Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)

CEA is a public research body (French EPIC statute) which conducts strategic multi-year research and innovation programmes of national importance. These cover nuclear and non-nuclear energy, defence, medicine, nanosciences, micro-electronics, software and environmental protection and remediation. Civilian activities are conducted under the auspices of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research (Ministère de l'Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche) and of the Ministry of Ecology and Sustainable Development (Ministère de l’Ecologie, du Développement et de l’Aménagement durables). CEA staff devoted to civilian activities amounts to 10,800 research staff. Current annual budget amounts to €2 billion, of which less than 45 % come from government subsidies. CEA is a major actor in transfer from research to industry, supporting the creation of 100 spin-offs over the last twenty years, three of them being of world class in their domain of activity (ST-Microelectronics, SOITEC, SOFRADIR).
Over the last decade, CEA has been largely involved in EC and EURATOM research Framework Programmes. Under FP 6, it took part in 350 projects (54 as coordinator) and in 3 ERA-nets (ASPERA, HY-CO, and NANOSCI-ERA).
The CEA is the co-owner of the “C’Nano IdF” regional programme in Ile de France (Paris region). Created in 2005, this programme aims at supporting RTD nano sciences and nanotechnology projects, including Nanomedicine, through specific calls for projects and dedicated grants (10.9 M€ in 2006, 9.9 M€ in 2007).

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