EU Strategy Calls for International Science Cooperation to Meet Global Challenges

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The European Commission has set out a new strategy for developing international cooperation in research and innovation with a particular focus on global challenges such as climate change, food security and fighting diseases.

The new strategy will be mainly implemented through Horizon 2020, the EU's funding program for research and innovation from 2014, as well as through joint initiatives with EU Member States. Multi-annual programs will be established for cooperating with key partner countries, including the United States. The strategy also calls for improving the policy dialogue with the EU's partners, and sets out to improve information gathering as part of a proposed Research and Innovation Observatory.

"Going it alone is not an option in research and innovation," said Maire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science. "It is critical that Europe reaches out to international partners to access new sources of knowledge and address global challenges. Horizon 2020 will, like its predecessors, be open to participation from across the globe. Openness ensures mutually beneficial cooperation with our key international partners, assists developing countries and helps Europe access new and emerging markets."

The European Union Ambassador to the United States, Joao Vale de Almeida, stressed that the new strategy is particularly important for science cooperation between the EU and the United States. "Our economic, research and innovation relationship is of vital importance and this strategy will further strengthen transatlantic cooperation," he said. "We have some of the best researchers in the world on both sides of the Atlantic and it makes perfect sense to bring them together to tackle the common challenges that we face."

The new strategy will follow a dual approach. Through the general opening up of Horizon 2020 to international cooperation, European researchers will be free to cooperate with their third country counterparts on topics of their own choice. This will be complemented by targeted activities, where cooperation will be sought on particular topics and with well identified partners. The strategy will also promote common international principles in research and innovation, such as on research integrity, gender awareness and open access, in order to provide the global research and innovation community with a level playing field in international cooperation.

One fifth of EU research projects already involve at least one partner from outside the EU.

For more information, please see:
Q&A : International Cooperation in Research and Innovation
Communication: http://ec.europa.eu/research/internationalstrategy
Horizon 2020: http://ec.europa.eu/research/horizon2020/index_en.cfm
EU's Seventh Framework Programme for Research (FP7): http://ec.europa.eu/research/fp7/index_en.cfm
Marie Sklodowska-Curie actions: http://ec.europa.eu/research/mariecurieactions/
European Research Council: http://erc.europa.eu/

SOURCE Delegation of the European Union to the United States