Overview
SUNJET was a European project aimed at establishing an initial framework, data base, and network, that would facilitate and enhance cooperation in R&T activities between Japan and Europe.
Aim of the SUNJET project was to indicate those areas where cooperation topics are mutually favoured, assuring a good reciprocity between the parties. It would not interfere with the various EU-Japan R&T cooperative activities already undertaken, but might nonetheless provide rules and reference that could be beneficial to all.
The project was to provide common R&T road maps for cooperation, to be introduced in future calls for proposals within Framework programmes of the European Commission and mechanisms in Japan.
Through participation of all relevant stakeholders, the project introduced a more structured dialogue to identify similarities in the respective research agendas and road maps. This created a better mutual understanding, thus permitting to:
- build up ad-hoc EU-Japan R&T cooperation areas of mutual benefit;
- propose win-win R&T road maps / cooperations;
- have a mutual understanding of administrative mechanisms: clarify the principles governing EU-Japan R&T cooperation, respective funding mechanisms, IPRs etc. and the main barriers to that cooperation, as well as suggest ways to overcome the problems encountered.
Funding
Results
The project showed a highly responsive attitude of the Member States and can be used as a reference for future ideas and opportunities. In addition, thanks to the efforts of the partners to the project, the EU and Japan adopted a EU-Japan Action Plan: the legal link between two Grand Agreements, that with the EC and METI, achieved with an overarching so called "Coordination Agreement". Both parties (the European Party and Japanese Party) entered into a Coordination Agreement concerning their respective Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), which arise as a consequence of implementation of the DoW.
Main contribution of the project has been the coordination and elaboration of a list of areas and themes of common interest. Furthermore, a Roadmap of potential joint research topics has been designed.
Innovation aspects
SUNJET has established a framework, data base and network that will facilitate cooperation in R&T activities between Japan and Europe. Through participation of all relevant Stakeholders, it introduced a more structured dialogue to identify similarities in the respective research agendas / road maps, and to set up some common collaborative research projects.
Policy implications
The project may have implications on the EU's Common Foreign Policy because of the successfully established cooperation network between the EU and Japan. In the future, this network could extend to serve cooperation purposes in areas other than that of Research and Technical development.