EU-Brazil research co-operation ‘solid’

The European Union has said that co-operation between the EU and Brazil in science, technology and innovation is “very solid”, with Brazil ranking sixth among participating third countries in FP7.

The EU contribution to Brazil is also sixth out of all third countries at almost €26m of EU funding for Brazilian participation. The main areas of co-operation include information and communication technologies, food, agriculture and fisheries, biotechnology, transport and health.

Horizon 2020 is fully open to international co-operation and offers new opportunities for enhanced co-operation. Partners from BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) will fund their own participation like other major economies. Over 40 Marie Skłodowska-Curie researcher mobility actions are in place, funding a period of research abroad.

The EU added that the implementation of the agreement signed on 24 January 2013 concerning co-operation between the Commission’s Joint Research Centre and the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation is progressing. In addition, a co-operation agreement between the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom) and Brazil in the field of fusion energy research signed in Brasilia in November 2009, has been in force since January 2013, following completion of the ratification process in Brazil. Brazil is one of the first non-ITER1 parties with which Euratom has signed a bilateral co-operation agreement in fusion energy research.