Earlier proposals had requested higher levels of funding in order to meet the new elements in the nine-year plan of the EMBC and to consolidate the EMBO fellowship programme, which has attracted a major increase in the number of applicants in the last year. Commenting on the outcome, the Secretary General of the EMBC and Executive Director of EMBO, Frank Gannon, said 'While sharing the disappointment of some delegations that unanimity could not be obtained on a higher level of funding, he nonetheless recognized that this funding would be very helpful to European Science.'

Marja Makarow, President of the EMBC, echoed these sentiments and expressed her appreciation that the agreement covered a six year period, which would provide stability for EMBC and for EMBO and allow them to be well placed for future developments in the European Research Area.

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Contact: Ellen Peerenboom
ellen.peerenboom@embo.org
49-6221-8891-108
European Molecular Biology Laboratory
16-Feb-2004