France

Political framework for scientific and technological cooperation

The Franco-German Ministerial Councils that have been held every six months since the 40th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty in 2003 form the political framework for bilateral cooperation in training and research. These councils handle regular coordination of Franco-German cooperation on key issues relating to education and research at ministerial level. At the twelfth Franco-German Ministerial Council in Paris on 4th February 2010, Germany and France concluded a joint "Agenda 2020" for structuring their relations and policy over the coming decade. Education, research and innovation policy is a priority of this agenda, which includes a total of 80 project proposals for consolidating Franco-German cooperation in key policy areas such as economic and financial policy, energy and climate policy and foreign and security policy over the next ten years. With regard to European research policy, both countries wish to cooperate with each other on preparations for the 8th EU Framework Program for Research and Technological Development.

The Franco-German research forums that have taken place regularly since 2002 are also extremely important. The remit of these forums is to reach a high-level accord regarding Germany's and France's research and innovation policy strategies. After the forums in Paris (2002) and Potsdam (2005), a 3rd forum was held in Paris on 29th February 2008. At this forum, key players concerned with research policy came to an agreement on issues of strategic interest to both countries at bilateral, European and multilateral level. The cooperation is to be based in particular on expanding consolidation of the European Research Area, research infrastructures, research strategies for climate change and "Joint Calls for Tender".

Key areas of cooperation

Diverse cooperative relations exist at specialised-field and project level. Key areas are information and communication technology, biosciences and biotechnology. Further Franco-German fields of research include features of matter, new materials, environmental and climate research, health and medicine.

Highlights of bilateral cooperation

In order to coordinate their efforts to adapt to global environmental changes such as climate change, Germany and France resolved to establish two top-level research institutes: the Institute for Advanced Sustainability (IASS) in Potsdam and the Hôtel des sciences pour le développement soutenable (HSDS) in Paris. Both countries are also involved in the Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KIC) such as the Climate-KIC for climate protection and the KIC InnoEnergy for sustainable energy.

Germany and France are consolidating their cooperation in the field of supercomputing for processing scientific questions in numerous areas (particle physics, climate research, astronomy, energy, life sciences and nanosciences).

A further example of close cooperation is biosciences and in particular plant biotechnology, a field in which the "Génoplante" and "GABI" national programs for plant genome research are working intensively together. Two joint calls for tender have already been implemented. The second of these is aimed at application-oriented projects with industry participation.

Both countries also cooperate within the framework of the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI). Their involvement focuses in particular on projects for an X-ray laser facility (XFEL) in Hamburg and on FAIR, a heavy ion research centre in Darmstadt.

Germany and France also cooperate within European programs (7th EU Framework Program, COST, EUREKA). The project proposals submitted for these programs by scientists, research institutes and organisations, universities and industry should help to promote research-policy synergies between the two countries.

General developments and activities

1. Third Forum on Franco-German Research Cooperation
The forum was held in the Maison de la Chimie in Paris on 29th February 2008. Key players concerned with research policy from both countries were represented. They advised on possible strategies for overcoming mutual challenges. Principal issues at the forum were:

• Climate change in regions that are particularly affected (especially Africa) 
• Research policy strategies at European level 
• Bilateral cooperation between Germany and France regarding research infrastructures 
• Cooperation between science and business

Prospects for increased cooperation between German and French research and funding organisations were also discussed, citing the following partnerships as examples: MPG and CNRS, Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft and CEA, DKFZ and Inserm, AWI and Ifremer, Leibniz-Gemeinschaft and INRA, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and l'Association des instituts Carnot, and DFG and ANR.

During the forum, agreements were signed for strategic partnerships between the Forschungszentrum Jülich and the Comissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA), between Leibniz-Gemeinschaft and the Institut national de la recherche agronomique (INRA) and between Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and the Association des instituts Carnot. The partnerships focus on the following areas: supercomputing, new technologies in the energy sector and in nanosciences, sequencing the wheat and barley genome, nutrition, and research and development with industry.

The forum concluded with the presentation of the Gay-Lussac-Humboldt Award to outstanding German and French scientists who have helped to strengthen Franco-German research cooperation with their first-class research. This is the award's 25th year. See also: http://www.recherche.gouv.fr/cid20829/le-prix-scientifique-franco-allemand-gay-lussac-humboldt-fete-ses-25-ans.html

2. "Wissenschaftsmuseen im deutsch-französischen Dialog. Dritte Tagung von Expertinnen und Experten der Wissenschaftsmuseen" ("Franco-German Dialogue between Science Museums. Third Conference of Science Museum Experts" (14th-16th October 2007, Berlin)
Around 130 participants responded to the invitation from the Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin (German Museum of Technology), which organised the "Dritte Tagung der Wissenschaftsmuseen im deutsch-französischen Dialog" ("Third Conference for Franco-German Dialogue between Science Museums") in cooperation with ICOM Deutschland (International Council of Museums, Germany) and ICOM France from 14th to 16th October 2007.

