I.

International scientific and technological co-operation is conducted in line with the document Policy and Strategy of Developing Scientific and Technological Co-operation between the Republic of Slovenia and Other Countries, which was adopted by the Government of the Republic of Slovenia at its 94th session on 14 July 1994. The monitoring, co-ordination and implementation of the adopted policy and strategy concerning the scientific, technological and developmental co-operation between the Republic of Slovenia and foreign countries was entrusted to the then Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Slovenia. According to governmental provisions, the priorities of co-operation include EU Member States, neighbouring countries, developed overseas countries, and regionally important nations.

The financing and co-financing of international scientific and technological co-operation are regulated by the Rules on Financing and Co-Financing of the International Scientific Co-operation of the Republic of Slovenia (Official Gazette of the RS, 62/96, 11/98, 48/99 in 46/01).

International scientific and technological co-operation is carried out on the basis of bilateral international agreements on scientific and technological co-operation between the Republic of Slovenia and individual countries, and other bilateral documents on scientific and technological co-operation, international agreements on co-operation in the fields of science, education and culture, and international agreements on economic, industrial, technological and scientific co-operation. Co-financing of bilateral international co-operation is provided in accordance with the aforementioned Rules on Financing and Co-Financing of International Scientific Co-operation of the Republic of Slovenia, and on the basis of public tenders for co-financing the scientific and technological co-operation with individual countries.

II.

So far, the Republic of Slovenia has concluded: 22 bilateral agreements on co-operation in the fields of science and technology: with the Argentine Republic, the Republic of Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Czech Republic, the Hellenic Republic, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of India, the Italian Republic, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of Hungary, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the Republic of Poland, the Portuguese Republic, Romania, the Slovak Republic, the Kingdom of Spain, the Republic of Turkey, the United States of America, and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia;

6 memoranda of understanding on co-operation: with the State Minas Gerais in the Federative Republic of Brazil, Academy of Finland, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), the competent ministries of the Federative Republic of Brazil, and the Islamic Republic of Iran (2); 4 joint declarations with the competent ministries of the Republic of Estonia, the Kingdom of Denmark, the Republic of Lithuania, and the Kingdom of Norway, as well as

1 protocol of intent for co-operation in the fields of scientific research and technological development with the competent ministry of the Republic of Latvia.

III.

On the basis of succession, Slovenia also co-operates with the Kingdom of Belgium, Canada, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Japan.

IV.

Thus far, the Republic of Slovenia has concluded 47 international agreements on co-operation in the fields of culture, science and education, and several international agreements on economic, industrial, technological and scientific co-operation.

V.

Without an international regulatory framework, co-operation in science and technology also takes place with the following countries: Australia, Ireland, Iceland, Sweden and Switzerland (individual actions).

VI.

In 2002, 533 international bilateral research projects were underway with 27 countries: the Argentine Republic, the Republic of Austria, the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Czech Republic, the Kingdom of Denmark, the French Republic, the Hellenic Republic (Greece), the Republic of Croatia, the Republic of India, the Italian Republic, the State of Israel, Japan, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of Hungary, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the Kingdom of Norway, the Republic of Poland, the Portuguese Republic, Romania, the Russian Federation, the Kingdom of Spain, the Republic of Turkey, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, the Federal Republic of Germany and the Free State of Bavaria.

The following chart gives an overview of co-operation with individual countries, the number of joint bilateral research projects in 2002 (the projects concluded in 2002, projects underway and continuing after 2001, and projects approved for co-financing in 2002):