France and Israel signed two cooperation accords

The first was signed concerning renewable energy and energy efficiency. The second was to back joint R&D projects
 
French industry and energy minister Eric Besson signed last week two cooperation agreements in Jerusalem. The first was signed with Israeli infrastructure minister Uzi Landau, concerning renewable energy and energy efficiency.
 
The second was with industry, trade and labor minister Shalom Simchon, and was basically an administrative accord between the OSEO, the financing arm of the French industrial association, and Matimop, the Israeli equivalent, to back joint R&D projects. (MATIMOP is the government agency that generates and implements international cooperative industrial R&D programs between Israeli and foreign enterprises.)
 
Besson was heading a high ranking delegation from some 20 mid-sized companies, or SMEs, and large corporations, in conjunction with MEDEF, the French industrial association, and the Chamber of Commerce France Israel, CCFI. 
 
At a press conference at the King David Hotel, Jerusalem, Besson noted that: "trade and industry relations between France and Israel are not at the level that could be expected, so we must work to up the figures. I would like to double the level of exchanges in the next five years."