Co-operation

incrEAST information about the scope and objectives of international co-operation in research, science and technology between Belarus and EECA countries, EU Member States and associated countries as well as about further opportunities for enhanced networking.

---

Scope and objectives

Being an essential dimension of the S&T policy, international cooperation is actively involved in realization of the policy tasks mentioned above. In particular, it aimed at supporting:

• the realization of priority projects of state importance;
• active progress on the global market of domestic S&T production;
• training personnel and development of the national S&T potential;
• attraction of foreign sources of financing to the national S&T sphere (foreign investments, grants, credits), etc.

Belarus has got over 45 bi- and multilateral agreements on the governmental level with the countries of Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America on cooperation in S&T or, more widely, on economic cooperation, which science and technologies are integral parts thereof. It also cooperates with numerous international organizations. Up to 450 international R&D projects are carried out annually.    

Co-operation with EECA-countries

From the times of the USSR, EECA countries have inherited rather strong economic inter-dependence and plenty of partnerships that could be a very good basis for networking within the region. In mid 90ies, an attempt was undertaken to boost cooperation in R&D in the framework of the Agreement on Creation of the Common Science and Technology Area of CIS member-states. At the moment, the idea of mutually beneficial partnerships in S&T area is developing within another community - European-Asian Economic Cooperation. Unfortunately, neither CIS nor EurAsEC have elaborated mechanisms and instruments to support the initiatives in R&D sphere so far.

Therefore during the last 10 years Belarus moved its cooperation activities towards bi-lateral level. From among 6 governmental agreements with the countries of the region (Armenia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan and Ukraine), the ones with Russia and Ukraine are most effective. Being financed from the budget of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, several S&T programs have been realized in such areas as supercomputers, biotechnology, space, laser technologies, machinery building, etc. Belarus also co-finances joint S&T programmes with Ukraine and Kazakhstan, while the same program with Moldova and Armenia is being prepared now. Emphasizing the role of Russia and Ukraine as the main economic and scientific partners, Belarus undertakes definite steps to regenerate cooperation with such countries as Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.

International S&T cooperation is supported by the Government of Belarus: annually, 3-4% of the total expenditures for R&D go to these purposes. In 2010, the expenditures for international S&T cooperation are planned at the level of appr. 6 mln EUR.

Co-operation with EU-member states and associated countries

By 2009, Belarus has got bi-lateral governmental agreements on cooperation in S&T with almost half of the EU-27 member states (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Romania, and also UK) and several associated countries (Israel, Macedonia, Turkey, Serbia). Though actually, signing such an agreement doesn't always mean the presence of an effective cooperation.

Germany, France and UK are among the top partners in S&T area, followed by Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, etc. During the last years, a legal basis for cooperation with the nearest neighbors, Latvia and Lithuania, has been improved.

The foreign sources give 5-7% of total R&D funding in the country.

List of bilateral agreements between Belarus and EU MS/AC

EU-funded co-operation/ projects

In 1992-2006 the most effective INCO programmes working in Belarus were those financed by the ISTC and INTAS, the former - by the amount of money received, the latter - by number of projects. Pursuing different objectives, both organizations played visible role in supporting national researchers after the collapse of the SU and integrating them in European research area. Of 3 299 projects and nearly 9.5 thousand research teams from EECA financed by INTAS during this period, 4.5% belong to Belarus. Within 88 Belarusian projects of 2 450 supported by ISTC in 1994-2006 over 1 thousand national research teams received 33.2 mln.USD. Both INTAS and ISTC projects were characterized by successful partnerships with Russian teams.

Since the beginning of the FP6, a transition from the programmes of support to the programmes providing mechanisms of equal cooperation has started. In FP6, Belarusian partners were involved in 22 projects with EC financial contribution 1.25 mln. EUR in information technologies, nanosciences and materials, environment, energy, and also in INCO. Besides, 4 individual researchers received International Incoming Fellowships under the framework of Marie Curie Program. The average success rate was 16%.  Most of Belarusian research teams which participated in the FP6 represented the National Academy of Sciences.

Participants repartition in FP6 projects in thematic priorities for Belarus

The interest of the national scientific community towards the Framework Programmes is growing. By September 2009, Belarusian teams have participated in 106 applications to the FP7 calls which resulted in 15 participations in 12 projects in ICT, NMP, Health, SSH, Research Infrastructures, INCO, and also in “People” Programme. On the contrary to the FP6, in the FP7 universities dominate in the list of contractors.

In general, Belarus S&T potential has not been approached yet. The key obstacle for increasing participation in the FPs is lack of the legal basis for EU-Belarus cooperation, e.g. Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and/or S&T Agreement. This results in lack of specific EC actions focused on Belarus. Another problem is caused by absence of the national programs to support international mobility of researchers and, therefore, the lack of a “critical mass of mobility” in Belarusian scientific community.

In order to support the national participants of the FP7 and increase Belarus involvement in the EU Framework Programmes  the national network of contact points have been created by the State Committee on Science and Technology:

BELARUS NATIONAL NETWORK OF FP7 CONTACTS

Belarusian Institute of System Analysis and Information Support of Scientific and Technical Sphere is entrusted with general coordination of the activities of the national network of FP7 contacts. Since 2004, it hosts the National Information Point for FPs. 

Further co-operations

Besides EECA and EU, Belarus has got strong cooperation in S&T with China, South Korea and India. It also develops S&T relations with Mediterranean region (Egypt, Israel, Syria, etc) and Latin America (Argentina, Venezuela).

Source: BellSA
Last up-date: 20 July 2010