FIOCRUZ hosted a meeting on November 1st with a delegation of 15 Members of Parliament from the European Union (EU) on the Manguinhos campus in Rio de Janeiro to discuss topics such as the trade agreement between the EU and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), the importance of public investment in science and technology, and international cooperation in health.

The visit also featured a meeting between FIOTEC staff members Flávia Estill, Eliana Cavalcante, and Clarisse Castro with the head of the Science and Technology Section of the EU Delegation in Brazil, Alejandro Zurita Centelles, and members of the FIOCRUZ management group for participation in the “Horizon 2020” program, a funding initiative by European Union to encourage innovation.

The group, led by FIOCRUZ Vice-President for Research and Biological Collections, Rodrigo Correa-Oliveira, was formed in mid-2107 to convene researchers from the institution interested in the program’s areas of activities, in order for FIOCRUZ to submit joint proposals rather than researchers submitting individual projects.

The meeting focused on exchange between the FIOCRUZ management group and representatives of the European Commission for alignment on rules under the new H2020 methodology. FIOTEC also has representatives in the management group and participated in the meeting to contribute with its administrative expertise related to projects and to exchange experiences with the funder, since it already supports initiatives at FIOCRUZ with financing from the European Commission.

Click here to read the story by the FIOCRUZ Agency on the delegation’s visit.