On Monday 29 September, the research and innovation ministers of the countries of the European Union, Latin America and the Caribbean finalised a common agenda designed to deepen bi-regional cooperation in the field of research.
Based on principles such as academic freedom, open science and ethics, this cooperation will focus on three strategic areas: - climate change and the energy transition; - public and animal health in a ‘One Health’ approach; - artificial intelligence that serves science, is human-centric and responsible.
For each of these three key areas, a working group will be set up within two months, with the aim of developing an 18-month action plan. These action plans will have to include factors such as research infrastructures, the mobility of scientists, the transformation of the fruits of research into concrete innovations and the financial instruments available at international, regional and national level.
Every two years, the ministers will review the progress made in implementing the common agenda.
Argentina and Paraguay have indicated that they do not subscribe to the idea that gender equality is “essential” to unlocking the full potential of research communities. Nor does Buenos Aires consider labour law and social justice to be “common values”.
See the joint ministerial declaration: https://aeur.eu/f/ioj
See the EU-CELAC research and innovation agenda: https://aeur.eu/f/iok (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)