As well as addressing today's challenges, the ICT Theme also looks further ahead, complementing the Challenges with longterm, high-risk, ‘purpose-driven’ research.

Known as Future and Emerging Technologies (FET), the idea is to support pioneering research with a high potential for significant breakthroughs.

This is the research 'at the fringes' that may become tomorrow’s radical innovations - the sort of work that opens up entirely new markets.

FET will therefore explore radical interdisciplinary avenues, delivering proofs-of-concept for new options and demonstrating new possibilities. It will strengthen Europe's science and technology base in new and emerging areas, refine new visions to the point where they attract industrial investment, and establish new interdisciplinary research communities within European science and industry.