EU-Egypt held their 1st joint committee meeting on S&T cooperation

The first joint committee meeting on S&T cooperation between Egypt and EU took place on 21 June 2006 in Brussels in the context of the EU-Egypt S&T cooperation agreement, which was signed in June 2005.

EU-Egypt held their 1st joint committee meeting on S&T cooperation in Brussels on 21 June 2006

The first joint committee meeting on S&T cooperation between Egypt and EU took place on 21 June 2006 in Brussels in the context of the EU-Egypt S&T cooperation agreement, which was signed in June 2005. This committee is intended to identify priorities for future collaboration in the areas of research and technological development.

The Egyptian delegation was led by Prof. H. Helal, Minister for Scientific Research and Higher Education. The EU delegation was led by Mr Silva Rodriguez, DG research Director General.
In his opening speech, Mr Silva Rodriguez stressed the importance of International Cooperation activities in the 7th Framework Programme and the need for strengthening the scientific cooperation between Europe and the Mediterranean countries.

Prof. Helal indicated that education and scientific research were key factors of socio-economic development. He stressed the commitment of his country for reinforcing the strategic partnership with the EU in these areas.
He then indicated that Egypt would aim in the future at focussing its cooperation activities in specific thematic areas and would also invest more in human resources for research and development. Prof. Helal listed also the priorities of the Egyptian government on S&T: basic sciences, medical research, ICT, nanotechnology, biotechnology, water and energy.
He finally expressed the wish to host the EuroMed ministerial meeting for research in Alexandria in the near future.

Both delegations discussed issues of common interests such as human resources and mobility, ICT, health, renewable energy and water resources, nanotechnologies, agriculture, food quality and safety. Synergies with other European policies were also discussed in particular the MEDA programme to support research and innovation initiatives in Egypt (to be implemented by the end of 2006). This programme should reinforce the participation of the Egyptian research organisations to the 7th Framework Programme.

The meeting was concluded by the adoption of the Egypt-EU S&T action Plan for 2006-2007.

Countries

Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Egypt, Greece, Spain, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Slovenia, Slovakia, United Kingdom