The National Contact Point for Space is part of the official EU network of National Contact Points (NCP). In Germany these helpdesks are established for the research topics within the EU Framework Programme and for some cross section activities (SME, IPR, ERA, etc.). The German NCPs are coordinated by the EU Office of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
The NCP Space is acting for the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi). Since the start of the 6th Framework Programme in 2002 the NCP Space has been part of the Space Agency of the German Aerospace Center.
Since the beginning of the 7th Framework Programme in 2007 the EU has been funding Space as an independent theme within the Specific Programme "Coordination". Emphasis with approx. 85 % of the budget lies on GMES, the Global Monitoring for Environment and Safety. Further topics are Space Science, Technologies and Transportation.
Also other themes within the Specific Programme "Coordination" offer funding for Space related activities within the 7th Framework Programme. The European Satellite Navigation System Galileo as well as EGNOS (European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service) are funded within the theme
The NCP Space offers information and support to all these topics to proposers, participants infrastructure is possible within the Specific Programme "Capacities".
and disseminators within the 7th Framework Programme. Furthermore the NCP is working for the national Ministries (mainly the BMWi) and the European Commission.