Toolbox Smart Coordination Positioning of the ERA-NET scheme

Eureka

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EUREKA is a pan-European R&D platform that aims to coordinate efforts of governments, research institutes and commercial companies. EUREKA is not a funding organisation or research programme but inter-governmental initiative, of which the EU is a member.

EUREKA generally follows a "bottom-up" approach to R&D funding, the industry deciding itself which projects should be developed.

A high degree of cooperation and synergy is sought between EUREKA and the Research Framework Programme of the EU.

At January 2010 EUREKA counted 39 full members, including the European Union, represented by the European Commission. Among the members, 26 of the present 27 EU Member States are also members of Eureka, the last EU Member States of the EU to join EUREKA were Malta (June 2006) and Bulgaria (2010).

South Korea is the first country outside Europe that become member in 2010.

To date, some 670 projects are under way, at an estimated cost of 2.45 billion euro. They involve more than 2000 companies (1200 or more being SMEs), almost 500 research institutes and some 300 universities.