
The Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) bundles all research-related EU initiatives together under a common roof playing a crucial role in reaching the goals of growth, competitiveness and employment; along with a new Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP), Education and Training programmes, and Structural and Cohesion Funds for regional convergence and competitiveness. It is also a key pillar for the European Research Area (ERA).
The broad objectives of FP7 have been grouped into four categories: Cooperation, Ideas, People and Capacities. For each type of objective, there is a specific programme corresponding to the main areas of EU research policy. All specific programmes work together to promote and encourage the creation of European poles of (scientific) excellence.

MERCURY is a consortium of academic partners formed to examine critically the European Union’s contribution to multilateralism. It explores multilateralism as a concept, an aspiration, and a form of international order.
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The main goal of the EU4SEAS project is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the sub-regional multilateralism (notion and practice) in the four maritime basins (Mediterranean, Baltic, Black and Caspian Seas) as a specific approach for the EU in handling relations with those spaces. EU4SEAS will examine the development of sub-regional cooperation in its specific contexts as well as the EU’s impact on it.
GR:EEN is a European Commission Seventh Framework Programme project which examines the current and future role of the EU in an emerging multi-polar world. We do this through a programme of stock-taking, multi-disciplinary research and complementary activities. EU-GRASP partners UNU-CRIS, Warwick and Peking are involved.