Brussels 21/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Union and Israel have a promising future with regard to potential collaboration in the innovation field. On 11 October, Andrew Standley, the head of the EU delegation in Israel, said that the collaboration potential between the EU and Israel in the science and technology domain is immense. At the same time, he called for full application of the rules on intellectual property rights. Standley made this statement at the biannual EU-Israel Chambers of Commerce and Industry session at the European representation in Israel. The session was attended by the Israeli minister for industry, trade and work, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer. It was the seventh session of this kind and brought together leading members of the Euro-Israeli Chambers of Commerce, focusing on the theme of speeding up innovation in the arena of science and technology.
Standley pointed out that the session was taking place a week after the publication in Brussels of a strategy document on “innovation in the EU”, which defines the European “strategic vision”, particularly with regard to the context of its relations with third countries, including Israel. Given the already very close cooperation between the EU and Israel in the science and research field, prospects are promising, explained Standley. He also said that in some sectors, bilateral cooperation should already have been able to go further, for example on the environment. He added that in other sectors, they were planning to introduce changes, particularly because the EU attaches great importance to complete implementation of the rules on intellectual property, which would normally be used to underpin innovation. The ambassador also pointed out that this element was part of Israel's accession criteria to the OECD (in September 2010). He said that just at the very moment they were finding a way out of the economic crisis, they were also facing urgent challenges in the domain of innovation. He added that if Europe did not transform itself into an innovative union by successfully cooperating with its partners, including Israel, ideas and talent would go in the dustbin.
Euro-Israeli cooperation is governed by the scientific and technological co-operation agreement signed in July 2007, which provides complete access to Israeli researchers and scientists under the seventh R&D framework research programme, in exchange for a contribution of €440 million. Under this agreement, Israel is currently participating in more than 800 European projects in fields such as cutting edge research linked to nanotechnology, information and communication technology, energy and health. (F.B./transl.fl)