COST General Activity Report 1995/96
The COST General Activity Report 1995/96 has recently been published by the European Commission. The Report outlines the various research activities undertaken within the COST initiative for European cooperation in science and technology during the period 1995/96. The Report shows that activities undertaken within COST increased considerably during the period, with the numbers of Actions in progress rising by 20% to 140. This increase builds on the increases of previous years. In addition to the rise in numbers of Actions, participation also increased, due both to the new members which joined in 1991 or 1992, as well as to an increase in the participation rates of earlier members. Again in the 1995/96 period, a number of applications for membership were submitted, with up to seven new members likely to join before the end of 1997. A major event held in the period covered by the Report was the COST Interaction Conference, held in Basel, Switzerland, in October 1995. At this conference, which was attended by 600 scientists, discussions focused on key questions for the future of COST. It was clear from the conference that the particular characteristics of COST, notably its inter-disciplinary cooperation, should be maintained. Following the conference an assessment of COST was carried out, with a view to ensuring that any changes necessary to respond to economic and social change, as well as the increase in COST activity, can be made rapidly. This assessment was completed in March 1997, and submitted to the Ministerial Conference held in May 1997. The Report contains general information about the activities of COST, including a list of Actions in progress. Individual reports from each Action and the Technical Committees are also included, as well as a list of publications and contact details.