Rafael Rodríguez Clemente*

1. From MED7 to MIRA EU-MPC Cooperation priorities in S&T RafaelRodríguez Clemente* *Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC. c/ Alfonso XII, 16. E-41002 Sevilla raro@orgc.csic.es MoCo Istambul 6-8 November 2008

2. Building an Information System from MPC’s : Euro-Medanet 1&2 Assess bilateral & EU S&T cooperation: ASBIMED Indicators & design of Mediterranean Research & Innovation landscape: ESTIME Set-up working programmes for future priorities: Med 7 Foresight for the Mediterranean: INNFORMED Support to the S&T Cooperation Agreements: FEAST-Tunisia 2.800.000 € invested in structural activities reinforcing the Euro-Med S&T cooperation Activities/Implementing Cairo’s MoCo Conclusions

3. MED7 was designed to answer to the ever pressing need to have a better targeted and a more incisive policy and instruments for enhancing RT&D in the Mediterranean area. Thus it was aimed at: strengthening coordination and complementarity with activities carried out by means of Community foreign policy instruments, specifically MEDA; supporting particular joint efforts by the Community and the Member States to the opening up of the European research Area to the rest of the world. Identify topics of common scientific interest RECOMMENDATIONS: “MED 7 - Thematic workshops for the definition of the Science and Technology Euro-Mediterranean policy within FP7”

4. The EU-MPC RTD cooperation could be instrumented through actions to: 1) Building a Support System for RTD 2) Identification and selection of the more appropriate priorities for MPCs taking into consideration aspects such as: complementary, synergy and contiguity with EU priorities (MEDA and Framework Programmes) and with bilateral projects on national scale; regional specificity and diversity. 3) Instruments and measures able to: increase funds available for MPCs and reduce parcelling out of funding; increase the number of partners from MPCs taking part to FP7 projects; valuate and exploit the results and the research developed; 4) Implementation of measures allowing an easier access and the participation of MPCs. to the nine thematic areas of Cooperation Programme of the 7th FP; assuming that funds allocated will be additive to those reserved for INCO-MED PRIORITIES.

5. The setting of a strong RTD system in the MPC was identified as a prerequisite to guarantee their fair participation in the FP. Actions are being taken to reach this objective, but at the present moment, and for a few years more, the EU-MPC cooperation in RTD needs to focus on the topics of common interest, where the MPC are making efforts to develop scientific groups, to create infrastructures and to push innovation in the industrial tissues.

6. The participation of the MPC in the 7FP should be structured according to the provisions established for International Cooperation in the nine Specific Programmes and the specific demands for RTD cooperation in topics of common interest identified by the MoCo, which should be included in the specific Work Programmes and developed through specific calls for proposals where the consortium composition must include a number of MPC partners.

7. Moreover, in order to facilitate the opening of the 9 priorities of the Cooperation Programme to MPC partners, specific tracks and procedures should be envisaged to encourage the incorporation of MPC teams or individuals in the consortia formed to develop the research projects. An intensive use of the facilities created by EUROMEDANET is recommended

8. The setting up of a Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Space (EMIS) is crucial growth and development of both EU and Mediterranean Partner Countries; - The Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Space (EMIS) will be part of the larger policy of the EU in developing an Innovation Policy for Europe and of the 7th Framework Programme; - EMIS is related also to the efforts deployed by the European Union in enhancing its Neighbourhood Policy with Mediterranean Partner Countries, following the recommendations of the Lisbon process.

9. • Promote, organise and contribute to the participation of third countries in the activities of FP7. • Promote regional integration and will lead to the identification and the prioritisation of common research areas of mutual interest and benefit. • Facilitate the uptake and use of common identified research areas and the monitoring of performance and impacts of international S&T cooperation across the Specific Programmes of FP7. INCO-Net objectives

10. Aims at creating a dialogue and action platform to identify common EU-MPC interests in research areas, setting up S&T priorities and supporting capacity building activities Will promote actions in order to monitor, develop, promote and contribute to the creation of synergies among the different cooperation S&T programs between the MPCs and EU Fostering the participation of MPC in EU-FP and the ENPI and support the action of the MoCo MIRA General Objectives

11. 6 Work Packages Management of MIRA and setting of the technical platform Observatory of EU-MPC co-operation in S&T Capacities building in the MPC for participation in the FP and support to the IP Enhancing the EU-MPC S&T co-operation, especially within FP7 Integration of initiatives and support to the action of the MoCo Awareness and dissemination activities on the EU-MPC S&T co-operation Estructure of MIRA

