The Liaison Office settled in CONICYT's International Relations Department in 2005 with the mission of increasing Chilena participation in European research projects. It is also the focal point of the Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement between Chile and the European Union, signed in 2002.
CONICYT, through its Liaison Office, is currently participating in four projects of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7): three multilateral projects (EULARINET, Biocircle 2 and AMERICAS) and one bilateral project (CHIEP II).
CHIEP II (Strenthening Chilean-European S&T Partnerships) is a project that intends to strengthen cooperation in science and technology between Chile and the European Union. The CHIEP-II project, continuation of the CHIEP-I project –funded by the European Commission’s Sixth Framework Programme (FP6)–, is currently ongoing. CHIEP-II is also funded by the European Commission -through its FP7-, and by CONICYT.
EULARINET (European Union - Latin American Research and Innovation NETworks) is a four-year project with the purpose of strengthening bi-regional dialogue in science and technology between Member States of the European Union (Austria, France, Finland, Germany, Portugal and Spain), Associate States (Norway) and Latin American States (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Nicaragua and Uruguay). This includes promoting the participation of Latin American researchers in FP7, carrying out forums for policy dialogue between both regions and jointly developing FP7 work programmes.
Biocircle 2 (Reinforcing the international cooperation in FP7 FAFB - strengthening the circle of Third Countries BIO NCPs) aims to increase participation of researchers from regions other than Europe in research projects in the area of Food, Agriculture & Fisheries and Biotechnology of the FP7. BIOCIRCLE partners are the FP7’s National Contact Points (NCP) in 18 different countries outside Europe, and in 5 countries in Europe.
AMERICAS: Latin America - Europe ICT Cooperation Advanced Strategies (International Partnership building and support to dialogues) aims to support policy dialogue between Latin America and the European Union on ICTs, creating better oportunities of bi-regional cooperation and fostering the participation of Latin American researchers 7FP's ICTs projects. The project is aimed at policy makers, researchers, and ICTs stakeholders.