ESA defines deal on greater eastern European cooperation
The European Space Agency (ESA) has drawn up a new agreement which will allow greater participation of four eastern European countries in ESA programmes. The deal with the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Romania aims to stimulate relations with interested European countries, enrich ESA research and development and expand Europe's scientific and industrial base. The four countries have been designated as European Cooperating States (ECS) under the ESA's new ECS Agreement. The deal will allow each country, which must already have signed a framework agreement with the ESA, greater participation in all ESA activities and procurements. The terms of each country's participation will be defined by a five year plan jointly agreed with the ESA. ESA programme manager Henk Olthof said the programme 'creates a natural extension of the existing very fruitful collaboration and allows the four countries to participate in all agency programmes and enables the ESA to benefit from their expertise.' In September this year, ESA held a workshop in Paris with the four ECS. Mr Olthof said: 'The objective of the workshop was to present the different possibilities existing through this newly-created ECS status and to understand the different views and possible concerns of our partners.' The ESA first established relations with the four participating countries in the early 1990s when they wanted to discuss space programme collaboration. The joint cooperation projects which ensued led to the signing of framework agreements with ESA. As a result of this collaboration, the Czech Republic and Hungary both participate in the ESA's PRODEX (scientific experiment developing) programme. The scheme aims to improve relations between the scientific and industrial communities in participating states and fund industrial development of academic science research. The definition of the future deal signifies the beginning of further with the ECS. The deal is expected to be signed within two years.