In the context of its pilot scheme for scientific and technological cooperation with the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Commission, on a proposal from Vice-President Filippo Maria Pandolfi, has made its selection of the projects which are to receive support from the Community. This support consists mainly in the award of 2 531 study grants for researchers from Eastern Europe. Launched in 1992 at the instigation of the European Parliament, the scheme represents the largest programme of scientific cooperation and mobility hitherto undertaken between the Community and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and should enable the foundations to be laid for future cooperation on science and technology between these countries and the Community. This initiative, for which ECU 55 million has been earmarked in 1992, has aroused considerable interest in scientific circles, as demonstrated by the 11 750 replies to the call for proposals launched on 30 April and closed on 7 August last. The 3 039 projects selected by the Commission will absorb the full amount allocated to the scheme for 1992. Following the evaluation exercise carried out jointly by experts from the Community and from Eastern Europe, and thanks to efficient collaboration between European research centres (CNRS, the Max Planck Institute and the Royal Society) and other public and private research bodies (in particular the Conférence des Recteurs and the Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung), a total of 2 531 study grants will be awarded before the end of the year to researchers from Central and Eastern Europe, enabling them to spend an average of three months in the Community's leading research laboratories and acquire know-how which can be put to use on their return to their countries of origin. The exchanges will promote the integration of these researchers into a single European scientific community, and help prevent a "brain drain" from their countries towards the Community. In addition to the study grants, Community support will be lent to 159 projects concerning scientific conferences, seminars and workshops, and 43 projects to develop pan-European scientific networks. These networks, which will involve research institutes, universities and firms from various countries in Central and Eastern Europe, and in some cases also from the Community, will help improve contacts and the flow of information between scientists. A further 30 joint research projects, involving public and private bodies and companies from the Community and Eastern Europe, have also been selected. These relate to topics of joint interest to these countries and to the Community, and will contribute in particular towards the process of industrial conversion which is underway in Central and Eastern Europe. Finally, 129 projects have been adopted relating to participation by organizations from Eastern Europe in Community research programmes, together with 147 proposals for participation in projects already in progress under COST. The fields covered by the pilot scheme on scientific and technological cooperation include all the natural sciences, economic and management sciences and human and social sciences. * * *
