The proposed actions will allow EPWS to consolidate and expand its activities effectively and achieve the impact desired by the Commission and the scientific community: • Increase the participation of women scientists in the EU research policy debate • Enhance the participation of women scientists in FP7 as well as in other available Commission funding and opportunities • Reinforce the provision of EU added value to the Commission and the European research community in the context of the Lisbon Strategy • Expand and strengthen the endeavours towards gender equality and gender mainstreaming policies in science • Reinforce the Commission’s women and science policy. More specifically the proposed actions will contribute to achieving the following: • Raise the total number of EPWS member organisations to over 100 • Foster the creation of networks and strengthen membership in Central and Eastern European Countries by securing at least one member organisation per country • Increase paying corporate membership by acquiring at least 5 additional corporate members • Increase the participation of women scientists in FP7 • Increase the presence of EPWS and its members on advisory and decision making boards and panels • Have the financial sustainability of the Platform ensured by the end of the grant period.