Joint Ministerial Statement on Co-Operation in the Area of Science, Technology and Innovation

THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE OF CANADA and THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, hereinafter referred to as "the Participants,"

WISHING  to develop bilateral co-operation in the field of science, technology and innovation;

RECOGNIZING  the growing importance of science, technology and innovation as a key element in their socio-economic development;

ASPIRING to develop and broaden their scientific and technical partnerships and linkages that ensure both countries' access to leading technologies and scientific advances;

HAVE COME to the following understanding:

1. PURPOSE

The Participants will promote the development of co-operation between their government bodies, private sector and academia in the areas of science, technology and innovation that are of high-priority to both countries, in the interests of modernizing their national economies and improving competitiveness and productivity.

2. DEFINITIONS

For the purposes of this Joint Statement:

• (a) "Joint activities" means activities carried out by Canadian and Russian scientific and technological organizations under this Joint Statement;
• (b) "Scientific and technological organization" means scientific and technological organizations and agepcies, research centres, universities and colleges, divisions thereof or any other physical or legal person involved in a joint activity;
• (c) "Information" means scientific or technical information, research results or methods obtained during a joint activity and other information necessary to joint activities;

3. PRINCIPLES

The Participants will carry out joint activities on the basis of mutual benefit, sovereign equality and mutual respect.

4. AREAS OF CO-OPERATION

• (a) The Participants will consider joint activities in the following fields to be a priority: energy and energy efficiency, nanotechnology, biomedical technologies, and climate and Arctic research.
• (b) The Participants may carry out joint activities in other areas and with third parties.

5. FORMS OF COOPERATION

The Participants understand that joint activities under this Joint Statement may take the following forms:

• (i) the exchange of scientific and technological information, as well as information on practices, laws, other regulations and programs relating to co-operation under this Joint Statement;
• (ii) the holding of joint scientific seminars, conferences, symposia, workshops and exhibitions; the exchange or shared use of equipment and materials; (iv)    the exchange of scientists, engineers and other necessary
  specialists;
• (iii) the exchange or shared use of equipment and materials; (iv)    the exchange of scientists, engineers and other necessary
  specialists;
• (iv) the carrying out of joint research by mutual consent;
• (v) promotion of the commercialization of research and development results;
• (vi) other forms of joint activities as they may mutually decide.

6. CO-ORDINATION AND PROMOTION OF JOINT ACTIVITIES

The Participants understand that:

• (i) Joint activity under this Joint Statement will be co-ordinated and promoted by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Canada and by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation (the "authorized organizations") until a corresponding intergovernmental arrangement on scientific and technical co-operation is signed.
• (ii) The authorized organizations will meet as they mutually decide to define the content of co-operation in priority fields, to identify implementation measures and to adjust plans for joint activities under this Joint Statement.

7. FUNDING

• (a) The Participants understand that funding for joint activities under this Joint Statement will depend on the availability of budgets and personnel.
• (b) Each Participant will fund its own expenses arising from any joint activities carried out under this Joint Statement.

SIGNED in duplicate at Ottawa on this 2^nd day of June 2011, in the English, French and Russian languages, each version being equally valid.

FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE  OF CANADA

FOR THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Under the special Economic Measures Act, Canada has imposed sanctions on Mar 17, 2014