SFERA is a two-year action intended to assist European regions on opportunities to make optimum use of structural funds for the deployment of innovative Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) networks of the future, and R&D infrastructures.

Many regions in Europe are entitled access to EU funds. Up to now, these funds have been efficiently invested mainly in the construction of infrastructures like roads and highways. For the new financial period 2007-2013, rules require that promotion of ICT, Information Society, and R&D become priorities for the use of Structural Funds.

SFERA, as a specialist in the relationship between STRUCTURAL FUNDS and FRAMEWORK PROGRAMMES for R&D, will be crucial to connect FP7, European Regions, DG INFSO/DG REGIO and Member States. This support action will provide assistance on roadmapping, benchmarking studies and awareness on ICT relevance and specific solutions.

SFERA will create the “ICT Structural Funds Council to serve Regions in terms of advice on the definition of policies, objectives, and strategic plans”.  Should you wish to be a part of such a council, please contact us at: innovacion@telecomcastillalamancha.es

The ICT Structural Funds Council is a group of experts (as wide as possible) that will discuss best practices and strategies for the future; it is expected that the Council meets every 6 months. The objective is to give advice and guide Regions on various matters related to a more efficient use of ICT Structural Funds:

• Definition of policies
• Creation of strategic research and innovation agendas and plans
• Identification of key objectives for the development of each Region
• Support the governments of the region
• Benchmarking analysis: ICT in the Regions
• Analysis of Regional Strategies in Structural Funds Programming
• Analysis of use cases: The rural broadband extension.