12. LIST OF PARTICIPANTS (1-15)

13. LIST OF PARTICIPANTS (16-30)

14. European Neighbourhood Policy The Barcelona Process (1995) with the Mediterranean Partner Countries (MPCs) (MEDA) The Union for the Mediterranean The Association Agreements (Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, Jordan…) The European Research Area (ERA). Opening of the FP to MPC ( the EMRA) Others: Africa Action Plan,… The policy context The instrument: the Monitoring Committee of the EU-MPC cooperation in RTD (MoCo),

15. The policy dialog between the services of the Commission, and between the Member States and the Commission is a necessary step to define and external policy. But, sometimes is hampered by the different INCO policies of different DGs within the Commission, not to mention the strong differences between the MS. There are lack of dialogues on these issues inside the MS, among the MS, and with the EC MIRA will try to analyze the real situation, and will try to suggest possible common actions or merging of activities. The EU internal dialogue…

16. The identification of the common interests EU-MPC should be the first step in any science policy dialogue. Topics such as innovation promotion, water management and desalinisation, illegal and legal (mobility) immigration, energy, desertification, decontamination of the Mediterranean and others will promote higher interest, and will be the lever to raise the concerns of the policy makers from different levels of the administrations in each country. Participating of MPC stakeholders in the consensus building process of defining FP priorities by incorporating experts from these countries in some of the stages of the discussion process, will be a powerful political sign in support of the Euro-Mediterranean Research Space. The external dialogue…

17. MIRA will consider as drivers to foster EU-MPC cooperation: The common interest as the main driver for S&T cooperation. Streamlining the political instruments such as the Neighbourhood Policy, the Africa Action Plan or, even, large international instruments such as the Millennium Development Goals. Promote the dialogue among the institutions and persons responsible of the bilateral and multilateral cooperation programs in order to search synergies between these two types of actions Support the activities of the MoCo and acting as an actor to implement their recommendations. Drivers for S&T cooperation…

19. MIRA Work Packages (WP) - MANAGEMENT DIAGRAM

21. MIRA Concrete Objectives • Create a dialogue platform using the state of the art of the ICT technologies, to connect and facilitate the interaction between the dispersed S&T cooperation initiatives already existing supported by the Member States, the European Commission and other political bodies; • Address training activities to improve the quality of the participation and management of the partners of FP7 from the MPC; create a IP in Palestine • Create discussion platforms and organizing meetings to monitor and discuss the content of the Thematic priorities of FP7 in term of the common interest of the EU and MPC; • Create an Observatory of the EU-MPC S&T cooperation, which will agree indicators for the monitoring of RTD cooperation activities; • Create a “Gateway for EU-MPC Cooperation in RTD” • Create networks of research institutions and technological transfer services from both sides of the Mediterranean, to provide a reference element for the development of the Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Space. • Support the functioning of the Monitoring Committee for Euro-Mediterranean Scientific Cooperation ( MoCo) in order to provide a strong institutional basis for the EU-MPC S&T cooperation.

22. MIRA will create and maintain an Observatory of EU-MPC cooperation in S&T to: follow-up and review of activities study the state of research and technological cooperation between the EU and the MPC establish standard indicators to measure the previous activities provide the MoCo with reliable information to support their recommendations maintain a database on scientific production of the cooperation analysis the dynamics of research system. Monitoring the cooperation…

23. MIRA will promote the dissemination of the MPC-MS S&T cooperation activities at all levels by all affordable means, specially the site “Gateway to EU_MPC cooperation in S&T” targeting interested specialist and the general public and producing documents to be considered at the political level. It will support the creation of dissemination material. These activities should be organized in strong connection with the dissemination activities of the DG RTD Directorates and the Commission services in the MPC countries It will collaborate with the activities of the IP-MPC to provide them with materials, and organize, together with the specific Directorates, awareness meetings It will elaborate targeted guides for applicants and other materials. Disseminating…

24. Management and reporting are progressively becoming one of the main activities of the International Cooperation projects…, there are no clear guidelines for management, specially for third countries where there are practically no reliable management structures (auditing, cost statements understanding, funding management…). Too much time for management is used at the expenses of research activities… Moreover, the partners from third countries should have reliable INTERNET connections… Political guidance from the Commission on RTD Cooperation has recently being published (Comm. From the EC, the Council and the EP, COM (2008) 588 final) “A strategic European framework for International Science and Technology Cooperation”. Its recommendations are still to be implemented. The Academia opinion do not necessarily reflects the country main interest, but RTD planning from the International partners countries is not always available… The drawbacks…

