As part of the eTEN programme's effort to reach out and to increase the eTEN website's impact, 12 eTEN projects of the month have been showcased in 2006.

You are now invited to elect the best communicating eTEN Project of the Year 2006.

The Seventh Framework Programme for research and technological development (FP7) cleared its final hurdle on 18 December when it was adopted by the Council. The programme will start on 1 January 2007.

The decision was widely expected following an agreement on a common position between the Parliament and Council in November. The common position meant that the decision could be adopted by the Environment Council without discussion.

The previous eTEN 2006 call for proposals was the last for the eTEN Programme. From 2007 onwards, support to electronic services in areas of public interest will be provided by the ICT Policy Support Programme (ICT PSP), a component of the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP), which will run until 2013.

Germany has said it plans to use its Presidency of the EU to extend European cooperation in the fields of education and research.

"Education and research are important sources of inspiration for social development in Europe - and the source of future prosperity," said German Minister for Education and Research, Annette Schavan. Germany will hold the EU Presidency for the first half of 2007, before handing over to Portugal.

In anticipation of the final approval of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) by the European Council, CORDIS, the Community Research and Development Information Service, has launched a new FP7 service. The new web service provides the latest state of play as the EU's new research and development (R&D) programme moves into its implementation phase. It will then develop into a fully-fledged support service for all potential participants and interested parties.

A new 'Guidance and Support' section has been published by CORDIS, the EU's official information service on research, technological development and innovation, in order to further improve the help for users to make the most of CORDIS services.

To remain competitive globally, Europe has to change innovation from a buzzword to a byword, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso told European industrial leaders on 6 December.

To do so requires working together to solve the European paradox, whereby Europe has the necessary knowledge and research, but then fails to take this knowledge to market, said the Commission President.