The Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST), in collaboration with the Permanent Representation of Malta to the EU, today hosted the last FP7 Health NCP Net Project Networking Activity, whereby the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) National Contact Points from most EU Member States, Associated Countries and other Third Countries were invited to participate before the Project ends in April 2013. The event, which was held at Dar Malta in Brussels, coincided with an FP7 Health National Contact Point Meeting organised by the European Commission on 25 February 2013, also in Brussels.
Health-NCP Net is the network of all officially appointed Health National Contact Points (NCPs) and national coordinators for health in third-countries, who provide information, guidance and technical assistance on European funds for health research projects. Clients are usually researchers willing to participate in the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The FP7 is the EU’s funding programme for the 2007-2013 financial period which supports research and technology development in priority areas – such as health – under 4 specific pillars: Cooperation; Ideas; People; and Capacities. The total FP7 budget for the seven year period is over €50 billion.
The event was attended by over 50 representatives and NCPs from various participating countries, who discussed the upcoming EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation – Horizon 2020 – and how they intend to better assist researchers by means of a cooperative approach. Participants exchanged best practices and experiences over the past few years, and discussed how these can help improve the efficacy and utilisation of funds under Horizon 2020, which runs from 2014-2020. The event also had presentations on Health related projects and the work being carried out therein on EU action plans funded by FP7, such as CommHERE, Health2Market and Fit for Health.
The Malta Council for Science and Technology is the Maltese partner of the Health NCP Net Project, and was responsible for coordinating and organising the event. Ms Diana Spiteri, who is the National Contact Point responsible for FP7 Health, addressed the event, stating that Malta is giving substantial importance to this sector particularly due to significant investment in the public health care system, the setting up of a Life Sciences Centre through European Regional Development Funds and by means of a new National Health Research Strategy that was recently published.