Brussels, 15/02/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Union is to make €20 million available to Egypt to encourage research and innovation, the European Commission has revealed. Marc Franco, head of the European delegation in Egypt, says that the funding will be allocated to the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) programme set up as part of the bilateral scientific and technical cooperation agreement between the EU and Egypt concluded in 2007. According to the European Commission's official website, Cordis, €11 million has already been allocated by the EU.
At a meeting in Cairo on 28 January, RDI coordinator Abdelhamid El-Zoheiry highlighted the existing potential: “The Euro-Mediterranean innovation market provides a high-value platform for the main players in encouraging meeting, networking and exchange, and development of trade ideas, projects and partnerships”. The Commission notes, however, that, despite Egypt's desire to encourage regional innovation, local innovators are faced with a number of difficulties in bringing their ideas to fruition. Egyptian inventors say that the patent they have is only local, only valid in Egypt, and, thus, with no international standing, unlike US patents. Other inventors point to the lack of management training. We study company organisation and management, but nothing specific to inventions, they point out, arguing that training in the marketing of inventions is needed. (F.B./transl.rt)