In the frame of the ERA.Net RUS project, a call on Innovation will be launched 15 February 2011 and applicants are invited to submit online proposals until 15 April 2011.

The participating countries are: Germany, Greece, Israel, Russia, Switzerland and Turkey.

By Innovation Projects are meant joint R&D projects designed to lead to innovative products, services or processes of significant economic and/or societal value. The goal of the call is to create long-term research collaboration in the field of innovation between EU Member States/ Associated Countries to FP7 and Russia. Innovative research collaboration of a high standard between teams from EU Member States and/or Associated Countries and Russia will be supported through open competition. EU-Russia collaborative innovation projects can be funded in the research areas, which are thematically assigned to innovative technologies of high utilization potential and of particular importance for the EU as well as for Russia.

Eligible consortia must comprise a minimum of at least three partners from three different countries, of which at least one small Russian innovative company and at least one company from the EU MS/AC. At least two partners must necessarily come from the countries represented by the Funding Parties of the Call. Once the minimum requirements are met, other partners can join on their own funds. The proposal has to be submitted online using the PT-Outline webtool  (will be made available from February on).

For more information on the ERA.Net RUS call in Innovation and the list of Contact Points, see http://www.eranet-rus.eu/en/177.php.