[New research councils in Denmark and the European Union]

Research is on the political agenda in Denmark and the other EU countries. In January 2004, a new structure for the Danish Research Council was launched, including the Danish Councils for Independent Research and the the Danish Council for Strategic Research. The Danish Political Research Council gives independent advice to the government and the Parliament. ESFRI, the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructure, is an organisation giving advice to the European Union on questions of research infrastructure. Also in Denmark, a research infrastructure programme has been initiated. For researchers it is important to be informed about the research council structures in order to be able to secure optimal research funding.