The European Union (EU) Contest for Young Scientists is a science fair, initiated by the European Commission. It is a part of the European Union Framework Programmes for Research and Technological Development, and is managed by the Directorate General for Research in the European Commission. The EU Contest was set up to promote the ideals of cooperation and interchange between young scientists. It provides an annual showcase of the best of European student scientific achievement and such attracts widespread media interest. The EU Contest is hosted annually in a different European country. Every year a new local host organisation co-operates with the European Commission to organise the event. The EU Contest was initiated in 1989 when European Commission president Jacques Delors took up the challenge from Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands of organising the Europe-wide student science fair. Philips has organised this annual event since 1968, but felt the time had come for the European Union to take on the organisation after 20 successful Philips Contests. In addition to multiple days in the exhibit hall for judging, competitors travel to various science museums and attractions in the host city. Winners of the contest participate in a press conference after the awards ceremony. Venues for the EU Contest for Young Scientists 1st: Brussels, Belgium 1989 First Prize Winners (6): Mogens Markussen (DK), Stephan Schlitter (DE), Grace O'Connor/Sinead Finn (IE), Lina Tomasella (IT), Nicola Kirk (UK) and Jean-Pierre Wyss/Matthias Zimmermann/Elmar Artho (CH) 2nd: Copenhagen, Denmark 1990 First Prize Winners (6): Paul Vauterin/Bruno Callens (BE), Waltraud Schulze (DE), Annagh Minchin (IE), Donatella Manganelli (IT), Brian Dolan/Lee Kiera/Ann Marie Malon (UK) and Marco Ziegler (CH) 3rd: Zürich, Switzerland 1991 First Prize Winners (7): Robert Nitzschmann (DE), Barry O'Doherty/Daniel Dundas (IE), Paul Hoffmann (LU), Angus Filshie (UK), Christian Tost/Sabine Zang (AT), Torkild Jensen (NO) and Hans Jacob Feder (NO) 4th: Seville, Spain 1992 First Prize Winners (6): Hendrik Küpper/Frithjof Küpper/Martin Spiller (DE), Oliver Trapp (DE), Anders T. Skov (DK), Martin Hesselsoe (DK), Jean Byrne/Elizabeth Dowling (IE) and Dominik Zeiter/Ewald Amherd/Reinhard Fubber (CH) 5th: Berlin, Germany 1993 First Prize Winners (6): Henrik Mouritsen (DK), Lars Knudsen/Peter Andersen (DK), Albert Barmettler/Guenther Ederer (AT), Jan Kristian Haugland (NO), Rodger Toner/Donal Keane (IE) and Maria Salvany Gonzalez/Antoni Camprubi I Cano/Fidel Costa Rodriguez (ES) 6th: Luxembourg, Luxembourg 1994 First Prize Winners (6): Oliver Krüger (DE), Eike Lau (DE), Jane Feehan (IE), Christian Krause (DK), Henrik Strøm (NO) and Samuel