The 6th Framework Programme (FP6) for Research and Technological Development constitutes the main financial instrument of the European Commission for research for the period 2002-2006. At the same time, it is an important tool for realizing the European Research Area - an internal market for knowledge and science - by coordinating the national research policies and networking the best research centres in Europe.

With a budget of 17,5 billion euro, FP6 is one of the major research programmes in the world. It is also the first community programme that makes the EU enlargement a reality, with all candidate countries participating on an equal basis in relation to the member states of the Union.

The National Documentation Centre (EKT) operates as a National Contact Point for the 6th Framework Programme and provides information and support services to Greek bodies (research institutes, universities, companies, public sector) for their successful participation in the programme.

More information regarding the thematic priorities and the horizontal programmes of FP6, the implementation instruments and the evaluation criteria, the participation rules and the procedure to submit proposals, the open calls for proposals and the partner searches are available on the special web service of EKT for FP6 http://www.ekt.gr/ncpfp6