Cost, a Brussels-based intergovernmental network for Cooperation in Science and Technology, will receive an extra €10 million from the European Commission.
The Commission had so far withheld part of Cost’s funding for Framework 7. In 2010, the FP7 mid-term evaluation made several criticisms about Cost’s complex governance structure. But the evaluators also said the programme fulfilled its mission nevertheless and should receive “the additional €40m reserved in Framework 7 for Cost”.
In April 2011, the Commission decided to release only €30m for Cost to begin with. In June 2011, Cost launched a revamped strategy aiming in particular to increase efficiency and better demonstrate impact (see RE 10 Nov 11 via link below).
The €10m top-up now brings Cost’s overall budget to the planned €250m for 2007-13.
Ángeles Rodríguez-Peña, president of the Cost Committee of Senior Officials, said in a statement: “This further increase in the Cost budget reveals the European Commission’s trust in our intergovernmental framework’s ability to build excellence-driven networks.”
The Strasbourg-based European Science Foundation, which serves as Cost’s so-called implementing agent, is in charge of managing the budget increase.
“We are already preparing the respective annual amendment 2012 for a total of €43.3m… and aim for a smooth approval process in June 2012,” said Martin Hynes, the ESFs chief executive.