EUREKA – European collaboration in the field of applied and industrial research and development
Program EUREKA was declared in 1985 with the aim to support supra-national collaboration between industrial companies, research institutes and universities in order to create thus conditions for growth of efficiency and competitiveness of European industry and to develop its common infra-structure. Commercial use of solution results at the same time stressed active participation of research and development in market economics.
EUREKA projects have entirely civilian character and they are focused on various areas of private and public sector. Their output must consist in new, innovative top-class products, technologies or progressive services that can assert themselves at the world market.
At present EUREKA associates 38 countries and EU Commission is also its regular member.
Presidency the EUREKA Programme
Program EUREKA celebrated at year 2005 its 20th anniversary. The Czech Republic celebrated the same year 10th anniversary joining this Programme. In relationship to this anniversary made the Czech Republic Presidency of the EUREKA program for one year - starting July 1, 2005 and finishing June 30, 2006. It was successful. Established Secretariat of EUREKA programme presidency with the Chairman Mr.Svatopluk Halada published CD-ROM and brochure Czech EUREKA Chairmanship 2005/2006 – The Way Forward where are detail information. In case of your interest you can receive it at Contacts: Address: AIE CR, Novotneho lavka 5, 116 68 Prague 1; Tel. +420 221 082 277, e-mail: sperlink@aipcr.cz
Orientation of EUREKA program projects
EUREKA program does not stipulate in advance any thematic tasks, it does not centralise financing or selection of projects. It is governed by the rule that proposals and initiative must com "from below" (so called bottom up principle) from individual industrial enterprises and companies, research institutes and universities, which are imminently interested in collaboration. Thematic scope is in principle unlimited and it ensues from priority directions of development of industrial areas. the projects are generally directed to the following spheres:
 | Electronics, It and telecoms technology |
| | Industrial manufacturing, material and transport |
| | Other industrial technologies |
| | Biological sciences |
| | Agriculture and marine resources |
| | Energy technology |
| | Agrofood technology |
| | Measurement and standards |
| | Chemistry, Physical And Exact Sciences |
| | Technology for protecting man and the environment |
EUREKA program criteria
EUREKA program project must fulfil the following requirements:| |
collaboration of industrial companies, research organisations or universities from at least two member countries |
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achievement of considerable progress (higher innovative level) of utility value of the developed product, technological process or service |
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perspective of financial profit gained from realisation of project solution |
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solution and commercial use is intended for civilian sector |
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participants must have technical, managing and financial abilities and skills for assuring solution |
Preparation and co-ordination of solution of EUREKA program projects
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The party interested in solution of some project within the frame of EUREKA
program can either propose itself the required invention and project theme in
order to find and recruit for its realisation other partners, or it can apply
for solution of already approved project, subject to fulfilment of requirements
of the projects solvers. Project proposals must be submitted on relevant forms
through National program co-ordinator of EUREKA program, any time during a year.
Diagram of preparation,
course of solution and termination of EUREKA program projects
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Financing of EUREKA program
EUREKA program does not create any common financial fund for support of solution of projects. Participation in projects is paid by participants themselves, however collaboration within the frame of EUREKA is in most countries supported by the government, which enables rapid accumulation of funds from private sources, subsidies or loans from public sources.
The government of Czech Republic has decided to give financial support from national budget to industrial companies and universities participating in solution of EUREKA projects. Support to individual solvers subjects can amount up to 50% of costs of research part of project solution. There is no legal title for this financial support. Applicants must submit the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports via joining the public competition announced on www.msmt.cz by The Secretariat of EUREKA program qualified Project Forms through National program co-ordinator of EUREKA program.
EUROSTARS
EUROSTARS program was established 2006 as the initiative of EUREKA program member countries focused on cooperation of SMEs with own research and development. There is 27 countries that started this new program and declared to support this projects by annual contributions those total amount is 52 million €.
The countries are: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Estonia, Finland, France, The Netherlands, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portuguese, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom.
Other countries will probably follow it. Detailed conditions are in journal Innovative Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer No.3/2007 and on web sides (see later). On web side www.msmt.cz and web sides (see later) are calls for projects 2 times pro year. EUREOSTARS Project Proposals is necessary to send (electronically an in English only) directly into the Secretariat of EUREKA in Brussels (ESE). All necessary forms and instructions for sending successful project proposal is on www.eurostars-eureka.eu . Project proposals are evaluated only on international level. It means that national evaluation by methodology PAM is not made. National coordinator - NPC (the same person for EUREKA and EUROSTARS projects) only confirms some necessary information about the project proposal and its researchers on national level. International evaluation is on 2 levels:
1) Two experts evaluate the project proposal by the quality of content, factuality of researchers, ability to research this type of project, objectivity of comercional use the results only
2) Independent International Evaluating Panel (6 members + chair) grades the project using “marks” (the same as the PAM methodology EUREKA projects proposals).
Listing chosen projects will be committed EUREKA High Level Group (proposal of chosen projects must be committed as a whole, otherwise the evaluation must be repeated).
Organisation structure of EUREKA program
 | Secretariat
of EUREKA program located in Brussels assures all the necessary
activities related to co-ordination of EUREKA program, such as realisation of
circulation of new projects or search of suitable foreign partners for
collaboration, publication of information materials and administration of
public database. EUREKA secretariat devotes considerable attention also to
issues of protection of information, intellectual property, industrial rights
and standardisation.
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| | National program co-ordinator manages activities of EUREKA program in individual member countries and he ensures all the activities related to EUREKA program. He provides all the necessary information, consulting and advisory services, realises international evaluation of projects and transmits project proposals to international network of EUREKA program. He also helps to ensure financial support for project solution. |
| | Council
of EUREKA program in Czech Republic acts as an advisory body of the
Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of Czech republic. Its members are
independent experts from industry and research. the Program council discusses
proposals of new projects with participation of Czech organisations and it
gives its standpoint also to submitted requirements for co-financing of
projects from national budget. Members of the Program council act also as
supervisors of projects that are being solved by Czech subjects.
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High-level group of representatives is a managing board of EUREKA program. It is formed by high government officers of member countries together with representative of EU Commission. This board is responsible for preparation of basic strategic documents, information exchange between member states about possible areas of collaboration, it approves proposals of new projects and grants them status of EUREKA project. |
| | Conference
of ministers is the highest body of the EUREKA program. In this
conference take part ministers of governments of member countries and
representatives of EU, who are responsible for research, development and
technology. Conference of ministers can decide about development, direction
and targets of the program and admission of new members.
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Contact addresses
| National co-ordinator
of EUREKA program in Czech Republic Ing. Josef Martinec Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy Karmelitská 7, 118 12 Praha 1 Tel.: +420 257 193 512, fax: +420 257 193 713 e-mail: josef.martinec@msmt.cz Web: www.msmt.cz / www.eurekanetwork.org |
EUREKA program public relation
is assured by Association of Innovative Entrepreneurship CR Novotného lávka 5 116 68 Praha 1 Doc.Ing. Karel Šperlink, CSc. Tel.: +422 221 082 277 e-mail: sperlink@aipcr.cz |