Over its two-day duration, the conference provided insights into the differences and similarities between the development of the museum and science-centre environments in Germany and France. In addition to the central topic of this year's conference – "Communicating science in museums" – issues regarding education were discussed and different didactic methods were explored for addressing different generations in museums and science centres. A "marketplace" for presentations and a "poster session" provided information on the latest projects from the individual museums and their associated institutions.

The conference's framework program, which included excursions to selected Berlin museums and two receptions in the Deutsches Historisches Museum (German Historical Museum) and the Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin (German Museum of Technology), offered opportunities for detailed specialist discussions and provided a chance to meet up and network.

3. Exchange program between the Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research) (HZI) and Institut Pasteur (IP) investigating genetic susceptibility to infectious diseases
The Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) and the Institut Pasteur (IP) held a series of meetings between November 2006 and the end of April 2007 to initiate scientific projects.

The workshop in Paris on 20th February 2007 on the subject of "The Genetics of Mouse Susceptibility to Infectious Diseases" was arranged and run by Prof. Panthier and Prof. Dr. Schughart as part of this program. The HZI and the IP have internationally respected expertise in the analysis of genetic susceptibility to infectious diseases that can be utilised in joint projects. Ten scientists from Germany took part and fourteen from France.

The following were identified as concrete project ideas: (1) analysis of complex genetic inheritance (new, improved hypotheses on host genetics for infectious diseases using different mouse populations), (2) humanised mouse models (mouse models with a human immune system) and (3) ES cell mutagenesis (genetic characterisation of mutagenised ES cells).

In the follow-up workshop, the representatives of the IP and HZI conceived a joint research project and a cooperation agreement was concluded in June 2007. The project is supported by the complementary nature of the resources, expertise and available infrastructures of the two participating laboratories and their research institutes. Based on the cooperation agreement, the IP has issued a call for tender by the PTR (Programmes Transversaux de Recherche), an internal research program financed by the IP, which includes a call for joint projects between the HZI and IP.

4. Carnot and Fraunhofer-Verbund Mikroelektronik (Fraunhofer Group for Microelectronics) cooperation workshop
The Fraunhofer-Verbund Mikroelektronik and the French "Association des instituts Carnot" met in Berlin on 15th and 16th February 2007 to explore common ground and cooperation opportunities in the field of microelectronics/microsystem technology. The French "Association des instituts Carnot" is a consortium of institutes for applied research similar to the German Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft.

German participants comprised 27 representatives from the Verbund Mikroelektronik and the Fraunhofer Headquarters – including Prof. Buller, Senior Vice President Research Planning at the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft – and French participants comprised 22 representatives of the following institutions: CEA-LETI (Grenoble), FEMTO-Innovation (Besançon), GET (Brest), IEMN (Lille), LAAS (Toulouse), LIST (Saclay) and MIB (Bordeaux), with Dr. Duprey representing the Agence National de la Recherche (ANR). Dr. Amlaiky, the Science Attaché of the French Embassy in Berlin, was present as a guest.

The cooperation workshop in Berlin enabled exchange of ideas to identify common ground and cooperation opportunities in the field of microelectronics/microsystem technology. Representatives of both organisations presented their basic structures and their current work. The teams explored cooperation opportunities in six working groups dealing with photonics, security, biomedical engineering, system integration, smart environment and software defined radio.

