Innovation activities have had a programme of their own in previous Framework Programmes, but now new instruments will incorporate innovation across the entire Sixth Research Framework Programme. As European innovation policy enters a new phase, it is crucial for its success that researchers and industry work together more closely.

The EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) is to be launched in November at a major conference in Brussels. With the European Research Area (ERA) initiative gathering momentum, the new programme has been designed as the key instrument to drive its development. With an overall budget of 17,500 million for 2002-06, FP6 will aim to support bigger, more enduring strategic research actions than previous Framework Programmes, with a greater coherence than in the past.

Innovation has a new place in FP6. Rather than being focused in a distinct innovation programme, as before, much of the innovation activity under FP6 will be as an integral component of research projects. Key to innovation taking on a greater role in the drive to strengthen Europe's economy will be the development of much stronger links between universities and industry. This is just one area for the debate set to be launched by the Commission on the future directions of EU innovation policy, as the phase opened by the 1996 First Action Plan on Innovation reaches its natural conclusion.

"Innovation is the marriage of knowledge and the market; using knowledge to the best economic ends."

"Our aim is that all activities with potential economic effects take account of innovation," says Jean-Noël Durvy, head of the Innovation Policy Unit in the Commission's Directorate-General for Enterprise. "FP6 brings a stronger focus on innovation throughout the Programme, with renewed importance being given to European competitiveness."

FP6 has five specific programmes, and two have clear objectives in building up the European Research Area:

- Integrating and strengthening the ERA

- Structuring the ERA

Innovation activities will be part of both. The major part of FP6's budget is targeted at activities for 'focusing and integrating Community research'. This will support research efforts carried out jointly in Europe. And applying the new technologies and systems developed from research will be an integral component. New instruments have been designed to ensure that these activities achieve a greater impact than in previous Framework Programmes.

The 'structuring the ERA' programme targets structural weaknesses in European research and innovation. Support will go to developing human resources, research infrastructure, and consideration of science-society issues. These activities will all have some bearing on innovation; but, in addition, there will be five actions managed by the Enterprise DG which will be dedicated to innovation:

1. encouraging interaction and networking between the key players, to promote change in attitudes and culture, and encourage entrepreneurial innovation

2. encouraging regional innovation policies and co-operation between regions

3. experimenting with new tools and approaches to stimulate innovation

4. establishing and consolidating support services - such as CORDIS (see 'New era for information'), the Innovation Relay Centres network, the IPR-Helpdesk, and an access-to-finance helpdesk (Gate2Growth)

5. analysing the impact of innovation promotion measures in FP6 projects, with the aim of better integrating innovation in research projects.

Many of these activities carry on from FP5, not least the support services. However, in all areas there has been a refocusing encouraged by the common objective of developing the ERA.