In December 2010 the Fundación General CSIC joined the ERAWATCH network as an associate member (http://www.erawatch-network.com/).
The ERAWATCH Network, established in 2005, brings together a variety of agencies, bodies and experts involved in the review of research policies in both European Union and non-EU countries. ERAWATCH is now a key pillar of the process of building the European Research Area (ERA), providing a homogeneous view of various dimensions of science policy in the countries involved.
Additionally, ERAWATCH provides support for the European Commission and, in particular, the Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS) and DG Enterprise and DG Research, both belonging to the European Commission, in monitoring the development of policies and trends related to the European Research Area.
To date the Fundación General CSIC has acted as a national expert, monitoring research support policies. With its joining the ERAWATCH network it will be able to take part in studies for which the Commission requires an expert on specific aspects of Spanish research actors and key policy initiatives at both national and regional level.
Membership of the ERAWATCH Network also entails participation in the creation and development of an inventory and, and an intelligence system on research policy, which provides input to the official Cordis website (http://cordis.europa.eu/erawatch/index.cfm).
It is also envisaged that in the near future ERAWATCH will be responsible for managing the database of innovation promotion policies, Trendchart (http://www.proinno-europe.eu/trendchart/project-overview).
