Greek Presidency organises Horizon 2020 launch meeting

The General Secretariat for Research and Technology (GSRT) in Greece has announced details of its Horizon 2020 launch event, as Athens begins chairing the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The event will take place on Friday 10 January 2014 at the DEMOKRITOS National Centre for Scientific Research. The Greek President, Dr Karolos Papoulias (pictured), will attend the event, as well as Professor Konstantinos Arvanitopoulos, Minister of Education and Religious Affairs, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research and Innovation, and Maria Damanaki, European Commissioner for Marine Affairs and Fisheries. Representatives from academia and the private sector will also attend.

The Commission will present the synergies between the Horizon 2020 and the structural funds, as well as other issues of importance to Greece, such as ICT, the access to finance for SMEs and the role of smart specialisation in regional development and cohesion.

During the event and under the light of the triptych ‘Research + Innovation → Entrepreneurship for Greece’, a press conference will be held in order to discuss issues related to research, innovation and growth, co-operation between academia and the private sector in Greece, new opportunities for SMEs, the importance of the smart specialisation and the role of the regions within Horizon 2020.