Bureau for EU-Mexican Science and Technology Cooperation - Step II (BILAT-MEX)

Background:

An agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation was signed in 2004 between the European Commission's Directorate General for Research and Technological Development (RTD) and the Mexican Government, represented by the Mexican Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT). It entered into force in July 2005. The partnership has the aim of evaluating, consolidating and better coordinating existing potentials.

Objectives:

The concept of the second phase of the BILAT-project (Bilateral S&T Cooperation Partnerships) between the EU and Mexico (UEMEXCYT2) will focus on the following issues:

• Development of a close dialogue between the main stakeholders in Mexico and the EU who are responsible for EU-Mexican S&T Cooperation (CONACYT, Mexican Thematic FP7 Contacts, ministries in Member States and National Contact Points, Commission Services, coordination and support initiatives such as the INCONET with Latin America (EULARINET), the ERA-NET for Latin America (EULANEST) and LAC-ACCESS)
• Evaluation of past, present and future collaborations between Mexico and the European Union in the area of science and technology; development of proposals for the optimization of rules and instruments
• Awareness-raising, establishment of contacts and development of training in specific areas
• Development of partnership opportunities between scientific and technological establishments on both sides; organization of workshops and fact-finding missions
• Strengthening the visibility of existing results and potential collaborations between Europe and Mexico in the area of science and technology 
• Assuming the role of a key partner for Europe in Latin America in coordination with the other Bureau for the promotion of scientific and technological cooperation between Latin America and Europe

Activities:

The next meeting (UEMEXCyT Forum) is to be held in Mexico City at the end of October 2009. The forum is supposed to raise the visibility of the 7th EU-Framework Programme (FP7) within the Mexican research community. The installation of an Advisory Board will among other questions also be tackled.

Participants:

Mexico:
Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT); Coordinator

Spain:
Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona (UAB)

France:
Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD)

Italy:
Agenzia per la Promozione della Ricerca Europea (APRE)

Germany:
International Bureau of the
Federal Ministry of Education and Research at the German Aerospace Center (DLR)

Austria:
Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI)

Belgium:
Research & Innovation Management Services (RIMS)
Centre d'Étude des Relations entre l'Union Européenne et l'Amérique Latine (CERCAL)