Continuation of scientific cooperation between the EU and South Africa
Scientific cooperation between the EU and South Africa will continue under the upcoming Fifth RTD Framework Programme, following agreement reached at a meeting between senior officials from the commission and South Africa. Formal legal procedures for the continuation of cooperation are likely to be launched shortly. The first meeting of the Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Committee (JSTCC), established under the EC-SA Scientific Cooperation Agreement, took place in Brussels, Belgium, on 3 June 1998. It was chaired jointly by the European Commission's Director-General for Science, Research and Development, Professor Jorma Routti, and the Director-General of the South African Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, Mr. Roger Jardine. The Agreement, which entered into force on 11 November 1997, allows for the participation of South African research entities in all the specific programmes of the Community's RTD Framework Programme and participation of EU research entities in the South African research programmes. The continuation of this Agreement under the upcoming Fifth RTD Framework Programme will ensure that the foundations for the construction of a mutually beneficial science and technology partnership between the EU and South Africa can be built upon. This will also prove beneficial in the wider context of bilateral relations between the two parties. The focus of the recent meeting was on practical implementation of the Agreement and on measures to facilitate participation by researchers. Elements such as an information strategy were discussed, in particular the use of specific measures such as electronic newsletters, Websites and databases.