JRC paves the way for ERA
Dr Barry McSweeney, Director General of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) and Professor Lucio Bianco, President of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) have signed a collaboration agreement in a move to pave the way towards the establishment of a European research area (ERA). The CNR is Italy's main research organisation, conducting both exploratory and applied research. The agreement focuses on research in the following areas: protection of the environment and sustainable development; food science and biomedicine; safety of informatics systems; metrology and socio-economic and prospective research. On a working level, cooperation between the two organisations will include carrying out joint projects using the same research infrastructure, temporary exchanges of scientific personnel, joint workshops, conferences and training courses and dual drafting of scientific documents and publications. Collaboration between the JRC and the CNR is already fairly intense, with almost 100 research contracts and partnerships involving both organisations. The JRC is planning to play a catalytic role in the development of the ERA by establishing networks in areas where European action is perceived necessary. The agreement with the CNR is part of the JRC's objective of strengthening links with major EU research institutions. Similar agreements have already been signed with TNO in The Netherlands, VTT in Finland and CSIC in Spain.