EU Research Program Allocates 2.2 million to Support Coordination of Plant Genomics Projects

NEW YORK, Feb. 2 (GenomeWeb News) - The European Union said last week that €2.2 million has been set aside by the Sixth Research Framework Programme to support a four-year effort to coordinate the plant genomics research programs of ten EU member states and Norway.

The project, entitled "European Research Area Plant Genomics," focuses on sharing best practices, developing common program management procedures, and initiating joint activities such as the pooling of resources and joint calls for proposals, said the EU.

"[Plant genomics] is an area that holds much potential for addressing important societal issues, ranging from sustainable agriculture and the clean-up of polluted sites to food quality and human health," European research commissioner Philippe Busquin said in a statement. "I welcome the commitment of national plant genomics programs to pool efforts."