European Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik chairs first everEU-India Ministerial Meeting on Science

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Press Release

 

 

Press Release (P&I/2007/001)

 

 

European Research Commissioner Janez Potoènik chairs first ever EU-India

Ministerial Meeting on Science

 

 

Brussels, 6 February 2007

 

 

European Science and Research Commissioner, Janez Potoènik, will make his first

official visit to India on 7-9 February, with events in Delhi and Ahmedabad.

While there, he will co-chair the first ever meeting of EU and India science

ministers and participate in the EU-India Science Icons meeting, with the

President of India, plus 500 Indian science students. Commissioner Potoènik

will also inaugurate a workshop on climate change research, and visit India's

premier fusion energy research facility.

 

 

"India and the EU have much to learn from each other in the field of science"

said Commissioner Potocnik before his departure. "We have both recognised that

our people, and their knowledge, are our best resource. We are working together

in major projects such as the GEANT network, Galileo satellite system and ITER

fusion energy project. I hope that my visit, and especially the EU-India

Ministerial Meeting, will give added impetus to an already flourishing

relationship".

 

 

The EU-India summit in October 2006 highlighted the importance of research in

the EU-India relationship. Between 2002 and 2006 more than 75 projects were

funded that involved Indian researchers. Significant new opportunities are

opening up with the advent of the Seventh Framework Programme, which has a

structure that is more open to international partnerships than its

predecessors.

 

 

The EU-India Ministerial Conference on Science on 7 February will be chaired by

Kapil Sibal, the Minister for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, for the

Indian side, and Annette Schavan, German Federal Minister of Science, and

Commissioner Potoènik for the EU side. It will be attended by ministers or

high-level representatives from the 27 EU Member States, many of whom have

recently signed bilateral science and technology agreements with India. The

objective of the conference is to identify ways to strengthen the scope and

quality of scientific co-operation with India, within the context of the

continued development of a European Research Area.

 

 

On 8 February, the Commissioner will participate in the EU-India Science Icons

event, where leading figures from science and research in Europe and India will

have a chance to interact with Indian science students. The event, under the

aegis of the Indian President DR APJ Abdul Kalam, is based on similar

gatherings that take place in Europe, which are important in generating

interest in and enthusiasm for science as a career choice. The same day

Commissioner Potoènik will also open the EU-India Strategic Workshop on Climate

Change Research needs, bringing together 50 leading climate change experts from

Europe and India to discuss this area of extreme importance to both partners.

The workshop will identify common research priorities and look at how the

Indian and European science funding systems could work together to stimulate

joint research.

 

 

The final leg of the visit will take place at the Institute of Plasma Research

in Ahmedabad, which is co-ordinating India's input to the ITER fusion energy

project.

 

 

For information on the EU's science and technology co-operation with India:

http://www.delind.cec.eu.int/en/stcoop/sthome.htm

 

 

For information on the ITER fusion energy project: www.iter.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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EUROPEAN UNION

Delegation of the European Commission to India, Bhutan and Nepal

65 Golf Links, New Delhi, 110 003, India

Tel: (+91-11) 2462.9237

Fax: (+91-11) 2462.9206 website: www.delind.ec.europa.eu

 

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