Transatlantic scientific co-operation deal renewed

After a one-year break, the EU and the US have
decided to continue their scientific and technological co-operation
for another period of five years.

The EU and the US have renewed their scientific and
technological co-operation agreement. The first agreement, signed
in October 1998 for five years, expired at the end of
2003.   

An independent expert panel carried out an
assessment of the first agreement in 2003. The reports states that
“the number of projects in FP5 (fifth framework programme for
research and technological development) with USA collaborators is
disappointingly low at around 140”. It also recommended enhancing
the visibility of the agreement. Under the current sixth framework
programme (FP6) over 700
joint research projects have already been proposed.

The agreement covers co-operation
in all non-nuclear areas and may take the form of
co-ordinated research projects,
joint research projects, task forces or studies. The
co-operation also covers management, training and mobility of
scientists. No special funding for transatlantic co-operation is,
however, foreseen for ‘foreign’ partners on either side of the
Atlantic. US entities participating in EU programmes will need to
fund their participation with own funds and vice
versa.

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