25. MIRA will cooperate with other INCO-Nets projects in developing common issues, specially with CAAST-Net MIRA will try to coordinate its activities, for instance identification of priorities of research, with similar ones developed by the specific Directorates, or in the frame of the Bilateral Agreements. MIRA will share their database with other projects and the MCP IP MIRA will act as a Portal to EU-MPC scientific and technical cooperation MIRA will promote the Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Space (EMIS) Synergies…

26. The Regional International Cooperation, must take into account the national priorities of the targeted countries and their shared interest by the EU. Is is necessary a deep knowledge of the national priorities of the Countries integrated in the Region, expressed in their respective National Sttrategic Research and Innovation Programs, or equivalent. Open discussion with experts and national represetnatives for finding their common interest Cross-checking of the regional priorities with the FP priorities. There must be coherence between the two approaches Criteria for setting SICA

27. Participating in the FP is a label of prestige for researchers. A FP project must guarantee the sustainability of its results and impact. Therefore, in the case of the ICPC partners, there must be guarantees of use of results. This can ony be attained if the topics addressed are identifies as a national priority. The FP IS NOTthe only instrument of cooperation, but it is certainly one of the MORE COMPLEXand difficult to manage. To start a cooperation or to develop small scale project it is suitable to use simpler instruments, such as public bilateral cooperation, private financing or others. Participating in the FP from an International Cooperation Partner Country (ICPC)

28. INCONETS must guarantee a fair analysis of the common EU-ICTP common interest. They must facilitate the political dialogue to establish consensued common priorities and calendars of implementation. They must facilitate the capaciry building to facilitate the participation of ICPC in the FP, but with political endorsement of the governments of the ICPC to guarantee the sustainability of the support structures The INCONETS, the FP and the MPC

29. Taking into account the vision of the Barcelona process and the objectives of the Union for the Mediterranean, the support to the Horizon 2020 Programme from the networks of RTD Coperation EU-MPC created by the action of the framework programme, and the fostering of a Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Space in the eve of the 2010 open borders trade between the EU and the MPC, becomes urgent necessities. RECOMENDATIONS OF COMMON EU-MPC PRIORITIES IN RESEARCH IN THE NEXT FUTURE

30. PROPOSED ACTIONS Focusonpoliticalorientedactionsaimed at fulfillingtheobjectives of Framework Programme (FP), theCompetitivity and InnovationProgramme (CIP) and theEuropeanNeighbourhoodPolicyInstrument (ENPI): CSA (SA) to support the Building of the Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Space (EMIS)  This SSA is aimed at exploring the assets and difficulties to establish the EMIS, by a critical analysis of the current situation in the MPC and its interaction with the EU countries, and by an open dialogue with interested companies, administrations and researchers. CSA (CA) on Scientific Knowledge Base to support the reduction of pollution in the Mediterranean Sea. Network aimed at supporting the implementation of the Horizon 2020 Programme. Horizon 2020 is a political priority of the current Union for the Mediterranean Policy and, the engagement of the MPC concerned and other interested parties is of outmost importance

31. Barcelona process 1995 : creation of (EMFTA) by 2010 Association Agreements : transfer of new technologies + dissemination of know how + industrial cooperat Lisbon Strategy 2000:A series of schemes and initiatives European Neighbourhood Policy (Instruments): ENPI Relevant Projects & initiatives :ASBIMED, MED7,ESTIME, Medibtikar, ANIMA etc MEDA program Background For EMIS   Euro-MED Partnership     IRC, Regional innovation strategies, Europrean business industrial centers etc  EU te most competitive area by 2010

32. Why EU-MPC Cooperation on innovation? • Several reasons militate for a stronger partnership between EU and MPC: • Research and innovation are, by nature, widely internationalizedactivities for which it’s practically impossible to impose a pure national framework • The existence of common problems and shared challenges across the Mediterranean sea calls for a closer cooperation between both sides on many issues including climate change, water management, agriculture, promotion of Mediterranean products, security of energy supply, renewable energy, tourism, health, etc. • Big research and innovation programs usually require a critical mass and mobilize considerable resources from several countries. In this regard, MPCs resources are too limited to allow a significant impact. • job creation • restructuring and upgrading of the production activities • improvement and better use of underutilised potential for innovation etc. Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Space (EMIS) appears to be a plausible mean for MPCs to acquire the competitive advantage in the globalized economy

