U.S.-Israel Formal Agreements: Memorandum of Understanding Between Israel Biotechnology Organization & the California Commission on Bioscience

Recognizing that we live in an era of growing interdependence where collaborative partnerships are important for global competitiveness;

Noting the common desire of the signatory parties to promote economic growth and encourage development;

Conscious of the close ties that Israel has with the State of California; and

Taking into account the shared goal of Israel and California to promote the biotechnology industry;

Private industry, governmental organizations and academic institutions from both regions continue to form alliances for mutual benefits. It is the intention of this agreement to facilitate these ties, and to broaden their impact for a faster and more substantive linkage between Israel and California.

This agreement establishes a formal relationship between the Israel Biotechnology Organization and the California Governor’s Commission on Bioscience in order to foster technology, business development and educational opportunities, through business interaction in the public and private sectors;

To that end the parties agree:

To promote the exchange of ideas between businesses, industry associations, business agencies and commercial institutions as well as visits of company representatives, engineers, scientists and other specialists;

To match areas of mutual interest such as biotechnology, bio-informatics and bio-agriculture so that informational exchanges can lead to increased commercial and research linkages;

To promote and strengthen cooperation between the scientific communities and research centers;

In witness whereof the parties have executed this Memorandum on this 29th day of October 1999 at Ben Gurion University of the Negev, in Be’er Sheva, Israel.

Sources: Israeli Foreign Ministry