The working groups are now continuing to plan their joint activities. Further meetings at working-group level are planned. The French have already extended an invitation to the follow-up workshop in France in September.
The Franco-German workshop was financially supported by the International Bureau of the BMBF on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

5. International workshop: "Challenges in Desertification Research and Answers from Europe – Launching the European DesertNet"
Members of the German Desert*Net, the French Comité Scientifique Français de la Désertification (CSFD) and the Belgian network held an initial international workshop entitled "Challenges in Desertification Research and Answers from Europe – Launching the European DesertNet" in Bonn from 16th-17th October 2006. The aim was to establish a European scientific network to combat desertification (European DesertNet).
The European scientific network for combating desertification (European DesertNet) is regarded as an important future instrument to support the Scientific Committee for Science and Technology (CST) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and to act as a partner for the EU as part of its Framework Programs for Research and Technological Development. European DesertNet is a follow-up initiative derived from the 2nd Franco-German workshop on "Nachhaltigkeit/Développement durable – Biodiversität und Desertifikation/Biodiversité et Desertification" ("Sustainable Development – Biodiversity and Desertification") organised by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the French Ministère de l´Education nationale, de l´enseignement supérieur et de la recherche in July 2005. 92 scientists from 16 European countries (Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Romania, Switzerland, Slovak Republic, Spain, Hungary) are currently members of the European scientific network for combating desertification.

6.  The European Research and Innovation Exhibition (2ème Salon européen de la recherche et de l'innovation)
Germany was guest of honour at the 2ème Salon européen de la recherche et de l'innovation from 8th to 11th June 2006 in Paris. The German stand, which was financed by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), showcased a diverse range of German research institutions and competence networks. The stand provided a forum to initiate new cooperations. In particular, it offered young international scientists the chance to find out about career opportunities in German research institutions. The exhibition was opened by the German State Secretary Frieder Meyer-Krahmer and the French Minister for Research François Goulard. They visited the BMBF stand together. The stand organisation was handled by the International Bureau.

The following institutions and competence networks were showcased at the German stand: 

• BioInstruments® Jena   
• DAAD Paris  
• Deutsch-französische Hochschule  
• Deutsch-französische Kompetenznetze 
• Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH  
• Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft   
• GABI   
• Kompetenznetze in der Medizin (Competence Networks in Medicine) 
• Leibniz-Gemeinschaft  
• Materials made in NRW  
• Max-Delbrück-Centrum für Molekulare Medizin (Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine) 
• Max-Planck-Gesellschaft

http://www.salon-de-la-recherche.com/

7. The Second Forum on Franco-German Research Cooperation 2005
The First Forum on Franco-German Research Cooperation, held in Paris in February 2002 and attended by the research ministers of both nations, was aimed at presenting the key results of bilateral cooperation, the progress achieved and the development prospects. At the Franco-German government consultations in Berlin on 26th October 2004, a second forum was arranged to provide new impetus for bilateral cooperation. The forum took place from 6th-7th July 2005 in the Geoforschungszentrum Potsdam (GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences). In line with the respective national innovation initiatives and the thematic priorities set out in the joint letter of 18th February 2004 from German Federal Chancellor Schröder, French President Jacques Chirac and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, both sides had agreed the following key specialist themes:

• Information and communication technologies 
• Nanotechnology 
• Biotechnology 
• Sustainability  
• Health research 
• Digital library 
• Marine technologies 
• Humanities and social sciences

In addition, working groups addressed the following horizontal issues: 

• Institutional cooperation 
• Cooperation with non-member countries 
• Innovation

The program for the forum can be found here (in german), and the reports on the results of the forum are available at kooperation-international.de in the "Strategiedokumente" section.

8. Franco-German bionics workshop
The first start-up meeting to establish Franco-German cooperation in the field of biomimetics/bionics was held in Freiburg on 15th and 16th December 2005, with the financial support of the International Bureau of the BMBF. German and French scientific and political representatives took part in this meeting. The aim of the workshop was to hold exploratory talks on founding a French biomimetics competence network based on the model of the German nationwide Bionics Competence Network BIOKON and the Baden-Württemberg Competence Network Biomimetics. In particular, German experiences with structural and project funding within a competence network of this type were discussed, along with the possibilities for close cooperation between the German competence networks and the planned French competence network. The medium-term goal is the establishment of a European competence network (EUROCOM Bionik) with the respective national networks as a starting point. The next meeting in France for further discussion of the bi-national cooperation was arranged for autumn 2006.

9. Southeast European Era-Net (SEE-ERA.NET) 
Germany and France work together in their own region-specific ERA-Nets. German partners in the Southeast European Era-Net (SEE-ERA.NET) are the BMBF and the International Bureau. French partners are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the CNRS. The ERA-Net is aimed at structuring and expanding the European Research Area to the Western Balkan countries by supporting and coordinating bilateral and multilateral activities in the 12 countries participating in the ERA-Net. Albania – together with Serbia – currently holds only observer status. A further important effect of this EU project is the inclusion of the candidate countries Bulgaria and Romania in supraregional R&D cooperation with the Western Balkans, which should help to integrate these countries more