Today, Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth and Mustafa Varank, Minister of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Türkiye, have met in Brussels for the first EU-Türkiye high-level dialogue on science, research, technology and innovation.
The dialogue has focused on green industrial production, renewable energy, climate-neutral and smart cities as well as other Green Deal aspects.
Commissioner Mariya Gabriel said:
Türkiye has been a key partner in EU research and innovation programmes over the last 20 years. Today, we have held the first EU-Türkiye high-level dialogue and agreed to deepen and broaden our joint efforts for the green and digital transitions.
Minister Mustafa Varank said:
In the field of science and research, Türkiye, as a candidate country, has reached a good level of alignment with the EU. We value this dialogue mechanism as an opportunity to support the cooperation between Türkiye and the EU in science, technology and innovation. Türkiye and EU share the ambition and have the assets to design and deploy cutting-edge technologies and transform the research and innovation outputs into industrial products.
Emphasis has been placed on the critical role of digital education and training in enabling innovation and technology transfer. Views on the industry of the future and the ongoing digital transformation have also been exchanged.
The meeting has been an important opportunity to assess current efforts in these critical sectors and to discuss future opportunities for collaboration between academia and business including through the activities of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). The EU and Türkiye have agreed that a stronger integration of research and innovation capacities and technology transfer activities, coupled with human capital development, are key in sustaining the ongoing transition.
The collaboration between academia, industry and SMEs will be continuously supported through Horizon Europe, the EU’s framework programme for Research and Innovation, of which Türkiye is a full member.
Both sides have confirmed their commitment to continue their close cooperation in these areas for the mutual benefits stemming from the green and digital transition.
Background
On 27 October 2021, the Commission and Türkiye signed three agreements granting association status to EU programmes for the period 2021-2027: Horizon Europe, the EU research and innovation programme, Erasmus+, EU programme for education, training, youth and sport and the European Solidarity Corps.
Researchers, innovators, students, pupils, trainees, teachers, young people can now participate under the same conditions as participants from EU Member States.
More information
International cooperation with Türkiye
Horizon Europe
Europe’s Global Approach to Research and Innovation
Erasmus +
European Solidarity Corps
Press contact:
EC Spokesperson for Research, Science and Innovation
