EUREKA, often abbreviated as "E!" or "Σ!", is a pan-European research and development funding and coordination organization. EUREKA aims to coordinate efforts of governments, research institutes and commercial companies concerning innovation. It does not partake in military research and follows a "bottom-up" approach to R&D funding, industry itself deciding which projects should be developed.
As of June 2010, EUREKA has 40 full members, including the European Union (represented by the European Commission). All 27 EU Member States are also members of Eureka, with the last EU Member State, Bulgaria, joining in June 2010.
EUREKA is not an EU research programme, but rather an inter-governmental initiative, of which the EU is a member. Cooperation and synergy are sought between EUREKA and the research activities of the EU proper, notably with European Union's Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development and the European Research Area.
Contents |
The organization's primary objectives were to challenge the increasing migration of R&D and industrial innovation to Asian and North-American countries. More generally EUREKA's objective is to raise the productivity and competitiveness of European businesses through technology. It also aims to boost national economies on the international market and to strengthen the basis for sustainable prosperity and employment in Europe.
Founded in 1985 by major figures of the European political scene, EUREKA's steady growth over the years has helped to make it one of the longest running European organisations dedicated to the financing of joint European R&D projects. EUREKA is loosely affiliated with COST, its non-competitive research counterpart, although the two focus on different aspects of R&D with COST's efforts geared towards more socially focused areas of public interest while EUREKA's mandate is to provide funding for projects envisaged, developed, and executed by private industry.
EUREKA was established with the "Paris Declaration" of July 17, 1985, and its principles are based on the later Hannover Declaration, subscribed by Ministers on November 6, 1985. The two main founders were former head of states François Mitterrand (France) and Helmut Kohl (Germany). Other important personalities involved were Hubert Curien, French ex-Minister of Research and former Chairman of the European Space Agency and Jacques Attali, adviser to François Mitterrand.
Briefly, it [EUREKA] is about assuring the technological independence of Europe in the key domains of the future; encouraging, wherever possible, co-operation between European businesses and researchers; mobilising the necessary financial resources; accompanying the efforts of our enterprises by creating the necessary environment and supporting the unification of our internal markets.
There are numerous obstacles. Once the initial idea of EUREKA was formulated, we were able to foresee the difficulties to be faced. But we know that each time we come together — for example to address high-energy physics, research into nuclear fusion, the development of an integrated space programme or the construction of crucial scientific equipment — our successes encourage us in the idea that we can work together in R&D areas close to industrial markets, despite the problems arising from the normal and legitimate competition between firms. François Mitterrand, Paris, 17 July 1985.[1]
The EUREKA Chair rotates yearly among EUREKA’s member countries, with a mandate running from July to June of the following year. It implements a three-year rolling programme in cooperation with the previous and future Chairs (the 'Troika') with a goal of sustaining the momentum of EUREKA's work. Its role is to assist the chair country in organising the coming year's ministerial or inter-parliamentary conference (MC or IPC), as well as high-level group (HLG), executive group (EG) and national project coordinator (NPC) meetings, which it also chairs. The Chair represents EUREKA externally and agrees with the ESE (Secretariat) on the level of support it should provide, which is then incorporated into the ESE’s business plan.
The ministerial conference is the political branch of EUREKA where the ministers lay down political guidelines, decide on further developments, approve/dismiss members, and officially announce new EUREKA projects endorsed during the Chairmanship year. It biennially gathers the ministers from each member country and a Commissioner from the European Commission (EC).
Taking place in alternate years to the ministerial conference, the inter-parliamentary conference raises the public awareness of EUREKA’s role and possibilities and makes recommendations on strategic issues to be presented to ministers.
The high-level group is the key decision-making body of EUREKA. The ministry responsible for EUREKA in each member country names its high-level representative (HLR) which in turn endorses new projects, takes decisions on the management of EUREKA and prepares new policy discussions for the ministerial conference.
The executive group is a small group with members from the Troika countries, meeting at least eight times a year. It reports and implements the decisions taken by the HLG. It represents a balance of EUREKA members, whose role is to act as an executive body on behalf of the HLG. An EC member is also invited to attend EG meetings. The EG is also responsible for debating key policy issues, deciding on topics delegated by the HLG and advising successive Chairs.
National project coordinators run the national EUREKA offices at an operational level and are responsible for project generation, national and international support, and follow-up. They are the direct contact with project participants facilitating the setting-up and running of a project. NPCs meetings (4-5 times annually) are the forum for the exchange of experiences and best-practices discussions.
The EUREKA Secretariat, based in Brussels, is an international association acting as the central support unit for the network. The ESE manages the EUREKA project database and undertakes marketing, communications and network-development activities. It is also responsible for the collection and dissemination of information on projects, and in cooperation with the Chair and the national offices promotes the EUREKA philosophy.
The executive board has the same members as the executive group and is the body solely responsible for management of the ESE.
The general assembly is the highest-level body of the ESE. It is vested with all the powers necessary to perform the objectives of the association.
High-level group representatives comprise the decision-making HLG. Each member country names a high-level representative (HLR) to EUREKA, who in turn endorses new projects, decides the management of EUREKA, and prepares policy discussions for the MC.
National project coordinators run the national EUREKA offices at an operational level and are responsible for project generation, national and international support and follow-up. They are the direct contact with project participants facilitating the setting-up and running of a project. NPCs meetings (4-5 times annually) are the forum for the exchange of experiences and best-practices discussions.
