How to stimulate the NMS and CC participation in the ETPs?

1. National (Regional?) Technology Platform in Food (Agriculture and Biotechnology?) in Bulgaria (NMS-CC?) Based on experience of the FP6 Projects: CEC Animal Science, AgriPolicy, TrainNet FUTURE, Foodlink EU AgriMapping, BAFN Rome, 14 April, 2007 Prof. Ivan N. Minkov, Bio NCP, BULGARIA Kostadin Fikiin Bio NCP, BULGARIA

2. The NMS (Bulgaria, Romania) and CC (Turkey and some WBC) are purely represented in the ETPs in Food and Biotechnology. A solution?A Regional Platform establishment? • There are currently seven European Technology Platforms relevant to agriculture, food and biotechnology. • The NMS (Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia…) and the Candidate Countries are not well represented in these platforms • Given the strategic importance of ETP in the future research programs, there is an urgentneed to stimulate the integration of the NMS and CC in these platforms. • The NMS and CC can not affordto make NTPs in every area of agriculture, food and biotechnology

3. How to stimulate the NMS and CC participation in the ETPs? 1. To support the participation of the NMS and CCs in the ETPs by: • Participation of NMS-CC stakeholders in ETP meetings; • Organization of meetings between ETP core members and representatives from the NMS-CC • Integration of NMS-CC representatives in the steeringCouncilsof theETPs.

4. How to stimulate the NMS and CC participation in the ETPs? 2. Tocontributeto the implementation of Strategic Research Agendas inNMS-CC • In the next phase of implementing the SRA at European, nationaland regional levels the NMS-CC could contribute by: • Nationalactivities that could contribute to the implementation of the SRA. • Conferences with representatives from the ETPs in each country to set up a roadmap for the action planning

5. How to stimulate the NMS and CC participation in the ETPs? 3. TostimulateNMS-CC / ‘old’ MS cooperationandnetworking by: • Increasingthevisibilityofthe ACC stakeholdersfortheMemberStatesstakeholders; • Creationofan “NMS-CC REGIONAL”TechnologyPlatformonFood, AgricultureandBiotechnology”

6. FOOD National TP in Bulgaria • Small country • Not enough powerful “Industry” • Some initial interest in the industry • Not enough resources and critical mass for a “pure” Food Platform • Alternative – establishment of a more complex “Food and Biotech Platform in Animal and Plant Sector”

7. ETP Food for LifeSteps: • Setting up of Mirror Groups • National Consultation process • Definition of Scenario Studies • Refinement of SRA & definition of Implementation Plan • Submission Final SRA • Investigation into the formation of Public Private Partnerships

9. How this can be done? 1. Both approaches (The Regional Platform and The National Platforms in NMS) will require funds. 2. The chance to get “starting” money from the industry is small. 3. A possible solution – the ETPs (Food for Life) to suggest a suitable CSA topic in the WPs for the next calls.

10. THANK YOU Contacts: Prof. Ivan Minkov – Bio NCP, minkov@pu.acad.bg University of Plovdiv, Genomics Research Center. Tel./Fax +359 32 629 495 Kostadin Fikiin, Bio NCP, agf@tu-sofia.bg Technical University, Sofia, Tel./Fax: +359 2 965 33 22