We need you, Potocnik tells Israel
Since 1996 Israel has been the only non-European country fully associated to the EU's research funding programmes. With negotiations for the country's accession to the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) well underway, EU Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik made his first official visit to the country. Speaking at Israel's FP7 launch conference, he noted that the EU was now the country's second biggest source of research funding after the Israel Science Foundation. Over 500 projects under FP6, including many in the information and communication technologies (ICT) and life sciences fields, involved Israeli partners. Surveys show that a large majority of Israeli researchers in both universities and industry describe their participation in FP6 as 'very important' to their work. Israeli companies are also involved in several European Technology Platforms and Israel is a member of the EUREKA, a pan-European, intergovernmental initiative that supports industrial, market-oriented research. 'We need that input from outside the EU,' Mr Potocnik commented. The Commissioner pointed out that the EU had a lot to learn from Israel, where 4.7% of GDP is spent on civilian research, R&D expenditure per capita is higher than in the US and most EU countries, and 12 workers in every 1,000 in the business sector are researchers. As well as describing the four main themes of FP7, Mr Potocnik outlined his plans to carry out a complete review of the European Research Area (ERA). 'A revamped, revitalised European Research Area can give research - and researchers - the kind of importance they already enjoy in countries like Israel,' he said. 'The work of the last seven years has helped build the European Research Area. Now it is time to check its health and see how we can make it stronger.' During his two-day trip to Israel, Mr Potocnik will also meet Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres, Minister of Industry, Trade and Labour Eli Ishai and acting Minister of Science, Culture and Sport, Yael Tamir.
Countries
Israel