Research funding agencies in the nine Baltic Sea States have set up a European Economic Interest Grouping called BONUS, Baltic Organisations’ Network for Funding Science, based in Helsinki.
BONUS was formed to implement a new form of cooperation between the Baltic states by providing a framework for jointly funded research programmes aimed at generating new knowledge to support protection of the Baltic Sea.
The states have been working together to protect the Baltic for the past 30 years. However, relevant research has not been coordinated.
The launch of BONUS comes as the EU is drawing up its marine policy, marine environment strategy and marine environment directive.
“The Baltic Sea region will clearly be a model for the implementation of the marine strategy in other European regional seas as well,” said Kaisa Kononen, the Executive Director of BONUS. “The European Commission has realised this, too, since it has put aside a considerable sum to launch the BONUS.”
BONUS will announce its first €27 million call for grants in autumn 2007, of which €18 million is provided by the Baltic Sea States and €9 million by the Commission.
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