Brussels, 09/10/2002 (Agence Europe) - The results of a call for expressions of interest (EoIs) in the €17.5 billion 6th EU Research Framework Programme (2003-2006) were today announced by the Commission. The European scientific community and enterprises were invited on March 20 2002 to put forward ideas on the most promising topics for research. 11,855 expressions of interest were received in response to this invitation. They can be consulted through an on-line at: http: //http://www.cordis.lu/fp6/eoi-instruments . The variety of responses on the themes in the new framework programme is as follows: Genomics (1997 EoIs), Information Society Technologies (2591 EoIs), Nanotechnologies (1670 EoIs), aeronautic/airspace (378 EoIs), Food (1008 EoIs), Energy (930 EoIs), Transport (480 EoIs), Global Change (1412 EoIs), Citizens (1187 EoIs), Radioactive Waste (103 EoIs), Radiation Protection (99 EoIs). These EoIs involve several hundred thousand research groups representing more than 50 countries. Just over 80% of EoIs came from EU Member states. Of the rest, two thirds came from Candidate Countries. About two-thirds of the submitters focused on large-scale Integrated Projects, with the remainder preferring Networks of Excellence. The submitting organisations (46%) were mainly academic institutions followed by research organisations (32%). While industry made up only 14% of submitters, there are indications that industry representatives preferred to hold back their ideas until the calls later in the year. An analysis of a sizeable sample of EoIs, indicates that the expected duration of both integrated projects and networks of excellence is 5 years, with an average required budget of between €17 and 18 million for both instruments.