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The FORESTA project ("FOstering the REsearch Dimension of Science and Technology Agreements") aimed to promote the research dimension of cooperation in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and the political dialogue between the EU and the Latin American region. In particular, the project addressed the four countries that had signed science and technology agreements with the European Union (Mexico being one of them, as well as Colombia, which in 2008 adopted the DVB-T standard for digital broadcasting and intensified contacts with the EU in 2010 to start discussions on a science and technology agreement).

The objective of this project was to share European and Latin American policies for ICT Development, seeking:​

  • Stimulate a better synchronization of Latin American ICT resources and investments with EU research programs

  • Promote cooperation between the EU and Latin America in ICT R&D: 

    • In the short term: cooperation based on pre-existing agreements

    • In the medium term: provide specific ICT topics for cooperation and roadmaps towards their implementation 

    • Long-term: establish common R&D strategies for the EU and Latin America and identify the potential for further alignment. Coordinate FORESTA activities with other similar projects financed by the EU (FIRST, Pro-Ideal+, ICT4Life)

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FORESTA was structured in two main blocks of activities:

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a) Analysis of the opportunities for cooperation between researchers from Europe and Latin America through the organization and follow-up of conferences in the five target countries. The long-term perspectives evolved around two sets of activities: a) analysis of current ICT policies in the region and identification of key research topics to address in the future; 

 

b) Recommendations on how to make better use of ICT research cooperation support instruments (European or national funding programs and other initiatives). The expected results were the increase of Euro-Latin American cooperation as an effect of the conferences and the identification of future joint research areas and forms of support.

Countries participating in Project FIRST signed a Declaration in Brussels as part of the deliverables of Project FORESTA. Both European support actions worked in parallel and in sync. This Declaration formalized the international cooperation between the European Technology Platforms (ETPs) and the recently created Latin American Technology Platforms (LATPs).

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