• Posted 02-Jun-2020

EU and Japan step up cooperation in science, technology and innovation

European and Japanese researchers and innovators will be able to cooperate more easily on global challenges such as health, climate change, digital transition and ageing societies, and to coordinate their efforts in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, and Naokazu Takemoto, Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy, agreed to step up EU-Japan cooperation in the context of the Japan-EU Leaders Videoconference Meeting. They signed a Letter of Intent to strengthen cooperation in science, technology and innovation, and to enhance the synergies between the next EU research and innovation programme Horizon Europe, and Moonshot, Japan’s research and development programme.

The letter underlines the paramount importance of a coordinated research and innovation response to the coronavirus outbreak and future pandemics, including through open access to research data and results. EU and Japan are key partners in the fight against the Covid-19 outbreak. On 4 May, the EU with several partners kicked off the Global Response pledging marathon to ensure collaborative development and universal deployment of diagnostics, treatments and vaccines against coronavirus. Japan co-chaired the event and contributed by pledging over €760 million.

Source: European Commission, Research and Innovation News (https://bit.ly/2MjnjU6)