Roadmap for Cooperation between the USA and the European Union
The Commission Communication 'Enhancing and focusing EU international cooperation in
research and innovation: a strategic approach' called for a systematic and coherent
identification of priorities for international cooperation with the EU's partner countries and
regions, with a view to subsequently implementing these through activities with the necessary
scale and scope, in particular in the context of Horizon 2020.
The Communication equally stressed that this strategic priority setting exercise should fully
reflect the state of play in the policy dialogues between the EU and its partner countries. To
ensure that international cooperation activities are developed on the basis of common interest
and mutual benefit and create win-win situations, the Communication offered four criteria for
guiding the identification process.
International cooperation adds value when:
− Synergies and complementarities can be created as regards research and innovation
capacity;
− There are opportunities for access to new or emerging markets;
− The activities contribute to meeting the EU's international commitments, as reflected e.g.
in the Millennium Development Goals;
− There are adequate legal and administrative frameworks in place to engage in cooperation,
also including lessons learnt from previous cooperation.
(The U.S. relevant part starts on page: 61.)