Signature of the Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation Between the European Community and Euratom and the Swiss Confederation

Brussels, 16 Jan 2004

An Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the European Community and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the one part, and the Swiss Confederation, was signed today:

- for the European Community, by
Mrs. Anne ANDERSON Ambassador, Irish Permanent Representative to the European Union, and

- for the European Atomic Energy Community, by
Mr. Philippe BUSQUIN Member of the European Commission in charge of Research, and

- for the Swiss Confederation, by
Mr Pascal COUCHEPIN Federal Counsellor, Head of the Federal Department for Internal Affairs

This Agreement renews previous agreements on the field of research activities between the Communities and Switzerland. It consolidates existing cooperation for the mutual interest of the Parties, in particular, in order to make better use of resources and to avoid unnecessary duplication.

On the basis of this Agreement, mutual access of research entities of both Parties will be granted to research and technological development activities in Switzerland, on the one hand, and to the Communities' Framework Programmes for research and technological development on the other hand.

Cooperation will also include, inter alia, regular exchanges regular exchanges of views on research policy guidelines and priorities and plans in Switzerland and in the Communities, exchanges of information on the implementation of the research programmes and projects in Switzerland and in the Communities, and regular contacts and follow-up between programme or project leaders in Switzerland and in the Communities.

The Agreement also establishes provisions on intellectual property rights, financial contributions, conditions for the participation of research entities in the projects and mobility of researchers.

The Agreement will be applied from 1 January 2004 on a provisional basis.

Item source: http://ue.eu.int/pressData/en/er/78738. pdf