Results of the 7th meeting of the EU-CELAC Working Group on Research Infrastructures (WG RI)
The 7th meeting of EU-CELAC Working Group on Research Infrastructures (WG RI) took place online on 4th March 2021. In the meeting, 13 countries from LAC and 11 from the EU were represented, was co-chaired by Adam Tyson, DG Research and Innovation, European Commission, and Fernando Amestoy, Director of the Institute Polo Tecnológico de Pando, Uruguay.
The main outcomes of the meeting were discussions on the formulation of recommendations for future bi-regional cooperation within the framework of the EU-CELAC RI WG in line with its objectives, the presentation of the achievements of the 4 RI pilots within H2020 EU-LAC ResInfra Project, the presentation and discussion of the work plan for the WG beyond March 2021 and the presentation of the landscape of RIs in LAC and EU based on the Cooperation Workshops and Online Seminars organized by the WG.
In relation to the future of bi-regional cooperation, the delegates discussed the functioning and results of the WG in order to formulate recommendations. Some of the main conclusions of this exercise include the confirmation of the importance of the WG as a way to face the asymmetry between the regions regarding RIs, as well as some specific recommendations, such as the necessity of enhancing the relation with relevant Ministries of the Member Countries and the support to RI pilots of the ResInfra project as a mean for finding new partners for international cooperation.
Also, among the future activities defined in the work plan beyond March 2021 to continue the political dialogue regarding RI, was the decision of give sustainability to the WG during 2021 through the ResInfra Project. This work plan also included the recommendation of coordination of activities with International Conference on Research Infrastructures (ICRI), and support for the next JIRI SOM.
Last but not least, the Service Facility presented to the WG a short analysis of the landscape of RIs in LAC and EU: facts and figures received from the participants of the Cooperation Workshops coming from more than 120 RIs from EU and LAC registered. This information allowed WG to learn and draw conclusions about the differences and similarities of RIs in EU and LAC, and ways to improve cooperation between them. Also, participants of the webinars, case of Instruct ERIC stated that RIs from both regions have been matching a lot with good results, and was pointed out the need to collaborate in the area of the RI management.
As a conclusion, the assistants to the 7th CELAC RI WG meeting noted the importance of bi-regional cooperation platforms in RIs between EU and LAC, and the usefulness of activities such as workshops to improve coordination and contacts between them. In the closure the WG expressed its congratulations to the Service Facility for the extraordinary work done supporting the WG activities and thanked EU-LAC ResInfra project its compromise to support of the WG in this new Period until a new stable supporting structure is available.