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At the request of DG Research of the European Commission (EC), France like other European countries has set up a network of National Contact Points (NCPs). The NCP's general mission is to promote the priority themes and the actions that implement the EC Framework Programmes for Research and Technological development (FPs).

• The French FP7-NCP network is coordinated by the French Directorate General for Research and Innovation (DGRI) of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MESR). It consists of 21 NCPs, corresponding to the themes and specific programs of FP7 (2007-2013).

• Each NCP is formed by a "consortium" of members (public research organizations, universities, agencies and national associations, ministries ...) with expertise in different aspects of the specific theme.

• INRA has been designated by the MESR in October 2006 for a period of seven years as coordinator of the "BIO-NCP consortium" corresponding to the Priority Theme 2 of the Specific Programme "Cooperation" of FP7: Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, biotechnology ("BIO" alias "KBBE" according to the EC terminology).

INRA Chief Executive Officer has appointed Rafael Garcia-Villar (CODIR TOXALIM) on behalf of INRA, to co-ordinate the "BIO-NCP" for the benefit of the French scientific community in the field.