EU International Day

European Initiatives for Research and Innovation

The Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) is the EU’s main instrument for funding research in Europe, running run from 2007 to 2013. The European Union also assessed recently the progress of its current action plan on Life Sciences and Biotechnology, an important step towards a competitive and sustainable bio-economy. The actions proposed are focused on research and market development, competitiveness and innovation, societal debates, sustainable development of agriculture and improved implementation of legislation to ensure competitiveness. In this session, speakers from the European Commission will present the current policies and the opportunities for funding research on health, food, agriculture and biotechnologies. The participation of industries in the EU programmes, particularly SMEs, and the mobility of researchers will also be discussed.


Chairman: Alfredo Aguilar

11:00-11:20Julien Mousnier, Policy Coordinator, European Commission, Secretariat General. “Assessing the European Strategy on Life Sciences and Biotechnology: the BIO-4-EU study”

11:20-11:40Stéphane Hogan, Head of the Coordination Unit for Health Research, European Commission, Research Directorate-General. “Opportunities for health research in the Seventh Framework Programme”

11:40-12:00Alfredo Aguilar, Head of the Biotechnologies Unit, European Commission, Research Directorate-General. “Food and agriculture biotechnologies”

12:00-12:20Ati Vassarotti, Coordination Unit, European Commission, Research Directorate-General. “Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs): enhanced opportunities in FP7”

12:20-12:40Gianpaolo Suriano, Marie Curie Actions – Fellowships. European Commission, Research Directorate-General.  “People: the new Marie Curie actions in the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7)”

12:40-13:00Discussion & Conclusions

Afternoon session:  14:00-16:00, Monday September 17th

International Cooperation

More than 100 countries from all over the world are involved in EU Research Programmes, networking research, improving the lives of those who live in developing countries and those of European citizens. Research groups and companies worldwide can be direct partners in EU projects, though other modalities of cooperation are also possible, through Scientific and Technological agreements or through the coordination of policies with key players in highly competitive fields. The session will be focused mainly on the scientific and technological aspects of five of such successful collaborations with non-European partners.

Chairman: Indridi Benediktsson

14:00-14:20Indridi Benediktsson, Coordination Unit, Health Directorate. European Commission, Research Directorate-General. “International cooperation in EU life sciences research: what are the trends?”

14:20-14:40Niresh Bhagwandin, South African Medical Research Council. “AIDS Vaccine, Microbicides and Recombinant Pharmaceuticals from Plants: South Africa’s involvement in three major EU-funded R&D projects on health” (AVIP, EMPRO, PHARMAPLANTA)

14:40-15:00Nadia Rosenthal, Head of the Monterotondo Outstation of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Italy. “EUCOMM and the world-wide mouse mutagenesis collaborative effort” (EU-USA-Canada)

15:00-15:20Montserrat Fernández Rivas, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid Spain. “EUROPREVALL:  Managing the problem of food allergies” (EU, Russia, China, India, Australia, New Zealand, Ghana)

15:20-15:40Staffan Skerfving, , Lund University, Sweden. “PHIME: Public health impact of toxic metals” (MO, CH, USA, Ecuador, Seychelles, Bangladesh, Faeroes)

15:40-15:50Jens Sundbye, CEO Denmark Regional Office, Co-ordinator of EFBIC Red & Yellow, European Federation of Biotechnology “The EFBIC projects"(EU, China)

15:50-16:00Discussion & Conclusions