1. 3, rue du Luxembourg B-1000 Brussels Tel.: +32-2-5028698 Fax: +32-2-5028693 e-mail: office@earto.eu THE EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY ORGANISATIONS Christopher John Hull Secretary General

2. THE EUROPEAN TRADE ASSOCIATION OF RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY ORGANISATIONS, representing WHAT IS EARTO? over 350 RTOs throughout Europe and beyond 150,000 researchers, engineers, technicians around €15 billion turnover annually 150,000 customers annually – all sectors and sizes of firms, government departments, public agencies, civl society groups...

3. EARTO DEFINES RTO s AS “…organisations … which as their predominant activity provide research and development, technology and innovation services and which are managerially independent” WHAT IS AN RTO ? RTOs receive most of their income from providing R&D and related services to clients Most have some public core funding – negotiated, competitive

4. InventionInnovation Public Private National Laboratories Industry Universities RTOs WHAT IS AN RTO ? RTOs LINK SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY

5. RTOs PROMOTE ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND A BETTER SOCIETY Practical solution providers Capability to combine diverse technologies Support for product, process and service innovation in all sectors of the economy Special role supporting SMEs Support for public policy, precautionary research, monitoring WHAT IS AN RTO ?

6. FIRMS NEED RTOs Growing trend in R&D outsourcing search for cost- effectiveness speed to market accelerating technological change “Open Innovation” Some companies now conduct less than 10% of their R&D in- house WHAT IS AN RTO ?

7. 1.RTOs key-player category 2.European programmes attuned to interests of RTOs 1.Networking and exchange among members 2.European funding opportunities 3.Promote contacts with industry 4.Facilities in Brussels 1. Promote and defend the interests of RTOs in Europe 2. Provide added-value services to EARTO members The Mission The Strategy

8. PROMOTE AND DEFEND THE INTERESTS OF RTO’s IN EUROPE Seventh Framework Programme (a key priority for EARTO in 2005 - 2007) Contacts with Commission, Parliament, Council, other professional groups EURAB, SME Expert Advisory Group, Sounding Board, Strategic Expert Groups and Task Forces on: IPR, SME measures, State Aid, Model Contract, Model Consortium Agreements, ex-post Audits of FP Projects Board representations to Commission, meetings with Commissioner, senior officials, MEPs EARTO’s MISSION

9. PROMOTE AND DEFEND THE INTERESTS OF RTO’s IN EUROPE Seventh Framework Programme (a key priority for EARTO in 2005 - 2007) 75% funding for non-profit research organisations Reinforced SME-specific measures Guarantee Fund Full reimbursement of overhead costs Monitor the practical implementation of the Framework Programme and intervene as necessary Audit certificates in FP6 Collective Research FP6 ex-post audits Structural Funds, Marie Curie EARTO’s MISSION

10. FACILITATE EXCHANGES OF PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND GOOD PRACTICE Working Groups Technology commercialization, quality and excellence, RTO financing, FP proposal writing, spin-offs, new SME funding model in FP7 Task Forces IPR issues in FP projects, Green Paper on future of ERA, State Aid for R&D Special Interest Groups EUROTECH (“national” RTOs), SAFE (food safety), EARPA (automotive research) Services FP7 performance benchmarking datbase Surveyon RTO overhead costs Annual Conferences 2006, Lisbon, “RTOs in the Next Ten Years” 2007, Munich, official event under the German EU presidency 2008, Madrid, “Impacting New Markets EARTO’s MISSION

11. HELP MEMBERS UNDERSTAND AND USE EUROPE Permanent Brussels Secretariat Fully serviced meeting rooms for groups from five to fifty Assistance with Brussels contacts, EU programmes, official documents, etc. Training courses (in association with Hyperion Ltd.) “Getting ready for Framework proposals” “How to write a competitive Framework Programme proposal” “Negotiating and Administering a Framework Programme Contract” FP7 Proposal Preparation Service DESCA (www.desca-fp7.eu)www.desca-fp7.eu Meeus (www.meeusfp7.eu)www.meeusfp7.eu EARTO’s MISSION

12. VI TO INFORM MEMBERS ON RECENT DEVELOPMENTS EARTO’s MISSION

13. The Main Meeting Room The EARTO first-floor meeting room is available for meetings of up to 16 participants. Bigger meetings can be accommodated in a large, modern meeting room on the 5th floor of our building. The Main Meeting Room Natural light, air-conditioning, video projector, whiteboard, paper boards, transparency projector.

14. 3, rue du Luxembourg B-1000 Brussels Tel.: +32-2-5028698 Fax: +32-2-5028693 e-mail: office@earto.eu THE EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY ORGANISATIONS www.earto.eu