Italy is threatening to withdraw from the European Molecular Biology
Laboratory (EMBL), the advanced training and research institution in Heidelberg,
Germany, which is supported by 15 European countries.
Italy鈥檚 minister of research, Umberto Colombo, a former chemistry professor,
has told the laboratory鈥檚 director, Fotis Kafatos, that Italy will pull
out at the end of 1994.
Explaining this decision to the Italian press, Colombo said that Italy
contributes 17 per cent of the centre鈥檚 costs, but reaps about 1 per cent
of the benefits in terms of research projects involving Italy, jobs for
researchers and scholarships.
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Colombo鈥檚 decision is causing concern among Italian researchers. Many
scientists, such as the Nobel prizewinner Rita Levi Montalcini, have asked
him to change his mind.
But, say sources at the ministry, Colombo鈥檚 decision might be designed
to push EMBL鈥檚 management into giving Italy a greater say in running the
laboratory and a bigger share of the benefits.