INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION POLICY

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION

SUCCESS STORIES

Promotion Bureau for EU-China Research collaboration

PBECR

European Focus on Biotechnology In China EFBIC

A report by an independent expert

K.A. HARRAP Science Connections Ltd. (GB)

Directorate-General for Research 2005 International Scientific Cooperation Policy

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TABLE OF CONTENT

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SUCCESS STORY 1 5 Promotion Bureau for EU-China Research

collaboration - PBECR 7

1.1. BACKGROUND 7 1.2. START-UP 8 1.3. THE APPROACH 9 1.4. EARLY OUTCOMES 11 1.5. RESSOURCES 12 1.6. FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS 12

SUCCESS STORY 2 15 European Focus on Biotechnology in China -

EFBIC 17

2.1. BACKGROUND 17 2.2. START-UP and AIMS 18 2.3. THE APPROACH 19 2.4 EARLY OUTCOMES 21 2.5. THE FUTURE 24

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In 2005 the EU and China celebrate 30 years of official relations. These relations have grown progressively especially in recent years and now cover virtually all essential areas. Achieving this has been fostered by both parties in EU-China Summit meetings and in the issuing of Policy Papers by both sides. Before the 7th such Summit in December 2004 Commission President José Manuel Barroso emphasized the significance of the moment in his comment : “We are at a dynamic moment in our relationship with China. Our Chinese partners have acknowledged the importance of the EU as a strategic partner and our relationship is growing in the political as wells as trade fields. Developing this relationship will be one of our top foreign policy objectives in the years to come”. A number of areas that are dependent on scientific knowledge feature in commitments expressed in joint statements. For example environmental protection, health and environmental benefits, HIV/AIDS and infectious diseases more widely, climate change, sustainable development, satellite navigation, the peaceful use of nuclear energy, space science, technology transfer, and intellectual property are all mentioned. Indeed the China EU Policy Paper identifies Education, Science-Technology, Culture, Health and other aspects as one of three specified components in strengthening China-EU cooperation in all fields. The EU-China High-level Forum on Science and Technology Policy and Strategy to be held in Beijing in May 2005 will no doubt further promote the mutual understanding on S&T development strategy and deepen S&T cooperation between China and the EU. It is against such a favourable policy background therefore that implementation and execution of S&T cooperation as set out in the China-EU S&T Agreement needs to be seen. The two SUCCESS STORIES outlined here illustrate tangible and practical outcomes in the fulfilment of policy aims for cooperation in science and technology - one in an overall context that is of benefit to many in the scientific communities of both China and the EU (CECO) and the other (EFBIC) in a particular field of scientific research activity – biotechnology – which might well be seen as a future model for fostering cooperation in specified fields of scientific activity.

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SUCCESS STORY 1

Modern Beijing with a hint of the old (top left)

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Promotion Bureau for EU-China Research collaboration

PBECR

1.1. BACKGROUND The Science & Technology (S&T) Agreement between the European Union and China was signed on 22 December 1998 thereby providing a legal basis for future cooperation on science and technology between the two signatories. Representation of the Agreement is a responsibility of the Directorate-General Research on behalf of the European Commission and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) on behalf of the Government of the People’ Republic of China. As a result of the signature of this Agreement the European Union opened its research and technology development (RTD) Framework Programme (FP) to China thereby allowing the participation of Chinese institutions. In turn China opened to EU researchers and institutions the National High Technology Research and Development Programme (863 programme) and the National Key Basic Research Programme (973 programme). The Agreement therefore created a unique opportunity for cooperation in science and technology between China and the European Union. With this legal instrument in place the opportunity for the envisaged science and technology collaboration had been formally created. However the existence of such an opportunity does not itself guarantee that real collaboration at a working level will occur. In the EU in particular scientists have to be encouraged to become involved in opportunities as they have available to them a variety of opportunities for research funding whether at national, European, or wider international levels and their participation in a particular initiative cannot be dictated. The availability of funding in the FP may well encourage their participation but because such funding is not specifically designated to particular science and technology agreements with other countries the implementation of the Agreement with China has to depend on a sufficiency of candidate proposals of appropriate quality involving Chinese partners that will survive a rigorous peer review process. So communication and promotion of an opportunity such as that created by the signature of the S&T Agreement between China and the EU was essential in order to create the right perceptions both in China and in the EU. Also it has to be recognised that there are significant cultural differences which have to be overcome through dialogue and the provision of appropriate assistance both ways. A bureau envisaged along the lines of CECO should therefore be regarded as a key instrument in making cooperation under the Agreement a working reality in order to achieve the benefits foreseen.

