Executive report on the closure conference for the EuroMEDANet and EuroMEDANet2 projects

The closure event for the EuroMEDANet and EuroMEDANet2 projects featured a number of key actors, including policy makers, project leaders, Information Points and National Contact Points who were invited to present their activities and experiences to an audience of approximately 120 participants - themselves key players in the field of international R&D cooperation. The conference itself was organized into five sessions over two days, with each session having its own chairperson, rapporteur and an opportunity for open discussion.

The first session had the largest impact as it looked at Euro-Mediterranean scientific and technical cooperation policies and concluded with a number of discussion points on policy related issues; session 2 featured the results of the EuroMEDANet and EuroMEDANet2 projects; session 3 highlighted good practices from completed or ongoing projects; session 4 focused on building networks between the National Contact Points and the Mediterranean Information Points; while session 5 was dedicated to the preparations made so far towards the 7th Framework Programme.

The raporteurs from each of the above sessions gave a summary of the main points and conclusions of their session. These sessions culminated in a final conference statement, identifying a number of recommendations for the Commission's consideration which would further enhance EU-MED collaboration in R&D.

Link to the conference's website:

http://www.ird.fr/fr/actualites/manifestations/2006/euromedanet/em_seminar.htm