Czech Presidency R&D information service now online on CORDIS
As the Czech Republic has now taken its place at the helm of the European Union for the first half of 2009, CORDIS, the Community Research and Development Information Service, has published a new internet portal to provide information on research and development (R&D) activities under the Czech Presidency. In the coming six months, the Czech Presidency plans to focus the research limelight on a 'European Research Area without barriers'. In order to make progress in a unified European Research Area (ERA), the Presidency will be promoting research infrastructures on an international level and a range of other topics, including: the sharing of knowledge, coordinated programmes and priorities, the opening of the ERA to international cooperation and the mobility of competent researchers, especially from the younger generation. 'The Czech Republic takes over the Presidency of the Council of the EU at the time when debates over a number of fundamental topics of research and development culminate,' states Ondrej Liska, Czech Minister for Higher Education and Research. 'The further development of the European Research Area (ERA) is considered as the key topic.' 'We need Europe without barriers. And not only at the entry but also at the exit,' Mr Liska continues. 'We need Europe without barriers for knowledge that is a result of cutting-edge research. The fifth freedom, freedom of knowledge, must be a permanent objective of the EU.' Beside a detailed account of the Czech Presidency priorities in R&D, the new service provides an up-to-date overview of related news and events in specially dedicated sections. It also gives easy access to important links and addresses. With the completion of the French EU Presidency, the Czech Republic will now be in charge until the end of June 2009. At that time, Sweden will take over for the second half of 2009.
Countries
Czechia