Scientific and technological cooperation on socio-economic and environmental challenges between Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union

EU-LAC Summits since Madrid in 2002 have promoted the development of a shared Knowledge Area. European Research Framework Programmes are among the principal instruments for its development. In the 6th Research Framework Programme (FP6: 2002-2006) alone,some 221 collaborative scientific projects mobilised 538 teams from Latin America (529) and the Caribbean (9) and 2,679 European (and other non-Latin American) teams with a total value of more than €1.3 billion (EC contribution more than €700 million). Many of these address directly the topics forming the basis of dialogue at the level of the 2008 Lima Summit between Heads of State and Government from the EU-LAC regions.
Under the 7th Research Framework Programme (FP7: 2007-2013) international cooperation is intended to be more substantial, better coordinated and integrated by opening all its components to international cooperation and a high percentage of research opportunities are directly relevant for improved transitions towards sustainable development and a better grasp of the socio-economic conditions for change. It also creates an enabling framework for such cooperation through measures on scientific and technological policy dialogue, promotion and activities to improve coordination of international S&T cooperation of EU Member States.
The present leaflet shows a small sample of concrete collaborations contributing to making the EU-LAC Knowledge Area a reality.