> The headquarters of the European Institute of Innovation > and > Technology (EIT) will be hosted by Budapest. A decision > taken by the science ministers of all EU Member States on > 18 > June selected the Hungarian capital over four other bids. > The Hungarian government welcomed the agreement and said it > was a great success for the country. > > The Slovenian Minister for Higher Education, Mojca Kucler > Dolinar, in her current function as President of the > Competitiveness Council also expressed her satisfaction: > 'In > fact, I am delighted to see the efforts and commitment on > the part of the Member States for the common good,' she > said. 'Both the Slovenian Presidency and I personally > have > dedicated huge efforts towards driving forward the > selection > procedure, and now they have paid off. The EIT will become > a > symbol of the combination of European research and > innovative capabilities and the beginning of its operation > will, accordingly, mark an important milestone in the > history of European research policy. > > 'We took on great responsibility but at the same time > we had > available to us a unique opportunity, which we used to the > full in order to set up a framework for joining up European > research, business and educational potential,' Ms > Kucler > Dolinar added. 'Now that we have decided on the > headquarters > of the institute, and with the forthcoming appointment of > its governing board, all the conditions will finally be in > place to bring the EIT project to life and enable it to > fulfil its purpose.' > > The President of the European Commission, José Manuel > Barroso, congratulated Hungary on its achievement: > 'This is > also the result of Hungary's long tradition in > excellence in > education, research and innovation. Setting the EIT in > Budapest represents a flagship for excellence in the > knowledge triangle.' > > Five bidders had entered the race for the EIT seat, > including Budapest, Wroclaw in Poland, Sant Cugat del > Vallès > near Barcelona in Spain, Jena in Germany, and a joint bid > from Bratislava (Slovakia) and Vienna (Austria). According > to Mr Barroso, this 'reflects the strategic and > economic > interest attached by our Member States to this ambitious > project. I want to congratulate the city of Budapest and > the > Hungarian authorities for this designation, which will > surely enhance the European profile of the country and its > capital.' > > The European Commissioner for Education, Training, Culture > and Youth, Ján Figel' commented: 'The unique > feature of > the > EIT is that it brings excellence in enterprise, research > and > higher education together, to maximise potential synergies > and cross-fertilisation of ideas from all parts of the > 'knowledge triangle'. This is vital if we are to > successfully face the challenges of the 21st century.' > > When the EU research ministers came together at the end of > May, the decision had to be postponed because Poland vetoed > the otherwise unanimously backed city of Budapest as the > EIT > seat. Yet, the ministers had agreed on the selection > criteria, namely that the seat should be in one of the new > Member States and it should be in a Member State that does > not currently have a European agency or institute. Among > the > five bidders, only Budapest met those requirements. > > The Slovenian EU Presidency had left no doubt that it was > determined to reach a consensus with all Member States > before handing over the EU presidency to France at the end > of June. > > > > For further information, please visit: > http://ec.europa.eu/eit/ <http://ec.europa.eu/eit/> > > http://cordis.europa.eu/search/index.cfm?fuseaction=news.document&N_RCN=29566 > <http://cordis.europa.eu/search/index.cfm?fuseaction=news.do > cument&N_RCN=29566>
