

EU Science Commissioner Moedas to Eurofora on EU-China Research events + 1st EU Universities Campus

*Strasbourg/University Palace/Angelo Marcopolo/- EU - China Cooperation in Scientific Research is a "very Interesting" recent Development, and it can be "Facilitated", in this and other cases, by the Creation of "European Campus", bringing Together many Universities from vartious European Countries, starting by the 1st Example given Today around Strasbourg's "Superior Rhine" area, between France, Germany and Switzerland, to Boost Modern Collective Research, replied, in substance, EU Commissioner for Science, Research and Innovation, Carlose Moedas, to "Eurofora"s Questions, and he was joined, particularly on the 2nd Point, also by a Strong Plaidoyerie by the President of that New Legal Structure of an "EU Group for Territorial Cooperation", Professor Hans-Jochen Schiewer, Dean of Freiburg University at nearby Germany, (See Infra).
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- "Eurofora" reminded the Fact that, during the latest EU - China SUmmit last July 2015 in Brussels, (See relevant "Eurofora"s NewsReports from the spot, f.ex. : .....), it was discussed, for the First Time, a New Economic Strategy focused no more on Trade and/or Industrial Production alone, but also and mainly on Joint Scientific Research and Technological Innovation, (on the occasion of which EU Commissioner Moedas had Started to Sign 2 conrete initial Agreements with his Chinese Minister counterpârt), and asked the EU Commissioner how things are going in that field, and whether this could be Facilitated by the Creation of "European Campus" bringing together many Universities from various EU Countries, as the 1st one, just established Today around Strasbourg's "Superior Rhine" area, between Germany, France and Switzerland.
- Indeed, "We (EU and China) have, in fact, a Co-Financing System, which allows both Chinese Researchers to work here (in Europe), and Our (EU's) Researchers to work in China", Moedas confirmed.
- "For that purpose, We (EU and China) Created Together a Mechanism, according to which, we (EU) Pay our Part, and they (China) Pay their Part, in order to work on Joint Research projects", he explained.
- All "this is Very Interesting", both for China and "for Europe", "because the Cooperation with Countries liks China is very Important", underlined Positively EU's Science, Research and Innovation Commissioner.
- In fact, "they (China) have some Interesting contributions to make in Research, and, Vice-Versa, we (EU) have too, effectively", Carlos Moedas stressed.
- Also, because, as a matter of principle, "Science, as you know, Science is Build by Opening up to the World, since it is developing in All Frameworks, in All Countries, and that's cery Important, per se, to be effectively Able to Benefit from each other's Research".
- In this regard, the Creation, Today, of the 1st "European Campus" around Strasbourg, which Brings Together 3 Countries (France, Germany, Schwitzerland) with 5 Universities, accross the Superior Rhine river Euro-Region), "I think, that it's a Good Example, of what can, indeed, Facilitate such effective International Cooperations in Scientific Research with Countries like China", he observed.
- "For the Time being, this is the 1st Case of such an Eucopean Campus" throughout all EU's 28 Member Countries, "but there are at least anOther 2 Similar Projects currently prepared, among other EU Countries, even if they have Not Yet been Decided" until now.
- "That's the way to make Science Today ! It's not by staying Closed inside a Laboratory...", the competent EU Commissioner pointed out in Conclusion.
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+ Speaking, later-on, during an Official Ceremony for the Creation of this "1st" example of a "European Campus", bringing Together the Infrastructures, Researchers, Professors, Administrative Staff and Students of 5 French, German or Swiss Universities, in the Legal Framework of a European Group for Territorial Cooperation (EGTC), witha Unique Legal Personality, able to apply for Joint Research Projects to be Funded by EU's "Horizon 2020" RST Prfogram, as well as from National Budgets, Moedas made a Strong Plaidoyerie for International Cooperation in RST :
- "Today, the way Science works has Evolved towards Collecrtive, Networked methods", the Research, Science and Innovation EU Commissioner stressed from the outset, as a matter of general principle.
- F.ex., already, as early as since back on 1911, for the First Time, 24 Top Scientists on Physics and Chemistry, (including, f.ex. Poincaré, Curie, Max Planck, etc) had Gathered Together at Brussels' Metropole Hotel, for a Conference which was due to bring Big Changes : Not only for passing from Classical to Quantum Physics, but also in order to develop "a New way to Work Together", starting what cand be called an "Open Science".
- On the Contrary, just a few Years Earlier, Back on 1905, f.ex. Einstein had published his Findings on the Relativity theory, as well as on the Photon, etc. after Working "Alone", as a Unique Researcher, Moedas reminded.
