Research cooperation reviewed at EU-US summit
An EU-US summit on 18 December, which provided the opportunity for an appraisal of the EU-US science and technology partnership concluded that cooperation between them has been strengthened. Delegates confirmed that, under the French presidency, the EU and US have strengthened science and technology cooperation in the areas of climate change research, including the ARGO project (a system to monitor changes to the temperature in the world's oceans), nanotechnology, biotechnology, e-learning and the mitigation of natural and man-made disasters through disaster information networking. Agreements to intensify scientific cooperation in non-nuclear energy and to explore research proposals on prions have been made, and science and technology websites have been upgraded in order to offer more complete information on possibilities for cooperation and exchanges. A joint EU-US statement notes that, as agreed at the last summit in Queluz, Europeans and Americans have continued to address concerns regarding biotechnology and records that cooperation on biotechnology regulatory issues have been intensified. An EU-US Biotechnology Consultative Forum has been created with a mandate to examine the wide range of issues related to food and agricultural biotechnology. The Forum submitted its first report to the summit. Since the last EU-US summit, politicians and experts have also worked extensively in order to expand transatlantic cooperation in the information society and are currently working on high-speed scientific research networking. Americans and Europeans have also identified a number of key areas on which to focus future efforts, for example enhancing electronic government, combating high-tech crime, measuring the digital economy, researching the societal benefits of information technology and reducing the digital divide. Attempting to play down recent strains in EU-American relations, delegates pledged to continue to work towards ratifying the Kyoto Protocol as soon as possible, and undertook to seek an agreement at the resumed COP6 session in May/June 2001. Also on the agenda at the EU-US summit was the fight against communicable diseases in Africa. 'The EU and the US agree that to combat these diseases, the international scientific community needs to work together,' the joint statement affirms. 'Long-term investments in the full range of scientific endeavour are necessary to accelerate the development and evaluation of new and affordable vaccines and drugs.' The statement calls upon the private sector to follow the example of the public sector by increasing investment in research and development activities aimed at tackling HIV/AIDS tuberculosis and malaria and pledges the coordination of EU-US research projects to ensure that the 'coordinated efforts contribute to strengthening sustainable capacities at local, national and regional levels in Africa.' Representing the EU at the summit were Romano Prodi, President of the European Commission, External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten, Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy and High CFSP (common foreign and security policy) Representative Javier Solana. The French EU presidency was represented by President Chirac and Foreign Minister Védrine, whilst the US delegation saw President Clinton attending his 15th and final EU-US summit with Secretary of State Albright.
Kraje
France