Europe and USA cooperate on environmental research
Representatives from the European Commission and the US national science foundation signed an implementation agreement in the field of environmental research on 16 October. The agreement will strengthen cooperation in the areas of climate change, marine science and technology, seismic risks and hazards reduction, artic research and research on environmental biology. Researchers and scientists on both sides will be able to participate in each other's programmes and exchange information (covering their own costs), following implementation of the agreement. The agreement was signed by Dr Christian Patermann, director of environment research programme at the European Commission's DG Research and Dr Margaret Leinen, assistant director at the US national science foundation, and was immediately welcomed by European Research Commissioner, Philippe Busquin. 'The signature of this agreement gives the right political signal and underlines the importance the European Union attaches to the further promotion of transatlantic cooperative agreements,' he said. 'More than any other area, environmental protection is a global issue where systematic cooperation and learning from each other's experience is highly desirable, if not indispensable, for sustainable development.' The fields of cooperation covered by this agreement are two of the 15 set out in an earlier agreement between the EU and the USA signed in 1998. It is anticipated that this transatlantic cooperation will be reinforced in the 'sustainable development ad global change' priority of the next EU Framework programme, which is due to start in 2002. A steering committee will also supervise the implementation of the cooperation, with annual meetings scheduled in both Europe and the USA.