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COST

What is COST?

COST is a European wide support initiative set up by a Ministerial conference in 1971 to encourage co-operation in S&T. There are now 34 participating countries including the 27 Member States of the European Community.

COST supports the co-ordination and networking of existing research and activities of public value. COST does not fund research.

Any area of S&T can be considered for COST support.  The present main domains are: 

• Food and Agriculture
• Chemistry and Molecular Services & Technologies
• Environment
• Forests, their products and services
• Materials, Physical and Nanosciences
• Earth System Science and Environmental Management
• Individuals, Societies, Cultures and Health
• Information and Communication Technologies
• Transport and Urban Development
• Biomedicine and Molegular Biosciences

What does it do?

COST currently supports about 200 individual Actions in these areas. Participation is on an à la carte basis, subject to a national approval and evidence of existing activity. COST only assists with the costs of co-ordination, and does not fund research activities. The initiative is administered by national representatives on a Committee of Senior Officials, helped by a technical secretariat provided by the European Science Foundation.

Further Information

Further information on COST procedures can be obtained from the UK National COST Co-ordinator's office or the COST website on CORDIS.