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1.2. START-UP It was undoubtedly for such reasons that the China-European Union Science and Technology Cooperation Promotion Office (CECO) was established by MOST in June 2001 with the primary purpose of helping Chinese institutions and researchers to participate in the European Framework Programme. In response to a Call for Proposals in relation to the Accompanying Measures instrument in the INCO-2 Programme of FP5 a proposal was submitted seeking support for the establishment of a specific bureau in China to promote the research collaboration opportunity that the signature of the Agreement had created. Within this INCO-2 Call the proposal qualified within the Key Action of Cooperation with Certain Categories of Third Countries – Emerging Economies and Industrialised Nations (A5). The proposal made clear that in addition to establishing a specific bureau in China an objective was to greatly expand the scale of the cooperation sharing the results of this between both sides to the benefit of their economic and social development. The coordinator proposed was Mr Xin Mingyi, China Science and Technology Exchange Centre. The proposal was approved with a start date of 1 August 2002 for a period of two years at a 50% funding level amounting to €260000. (Promotion Bureau for EU/China Research (PBECR) – Contract ICA5-CT-2002-50002) CECO operates under the supervision and guidance of the Department of International Cooperation of MOST and with the support of DG Research in Brussels, the EU Delegation in Beijing and the Chinese Embassy in Brussels. Its responsibilities and tasks were designed at the outset and are summarised in the following panel.

• Follow study and analyse EU S&T policy as well as development of the FP • Publicise information on China-EU cooperation policy, the FP and cooperation activities to

S&T and industrial communities through the web, publications, conferences, and so forth • Study the participation of EU Member States and associated states in the FP and technical

skills in project application, to establish partnerships with relevant organisations in EU Member States and associated states

• Assist Chinese research organisations, universities, enterprises and researchers to find European partners

• Offer consulting service and guidance to the Chinese partners for project application • Organise conferences and meetings and receive business visits within the framework of

China-EU science and technology cooperation, according to the arrangements by the International Cooperation Department of MOST

• Introduce the Chinese 863 and 973 programmes to the European side and give consultation to those who need it

• Keep close contact with the Science and Technology Office of the EU Delegation in Beijing • Keep a database of network offices and of interested Chinese scientists for quick

dissemination of information, calls for proposals, and similar • Link with FP6 National Contact Points in the EU Member States and associated states.

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1.3. THE APPROACH The aim was to narrow the gap between scientists from China and the EU as a result of the service provided to both sides by promoting information dissemination, networking, partner searching, and proposal support. This innovative step exemplified well the policy aims agreed in the S&T Agreement and more widely through the various EU –China summits of which the latest (7th) was in December 2004. From the outset a web platform was created (www.ceco.org.cn) in both Chinese and English providing information and guidance on all aspects of the collaboration that was made possible by the S&T Agreement. The website also provides a good introduction to Cordis thereby fulfilling the aim for this European information source to be better understood in China. Overall the CECO website is a valuable electronic source of information and deserves to be better known especially in Europe.

The CECO website

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In addition documentation has also been produced. For example:

• a booklet describing FP6 in Chinese, • a leaflet summary guide to FP6 in both Chinese and English, • a leaflet primarily for European scientists to assist them in identifying

the possibilities for collaboration with Chinese R&D institutions, • newsletters (two so far) again identifying sources of information and a

record of activities implemented that are relevant to the promotion of collaboration opportunities.

The newsletters include items such as reports of events – for example a China-Greece Workshop, a China-Italy Workshop, the Shanghai BITS (Bridging the European ITS business cooperation with China) Workshop, a Workshop on Priority Fields, SARS cooperation and participation by CECO in High-Tech Fairs such as that at Shenzhen in which cooperation projects were displayed. Statistics on FP participation and involvement in calls for proposals are also to be found in the newsletters as are details of visits of delegations and particular partnerships with relevant institutions and organisations in EU Member States. CECO has also been actively involved in the organisation of Information Days in key cities throughout China providing information on the EU FP6 and opportunities for contacts, questions and solving of problems as a result of presentations by key officials for example from MOST and the EU Delegation in Beijing. These events are invariably well attended and covered by local news media.

