERA-CHEMISTRY activities;- analysing existing conferences and developing a new and tailor-made European research conference scheme for chemical research and neighbouring disciplines; - intensifying the cooperation with other ERA-NETs, with the technology platform Sustainable chemistry (Suschem), with key actors in applied chemical research and with European bodies in charge of chemical research; - initiating joint or complementary research funding activities at the interface between science-driven and industry-oriented chemical research; - preparing open calls for proposals without strict thematic and deadline fixation in the long term.ERA-CHEMISTRY aimed at establishing the ERA in curiosity-driven chemical research (basic and applied chemistry including trans-disciplinary projects) without noticeable national, formal and research subject boundaries by the following 12 objectives:- Setting-up a common information system on reviewing and funding chemical research (including chemistry-based trans-disciplinary research) in all European countries (objective 1). - Providing simple, effective and jointly agreed processing and evaluation schemes for all kinds of joint trans-national proposals (objective 2).- Ascertaining innovative research fields which are particularly suitable for transnational research efforts and encouraging European chemists to initiate and reinforce trans-national co-operation in joint research projects with high European added value (objective 3).- Setting-up of joint trans-national electronic infrastructure facilities for trans-national communication and for submitting and reviewing trans-national proposals (objective 4).- Developing and implementing durable bottom-up joint European research programmes in chemistry in all degrees of complexity, including joint management of these programmes (objective 5).- Providing a framework for national research councils to align part of their resources into chemistry-based trans-national research programmes (objective 6).- Developing new and efficient tools for the joint / common financing of proposals and programmes (objective 7).- Developing flexible solutions for the rapid integration of research funding organisations / institutions from new European Union countries into all ERA-Chemistry activities (objective 8).- Developing and implementing a tailor-made European research conference scheme in chemistry (Flash Conferences) (objective 9).- Cooperation with other ERA-NETs, with the Technology Platform Sustainable Chemistry, with key actors in applied chemical research and with European bodies in charge of chemical research (objective 10).- Initiating joint or complementary research funding activities at the interface between science-driven and industry-oriented chemical research (objective 11).- Launching open calls for proposals without strict thematic and deadline fixation (objective 12).The first ERA-CHEMISTRY call entitled 'hierarchically organised chemical structures: From molecules to hybrid materials' was launched in June 2005. The implemented call procedure was a result of a substantiated analysis of the existing funding programmes in Europe. Like this, existing barriers between funding bodies could be lowered, which resulted in suitable procedure for the collaborating organisations. By considering the experiences of this first call, the common rules for administration, evaluation and funding of trans-national proposals have been optimised and the draft for an improved Memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the funding bodies for this call has been prepared.The second ERA-CHEMISTRY call entitled 'Chemical activation of methane and carbon dioxide' was disseminated in March 2007. There was a huge benefit from the experience gathered by the consortium within the first call. The budget was increased and the funding scheme turned out to be even more flexible according to the partners needs and national requirements. The second call was backed up by an open trans-national funding scheme for small joint projects without thematic restriction ('open initiative').ERA-CHEMISTRY has explicitly decided against defining specific scientific subjects a priori. Supported by its high level SAB and in an ongoing dynamic process, it chose current hot topics to define innovative chemistry-related research fields instead. As a precondition topics have been carefully chosen to serve the needs for trans-national thematic calls as well as for joint workshops of researchers and programme managers and for a new type of research conferences (Flash conferences).ERA-CHEMISTRY was present at various conferences and symposia in the field of chemistry, neighbouring disciplines and technology with oral contributions and at poster sessions. Moreover, the general public was informed in a series of contributions and articles in print media (e.g. Nature). Besides facing the general public and being one of the first active ERA-NETs in FP6, ERA-CHEMISTRY was invited to various meetings of other ERA-NETs and research funding organisations, where reports on ongoing activities of the network served as a show case and good practice example for further actions. Related documents Final Report - ERA-CHEMISTRY (Implementation of joint bottom-up European programmes in chemistry) Other documents Project sheet - ERA-CHEMISTRY (Implementation of joint bottom-up European programmes in chemistry)
