The European Commission has presented a Green Paper which proposes major changes to EU research and innovation funding to make participation easier, increase scientific and economic impact and provide better value for money. The changes, to be introduced in the next EU budget after 2013 (post-Framework Programme 7), would bring together the current Framework Programme for research, the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme, and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.

The Commission is seeking feedback on these proposed changes and on the specific questions set out in the Green Paper.
Feedback and views can be submitted via the special website

InnovaWood is preparing a positioning paper but encourages its members to submit their personal feedback individually as well on the Green Paper website.

The 7th FTP conference will take place on 26 and 27 September 2011 at the Sobieski Hotel, Warsaw, Poland as a part of the Polish EU presidency.

On 1 June 2011 the Forest-Based Sector Technology Platform together with InnovaWood, EFI and EFPRO organise the next FTP brokerage event at Munich Airport.

The focus of the event is to provide opportunities and information to about EU funding research programmes like FP7, COST and other. On the event the participants will obtain preliminary information on the FP7 calls for proposals to be expected to be launched in July 2011.

On 1st March the 2011 InnovaWood Prize was awarded at the European Forestry House in Brussels.

The first InnovaWood Prize has been won by Coed Cymru for their project: “Tŷ Unnos: Sustainable Housing from Sitka Spruce”. The project introduced an innovative sustainable housing solution which meets the twin aims of affordable housing and low carbon construction objectives.