Scientific and technological cooperation between the EU and Mexico

SUMMARY OF:

Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the European Community and the United Mexican States

Decision 2005/766/EC – Conclusion of the Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the European Community and the United Mexican States

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE AGREEMENT AND THE DECISION?

The agreement establishes the formal rules for cooperation between the European Community, now the European Union (EU), and Mexico, aiming at encouraging, developing and facilitating activities in fields of science and technology of common interest.

By its decision, the Council of the European Union approved the conclusion of the agreement on behalf of the European Community.

KEY POINTS

Activities carried out under the agreement are based on a set of principles:

mutual benefit;
reciprocal opportunities;
timely exchange of information;
effective protection of intellectual property and the equitable sharing of intellectual property rights.

Fields of cooperation

Cooperative activities must be directed towards promoting scientific progress, industrial competitiveness and economic and social development, in particular in the following fields:

research on the environment and climate, including earth observation;
biomedical and health research;
agriculture, forestry and fisheries;
industrial and manufacturing technologies;
research on electronics, materials and metrology;
non-nuclear energy;
transport;
information society technologies;
research on economic and social development;
biotechnologies;
aeronautics and space research and applied research; and
science and technology policy.

Activities

Cooperative activities may include:

the establishment of networks and long-term institutional alliances between research centres and research and technology institutes, and the joint implementation of projects of common interest;
the implementation of research, technological development and demonstration projects between research and business centres in Mexico and Europe, including technology-based companies;
the participation of Mexican research institutes in research, technological development and demonstration projects under the existing framework programme for research and innovation, and the reciprocal participation of research institutes established in the EU in Mexican projects;
visits and exchanges of scientists, research, technological development and demonstration policymakers and technical experts, including scientific training through research;
the joint organisation of scientific seminars, conferences, workshops and symposia, and the participation of experts in such activities;
the exchange and sharing of equipment and materials, including the shared use and/or loaning of laboratory infrastructure and equipment;
the exchange of information on procedures, laws, regulations and programmes relevant to cooperation under this agreement, and the exchange of experience and studies on best practices in science and technology policy.

DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE

The agreement entered into force on 13 June 2005 for an initial period of 5 years, and it may be tacitly renewed after full evaluation, based on the results, during the penultimate year of each successive 5-year period. It has been most recently tacitly renewed in 2020 for an additional period of 5 years.

BACKGROUND

The agreement forms part of wider bilateral relations between the EU and Mexico that are governed by the Economic Partnership, Political Coordination and Cooperation Agreement (known as the global agreement).

For further information, see:

The European Union and Mexico (European External Action Service)

For further information about research and innovation cooperation with Mexico, see:

Mexico (European Commission).

MAIN DOCUMENTS

Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the European Community and the United Mexican States (OJ L 290, 4.11.2005, pp. 17–24).

Council Decision 2005/766/EC of 13 June 2005 on the conclusion of the Agreement for Scientific and Technological Cooperation between the European Community and the United Mexican States (OJ L 290, 4.11.2005, p. 16).