The European Union (EU) today invited India to participate in its euro 54 billion science and research programme that will run for five years."India will be the most important and first to partner the Seventh Framework Programme (FP 7), which is an important instrument of innovation. I would like to invite India to new possibilities and opportunities in the field of scientific research through this initiative," Anette Schavan, minister for education and research, Germany, who also holds the EU presidency, said.The invitation was extended at India-European Union Ministerial Science Conference organised by CII and was accepted by minister of science and technology Kapil Sibal.The programme will fund research and development activities by companies, government organisations and universities across diverse sectors like information technology, biotechnology, energy and environment."Energy was the key issue and most important challenge and India and EU can work on research, development and deployment of clean-coal energy, solar energy and hybrid fuels for automobiles," Sibal said.Sibal said the flow of information between India and EU was inadequate and suggested creation of a digital directory that would set out information across various sectors on both sides.
