The workshop on upcoming FP7 calls was held successively in Beijing and Xi’an on June 22cd and June 25th. It was jointly organized by China-EU S&T Cooperation Promotion Office, CSTEC and its European partners of Bilat Silk project to publicize the funding opportunity of EU FP7 among different Chinese S&T stakeholders. Senior S&T officials from both China and EU, FP7 NCPs and experts respectively from the Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems (VINNOVA), Italian Agency for the Promotion of European Research (APRE), and Greek Foundation for Research and Technology (Forth, Hellas) attended the workshop with the presence of other more than 100 participants from top Chinese universities, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, etc.

Director General SUN Hong of CSTEC delivered a keynote speech on t he workshop in Beijing. He spoke highly of China-EU S&T cooperation, highlighted the increasing Chinese participation in EU RTD framework program over years, and suggested both sides joint hands particularly in co-identified S&T areas of common interests. Georges.Papageorgiou, Minister S&T councilor of EC Delegation to China, and Michele Genovese, Principle Administrator of EC RTD International Cooperation addressed the workshop respectively from the points of view of EC Delegation to China and EC in Brussels. Papageorgiou updated the workshop participants upon calls EC Delegation to China about to release in the area of Energy and Environment; while Michele  Genovese presented a general picture of China-EU S&T cooperation under FP7, highlighting EC’s S&T policies towards international cooperation countries, especially towards China. Beijing workship has also seen introduction on upcoming FP7 calls, FP7 participatory rules and relevant financial and IPR issues respectively presented by VINNOVA, APRE and Forth Hellas. The workshop was highly regarded by participants as informative, effective and well-organized.

In Xi’an, supported by Shannxi S&T department, the workshop co-organized by local S&T Exchange Center with Foreign Countries was also warmly received by the local S&T community. Deputy Director General QIU Yilu of Shannxi S&T Department attended the workshop, and his welcome speech updated both Chinese and European participants on the local S&T strengths and needs for the international cooperation. Also the participants were informed of FP7 calls and trained on how to successfully apply to FP7 calls for EC funding. By the end of Xi’an workshop, almost all attendees acknowledged that the workshop was fruitful both in terms of organization and its far-reaching impact upon the future S&T project cooperation under FP7 particularly between Shannxi and European researchers.

A one-week workshop on upcoming FP7 calls and training was successfully concluded on June 26th. CECO has received very positive feedback from participants, who expressed their hope of expecting more of such events to be held in the future.