THE JOINT DECLARATION TO STRENGTHEN THE EU-LAC COOPERATION IN ICT RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION (R&D+i)

Introduction

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Over the last years, several activities have been undertaken in cooperation between EU and LAC aiming at interconnecting science, research and innovation, as well as business and research centres and networks. The steady increase over the last decade in LAC participation in the EU Framework Programme (FP) projects facilitates the relationship between the EU and LAC regions with regard to ICT collaboration.

A number of relevant initiatives sharing the common final objective of reinforcing EU-LAC cooperation in science and technology with a particular a focus on ICT are presenting their experiences and recommendations for an enhanced and more effective cooperation.

During this process, policy dialogue has also lead to the identification of common obstacles, challenges, synergies and future opportunities in EU-LAC cooperation in the field of ICT. In order to strengthen the EU-LAC cooperation in the ICT field, relationship should be re-appraised as a partnership driven by clearly identified interests and leading to mutual benefits.

The Joint Declaration responds to this need and grounds on the results of studies, activities, meetings and discussion brought forward by stakeholders partnered in a number of project initiatives. The Joint Declaration is presented for the first time on the occasion of “Fostering EU-Latin America ICT Policy Dialogue” conference in Brussels, 28/29 November 2011, gathering more than 150 high-profile stakeholders of the ICT research and development and cooperation Europe-America Latina.

We launch this process: all stakeholders active in ICT international cooperation for R&D+i between Europe and Latin America are invited to support and/or give their contributions based on their specific experience and interest.   

Reference documents for the Joint Declaration

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