COOPERATION IN RESEARCH AND INNOVATION BETWEEN THE SOUTHERN MEDITERRANEAN AND THE EUROPEAN UNION

For international cooperation, the INCO Strategy foresees: Multi-annual roadmaps for cooperation with countries / regions Enlargement and neighbourhood countries, and EFTA Integration in the ERA, creating CKIS, capacity building, coordination with other instruments Industrialised countries and emerging economies Access new markets, tackle global challenges, access new knowledge Developing countries Complementing external policies by building partnerships, Sustainable development, demand-led research, and innovation for development

What is Horizon 2020? An integrated programme coupling research to innovation Challenge based Strong focus on SMEs Major simplification Open to the world The new European Union programme for research and innovation for – € 79 billion

Region of strategic importance to both EU external and internal policies EU response to the Arab Spring articulated in 2011: Ά Partnership for democracy and shared prosperity' democratic transformation focusing on people and civil society sustainable and inclusive growth communication on ‘A New Response to a Changing Neighourhood ’

Bi-regional Platforms – FP7 MEDSPRING -the Mediterranean Science, Policy, Research and Innovation Gateway - promoting better dialogue between the EU and the Southern Med region on research and innovation, thematic focus - water, food and energy ERANETMED which launched a joint Euro-Mediterranean call, amounting to 13 M (almost equal co-funding between EU MS and Southern Mediterranean countries) and resulted in the submission of around 200 high quality proposals from researchers and innovators in the Euro- Mediterranean Area. R2I Projects

New Cooperation Prospects The EU Neighbourhood - one of the priority areas for the EU`s science diplomacy. Under Horizon 2020`s first calls there have been two multilateral science diplomacy projects Middle East Research and Innovation Dialogue (MERID) Additional EUR 2 million earmarked for SESAME in the forthcoming Horizon 2020 calls in addition to the so far EUR 12 million EU contribution (EUR 5 million of which under FP7) In addition, 3 SC topics targeting MED in WP SC Food (1 topic) and SC Societies (2 topics) In addition to Common Innovation agenda 6

Initiative of the Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Working Group (under EU- Med GSO, Malta, November 2012) Elaboration of a concept paper on "Supporting Innovation in the Southern Mediterranean countries; Common Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Agenda" (Beirut, July 2013) Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Workshop with International Financial Institutions (Brussels, 28 April 2014) Follow-up Meeting with EEAS, DG DEVCO, DG GROW, EIB, EBRD, World Bank (Brussels, July 2014)

The PRIMA initiative concerns the potential Union participation in a proposal for a joint programme submitted by 9 Member States in December 2014 in the framework of an Article 185 TFEU. 3 rd country participants in the preparation of the joint programme are: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey. The proposal is fostering an integrated approach to address issues related to food production systems and the sustainable use of water resources. A key socio-economic challenge for the Mediterranean area prompted by water scarcity and fresh water demand for: agricultural, domestic, touristic and industrial use.

COOPERATION BETWEEN THE SOUTHERN MEDITERRANEAN AND THE EU ON RESEARCH AND INNOVATION: PRIORITIES FOR THE FUTURE Water availability and management and food security Renewable energy and efficiency Fighting diseases and improving well-being Green, efficient and integrated transport systems Management of marine environment and resources Changing science in changing societies Research infrastructures Innovation