Hungarian presidency text calls for “change of attitude” and “refocusing” of European Research Area
A draft set of conclusions for future adoption by EU research and innovation ministers calls on the bloc to pivot its R&I activities towards innovation to help improve its economic competitiveness.
The text from the July-to-December Hungarian presidency of the Council of the EU member states is likely to be revised before it is adopted, but at present it makes various calls that could prove controversial.
Change of attitude
“Increasing competitiveness requires a change in the attitude of the actors in the R&I ecosystem towards innovation, entrepreneurship, marketisation and risk-taking,” says the text, published on 23 September.
It calls for the promotion of success stories in this regard and encourages mobility between government, industry and academia “to enable a better understanding of the needs and gaps of the different sectors and improve intersectoral dialogue and the co-creation of competitive ecosystems”.
The text urges the European Commission and the EU member states to “empower researchers, entrepreneurs, innovators and all professionals in research management and support to improve their skills, competences and attitudes towards excellence and impact”, calling for an assessment of existing skills initiatives.
Refocused ERA
It also says that ongoing and planned actions under the European Research Area policymaking initiative—which over the past two decades has provided a means for the EU and its member states to align their R&I policies to raise standards and increase flows of researchers and knowledge—“need to be refocused in such a way that they have a stronger innovation or competitiveness perspective”. It calls for a “policy change for this purpose”.
The draft text welcomes a revision of the ERA governance structure introduced during the five-year EU political term that is just coming to an end, saying it has “huge potential for co-creation”. While welcoming the increased involvement of public research organisations the new structure has brought about, the text calls for “enhanced…inclusion of representatives from different non-academic sectors”.
R&I ecosystems “should follow a needs-based approach reflecting on the real challenges, needs and opportunities at local and regional level”, the text also says.
It calls for the European Cooperation in Science and Technology scheme, which funds research networks, to be broadened in scope and for complementary initiatives to be launched at national level. This would reinforce “Europe-wide networks of researchers, entrepreneurs, innovators and professionals in research management and support, to enable better circulation of knowledge, ideas and people”.
Equal opportunities
Aside from direct links to innovation, the text says that the “entire” scope of the EU’s R&I funding programme should “provide equal opportunities”. It says: “Reducing the fragmentation of the European R&I ecosystem should not be addressed exclusively with dedicated programmes but through the entire EU framework programme.”
At present, much of the programme, including the European Research Council, is focused purely on the excellence of the proposed R&I projects. A dedicated part of the programme, called the Widening scheme, is devoted to helping lagging countries increase their involvement.
The text is due to be discussed at a meeting of EU member state representatives on 30 September.
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