A FP6 Information Day in Nanjing

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In these various ways the two key pillars of the CECO operation – creating awareness and providing information – have been energetically addressed.

1.4. EARLY OUTCOMES The extent of the involvement of Chinese institutions in FP projects helps demonstrate the success achieved so far by CECO - whilst recognising that the existence of CECO alone was not the only catalyst for such activity. Within FP5 82 projects currently exist with Chinese participation of which 40 derive from INCO and 42 from thematic priorities. In FP6 it is estimated that around 184 Chinese organisations have submitted over 100 proposals during the first Calls of which nearly 30 were preliminarily selected covering areas such as information technology, nanotechnology, materials, food quality and safety and global change. Interestingly CECO itself has also been actively formulating proposals for participation in FP projects in collaboration with other organisations from the EU. Because such information is featured both in the CECO newsletters and on it’s website this in itself can be an important factor in stimulating yet further involvements both in the EU and in China.

Experimental plots in a FP wastewater treatment project, Institute of Hydrobiology, Wuhan

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1.5. RESSOURCES CECO is housed in accommodation in Beijing not far from MOST (54 Sanlihe Road) and from the outset its staff has comprised a Director, two Deputy Directors and two project coordinators. Currently the office is being strengthened with additional personnel. Two staff members have been on training visits to Brussels and Luxembourg in order to gain experience both in different Directorate-Generals and specifically on the operation of the Cordis website at its Luxembourg base. This underpins the particular effort being made to explain the organisation and functioning of the Cordis database and achieve familiarity with it by Chinese scientists.

1.6. FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS It is the intention that CECO will continue to develop and become an influential consulting institution of appropriate scale and reputation. In achieving such a role it will be building on the promotional and awareness capability that it has already created. This brings the CECO office even closer to the concept of being a National Contact Point (NCP) as defined in EU terminology. As this process develops and the expertise of the personnel in CECO matures beyond the successful platform already created it is likely to move to a more complete support system that can effectively support the whole project cycle from project proposal development, through awareness of project implementation to monitoring of outcomes. Here an evolving interface with the EU Delegation in Beijing and MOST will be crucial.

Example of Chinese institutions already involved in Framework Programme projects

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The objective is that CECO will become of pivotal importance in the gestation of collaborative projects and assume responsibility for many of the supportive actions and involvements currently undertaken by the EU Delegation S&T office in Beijing. In this way CECO will continue to be a success story by playing a vital role in further translating policy aims into genuine executive action. This exciting evolution may require further definition as the further responsibilities develop - perhaps using the bi-annual review process undertaken by MOST and the EU Delegation - a collaborative involvement which is indeed a further “success story” in itself.

Example of Chinese institutions already involved in Framework Programme projects

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SUCCESS STORY 2

Food is an essential aspect of life in China

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European Focus on Biotechnology In China EFBIC

2.1. BACKGROUND The Science & Technology (S&T) Agreement between the European Union and China was signed on 22 December 1998 thereby providing a legal basis for future cooperation on science and technology between the two signatories. Representation of the Agreement is a responsibility of the Directorate-General Research on behalf of the European Commission and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) on behalf of the Government of the People’ Republic of China. As a result of the signature of this Agreement the European Union opened its research and technology development (RTD) Framework Programme (FP) to China thereby allowing the participation of Chinese institutions. In turn China opened to EU researchers and institutions the National High Technology Research and Development Programme (863 programme) and the National Key Basic Research Programme (973 programme). The Agreement therefore created a unique opportunity for cooperation in science and technology between China and the European Union. With this legal instrument in place the opportunity for the envisaged science and technology collaboration had been formally created. However the existence of such an opportunity does not itself guarantee that real collaboration at a working level will occur. Particular initiatives can be required that will bring the opportunity to the attention of those within the scientific community that might be well placed to take advantage of the new situation. Particularly important candidate areas for such an approach are fields of rapidly developing science and technology that have the potential to create significant social and economic impacts. One prime example of such an area is biotechnology – a technologically-based scientific area that increasingly underpins a wide range of the biological sciences. Areas such as this at the cutting edge of scientific developments can be highly dependant on collaborative effort - and this can be the case internationally. They therefore represent key areas for specific actions needed to implement the type of activities envisaged under cooperation agreements such as the China-European Union S&T Agreement. Such specific actions must achieve high profile and carry scientific credibility if they are to have the right sort of impact in the scientific communities involved. The reputations and calibre of those associated with them are therefore crucial. In addition the quality of the activities undertaken must be of a high order if key scientists are to be prepared to contribute their experience and present and discuss their work in rapidly developing scientific fields.

