PURPOSE: to renew the Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the European Community and the Government of the United States of America.

NON-LEGISLATIVE ACT: Council Decision (EU) 2018/1578 concerning the extension of the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of the United States of America.

CONTENT: the Council decided to approve, on behalf of the EU, the extension of the Agreement on scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of the United States of America for an additional period of five years.

The Agreement on Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the European Community and the Government of the United States of America was signed on 5 December 1997 and entered into force on 14 October 1998. Since then, it has been renewed three times, in 2003, 2008 and 2013. The agreement was due to expire on 14 October 2018.

The areas of cooperation activities are as follows:

environment (in particular climate research), biomedicine and health (in particular research on AIDS, infectious diseases and drug abuse), agriculture, fisheries science, engineering, non-nuclear energy, natural resources, materials sciences and metrology, information and communication technologies, telematics, biotechnologies, marine science and technology, social sciences, transport, science and technology policy and management, training and mobility of researchers.

The Parties may amend this list upon recommendation of the Joint Advisory Group, in accordance with the procedures in force for each Party. They may jointly carry out cooperative activities with third parties.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 18.9.2018.

The European Parliament adopted, by 597 votes to 48, with 26 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the draft Council decision concerning the extension of the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of the United States of America.

Parliament gave its consent to the extension of the agreement.

The Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of the United States of America was signed in Washington, DC, on 5 December 1997 and entered into force on 14 October 1998.

Since then, it has been extended on three occasions, in 2003, 2008 and 2013. The Council's draft seeks to approve, on behalf of the Union, the renewal of the Agreement for a further period of five years.

The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy adopted the report by Roland PAKSAS (EFDD, LT) on the draft Council decision concerning the extension of the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of the United States of America.

The committee recommended that the European Parliament give its consent to the extension of the Agreement.

The Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of the United States of America was signed on 5 December 1997 and entered into force on 14 October 1998. Since then, it has been renewed three times, in 2003, 2008 and 2013.

As recalled in the explanatory memorandum accompanying the recommendation, EU-US relations in the field of science, technology and innovation are stronger than with any other country outside Europe.

The United States is by far the most active country in Horizon 2020 in terms of amounts of mutual investment in research and development (R&D), flows of scientists, volumes of cooperative activities and number of co-authored publications and patents.

Global challenges require global joint solutions it is therefore important that the EU and the US work closely together to find them. Therefore, it is in the interest of the European Union to extend the Cooperation Agreement for a further period of five years.

PURPOSE: to extend the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Union and the Government of the United States of America.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of the United States of America was signed in Washington, DC, on 5 December 1997 and entered into force on 14 October 1998.

The Agreement provides that the Agreement is concluded for an initial period of five years and may be extended thereafter, with possible amendments, for additional periods of five years, by mutual written agreement between the Parties.

The Council successively approved, on three occasions, in 2003, 2008 and 2013, the extension of the Agreement for additional periods of five years. The Agreement is due to expire on 14 October 2018.

The assessment carried out by the Commission services demonstrates that the Agreement provides an important framework for facilitating cooperation between the Union and the United States of America in common priority areas for science and technology, leading to mutual benefits. It is therefore in the Union’s interest to extend the Agreement for a new period of five years.

Both Parties have confirmed their intention to extend the Agreement for an additional period of five years without any amendments to the Agreement.

CONTENT: the Council draft seeks to approve, on behalf of the Union, the extension of the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of the United States of America for an additional period of five years.

PURPOSE: to extend the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Union and the Government of the United States of America.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of the United States of America was signed in Washington, DC, on 5 December 1997 and entered into force on 14 October 1998.

The Agreement provides that the Agreement is concluded for an initial period of five years and may be extended thereafter, with possible amendments, for additional periods of five years, by mutual written agreement between the Parties.

The Council successively approved, on three occasions, in 2003, 2008 and 2013, the extension of the Agreement for additional periods of five years. The Agreement is due to expire on 14 October 2018.

The assessment carried out by the Commission services demonstrates that the Agreement provides an important framework for facilitating cooperation between the Union and the United States of America in common priority areas for science and technology, leading to mutual benefits. It is therefore in the Union’s interest to extend the Agreement for a new period of five years.

Both Parties have confirmed their intention to extend the Agreement for an additional period of five years without any amendments to the Agreement.

CONTENT: the Council draft seeks to approve, on behalf of the Union, the extension of the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of the United States of America for an additional period of five years.

PURPOSE: to extend the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Union and the Government of the United States of America.

PROPOSED ACT: Council Decision.

ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: Council may adopt the act only if Parliament has given its consent to the act.

BACKGROUND: the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Community and the Government of the United States of America was signed on 5 December 1997 and entered into force on 14 October 1998. Since then, the Agreement was extended three times , i.e. in 2003, in 2008 and in 2013 for an additional period of 5 years each time.

Cooperation in research & innovation between the US and the EU has been intensifying steadily in the past years. The EU's relationship with the US in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) is stronger than with any other country outside Europe .

Among many great achievements, cooperation between the EU and the US in science and technology led to the signature of the Galway Statement in May 2013 and the launch of the Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance (AORA). The various AORA working groups have delivered world class results on various cooperation areas, such as seabed mapping, observing systems, aquaculture, ocean literacy, ocean health and stressors.

Based on the experience so far in scientific and technological cooperation, it is considered mutually beneficial to continue research cooperation with US , as a strategic partner of the EU in research and innovation. The extension of this Agreement shall allow the EU to have easier access to scientific knowledge produced in the US and to engage in more cooperation activities leading to additional exchange of knowledge and technologies.

CONTENT: the Commission proposes that the Council:

approves, on behalf of the Union, and with the consent of the European Parliament, the extension of the Agreement for scientific and technological cooperation between the European Union and the Government of the United States of America, for an additional period of five years (i.e., from 14.10.2018 until 13/10/2023); authorises the President of the Council to designate the person(s) empowered to notify the Government of the United States of America that the Union has completed the internal procedures necessary for the entry into force of this renewed Agreement.

This decision shall allow both Parties to enhance the cooperation and develop a more strategic partnership by increasing the scale and scope of existing cooperation, addressing global challenges by promoting reciprocal access to programmes and funding.

BUDGETARY IMPACT: only human and administrative resources are needed. The estimated impact on expenditure is EUR 298 000 for the period 2018-2023.