Brussels, 21/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - The Danish Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers wanted to make progress on the technical details of the new framework programme for research and development, Horizon 2020, so that it would be able to present a detailed proposal in May. EU ministers, meeting in Brussels at the Internal Market, Industry, Research and Space Council, however, expressed a number of political differences sometimes affecting key points of a strategic framework the aim of which is to determine a joint approach for the years from 2014 to 2020.
The space devoted to human and social sciences in Horizon 2020 is felt to be insufficient by many states, such as Belgium, Poland and Austria, particularly as the societal challenges are described as being of key importance for future years. Polish Science and Higher Education Minister Barbara Kudrycka said that Europe was lagging behind in human science research compared with the likes of the United States, and she argued that the desire too often to use national languages was a factor which restricted Europe-wide cooperation. Several ministers also stated that the new framework programme to too heavily biased towards technological innovation and did not sufficiently highlight the importance of social innovation, which, even though it does not produce immediate added value, corresponds to the challenges that the EU will have to address, especially in times of economic and financial crisis. Research and Innovation Commissioner Maire Geoghegan-Quinn sought to respond to these concerns, stating that in Commission discussions on Horizon 2020, the objective it wanted to achieve was simplification of the strategy in order to improve its effectiveness. This simplification would not, however, mean that human, and social sciences would be sidelined, but would form part of broad reflection which would seek to integrate all aspects of research and innovation in a multi-disciplinary approach.
Similarly, political differences were apparent in what was meant by international cooperation within the framework programme for 2014-2020. For the United Kingdom, such cooperation should be relatively limited, but others, such as Italy and Denmark, want greater convergence of national research and development policies with a view to creating a European synergy in the area of innovation. France, meanwhile, argued for a differentiated approach, that is cooperation among member states that could be tailored to suit particular interests.
The final difference in viewpoint related to the approach toward small businesses (SMEs). While all member states agreed with the view of the Commission and the Danish Presidency that small business has a key role to play in the new framework programme, the issue of funding revealed some cracks. The new framework makes provision for an €80 billion budget for the 2014-2020 period, 15% of which would go to support innovative projects by small businesses. For some (such as Belgium and Spain) this is not enough, while others see it as being perfectly acceptable. It also remains to be decided whether this support should come in direct funding, through various existing instruments, or indirect, for example, by making access to credit easier. (JK/transl.rt)