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Western, Northern and Southern Europe

Cooperation with other European countries is a central issue for Germany and an especially strong factor in the implementation of the BMBF’s funding programmes. Bilateral cooperation predominantly takes place within a multilateral framework and is geared towards actively shaping the European Research Area (ERA). Scientific cooperation in the ERA is generally carried out through direct and unrestricted contact between researchers and research institutions, without the need for government-funded measures to establish these contacts.

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  Belgium

  Belgium held the EU Council Presidency in the 2nd half of 2010. The role of innovation, research and development in establishing a sustainable society is one of the priorities of the presidency. Belgium's federal structure has a very strong impact on research policy. Belgium has close and good-neighbourly relations with Germany. A German-Belgian agreement on bilateral cooperation in science and research does not exist at government level.
  [more] (URL: http://www.internationales-buero.de/en/3937.php)
  
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  France

  France is Germany’s most important partner among the EU member states. Intensive cooperative relations are maintained in numerous fields and at different levels: between the ministries, between scientific and research organizations, and in the form of specific projects. Germany and France have developed extraordinarily extensive scientific and technological cooperation relations.
  [more] (URL: http://www.internationales-buero.de/en/1013.php)
  
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  Greece

  For Germany and Greece, bilateral research cooperation within Europe is a key element of national research policy. Over the past few years, Greece has also built up a very good infrastructure, primarily in certain areas of basic research. This has made cooperation more interesting for German researchers, both within and outside the classic fields of activity.
  [more] (URL: http://www.internationales-buero.de/en/1014.php)
  
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  Great Britain

  Germany and the United Kingdom work together closely, both bilaterally and in international organizations. This is reflected in the large number of contacts and collaborations between British and German actors in the political, scientific, cultural and economic arena.
  [more] (URL: http://www.internationales-buero.de/en/1015.php)
  
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  Italy

  Germany is Italy's most important trade partner. Relations with Italy in other respects have also traditionally been close and very diverse. Both national governments and as well as parliamentarians from Germany and Italy engage in a regular exchange of ideas which is enriched by many opportunities to meet at international conferences.
  [more] (URL: http://www.internationales-buero.de/en/4534.php)
  
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  The Netherlands

  Research, development and innovation are playing an increasingly important role in the Netherlands. In the science and technology sectors, the relations between Germany and the Netherlands are not formalised. Both countries maintain intensive and friendly neighbourly relations and cross-border regional cooperation is very important in many areas.
  [more] (URL: http://www.internationales-buero.de/en/1021.php)
  
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  Nordic countries

  The Nordic countries with approx. 25 million inhabitants comprise the Scandinavian kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, the republics Finland and Iceland and the autonomous regions of the Faroe Islands, Greenland (both belonging to Denmark) and Åland (belonging to Finland). Denmark, Finland and Sweden are part of the European Union. The five nations with three autonomous regions are members of the Nordic Council formed in 1952. The Nordic countries play an important role as partners to Germany in many respects.
  [more] (URL: http://www.internationales-buero.de/en/1024.php)
  
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  Switzerland

  Die Schweiz ist seit vielen Jahren ein stetiger Partner Deutschlands in der internationalen Zusammenarbeit im Bereich Bildung und Forschung. Dies gilt für die bilaterale Kooperation aber auch für das gemeinsame Handeln auf der europäischen Ebene. Am 28. November 2011 eröffneten Frau Bundesministerin Schavan und Herr Bundesrat Schneider-Ammann in Schaffhausen das Deutsch-Schweizer Innovationsforum „Nachhaltige Mobilität“. Mit diesem Forum wollen beide Länder ihre bilaterale, insbesondere die grenzüberschreitende Zusammenarbeit im Bereich Elektromobilität weiter vertiefen und neue Impulse setzen.
  [more] (URL: http://www.internationales-buero.de/en/4559.php)
  
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  Spain

  Bilateral meetings of the BMBF with the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación take place regularly based on formal relationships (WTZ (scientific-technical cooperation) framework agreement for scientific research and technological development of 10th March 1971). The key areas of technical cooperation with Spain are solar research, information and communication technology (ICT) and biosciences (in particular plant research).
  [more] (URL: http://www.internationales-buero.de/en/2194.php)