Editing Eureka (organisation) (section)

==History==

Founded in 1985 by prominent European political figures, Eureka has grown to one of the longest running European organisations dedicated to the financing of joint European R&D projects.

===Foundation===

Eureka was established with the "Paris Declaration" of 17 July 1985, and its principles are based on the later Hannover Declaration, subscribed by Ministers on 5 November 1985. The two main founders were former head of states [[François Mitterrand]] (France) and [[Helmut Kohl]] (Germany). Other important personalities involved were [[Hubert Curien]], French ex-Minister of research and former chairman of the European Space Agency and [[Jacques Attali]], adviser to François Mitterrand.

<blockquote>
Briefly, it is about assuring the technological independence of Europe in the key domains of the future; encouraging, wherever possible, co-operation between European businesses and researchers; mobilising the necessary financial resources; accompanying the efforts of our enterprises by creating the necessary environment and supporting the unification of our internal markets.

There are numerous obstacles. Once the initial idea of Eureka was formulated, we were able to foresee the difficulties to be faced. But we know that each time we come together — for example to address high-energy physics, research into nuclear fusion, the development of an integrated space programme or the construction of crucial scientific equipment — our successes encourage us in the idea that we can work together in R&D areas close to industrial markets, despite the problems arising from the normal and legitimate competition between firms. <span style="float:right;">{{nowrap|''François Mitterrand, Paris, 17 July 1985.''}}<ref>{{cite web |title=20TH Anniversary Report – Two decades of support for European innovation |publisher=the EUREKA Secretariat |place=Belgium |pages=68 p. 12 (PDF-p. 18) |date=September 2005 |url=http://www.eurekanetwork.org/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=cdfc677c-db1b-4f11-b613-0e6e322dd991&groupId=10137 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726042638/http://www.eurekanetwork.org/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=cdfc677c-db1b-4f11-b613-0e6e322dd991&groupId=10137 |archive-date=26 July 2011 |format=PDF |url-status=dead |access-date=7 August 2013 }}</ref></span></blockquote>