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2.2. START-UP and AIMS The European Federation of Biotechnology (EFB) was instrumental in proposing a strategic Accompanying Measure in support of policy to the European Commission’s INCO-2 programme in FP5. This proposal was seen as following on from the former European Biotechnology Node in China (EBNIC) in the period 1998-2001. The proposal was accepted and a contract signed with a consultancy company acting for EFB with a start date of April 2002 for a duration of three years at a cost of 750000€. (Contract No.ICA5-2000-50022-“EFBIC”) The overall objective of this new project - European Focus on Biotechnology in China (EFBIC) was: To bring together high-ranking partners from politics, industry, and science to identify, develop and establish strategies for closer cooperation between China and Europe in the life sciences and their commercial applications. So this overall objective was defined quite widely potentially embracing content outside the field of biotechnology alone. A number of specific objectives were also identified as set out in the following panel:

The roles of facilitation and support are clear thrusts of these specific objectives as is the provision and exchange of information primarily to high level audiences within the particular context of making China the lead country for the EFB Task Group on International Relations.

• Making China the lead country for the established EFB Task Group on International Relations (TGIR) to study and propose how the EU can intensify scientific and administrative contacts in research-related matters with strategically important countries and regions worldwide such as ASEM countries, South American countries, etc;

• Establishing relations between high-level decision makers in Europe and China; • Facilitating interaction and collaboration between European and Chinese scientists; • Facilitating joint innovation in the life sciences; • Facilitating visits and exchanges of high-ranking officials, decision-makers, civil servants,

industrialists and relevant politicians; • Facilitating access of EU scientists to relevant scientific Chinese programmes; • Supporting exchanges of Chinese scientists in Europe and vice versa, including with

fellowships; • Preparing comprehensive information on the scientific and commercial landscapes in the life

sciences as they interrelate in Europe and China; • Organising meetings on a scientific level to promote and facilitate the exchange of

information, knowledge and people; • Providing information about funding opportunities for joint projects and facilitating Chinese

participation in European Framework Programmes as well as European participation in equivalent Chinese research programmes;

• Utilising the internet for convenient and rapid exchange of information, notices and reports of meetings, databases, etc.

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Particular activities to be implemented in the new EFBIC project were also defined at the outset. These are summarised in the following panel:

The emphasis here was on setting up particular Boards, Committees and Task Groups to oversee and guide the new initiative, the organisation of workshops both based on EFB Sections and their own Boards and the interests of other relevant professional organisations, the encouragement of visit/exchange fellowships with an emphasis on seniority, and provision of electronic and documented information for dissemination. It was further envisaged that the impact of these various components would be monitored and evaluated largely by analyses of reports and data relating to each one.

2.3. THE APPROACH An initial vital step in the proposed Europe-China cooperation was accomplished by the early signing of an agreement between the China National Center for Biotechnology Development (CNCBD) and EFB concerning cooperation under EFBIC. The two parties agreed

• Installation of an EFBIC Management Board; • Organisation of biannual meetings of the EFBIC Management Board; • Installation of a high-ranking High-Level Supervisory Committee including senior civil servants

and eminent representatives from science and industry from both China and Europe; • Organisation of a kick-off meeting and annual meetings of the Supervisory Committee; • Identification of areas of joint key strategic interest and formation of Task Groups for these

areas. Typically the EFB Sections and their Boards may form the basis for interfaces with their Chinese partners. Additional areas of interest may be identified at any time and should then be approved by the EFBIC Management Board;

• Organisation of joint topical workshops as “Engagements” and symposia or congresses on topics of key strategic interest in China and the EU. To maximise speed, simplicity and flexibility and minimise administration these will be based typically on EFB Sections and Task Groups or other European organisations active in the life science field, such as for example the European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO), the European Federations of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Microbiology and Biochemistry (EUFEPS, FEMS & FEBS), the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB) which will be invited to co-organise such events fully or partially funded by EFBIC;

