Minutes of the meeting between the representatives of SB RAS and of the European Commission (DGXII)

In the framework of the 40th anniversary of the foundation of the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SB RAS), an exchange of views has taken place on the 24th of September, between Prof. Nikolai L. Dobretsov, Chairman of SB RAS, Dr. Valery D. Ermikov, Head of Research Management Department of the SB RAS, and Mr. Michel Chapuis, principal administrator in the European Commission (DG XII-B). Other officials of the SB RAS took part in the discussion.

Both sides looked forward to the conclusion, perhaps already in 1998, of a comprehensive S/T Cooperation Agreement between the EU and Russia, in which regional aspects should be taken into account.

In this context, they have discussed the present state of RTD cooperation and the involvement of the specialists of the SB RAS in the EU RTD programmes. In particular, the prospects for the participation of Siberian scientists and specialists in the specific programmes of the first and second activities of the 4th Framework Programme have been considered. The two sides have also examined the impact expected from the activities of the Siberian Information/Consultancy Centre for RTD Cooperation (SibICC) between Russia and the EU on the promotion of this cooperation.

As a result they have identified the following trends of cooperation as very promising:

• a more active involvement of Siberian researchers in EU RTD programmes, as scientific coordinators, project partners and experts;
• the implementation into practice of the results of EU-funded RTD projects accomplished with the contribution of Russian scientists, including the creation of joint ventures and SMEs (with the support of the TACIS Joint Venture Programme or other programmes, possibly including those of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, etc.);
• increasing the availability of the information on research priorities and expansion of the cooperation in fundamental and applied research carried out by the institutions of the SB RAS, in the context of the Community research policy and the RTD Framework Programme;
• cooperation in the field of training and mobility of researchers, e.g. summer schools for undergraduate and post-graduate students from the EU Member States in the SB RAS research institutions, including summer schools for young scientists at Lake Baikal, Lake Teletskoye, etc.;
• increased assistance to the scientific community of the Region in acquiring information on the possibilities of participation in European Community RTD programmes, as well as on research capacity, activity and priorities of European science (as a task for the SibICC);
• the provision of assistance in the search for partners both from the EU Member States and Russia as far as the calls for proposals launched by the EU are concerned.

• of arranging and funding the visits of EU undergraduate and postgraduate students;
• of proposing highly qualified experts of SB RAS in response to requests from the side of European Commission;
• of shared participation in funded joint projects and other activities.

• supporting the development of the activities of the SibICC in accordance with the general tasks set for Information Consultancy Centres;
• the Centre organizing some information days and meetings with prominent Siberian researchers involved in INCO-funded projects;
• holding, whenever possible, annual meetings between the Commission representatives and the officials from the Presidium of SB RAS for discussing the progress and problems of the cooperation.

- on the side of the Directorate-General XII of the European Commission by Mr. Michel Chapuis

- on the side of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences by Dr. Valery D. Ermikov