Hanover, 23/06/2000 (Agence Europe) - Croatia, Israel and Latvia joined Eureka at the Ministerial Conference held on Friday at Expo 2000 in Hanover. The intergovernmental organisation charged with the promotion of cooperation in the field of research now has 29 members plus the European Union. Three strategic initiatives and 160 new projects, for a total investment of 406 million euros, were launched during the six-month period now drawing to a close, under German presidency. The ministerial conference highlighted the necessity of closer cooperation with the European Commission so that Eureka can offer small and medium-sized enterprises access to the future European research area that will gradually be set in place at European Union level. Spain will preside Eureka in the latter half of 2000.