COM(2009) 479 final - A public-private partnership on the Future Internet

Under the last implementation period of the FP7 ICT Theme (2011-2013), the Commission intends to allocate €300m to kick-start this initiative with a critical mass of stakeholders, Internet technologies and application scenarios. This amount will be earmarked within the existing ICT work programme budget and complement the work addressing long-term research challenges.

Through a series of open calls, the ICT research community and the Member States will play a major part in creating a closely knit and synergetic PPP. Much of the success of the PPP will depend on establishing a coherent and transparent programme character (for it).

The Commissionwill review the setting of legal and governance structures of Joint Technology Initiatives (JTIs) in order to perform lessons learned regarding the set-up of existing JTIs and to ensure that they fully reach their objectives. In the light of progress made, the Commission – working together with the private sector – will explore the possibility of creating a future JTI in the area of Future Internet. This could offer the advantage of a more structured underpinning of the PPP based on an agreed strategic research agenda, substantive resources from both the public and private sector and a strong and shared commitment to achieving results.

Line of action:

• The Commission will develop the work programme, the specific evaluation and the modus operandi of a Future Internet PPP in cooperation with industrial stakeholders, using the mechanisms and instruments of the current Framework Programme (FP7). The Commission intends to allocate €300m under the upcoming ICT work programmes, covering the period 2011-2013 with a first open call for proposals in July 2010.
• The Commission intends to overcome fragmentation and maximise synergies by establishing a coherent and predefined programme, consisting of a few, large and very interlinked projects.
• The Commission expects the industry to define a focused PPP content by mid-2010 to meet the dual objective of: i) advancing Europe’s industrial know-how in Future Internet technologies and systems; and ii) supporting the emergence of Future Internet-enhanced applications of public relevance.
• The Commission calls on the Member States, primarily through the Future Internet Forum, to support the Future Internet PPP and to help refine policy/usage requirements.
• As soon as the legal and governance structures of JTIs have been reviewed, the Commission will examine the possibility of setting a JTI in the area of Future Internet.