Apart from preparing countries for full EUREKA membership, the national information points-status was set up to provide industry and research institutes with an easy interface with EUREKA and to facilitate participation in projects.
Before 1989, EUREKA chairmanship changed hands every six months.
| Year | Countries |
|---|---|
| 1985, 2nd semester | France |
| 1986, 1st semester | Germany |
| 1986, 2nd semester | United Kingdom |
| 1987, 1st semester | Sweden |
| 1987, 2nd semester | Spain |
| 1988, 1st semester | Denmark |
| 1988, 2nd semester | Austria |
| 1989 − 1990 | Italy |
| 1991 − 1992 | Finland |
| 1992 − 1993 | France |
| 1993 − 1994 | Norway |
| 1994 − 1995 | Switzerland |
| 1995 − 1996 | Belgium |
| 1996 − 1997 | United Kingdom |
| 1997 − 1998 | Portugal |
| 1998 − 1999 | Turkey |
| 1999 − 2000 | Germany |
| 2000 − 2001 | Spain |
| 2001 − 2002 | Greece |
| 2002 − 2003 | Denmark |
| 2003 − 2004 | France |
| 2004 − 2005 | Netherlands |
| 2005 − 2006 | Czech Republic |
| 2006 − 2007 | Italy |
| 2007 − 2008 | Slovenia |
| 2008 − 2009 | Portugal |
| 2009 − 2010 | Germany |
| 2010 − 2011 | Israel |
| 2011 − 2012 | Hungary |
| 2012 − 2013 | Turkey |
| Member country | Year of joining |
|---|---|
| Austria | 1985 |
| Belgium | 1985 |
| Bulgaria | 2010 |
| Croatia | 2000 |
| Cyprus | 2002 |
| Czech Republic | 1995 |
| Denmark | 1985 |
| Estonia | 2001 |
| Finland | 1985 |
| France | 1985 |
| Germany | 1985 |
| Greece | 1985 |
| Hungary | 1992 |
| Iceland | 1985 |
| Ireland | 1985 |
| Israel | 2000 |
| Italy | 1985 |
| Latvia | 2000 |
| Lithuania | 1999 |
| Luxembourg | 1985 |
| Macedonia | 2008 |
| Malta | 2006 |
| Monaco | 2005 |
| The Netherlands | 1985 |
| Norway | 1985 |
| Poland | 1995 |
| Portugal | 1985 |
| Romania | 1997 |
| Russia | 1993 |
| San Marino | 2005 |
| Serbia | 2002 |
| Slovakia | 2001 |
| Slovenia | 1994 |
| Spain | 1985 |
| Sweden | 1985 |
| Switzerland | 1985 |
| Turkey | 1985 |
| Ukraine | 2006 |
| United Kingdom | 1985 |
| European Union | 1985 |
Neither Albania nor Bosnia and Herzegovina are full members of EUREKA; however, R&D companies from those countries can address a National Information Point to receive funding through EUREKA. Several research projects put forward by participants from Albania and from Bosnia and Herzegovina have already been completed or are ongoing.
Countries that are not within the geographical borders of Europe can join EUREKA as associated countries. The only associated country is South-Korea, which joined in 2009.
EUREKA Projects are numbered, preceded by 'E! '.
This was the EUREKA Environmental Award established in 1994 by the then Norwegian Chair, in the town whose name it bears. With this award, EUREKA recognised the contribution made by a project to improving Europe's environment, developing sustainable solutions to the problems of waste and pollution.
The Lynx Award was established in 2001 during the Spanish Chairmanship to highlight fast-growing, high-tech SMEs which offer good prospects for private investors. Companies eligible for the Award indicated additional turnover (approx. 25%) resulting from participation in a EUREKA project or EUREKA Cluster sub-project. The winner receives €10,000 and the "EUSY" trophy (the EUREKA symbol embodying the spirit and challenge of innovation, introduced by the Hellenic chairmanship).
EUREKA ‘Clusters’ are long-term, strategically significant industrial initiatives. They usually have a large number of participants, and aim to develop generic technologies of key importance for European competitiveness mainly in ICT, energy and more recently in the biotechnology and automation sectors. EUREKA Clusters are known to have had a particular impact on the ability of the European microelectronics sector to compete with other continents.
Umbrellas are thematic networks within the EUREKA framework which focus on a specific technology area or business sector. The main goal of an umbrella is to facilitate the generation of EUREKA projects in its own target area.
EUREKA's Eurostars Programme is the first European funding and support programme to be specifically dedicated to research-performing SMEs. Eurostars has the goal of stimulating them to lead international collaborative research and innovation projects by easing access to support and funding.
A Eurostars project is any European R&D project addressing a civilian purposed technological area aimed at the development of a new product, process, or service.
Eurostars projects are collaborative efforts which must involve at least two separate participants from different Eurostars participating countries, and the main participant must be a research-performing SME from the list of member countries to join before mid-2002; including Cyprus but excluding Serbia.
The programme also requires that the SME participants have a significant role, contributing at least 50% of the project's core activity (with some allowance for minor contracting); and that it be a well balanced collaboration with no single participant or country being expected to contribute more than 75% of the total investment.
Eurostars projects are also limited to a maximum duration of three years, with the funded research's market launch occurring within two years of project completion; or, in the case of biomedical or medical projects, starting clinical trials within two years of project completion.