- But, "Now", when, f.ex., New Findings were recently published on "Gravitational Waves", this was done "by about 1.000 Scientists from Various Countries", who had worked Together, he observed.
=> Thus, "Science Changed : It's No more a matter for One Man Alone. The Age of Individual Research has gone. We are, Today, in an Age of Collective Research, Based on Openess".
+ This "also a Political concept, against Closed areas and Protectionism", pointing at "an Open Future", the competent EU Commissioner concluded.
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+ Meanwhile, 1st "European Campus"' President, Professor Hans-Jochen Schiewer, who Chairs also the Superior Rhine Euro-Region around Strasbourg, and serves as Dean to Freiburg University at nearby Germany, speaking earlier to "Eurofora", sharply Backed the Idea that International Cooperations with Big Countries such as China, Russia, USA, etc., would be greatly Facilitated by Bringing Together 5 European Universities from 3 important Countries (France, Germany and Switzerland), with all their Infrastructures, as well as a 2,3 Billions € Total Budget, 15.000 Researchers, 11.000 PhD Candidates, and 115.000 Students, but also by making possible interesting Synergies both for EU Funding of Joint Projects, and for New kinds of Education and Research potential :
- F.ex., in Addition to attending a Summer School session in Germany's Feriburg University, Foreign Students and/or Researchers, could also Visit and Work at France's Strasbourg University, as well as Switzerland's University of Balle, etc., since they have become all now Members of that "European Campus" at the Superior Rhine area. While, on the Contrary, if they went f.ex. to Berlin, they woukd be Limited Only to the Berlin University alone, he compared.
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- "I know quite well China !", boasted, later-on, NOBEL Prize Winner in Chemistry, French Professor Jean-Marie Lehn, Director of Strasbourg's Supra-Molecular Research Institute, speaking to "Eurofora".
According to the vice-President of Strasbourg University for International Relations, Professor Francis Kern, in Canton region there is even a Chinese University which has reportedly adopted Lehn's name.

Lehn didn't exlude for the New, "European Campus" Franco-Germano-Swiss confederation, which brings Together 5 Universities from 3 Neighbouring Countries located accross the Rhine River, (Comp. its' President, German Professor Hans-Jochen Schiewer's replies to "Eurofora" Questions, at : .......), to develop its already declared wish to Boost its International Visibility by using a kind of Representations abroad, not only in Brussels and New York, or Geneva, etc., but also on Shanghai, host city of various Universities and Institutes, including of the Famous Global Ranking of Universities world-wide, as well as Shanghai's International Relations Institute, etc. He only warned that he, personaly, "didn't have enough Time" to undertake the responsibiity of such a mission nowadays.
+ Last, but not least, as it was characteristicaly said by the experienced Professor of Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (KIT), and long-time President of German niversities' Conference of Deans, Horst Hippler, (on the Occasion of the attributions of 3 "Honoris Causa" PhD Degrees by Strasbourg's University to himself, as well as to Swiss Professor of Egyptology, Antonio Loprieno, together with the New "European Campus" President, Profedssor Schiewer, Dean of Feiburg University at nearby Germany : Comp. Supra), - "Minds are like Parachutes : They only function when they are Open !"...
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(Fast Translation from the Original in French. + "DraftNews", as already send to "Eurofora's Subsribers/Donors. A more accurate, full Final Version, might be published asap).
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Recent developments proved that Europe can suceed to overcome challenges by aiming at great objectives, and this is needed also in 2009, said EU chairman, French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
- "It's in the name of Great Ideas, Projects, Ambition and Ideals, that EU can overcome" challenges, stressed Sarkozy at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, in conclusion of a dense 7 months EU Chairmanship. "It's even easier for Europe to have Great projects, able to overcome national egoism, instead of limiting itself only to small projects" (unable to do alike), he observed.
- "Europe must remain Ambitious and understand that the World needs her to take Decisions". "The World needs a Strong Europe", which "thinks on its own, has convictions, its own responses, its imagination" : "A Europe which does not limit itself into following" others, (as it did in the Past, when it followed USA, f.ex. on Bosnia). On the contrary, "Europe should undertake its own responsibilities", he said, after a series of succes in stopping the War between Russia and Georgia, and organizing the 1st EuroZone's Summit in Paris, which incited the Washington DC G-20 Summit to extend similar decisions World-wide.
