EAST-HORIZON · Fostering Dialogue and Cooperation between the EU and EECA in the HORIZON 2020 perspective

In the fluid environment of the junction between FP7 and HORIZON 2020, the EAST HORIZON Support Action, brought forward by a balanced mixture of European Strategic Consulting companies, IT Industry, EECA National Research and Governmental Organizations, comes as a bridge for a two-way cooperation between the EECA and the EU.It will inspire ideas, influence policies, and launch actions to:Support the Dialogue between EU and EECA countriesRaise awareness, help networking EECA organizations for participating in EU R&D and EU organizations participate in EECA R&D Programs.Matching EECA Societal Challenges, ICT R&D and Industrial Priorities to HORIZON 2020 concepts, EAST HORIZON, after validating results from previous related projects, will focus on new elements introduced by H2020 and the current frame of policy Dialogue between EU and EECA countries and bring concrete ideas and arguments to the Dialogue between the EC and EECA countries, in the perspective of a coherent ICT R&D cooperation policy.The project will raise awareness by focused events where a deep insight of all relevant EU ICT R&D Frameworks will be provided; reciprocally it will gather feedback on EECA R&D Programs for enabling EU organizations participate in them.The project will create a dense grid of relevant players on the two sides (ICT researchers, IT Associations, Companies, ETPs, Knowledge Networks and Policy makers) in a balanced way so as to maximize research collaboration, in parallel promoting innovation. This will shape new or strengthen existing business links between the EU and EECA IT Industries and Academia/Institutes.A permanent communication and collaboration platform, an environment where all ICT Research players meet and work together to raise ideas for joint Research projects will be established. The platform, linked to similar platforms, will be transferred to EECA stakeholders at project end, for achieving sustainability of collaboration mechanisms built under EAST HORIZON.