Future Internet research in the ICT Programme

Under the ‘Cooperation’ programme theme Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) of the 7th Framework Programme (2007 – 2013) of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (FP7), Europe takes a major step forward in R & D for the Future Internet, in order to meet the evolving requirements. To date under FP6 and FP7, Europe has invested several hundred million Euros in Future Internet research, an effort unparalleled in the world. Work Programme 2009/10 will have a strengthened and focused support for Future Internet research, mostly concentrated under Challenge 1 ‘Pervasive and Trusted Network and Service Infrastructures’.

The Objective 1.6 ‘New Paradigms and Experimental Facilities’ is one of six objectives, under Challenge 1 ‘Pervasive and Trusted Network and Service Infrastructures’, which strongly contributes to the future of the Internet. The vision behind this ICT objective highlights the importance of an experimentally-driven approach for the development of the Future Internet.

The European FIRE ‘Future Internet Research Experimentation’ initiative makes this vision become a reality. FIRE is building upon the complementarities and strong cooperation amongst all projects addressing Objective 1.6. FIRE is positioned as a cross-cutting initiative able to provide support to all other objectives of Challenge 1. FIRE is therefore emerging as a strategic European initiative ideally positioned to promote peer discussion with similar initiatives worldwide, such as GENI.

During the conference ‘The future of the Internet: perspectives emerging from R & D in Europe’, which was held in March 2008, in Bled, under the Slovenian Presidency, the European Internet community – research, academia, industry, governments – took a major step forward towards improving Europe’s position in multidisciplinary design of the Internet. In the ‘Bled declaration’, which was endorsed by over 60 European Research Projects and 5 European Technology Platforms, it was agreed to work more closely together on Future Internet activities and it was proposed to set up a European Future Internet Assembly, as a forum for discussion and debate on Future Internet developments in Europe.