The EU intends to work with universities in Taiwan to establish a "European Union Center" this year to promote bilateral relations and increase Taiwanese awareness of the EU, the European Economic and Trade Office (EETO) said, announcing the ambitious plan for the new year.
In an exclusive interview with CNA over the weekend, EETO director Guy Ledoux described the plan as the most "innovative and interesting news" for Taiwanese since the beginning of the year and probably the biggest project of the EETO since its establishment in Taiwan in 2003.
This project intends to consolidate and develop existing networks and promote the general public's knowledge of the EU, signifying the degree the EU values its relations with Taiwan even though Taiwan does not have formal diplomatic relations with any EU member.
The EU Center network in the Asia Pacific region includes one institute in South Korea, two in Japan, three in Australia and one in New Zealand.
Ledoux said "a call for proposals" would be issued to recruit proposals from local universities.
The university with the "most interesting" proposal will be awarded a grant of as much as NT$40 million (US$1.24 million), to be paid over three years, he said.
He emphasized that the university selected for the EU Center program may also join forces with either a think tank or with one or two other partners since the work involved will not only include academic work, but also the organization of events and the publication of brochures and research.
The partner university is also expected to contribute about 25 percent to the total project, but the contribution can be made by providing space or manpower, he said.
EU Centers are tasked with promoting the study of the EU, its institutions and policies, and EU-Taiwan relations through research programs and outreach activities in local and regional communities.
Ledoux said the EU started opening EU Centers through contracts with US universities in the late 1990s, with an aim to increase awareness of the EU.
The programs in the US were very successful as the American public has gained better understanding of the EU.
Ten "European Union Centers" are funded by the European Commission at universities throughout the US.
These centers are part of broader efforts to promote person-to-person ties across the Atlantic.
"We extended that program to Japan and [South] Korea in 2001," he said, adding that as Taiwan became eligible for the funding of the program last year, the EETO intends to launch the EU Center this year.
The EU Center in Taiwan will have three main types of activities: conferences and publications to explain EU institutional development and issues concerning European societies; workshops on subjects like economics and trade to bridge the gap between EU regulations and Taiwanese administration; and efforts to increase academic and cultural links.
The EETO is planning to launch the program before the summer, after which universities will have two to three months to make proposals before one is chosen, Ledoux said.
Ledoux also said that Taiwan's relations with the EU are expected to continue growing and the EU remains very confident about Taiwan's economy and will continue supporting its meaningful participation in international forums.
"Whoever wins the March presidential election, the EU will continue to have good trade and economic relations with Taiwan and we will continue to develop cooperation in the fields of science, technology, environment and education," he said.
The EU, the largest foreign direct investor in Taiwan, accounted for 25 percent of Taiwan's US$23 billion foreign direct investment as of November.
Bilateral trade reached US$49.9 billion last year, statistics provided by the Bureau of Foreign Trade showed.
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