70 million euro for INTAS to encourage NIS participation in FP6
At their General Assembly in Brussels in December, INTAS, the International Association for the promotion of cooperation with scientists from the New Independent States (NIS) of the former Soviet Union, responded positively to the European Commission's decision to extend further support to INTAS activities until 2006. INTAS was set up in June 1993 as a non-profit independent organisation to respond to the needs of scientists from the New Independent States by building partnerships between East and West. INTAS activities include: setting up scientific communities through partnership, funding joint high-quality research projects, evaluating all proposed projects using expert review procedures, assisting young scientist in innovative research projects. INTAS Executive Secretary, Dr. Jaak Sinnaeve defined INTAS as 'a dedicated instrument for scientific collaboration with the New Independent States (NIS) and to debate on the scientific priorities for a sustainable socio-economic development in the (NIS)'. His comment came dduring the European Commission's conference dedicated to the launch of the Sixth Framework Programme, which included an INTAS workshop on the future of international scientific cooperation with the NIS. The active participation of INTAS in the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) ensures closer third country integration into the European Research Area (ERA) as well as acting as an incentive for NIS partner countries to participate in all of the FP6 thematic areas and to benefit from the funding tools (networks of excellence and integrated projects) at their disposal. INTAS has already planned future initiatives in the FP6 context: It is hoped that in spring 2003, an open call for proposals will be made for young NIS scientist fellowships. Information regarding these calls will be made available in select scientific journals as well as the INTAS web site.