27 February 2007 | General
The EC-COST High Level Strategic Group Meets for the Second Time
The new partnership between COST and the European Commission agreed in May 2004 established the set up of a high-level Commission/COST Strategic Group (HLG) which would regularly take stock of the development of the partnership, set out further strategic orientations for the joint work and report on achievements.
The second meeting of the HLG was held in Brussels on 27 February 2007 at the European Commission's SDME building.
Participants from the COST side were: Professor Francesco Fedi, President of the COST CSO Committee (Member of the Group); Mr. Stefan Cairén, Vice-President of the CSO Committee (Member of the Group) ; Dr. Jiri Burianek, Director, General Secretariat of the Council of the EU and Dr. Martin Grabert, Director, Director of the COST Office .
Participants from the European Commission side were: Mr. José Manuel Silva Rodríguez, Director General, DG Research (Member of the Group); Mr. Alain Vanvossel, Head of Unit, DG Research, Unit B.2 (Member of the Group); Mr. Markku Warras, Scientific Officer, DG Research, Unit B.2; Mr. Jan-Arne Eilertsen, Scientific Officer, DG Research, Unit B.2.
The meeting was co-chaired by Mr. José Manuel Silva Rodríguez and by Professor Francesco Fedi. After a welcome address by Mr. Silva Rodríguez, Professor Fedi illustrated the main reforms introduced in COST : governance and reinforcement of the strategic role of the COST CSO, restructuring of the COST Scientific Domains, Open Call and guidelines for the assessment, monitoring and final evaluation of COST Actions, strengthening of the synergy between COST and the European Science Foundation.
The meeting continued examining the future of COST and its position in the ERA. Particular attention was given to the position of exploratorium of COST in the most advanced frontiers of science; to the role of COST towards the newly acquired countries in the European Union, the European neighbouring countries and, in general, towards the rest of the world; to the possible contribution of COST to the Lisbon and Barcelona objectives.
At the end of the meeting Mr Rodriguez congratulated Professor Fedi for the important achievements obtained by COST in the last three years and Professor Fedi thanked the European Commission for the constant support received during his Presidency.
