Joint Technology Initiatives (JTI) aim at achieving greater strategic focus by supporting common ambitious research agendas in areas that are crucial for competitiveness and growth, assembling and coordinating at European level a critical mass of research. They therefore draw on all sources of R&D investment - public or private - and couple research tightly to innovation.
JTI are based on a private-public partnership (Joint Undertaking) between the European Commission and the industry in a sector relevant for European competitiveness. The industry in the JTI, usually forming an association, will define the R&D efforts needed in the next years and will draft a Strategic Research Agenda (SRA). The Joint Undertaking will implement the SRA by issuing calls and funding research projects. Participation modalities differ between JTIs: despite being financed through FP7, the JTI will apply their own rules of participation.