• Evaluation and distribution of fellowships for visits and exchanges of Chinese and European scientists and high level representatives in Europe and China respectively to increase mobility of people and ideas between Europe and China;

• Monitoring and evaluation of the progress and impact of the project’s various activities; • Installation of an internet portal site presenting EFBIC activities and providing up-to-date

information on biotechnology as well as links to relevant sites in China and the EU. These activities include the preparation of databases on topics relevant to EFBIC activities and the provision of an e-mail enquiry service. Funding opportunities will be listed and help offered in applying for this funding. Databases will cover life science companies, research institutions and programmes, and administrative bodies;

• Publication in both printed and PDF form for web dissemination of information on the new EFBIC activities and distribution of this information to relevant authorities, institutions and individuals

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To encourage, develop and facilitate cooperative activities between China and the EU in biotechnology and biological science within the framework of the overall China- EU S&T Agreement. The cooperation was envisaged as being undertaken within the scientific remits and budgetary appropriations of both sides. For EFB this was represented by the INCO-2 Accompanying Measures contract and for CNCBD by support from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of the People’s Republic of China. Each side provides a coordinator who in turn appoints a Management Group – the two Management Groups together constituting the Scientific Management Board. The Scientific Management Board meets twice a year alternately in China and Europe. Within this specific cooperation it was agreed that cooperative activities would involve:

• Pooling of research projects already implemented through procedures applicable in the funded programmes of each signatory

• Visits and exchanges of scientists, experts, officials and joint organisation of seminars, conferences, workshops and similar events and the participation of such persons in them

• Co-establishment of an EFBIC-CNCBD network • Provision of publications material for the EFBIC-CNCBD newsletter in

electronic form. Both signatory bodies also indicated that they would:

• Make efforts to create more cooperation opportunities and to raise funds to establish an expanded joint programme to achieve this

• Identify priority areas for cooperation • Maintain close exchange of information • Ensure that the cooperation would bring real benefits to the development

of science in both countries.

Laboratories at the Institute of Virology, Wuhan

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2.4. EARLY OUTCOMES A considerable amount of activity has resulted from the EFBIC initiative since the start of the contract both in relation to managerial meetings of the committees and boards and the organisation of workshops – often held alongside other larger scientific meetings. A list of some of these workshops is provided chronologically in the following panel:

Title Date Venue Notes Cell-free protein factories – from protein synthesis to protein production and proteomics

April 2002 Shanghai Agreement signed between EFBIC and CNCBD

Engineering enzymes for biocatalysis by directed evolution

September 2002

Paris

Functional genomics and technology transfer

April 2003 Lyon In conjunction with BioVision conference

Agribiology in China August 2003 Basel Molecular mechanisms of medical microbiology and drug resistance

November 2003

Shanghai

In silico biology February 2004 Cambridge Integrated drug screening and validation: new drug targets and animal model

September/October2004

Hangzhou

GMOs,biosafety, regulatory and trade issues

2004 China

Biotechnology finance forum June 2004 Munich? New strategies for developing vaccines

2005

Extremophile research High Level Supervisory Committee (HLSC) and Scientific Management Board (SCM) meetings are usually held at the same location often in conjunction with workshops. There are some joint sessions of the two management bodies. The SCM first met in Beijing in September 2002 and then in Lyon in April 2003 (in conjunction with a BioVision conference) where a HLSC meeting was also held. More recently these two management bodies have also met in Alexandria in April 2004 again in conjunction with a BioVision Colloquium held at that time. Comprehensive minutes are produced as a result of these meetings and from both SCM and HLSC meetings a specific Memorandum of Understanding is produced for joint signature embracing the items dealt with. EFBIC has also arranged exchanges and visits between Chinese and European scientists, decision-makers, industrialists, and regulators in the life sciences and biotechnology so that they can visit or work in Europe for periods of time and attend European biotechnology events. It has also collated and disseminated documentation on policy development and issues as part of its information provision activity.