- "When you sweep it all under the carpet, prepare yourself for hard tomorrows", he warned. "What hinders decisions is the lack of Courage and Will, the fading away of Ideals", he stressed before EU Parliament's 2008 debate on Human Rights and Sakharov prize on Freedom of thought attributed by MEPs to Chinese cyber-dissident Hu Jia, followed by an EU - Turkey meeting on Friday.
- "I don't abandon my convictions" and "I will take initiatives" on EU level also in 2009, Sarkozy announced later. "France will not stop having convictions and taking initiatives" on Europe. + "It's an Error to wish to pass over the Heads of those who are elected in their Countries" : "It's an integrism I always fought against"', he warned.
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French EU Presidency faced 4 unexpected Crisis :
- An institutional crisis, with the Irish "No" to EU Lisbon Treaty, just before it started. A geopolitical crisis, wth the threat of War between Russia and Georgia risking to throw Europe back to Cold-war divisions, on August. A World-wide Financial and Economic crisis, arriving at a bad moment before crucial 2009 EU elections. And even a Strasbourg's mini-crisis, with EU Parliament's roof curiously falling down, from unknown reasons, in a brand new building on August, provoking an unprecedented transfert of the 2 September Plenary Sessions...
But it wasn't enough to stop Sarkozy ! On the contrary, it stimulated him...
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- "The better way to deal with the recent problems of EU institutions (as the "3 NO" by France, the Netherlands and Ireland) is to take them as a "Test" in order to find solutions closer to Citizens' concerns", said later in Strasbourg Sarkozy's new choice as Ministe for EU affairs, Bruno Le Maire.
- On the Institutional front, Sarkozy gave Time to the Irish to think about it, and stroke on December a deal including a New Referendum after the June 2009 EU Elections, in exchange of a promise to keep the rule of "one EU Commissioner for each EU Member Country", and some opt-outs on Defence and Fiscal EU policies, Abortion, etc. If the Irish get a "Yes" Majority, then the institutional package could be completed in 2010 or 2011 on the occasion of Croatia's probable EU accession.
He was accused in Strasbourg to upgrade EU Council and downgrade EU Commision, but he replied that "strong Political initiatives by EU Council reinforce also the more technical role of EU Commission, under the political-technical leadership of its President", all 3 "working together with EU Parliament".
- But, meanwhile, Sarkozy energetically spearheaded an Historic 1st Summit of EuroZone's 15 Heads of State and Government at EU's core, exceptionally enlarged to a partial participation of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, on October 12 in Paris' Elysee palace, which started to tackle succesfully the growing world Financial crisis.
It also paved the way for its endorsement by a subsequent Brussels' 27 EU Member States' gathering, before it all come to Washington's G-20 Summit. And "Europe was united, it asked for the 1st G-20 Summit, and it will also organise the next G-20 Summit on April in London", he observed.
But a Conference with EU, Russia, African and other Developing Countries, hosted in Strasbourg shortly after Washington G-20 Summit by the French EU Presidency, took a Resolution asking to enlarge participation to Global Economic Governance. Many found, indeed, illogic and unacceptable that f.ex. states as Turkey were given a seat at G-20 level, while all African Countries, and even the African Union itself, representing the greatest Continent on Earth, were excluded...
Meanwhile, even USA''s "Paulson No 3" Plan, was, in fact, inspired by Europe's No 1 Plan", Sarkozy observed, largelly applauded by MEPs.
And "Europe showed Solidarity" by mobilizing some 22 Billion credit for Hungary, 1,7 billion for Ukraine, as we do nowadays for Baltic States, etc., he added.
The move on Economy was extended on December by an EU stimulus' plan totalling some 200 billion Euros, including 5 Billions released by EU Commission for big Projects, as well as various parallel National plans for Economic revival, (fex. 26 billions in France alone). They might appear limited, compared to USA President-elect Obama's reported plan to boost the American economy with 800 billion $, but at least succeded to overcome Europe's divisions for the first time on Economic governance, opening new horizons.
- The French President stressed even harder the unique role of an active EU Council's chairmanship, when he moved swiftly and efficiently, at the beginning of August, to succesfully stop War between Russia and Georgia, at the last minute, which threatened to bring Europe back to Cold War division.
"We (EU) also wanted to avoid a situation like in Bosnia, in the Past, when EU was absent, so that our American friends took their responsibilitues, and EU only followed", despite the fact that the conflict took place in Europe. Now, it was the EU who took its responsibilities".
A roadmap towards a new PanEuropean Security policy, before which all unilateral moves to place new Missiles (from USA or Russia) would be freezed, was proposed by Sarkozy after a meeting with Russian president Medvedev, at the eve of Washington DC's G-20 Summit.
