The past and future of EU research funding

A conference on the past and future of EU research funding will be held in Helsinki, Finland, on 16 and 17 June 1997. The conference is being organized by the Group for Technology Studies of VTT, the Finnish Technical Research Centre, as part of the "Six Countries Programme", an international network for discussion on research into innovation and related public policies.

The aim of the conference is to bring together researchers and policy-makers from each of the member countries of the Six Countries Programme (now 12 countries). The major aims are to improve understanding of innovation processes and assessment of the impact of science and technology on public policies and programmes.

The 1997 conference of the Six Countries Programme will be held in the context of the development of the European Community's Fifth RTD Framework Programme. Three sessions will address the following topics:

- The rational of European research funding policy - Should the EU support lagging or advanced fields?
- The outcomes - A European scientific and technological community in the making?
- Does the EU promote a fortress Europe?
For further information, please contact:

VTT - Group for Technology Studies
Ms. Sirpa Posti
Fax +358-9-4567007
E-mail: Sirpa.Posti@vtt.fi