4. Special Awards

The Jury may select projects to be awarded with special prizes. They may be invitations to participate in some international events or to work for short periods with professional research scientists and engineers.

Contestants

Only contestants who have been designated by their respective national jury can participate in the EU Contest. In each country, the National Organiser is responsible for nominating the projects, and therefore selects which contestants enter the EU Contest.

The 17 th EU Contest for Young Scientists is open to the 25 Member States of the European Union, plus 10 associated states: Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Norway, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey and the Ukraine. The European schools also participate. In addition, the winners of: America's INTEL/ International Science and Engineering Fair (The INTEL/ISEF); Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun Young Scientist Contest; the Republic of Korea's Young Scientist Contest; CASTIC, the China Adolescents Science and Technology Innovation Contest can participate as guest countries.

Regulations/ Participation

For this year's EU Contest all the designated contestants must be less than 21 years of age on the last day of the month of the EU Contest (September), but more than 14 years of age on the first day of the month of the EU Contest (September).

Projects may be submitted by individual contestants or by teams of no more than three contestants. All contestants must have completed their projects before entering university. Where team work is involved all team members must be present at the EU Contest. If one or more members of the team are absent, other than on the grounds of ill health, the Commission will decide eligibility on a case-by-case basis.

No projects can be substituted for projects withdrawn or eliminated from the competition.

During the Contest exhibition all contestants should be available for interviews at the times stated by the Jury and should also be prepared to explain their projects to visitors. The contestants are expected to participate fully in the programme of events.

Contestants shall disclose to interviewing Jury members all material and information sources that they have used in carrying out their projects and must identify individuals or organisations that have supported or guided their work.

Where a project has led to publications, patents, trademarks or similar, the relevant documents must be made available to the Jury.

National Organisers

The National Organisers are responsible for selecting projects, submitting applications, and for all communications with the Commission.

All contestants will be accompanied to the EU Contest in Moscow, Russia, by their National Organiser, or by an adult escort appointed by the National Organiser (except in cases where the contestants are all 18 or older). The National Organiser assures liaison between the contestants and the EU Contest in all matters concerning the Contest.

Contestants should contact their National Organiser about travel arrangements. Tickets will be booked in the name of the individual contestants, and for escorts or National Organisers by the Russian Host National Organiser. Travel tickets will be sent by registered mail to each National Organiser in August 2005. Contestants travel with their National Organiser or appointed escort, and will depart and return to the international airport or train station that has been chosen by their National Organiser. The departure point being selected on the basis that it provides the party with the easiest and most convenient direct routing to the Contest venue.

The cost of travel to and from the point of international departure is the responsibility of each country's National Organiser.

National Organisers advise their contestants about all travel documentation that may be required. Where visas are required National Organisers can request the assistance of the Host National Organiser or the European Commission to help ensure their party can travel with the necessary travel documents.

National Organisers and/or escort(s) constitute together with their contestants their respective country's official delegation and have open access to the events associated with the Contest.

National Organisers assume responsibility for the well-being and behaviour of their party. They:

Visitors

This is a European Union event and visitors are welcome to see the exhibition at a new building of the BMSTU (2/18, Rubtsovskaya Naberezhnaya, Moscow). Visitors are admitted by invitation cards, applications for invitations cards may be sent to Russian Host Organizer before April, 29, 2005.

Visitors are especially welcome to visit the official Opening Ceremony of the EU Contest on Sunday, September 18. Information about other times when the exhibition is open to the public can be obtained from the Russian Host National Organiser.

Visitors (other than the national delegations or specially invited guests of the European Commission or the Russian Host National Organiser) are entirely responsible for making and paying for their own travel and accommodation arrangements.