Ukraine's "European" character was stressed at a Sarkozy - Jushenko Summit, September in Paris, while EU adopted on December an "Eastern policy", in which, "I'm convinced that our (EU's) future is to find with our Neighbours the conditions for Economic Development. Peace and Security, by explaining them that.. they must respect (Human Rights') Values, and adopt behaviors different from the Past", explained Sarkozy in Strasbourg.
Meanwhile, the "Union for the Mediterranean" was created, since July's Summit if 45 Heads of State and Government in Paris, as "an organisation for a permanent Dialogue, that we need", mainly in order to tackle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, by bringing together, for the 1st time, Israelis and Arabs, where "Europe must be present, in order to avoid a frontal clash".
- "If Europe doesn't take its part for Peace in the Middle-East, nobody else will do that in our place", Sarkozy stressed.
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Meanwhile, other EU Agreements were brokered during the French EU Presidency on Immigration, (fex. common Asylum rules, etc), and Climat- Energy :
- On Climat-Energy, the 2007 German EU Presidency had fixed a triple 20% aim for 2020 (20% renewable Energies, 20% reduction of CO2 emmission, 20% energy efficience/economies), and the 2008 French EU Presidecny realized that, making the necessary compromises in order to modernize EU's industry, but without throwing some former Central-Eastern European Countries into abrupt Economic break down risking "social explosion".
- Defence-Security EU policy was mainly postponed for April 2009, since both German chancellor Merkel and French president Sarkozy want to strike a deal with the new American president Obama in Strasbourg's NATO Summit.
However, with all these 4 unexpected Crisis diverting attention to other urgencies, People wil wonder now, what happened to the famous deal proposed by freshly-elected French President Sarkozy on Turkey's controversial EU bid, back on August 2007, to continue EU - Turkey negotiations, but on the double condition that core chapters, intrinsequally linked with EU Membership, will be excluded, and that a collective Reflexion and Debate on Europe's future would start before the end of 2008.
It was meant to reply to the crucial question : What kind of Europe do we want in 10 or 20 Years from now : A large Market, or a Political Europe, with a popular identity ? In Sarkozy's thinking, presented in his 2 landmark speeches on Europe in Strasbourg, shortly before and after the 2007 Elections, (on February and July 2007), Turkey's controversial EU bid would be incompatible with the second choice.
It's true that EU Commision's Chairman, Jose Barroso, (who had notoriously declared, as former Portuguese Prime Minister, that he found "nonsense" the idea that Europe might become equal to the US), had repeatedly tried to avoid that Sarkozy's criticism on Turkey might start winning a larger audience in Europe, preferring a discrete "wismens' committee" work. And that most of the personalities later chosen in order to participate in a Committee on Europe's Future, are too much linked with Socialist parties and/or American policies, to be really critical of USA's notorious wish to impose Turkey to the EU, as Sarkozy had noted himself since March 2007..
- "It's on EU Council's presidency to take political initiatives. EU Commission has other competences", stressed Sarkozy. The "European Ideal" is to "build Europe with the States, not against them". "Ask Europeans to chose between their countries and Europe won't work. You don't choose between your two parents : We must add them together".
"France and Germany have an Historic Duty to work together, precisely because of what happened to the Past. We have to work hand by hand. We cannot be separated.It goes beyond me and Mrs Merkel today, Mr Schroeder and Mr. Chirac yesterday. It's not a choice, it's a duty to Europe and to the World". "We need Germany, as Germany needs Europe". Compromise is inevitable, here as everywhere, and each one made some steps towards eachother's positions.
But "it's true that Mrs Merkel didn't chose her Socialist partners, while I chose mine", Sarkozy said, in an indirect hint that the Socialist Minister of Finance in Germany might be a cause of minor past disagreements in Economy, which were overcome in recent negotiations.
"We (France and Germany) have particular duties in Europe", but "in a Europe of 27 Member States, it's not enough for France and Germany to agree between them.
"I always thought that Great Britain has a special role to play in Europe. ... Now, everybody "saw what it cost payed the UK for having been too exclusively open towards the US (and) Financial services. Europe needs the UK, but also the UK needs Europe" :- "We were able to face the hardest moment of the Financial crisis because the UK clearly chose Europe", stressed Sarkozy, reminding Gordon Brown's exceptional participation to the Historic 1st Heads of State/Government Summit of EuroZone, October 12 in Paris (See EuroFora's Reportage from Elysee Palace then).
- "Some look at Europe with old glasses aged 30 years ago. While we must look at her in relation to what it will be in 30 years" in the Future, Sarkozy concluded.
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