Targets

International cooperation represents an increasingly important dimension of successive Research Framework Programmes of the European Union (particularly FP6 and FP7).
International cooperation in the EU Framework Programmes is implemented in different ways such as:

* the opening up of research activities to researchers and research organizations from all third countries;
* specific international cooperation actions (SICAs);
* more customized joint activities with foreign countries and regions such as twinning of projects, based on mutual benefit and reciprocity.

In the EU FP7 - 'Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnologies' Work Programmes, twinning of projects with related programmes in third countries that have signed bilateral S&T agreements with the European Community will be encouraged on the basis of mutual benefit and reciprocity.

Research Programmes implemented by Argentina and MERCOSUR have several common points with European FP7-'Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnologies' (FAFB) activities and intense dialogue between managers of these programmes led to identification of shared areas of interest such as soil, plant and food research where fruitful cooperation between selected twin projects can be encouraged.

The twinning action started with the workshop held in Buenos Aires (7&8/11/09). This workshop was a unique occasion for the programme managers and the project leaders from Argentina / MERCOSUR and the EU to explore possible fields of cooperation and to design future twinning activities such as short term exchanges / visits of researchers, setting up of common working groups, organisation of workshop, share of data, information, knowledge and material.