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A dedicated website has been put in place (www.efbic.com) which features a significant amount of information on the EFBIC initiative and its origination, EU-China relations, research funding in Europe and China, events both planned by EFBIC (usually as workshops) and other conferences, information on fellowships, visits, cooperation opportunities, partner searching and so forth. The website also hosts the EFBIC Forum whereby all Chinese and European scientists, officials and industrialists interested in joining EFBIC workshops and participating in other activities or contributing to the expansion of the Sino-European network in biotechnology are welcome to register as members.

Home page of the EFBIC website In addition to its website EFBIC has also promoted itself effectively through provision of its own brochures, advertisement in Nature and publication of a descriptive leaflet by the European Commission EFBIC has played a supportive role in certain scientific areas leading to the first successes in collaborative projects for example in FP6 – Priority 5 – Food quality and safety. However it has faced problems in relation to lack of knowledge on the Chinese side of European procedures and practices in FP6 in particular and an apparent lack of understanding of sources of information such as the Cordis website.

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However other initiatives by the EU Delegation in Beijing and MOST (for example in the provision of information days in various cities in China) and the work of CECO project described elsewhere are succeeding in addressing such difficulties. The picture here therefore is a rapidly improving one.

Difficulties have also been experienced in partnering exercises and the arrangement of exchange fellowships. Nevertheless the first half of the EFBIC contract implementation has been characterised by very positive experiences and a genuine enthusiasm for cooperation with, and support from, Chinese colleagues

A FP6 Information Day in Nanjing Organisationally the main EFBIC office is provided by CNCBD in its own offices in Beijing (B7, ZaoJunMiao, Haidan). The EFBIC European office is based at the EFB offices in Delft in The Netherlands.

The administrative effort is divided between CNCBD and EFB – Task Group on International Relations. There has been exchange of secretariat staff between the two offices to facilitate collaboration. The HLSC has fourteen members (seven each from China and the EU) with MOST and the EU Delegation in Beijing providing observers. The SMB has ten members – five from each side. Office entrance of CNCBD in Beijing

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2.5. THE FUTURE EFBIC is now entering its third and final year of the present contract. As an Accompanying Measure within INCO-2 it has certainly succeeded in fulfilling the aspiration of creating a platform in which various committees, processes and procedures are firmly in place in order to further collaboration by targeting, in particular, senior and high ranking persons. It has produced significant amounts of documentation supporting the management processes that have been put in place and made a range of relevant information available on EU-China cooperation in biotechnology and the biosciences more widely. This is a significant success and the extent of the effort required to achieve it in such an international cooperation context should not be under-estimated. EFBIC is starting to become more instrumental in the catalysis of truly collaborative research projects at a working scientific level. This points the way for the future so that it builds on the top-down informational platform that has been put in place to create a real bottom-up support system for initiating, monitoring and assessing outcomes of research projects involving young scientists from China and Europe with innovative ideas. This remains vital work and the real challenge for the future in order to capitalise on the substantial efforts made so far. It will ensure the longer term survival of the cooperation efforts and underline the credibility of EFBIC and the quality of its international cooperative scientific activities. To achieve a robust platform from which this can be built in a rapidly developing modern field of scientific endeavour between two broadly different cultures in the space of only two years represents a significant success story.

A Euro-Chinese discussion meeting on FP5-funded projects during a review visit to Wuhan, China

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Commuting in Beijing

Acknowledgement: Website of EU Delegation, Beijing

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European Commission SUCCESS STORIES - Promotion Bureau for EU-China Research collaboration (PBECR) and European Focus on Biotechnology In China (EFBIC) 2005 —26 pp. — [format 21.0 x 29.7] cm

In 2005 the EU and China celebrate 30 years of official relations. These relations have grown progressively especially in recent years and now cover virtually all essential areas. Achieving this has been fostered by both parties in EU-China Summit meetings and in the issuing of Policy Papers by both sides. It is against such a favourable policy background therefore that implementation and execution of S&T cooperation as set out in the China-EU S&T Agreement needs to be seen. The two SUCCESS STORIES outlined here illustrate tangible and practical outcomes in the fulfilment of policy aims for cooperation in science and technology - one in an overall context that is of benefit to many in the scientific communities of both China and the EU (PBECR) and the other (EFBIC) in a particular field of scientific research activity – biotechnology – which might well be seen as a future model for fostering cooperation in specified fields of scientific activity.