ASIA-ECOBEST ROUNDTABLE www.adi.pt/rtable <http://www.adi.pt/rtable> Asian Environmental needs, European advanced solutions: bridging the gap through R&D collaboration Macau Scientific and Cultural Centre - LISBON, 12 + 13 MARCH 2001 ORGANISERS: ADI (The Agency for Innovation), PORTUGAL CDTI (Centre for the Technological Industrial Development), SPAIN CPTTM (Macao Productivity and Technology Transfer Centre), CHINA Sponsors: RIET (The Regional Institute of Environmental Technology), SINGAPORE ASIA-ECOBEST (DG AIDCO) BACKGROUND: As Asian economies have reached, during the last decades, unprecedented levels of economic growth, so the need to improve environmental quality has become a major issue. Many European SME's and R&D institutions have the technical skills and tools which, when properly adapted to local conditions in Asia, could prove adequate of solving the current environment problems. There is, therefore, a clear potential for the mutually beneficial matching of problem-owners and solution -providers. However, the both sides of the equation often appear in a fragmented way and may lack both the resources and channels to identify and reach the appropriate partners, a fact that highlights the need to develop matching mechanisms that network interested organisations in the two regions. OBJECTIVES: * To identify and assess the existing opportunities and current support and networking mechanisms and how effective they are; * To identify the lessons to be learnt from actual collaboration experiences, case studies including their results and difficulties; * To discuss ways of facilitating a more systematic gathering of information about both the results of European R&D and specific Asian needs, and to disseminate the former in Asia. * To discuss and develop an approach to enhance the effectiveness of the European instruments and to analyse how the Asia-EcoBest project or other similar EU programmes could synergise the actions taken by EU Member States to strengthen environmental R&D co-operation between Asian and European organisations. TARGET ORGANISATIONS: * SME's and research organisations that own advanced R&D results in the environmental area * Policy-makers and S&T development and diffusion Agencies * Research-industry interface organisations and national productivity centres * Members of international research co-operation networks * Any organisation that might be interested in benefiting from an enhanced dissemination of European environmental research results. CONTACTS: ADI - The Portuguese Agency for Innovation Rita Silva Tel. +351 21 7210910 Fax: + 351 21 727 17 33 e-mail: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> For further information, on-line Registration and Preliminary Programme: www.adi.pt/rtable <http://www.adi.pt/rtable> Agência de Inovação, S.A. Av. Dos Combatentes nº 43, 10º C/D 1600-042 Lisboa Portugal Tel: + 351 21 722 05 48 Fax: + 351 21 722 05 41 e-mail: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> Dr Ruth Hillary UK Expert to ISO TC 207 ES/1 WG2 Editor-in-Chief ([log in to unmask]) Corporate Environmental Strategy: International Journal of Corporate Sustainability www.corporate-env-strategy.com Editorial Office c/o NEMA 174 Trellick Tower Golborne Road London W10 5UU UK Tel/fax: +44 (0)20 8968 6950 Mobile Tel: +44 (0)771 471 8981 (e-mail: [log in to unmask]) Editor of the CBI Environmental Management Handbook Editor Business and the Environment Practitioners Series