About €8.1bn is available in 2013 for world-class research – key to returning the EU to growth and closing the innovation gap with its main trade competitors, the US and Japan.

Research teams from the EU and beyond can apply for funding, which will target such areas as:

• better health – insight into drug-resistant bacteria, brain diseases
• marine resources – discovering new species, biotechnology applications, sensor technologies, sustainable management techniques
• smart cities – developing energy-efficient transport, buildings and data centres, reducing the impact of climate change on urban areas
• raw- material supply – finding substitutes for critical metals, better techniques for waste recovery, recycling, efficient use of available raw materials
• secure and clean energy – cheaper and more efficient renewable technologies, next- generation photovoltaics, wind turbines, bioenergy and biofuels, carbon capture and storage technologies, smart electricity grids
• water management – improving quality, water- and energy- efficient food processing, nanotechnology sensors for environmental monitoring
• information & communication technologies – expanding use of cloud computing, networks of specialists in neuro-sciences and neuro-robotics
• supporting researchers – help for young researchers, cross-border collaboration, experienced teams working on cutting-edge research, commercialising discoveries.

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