EC-South Africa Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation
The European Commission has published the text of the draft Agreement on scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Republic of South Africa, along with a recommendation to the Council of Ministers to sign the Agreement on behalf of the Community. The Agreement was reached on 7 May 1996, and is in line with the negotiating directives adopted by the Council of Ministers in January 1996. The aim of the Agreement is to encourage and facilitate cooperation between the EC and South Africa in fields of common interest where they are supporting research and development to advance science and/or technology. Cooperation may take the form of participation of South African researchers in Community Fourth RTD Framework Programme projects, and of Community researchers in South African RTD projects. South Africa will, however, be considered a developing country in relation to participation by South African researchers in projects under the specific RTD programme in the field of cooperation with third countries and international organizations (INCO). Other forms of cooperation included in the Agreement are: - Shared use of research facilities; - Visits and exchanges of research workers, engineers and technicians; - Participation by experts in seminars, symposia and workshops; - Scientific networks and training of researchers; - Exchange of information. A Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Committee will be established to administer the Agreement. Each party will be responsible for funding its own participants, and no transfer of funds between the EC and South Africa will take place, except in respect of projects carried out under the INCO programme. Participants' rights in relation to the dissemination and utilization of information and intellectual property rights will be those of the party administering the RTD programme involved.
Countries
South Africa