EU research should fully embrace the green and digital transitions, MEPs say
MEPs set out their recommendations on the future of the European Research Area (ERA) in a resolution adopted on Thursday.
Research and Innovation (R&I) is essential to enabling Europe’s recovery, to supporting and accelerating the digital and green transitions in a socially responsible manner, as well as to improve the Union’s sustainability, competitiveness and resilience, MEPs said in a resolution adopted on Thursday, in response to a communication from the European Commission.
The completion of the European Research Area (ERA) by achieving the free movement of researchers and free circulation of scientific knowledge and technology is a key priority for the European Union, MEPs say. Investing in fundamental research means investing in the future, and funding should not be intrinsically linked to economic profitability, they say.
MEPs welcome the goal of a 3% GDP investment in R&I proposed by the European Commission. They call on Members States to increase the current average level of 0.81% if CDP to 1.25% in a manner coordinated across the EU. National public Research and Development (R&D) funding of joint programmes and European partnerships should be increased from below 1% to 5%, they say.
Bridge the “valley of death”
They highlight the strong link between R&I and entrepreneurship, which creates the opportunities for unicorns, start-ups and SMEs to emerge. The EU should create a digital ecosystem contributing to technological innovation and the scaling up of SMEs, mainly through ERA Innovation Hubs.
Industry and SMEs can also have a major role in contributing to long-term investments and to bridge the “valley of death” – the critical early phase of a startup business, before it has achieved a sustainable cash flow. The Commission should look into how to better exploit synergies between public and private R&I investments, also in relation to training, skills and the development of research activity.
MEPs also note the pivotal role of universities and academic institutions in creating vibrant R&I ecosystems. They call for the creation of synergies between higher education, research institutions and civil society organisations.
MEPs highlight that the COVID-19 crisis has affected many young researchers who have seen fewer opportunities to complete their projects. Also, women occupy only 24% of top positions in the higher education sector in the EU, and are still under represented among doctoral students in many science subjects. They stress the importance of empowering women and girls to enter scientific careers.
Background
The resolution, adopted on Thursday with 634 votes to 5 and 57 abstentions, comes in response to a Commission’s communication on a new ERA for Research and Innovation, where the EU Executive defines new challenges for R&I policy, in particular the economic recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and the green and digital “twin transitions”.
The European Research Area (ERA) was launched in 2000, in the context of the Lisbon strategy, to address the fragmentation of the EU’s research and innovation system, which at the time consisted of the juxtaposition of the national R&I systems and an EU level funding programme.
It aims at building a common scientific and technological area for the EU, by creating a single market for research and innovation fostering free movement of researchers, scientific knowledge and innovation, and encouraging a more competitive European industry. This involves restructuring the European research landscape towards more cross-border cooperation, continent-wide competition, building of critical mass and coordination, and the improvement of national research policies and systems.