Presidency of the European Union

The Netherlands hold the Presidency of the European Union from 1 July – 31 December 2004. At the request of the Minister of Education, Culture and Science, NWO is actively involved in preparing the theme ´European Knowledge Society´, focusing on the role of science and innovation in Europe.

The Ministry values the active input by relevant organisations in this field. To coordinate and support their participation, a Task Force EU Presidency Research & Science has been established, consisting of leaders in the Dutch research and innovation field and chaired by NWO President, Peter Nijkamp. The Task Force coordinates the participation of the Dutch national organizations involved in science and innovation by supporting multiple non-governmental events supported by the Dutch Presidency with official support of the Dutch Presidency. In addition, several events organised by NWO focus on current issues in the field of European research policy.

For more information on the Dutch priorities in the policy field of science and innovation, please consult the websites of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the Ministry of Economic Affairs. General information on the Dutch Presidency can be found at the Dutch Presidency website.