Agence Nationale De La Recherche (ANR) – France

The French National Research Agency ANR– created on February 2005, is a public organisation devoted to research projects funding. Its aim is to stimulate French research, to bring more flexibility, reactivity and, as a consequence, competitiveness while keeping a good balance between fundamental research and applied research. With a total budget of 794 M€, in 2010, ANR complements the recurrent funding of French research organisations with a funding system based on objectives and projects. The objective of ANR is to enhance the reactivity of the French system for research and innovation and for this it:

• Encourages the emergence of new concepts via the “non thematic programme”
• Increases research activity on societal and economic priorities via « thematic » programmes
• Develops transfer of knowledge and partnerships between public research and industry via collaborative research projects.

Since its creation ANR has a strong will to fund projects open to European and international cooperation. In 2008, transnational projects represent 8% of the funded projects and 5% of the ANR call for proposal budget. ANR is an active member of ten ERA-NETs and since 2006 has participated in 12 ERA-NET call for proposals and funded 104 projects for a total amount of 27,6 M€.

ANR will coordinate FLAG-ERA and will participate actively in all other work packages.