THE JOINT DECLARATION TO STRENGTHEN THE EU-LAC COOPERATION IN ICT RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION
The steady increase over the last decade in LAC participation in the EU Framework Programme projects facilitates the relationship between the EU and LAC countries 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. The policy dialogue has 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 cooperation, 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.
Click here to read and comment the Joint Declaration.
Dear Participant to ‘Fostering EU-Latin America ICT Policy Dialogue’ event,
Dear Stakeholder of the ICT EU-Latin America International cooperation,
The feedback we have received suggests that ‘Fostering EU-Latin America ICT Policy Dialogue’ conference was a great success. The high-profile participation totalling about 150 people, and the many and strong views expressed throughout the event, will help demonstrate very clearly to key decision-makers and to the public at large the importance of EU-Latin America international cooperation in ICT research and development.
One week after, it is important to keep the momentum generated by this successful event, able to bring together the several EU-LA initiatives and projects for S&T cooperation and the different players at academia, government and industry level of both shores of the Atlantic.
Following the output and intense work and debates held on the first day of the event, strong policy messages were delivered the next day taking advantage of an exceptional location, the European Parliament, where the final session of ‘EU-Latin America ICT Policy Dialogue’ was organized with the support of the Member of the European Parliament Marco Scurria. Governmental representatives of Latin-American countries, including the Director of Innovation and Technological Development of COLCIENCIAS (Colombia) and the Vice-president of the National Agency for Research and Innovation of Uruguay, remarked the importance and advancement of ICT in their countries and the pivotal role that Europe plays in this strategy. Additional messages were received by industry representatives, including the President of the Mexican Coparmex, who highlighted the relevance for industry to be involved and influence the policy dialogue in order to boost innovation and productive cooperation. A similar point was highlighted by the Dean of the University of Palermo in Buenos Aires, who brought the audience attention on the ultimate aim of the policy dialogue in ICT, making innovative projects that will benefit the society in both EU and LA. The technological potential and interest to cooperate from Latin America is indeed a fact: earlier that day, in a meeting room of the European Parliament packed to capacity, Latin-American delegations from throughout the region could stage a brilliant and dynamic showcase of ideas, project presentations, and success stories of ICT and research in front of European research and industry stakeholders, European Commission officers and Members of the European Parliament.
Interconnecting research and innovation, as well as business, research centres and networks, is a main output of the conference. The instrument to continue and reinforce this process is represented by the Joint Declaration: the Declaration was presented to the conference stakeholders on the first day of the event and was subsequently received at the European Parliament by the European Commission representative Mr. Carlos Oliveira. Mr. Oliveira remarked the alignment of many points brought up in the document with the Commission directions, in particular of the IST Advisory Group (ISTAG), the working group set up to advice the Commission on the overall strategy in the IST thematic priority under the European framework programme. Furthermore, Mr. Oliveira expressed the commitment to take them into account in particular for what concerns international cooperation objectives.
The Joint Declaration is an evolving document. A second version based on the many, valuable comments that have been submitted during the past week will be soon published in the FORESTA website. In your capacity as stakeholder of the EU-LA international cooperation in ICT, we invite you to give your contribution and continue support and/or comment the Joint Declaration to advance the EU-LA ICT dialogue for research and innovation.
Follow the Joint Declaration through this link:
http://www.forestaproject.eu/
We sincerely thank you for your participation and your active and sustained contribution to reinforce Science & Technology cooperation between Europe and Latin America.
