THE EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY ORGANISATIONS

THE EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY ORGANISATIONS Christopher John Hull Secretary General 3, rue du Luxembourg B-1000 Brussels Tel. : +32 -2 -5028698 Fax: +32 -2 -5028693 e-mail: office@earto. eu

WHAT IS EARTO? THE EUROPEAN TRADE ASSOCIATION OF RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY ORGANISATIONS, representing over 350 RTOs throughout Europe and beyond 150, 000 researchers, engineers, technicians around € 15 billion turnover annually 150, 000 customers annually – all sectors and sizes of firms, government departments, public agencies, civl society groups. . .

WHAT IS AN RTO ? EARTO DEFINES RTOs AS “…organisations … which as their predominant activity provide research and development, technology and innovation services and which are managerially independent” RTOs receive most of their income from providing R&D and related services to clients Most have some public core funding – negotiated, competitive

WHAT IS AN RTO ? RTOs LINK SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY Private Industry Universities RTOs National Laboratories Public Invention Innovation

WHAT IS AN RTO ? RTOs PROMOTE ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND A BETTER SOCIETY Practical solution providers Capability to combine diverse technologies Support for product, process and service innovation in all sectors of the economy Special role supporting SMEs Support for public policy, precautionary research, monitoring

WHAT IS AN RTO ? FIRMS NEED RTOs Growing trend in R&D outsourcing search for costeffectiveness speed to market accelerating technological change “Open Innovation” Some companies now conduct less than 10% of their R&D inhouse

The Mission 1. Promote and defend the interests of RTOs in Europe 2. Provide added-value services to EARTO members The Strategy 1. RTOs key-player category 1. Networking and exchange among members 2. European programmes attuned to interests of RTOs 2. European funding opportunities 3. Promote contacts with industry 4. Facilities in Brussels

EARTO’s MISSION PROMOTE AND DEFEND THE INTERESTS OF RTO’s IN EUROPE Seventh Framework Programme (a key priority for EARTO in 2005 - 2007) Contacts with Commission, Parliament, Council, other professional groups EURAB, SME Expert Advisory Group, Sounding Board, Strategic Expert Groups and Task Forces on: IPR, SME measures, State Aid, Model Contract, Model Consortium Agreements, ex-post Audits of FP Projects Board representations to Commission, meetings with Commissioner, senior officials, MEPs

EARTO’s MISSION PROMOTE AND DEFEND THE INTERESTS OF RTO’s IN EUROPE Seventh Framework Programme (a key priority for EARTO in 2005 - 2007) 75% funding for non-profit research organisations Reinforced SME-specific measures Guarantee Fund Full reimbursement of overhead costs Monitor the practical implementation of the Framework Programme and intervene as necessary Audit certificates in FP 6 Collective Research FP 6 ex-post audits Structural Funds, Marie Curie

EARTO’s MISSION FACILITATE EXCHANGES OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND GOOD PRACTICE Working Groups Technology commercialization, quality and excellence, RTO financing, FP proposal writing, spin-offs, new SME funding model in FP 7 Task Forces IPR issues in FP projects, Green Paper on future of ERA, State Aid for R&D Special Interest Groups EUROTECH (“national” RTOs), SAFE (food safety), EARPA (automotive research) Services FP 7 performance benchmarking datbase Surveyon RTO overhead costs Annual Conferences 2006, Lisbon, “RTOs in the Next Ten Years” 2007, Munich, official event under the German EU presidency 2008, Madrid, “Impacting New Markets

EARTO’s MISSION HELP MEMBERS UNDERSTAND USE EUROPE Permanent Brussels Secretariat Fully serviced meeting rooms for groups from five to fifty Assistance with Brussels contacts, EU programmes, official documents, etc. Training courses (in association with Hyperion Ltd. ) “Getting ready for Framework proposals” “How to write a competitive Framework Programme proposal” “Negotiating and Administering a Framework Programme Contract” FP 7 Proposal Preparation Service DESCA (www. desca-fp 7. eu) Meeus (www. meeusfp 7. eu)

The Main Meeting Room The EARTO first-floor meeting room is available for meetings of up to 16 participants. Bigger meetings can be accommodated in a large, modern meeting room on the 5 th floor of our building. The Main Meeting Room Natural light, air-conditioning, video projector, whiteboard, paper boards, transparency projector.

THE EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY ORGANISATIONS www. earto. eu 3, rue du Luxembourg B-1000 Brussels Tel. : +32 -2 -5028698 Fax: +32 -2 -5028693 e-mail: office@earto. eu