33. Paving the way to EMIS: building (EMIS:DP) In accordance with EMIS objective, a Science-Industry Working Group, including several Mediterranean Partners members of MIRA project, will try to build The Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Space Discussion Platform (EMIS:DP). It’s a virtual space aimed at opening dialogue among innovation stakeholders in EU-MPC countries. • The Way Forward? • Data collection (clearing house of relevant project and initiatives): Studies, Stakeholders, results of previous projects (ESTIME, Medibtikar), relevant links etc. • Data Assessment identification and prioritization of needs (thematic approach) • Setting clear objectives for EMID:DP. • Design of the way to achieve det objectives • Mapping, networking and mobilization of relevant stakeholders, actors, programs, projects in the Euro-Med region to work with on the identified priorities. • Packaging and disseminating the results of the project (Challenges, lessons learned, policy recommendations action plan, lobbying…)

34. (EMIS:DP) Progress • Now, the research-industry group is gathering and structuring Data & information in the website: • RDI (research& development& innovation) governance • RDI policies and programs design, implementation and evaluation • Research infrastructures, financial and administrative obstacles • RDI activity and cooperation • Knowledge and technology transfer (clusters, incubators, technology parks, spin-offs & start-ups, TTO, etc.) • Networks (national and international) • Innovation support services & infrastructures (science/technology Parks, technology centres, etc.) • Innovation financing

35. EMIS:DP VIRTUAL SPACE EMIS DP OBJECTIVES MOBILISATION ACTORS STAKEHOLDERS POLICY OUTCOMES CONTENTS NETWORKING DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION DEVELOPMENT website PROJECTS EVENTS IDENTIFICATION OF OBSERVATORIES TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER N/W OTHER SERVICES COORDINATION

36. RESULTS ALREADY OBTAINED (DELIVERABLES, D), RUNNING ACTIONS (RA) AND COMING EVENTS (CE) OF MIRA • WORK PACKAGE 1 (Management of MIRA and setting of the technical platforms): • D.1 Organisation of the Kick-Off • D.2 Report of the Kick-Off • D.3 Creation of the interactive Web Site • D.4 Creation of Fora • D.5 Creation of the MIRA Library • D.7. 1 and 2 Reports of the management Board meetings

37. RESULTS ALREADY OBTAINED (DELIVERABLES, D), RUNNING ACTIONS (RA) AND COMING EVENTS (CE) OF MIRA • WORK PACKAGE 2 (Observatory of EU-MPC cooperation in S&T): • D.9 Preparation of a preliminary list of indicators / Specific indicators on cooperation • D.10 Preparation of the guidelines for stats. • CE: Workshop on Science, technology and cooperation indicators • WORK PACKAGE 3 (Capacities Building in MPC and support to the IP) • D.17 Report on the evaluation of the MPC IPs • CE: Training Seminar of Palestinian IP (23-28 November, Cyprus) (D. 18) • CE: 2 Seminars on Writing and Managing FP7 projects (11-14 November, Tunis and 21.23 January, Lebanon) (D. 19)

38. RESULTS ALREADY OBTAINED (DELIVERABLES, D), RUNNING ACTIONS (RA) AND COMING EVENTS (CE) OF MIRA • WORK PACKAGE 4 (Enhancing the EU-MPC S&T cooperation) • D.25 Organizing the Screening Conference • D.26 Reporting the Screening Conference • CE: Organizing the Thematic Workshop on Environment priorities identification of common interest EU-MPC (D. 30.1) • WORK PACKAGE 5 (Integration of initiatives and support to the action of MoCo) • RA. Setting up of a Secretariat for the MoCo • RA. Web Section pages dedicated to the MoCo in the MIRA portal. • CE: Supporting the organisation of the 12th MoCo Meeting (6-7 November, Istambul, Turkey) (D. 42.1)

39. RESULTS ALREADY OBTAINED (DELIVERABLES, D), RUNNING ACTIONS (RA) AND COMING EVENTS (CE) OF MIRA • WORK PACKAGE 6 (Awareness and Dissemination activities) • D.46.1 Dissemination material on FP7 (English version) • D.48 Targeted Guides for Applicants to FP7 from MPC • CE: Awareness and dissemination events in the MPC: Moroccan IPwill organize a seminar on the FP7 opportunities on AAB thematic, in Rabat on November 12, 2008.

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