Brussels, 24/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 24 September, the European Commission presented an international strategy for scientific and technological cooperation between the EU and third countries.
This strategic framework, presented in the form of a communication, refers mainly to information and communication technologies (ICT), which currently represent 10.2% of EU goods exports abroad. “At a time where telecommunications, the internet, mobile telephony and television increasingly impact on our life and on the EU economy, it is urgent to improve the effectiveness of the EU's international action in information and communication technologies,” said Information Society and Media Commissioner Viviane Reding in a press release. Member states and the European Commission are involved in a myriad of research cooperation activities with third countries. However, the absence of a common strategy at European level has led to duplication of efforts and often a waste of resources, says the Commission. “The aim of our strategic framework is to engage with our member states to transform Europe's research labyrinth into a European Research Area open to the world,” said European Commissioner for Science and Research Janez Potoènik. The new strategy, therefore, outlines core principles which should underpin European cooperation with the rest of the world and proposes specific orientations for action to: strengthen the international dimension of the European Research Area (ERA) by bringing Europe's neighbours into the ERA and fostering strategic cooperation with key third countries through geographic and thematic targeting; improve the framework conditions for international cooperation in science and technology and for the promotion of European technologies worldwide, including the joint development of global large-scale research infrastructures (such as GEANT), support to mobility of researchers and management of intellectual property. The Commission also recommends strengthening the global position of the EU's ICT industry and other advanced technologies that would, thanks to EU regulatory principles, improve the investment environment. It also plans to monitor non-tariff barriers and regulatory hurdles faced by EU industry on third markets.
The communication is one of five policy initiatives planned by the Commission to follow up on the 2007 Green Paper “The European Research Area: New Perspectives” (see EUROPE 9401). The full English text of the communication can be found at http: //ec.europa.eu/research/press/2008/pdf/com_2008_588_en.pdf (B.C./transl.rt)