In order to reduce the fragmentation of research at European level, the Seventh European Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) supports actions improving the coordination between research programmes at national and regional level. Several initiatives have been launched to meet this objective:

Research coordination at European level

The ERA-NET mechanism was designed to reinforce the coordination of national and regional research in two ways:

• By providing a framework for improvements of the coordination between public research programmes;
• By providing additional financial support to facilitate the organisation of joint calls issued by national and regional programmes ("ERA-NET PLUS").

Joint implementation of national research programmes

The European Commission can offer financial support for the joint implementation of national research programmes by several Member States, as provided by article 185 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (previously article 169).

Several initiatives exist in the context of FP7. These include:

• Ambient Assisted Living (AAL), under the Cooperation programme;
• Eurostars, under the Capacities programme.

Joint Technology Initiatives

Joint Technology Initiatives are long-term public-private partnerships created in view of specific research objectives. These research objectives are outlined by European Technology Platforms in strategic research agendas.

Meeting these objectives often involves substantial human and financial resources. The European Union can provide financial support for the implementation of Joint Technology Initiatives.

By defining a strategic agenda for specific themes, the platforms make a prominent contribution to the definition of the themes of the Cooperation programme.