EU-China scientific cooperation is governed by the Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement signed in 1998. A tacit renewal was agreed in 2018 for the Science and Technology Agreement from then on. The implementation of the Agreement is overseen by a Joint Steering Committee.
China is a key partner country. A dedicated High Level Innovation Cooperation Dialogue (ICD) was set up in 2012. The ICD raises the level and intensity of research and innovation relations with China by providing a forum to discuss respective innovation policies and systems, framework conditions and launch joint initiatives.
The EU and China reaffirmed the importance of cooperation in research and innovation as a driver for economic and social development and a key element of EU-China relations at the 19th EU-China Summit in 2017. A new package of flagship initiatives was agreed to boost cooperation targeting
- food, agriculture and biotechnologies
- environment and sustainable urbanisation
- surface transport
- safer and greener aviation
- biotechnologies for environment and human health
A Framework Research Arrangement was also signed between the European Commission Joint Research Centre and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
