By participating in international research groups or taking advantage of foreign technical assistance and technology transfer in specialized energy-efficiency fields, countries have tapped state-of-the-art advances. It signed agreements with the German and Finnish Governments and with Siemens AG, a major German power equipment manufacturer. The German Energy Agency is advising its local counterpart on the design and implementation of innovative and promising approaches for energy efficiency, while the Finnish authorities provide expertise in technologies for cold climates.