The Research International Cooperation Coordination Group is responsible for coordinating the international cooperation activities within the 7th. Framework Programme (FP7), ensuring the overall consistency of international cooperation throughout FP7 and its coherence with research and broader EU policy objectives.

The RIC group is intended as an internal coordination tool and a clearing house for information-sharing , priority-setting, monitoring and reviewing the implementation of international cooperation throughout FP7. It should prrovide necessary feedback mechanism for informing the European Commission's Capacities/INCO Committee, (and other Programme Committees as appropriate) about the implementation of international RTD cooperation.

Planning:
The RIC group acts to enhance the compliance of each Specific Programme, and in particular of each "Theme", with policy objectives and international commitments and enables consistency of geographical and thematic targets, priorities and resources through coordinated planning and implementation of the different work-programmes, including calls, modalities and resources.
It ensures inclusion of international issues arising from generic or bilateral and bi-regional S&T policy dialogues in the respective work programmes.

Implementation
The RIC group provides a real-time overview of the state of implementation of international cooperation activities throughout the various work programmes, with particular regard for targeted international cooperation schemes.
It facilitates an appropriate information flow on international cooperation matters and initiatives among all services concerned and promotes overall coherence and coordination of international cooperation activities in accordance with the regulatory and implementation framework.

Monitoring
The RIC group promotes full interaction and exchanges of information between the different specific programmes, allowing for circulation of good practices. It monitors the level of third country participation, including thematic and geographical coverage, as well as the use of budgets, and provides feedback from inputs received on International Cooperation from the relevant Advisory Groups and Programme Committees.