Brussels, 20/07/2012 (Agence Europe) - There is no consensus regarding simplification of the rules for taking part in the next framework programme for research and innovation (Horizon 2020). The European Commission's proposal to fix a single reimbursement rate for both direct and indirect costs did not receive a unanimous response from research ministers gathering at the informal meeting of the Competitiveness Council held in Nicosia on Friday 20 July.
The subject was described by Cypriot Health Minister Stavros Malas as the “hot potato” issue of Horizon 2020 talks. As Malas pointed out, time is running short as a final agreement must be found by next year. Present in Nicosia, Commissioner Maire Geoghegan-Quinn (Research, Innovation and Science) said she hoped an agreement would be found on a partial approach by the end of the year, stressing at the same time that, although changes to the rules of participation are indeed sweeping they are a necessary development and something that has been requested by all parties interested by European funding.
Two groups of member states are faced with two separate issues. Some ministers are reluctant about the idea of setting in place a single rate of reimbursement (100/20 funding rules, see EUROPE 10613), while others, and especially new member states of eastern Europe, Malas said, consider that the general level of funding is too low for giving encouragement to stakeholders to use the next framework programme for the years 2014-2020. The disagreement that seems to be taking shape, despite consensus about the general structure of Horizon 2020, will materialise next week with the beginning of technical work in the Council on the definitions of Articles 22, 23 and 24 of the Commission's proposal.
Furthermore, European research ministers tackled the matter of promoting Euro-Mediterranean cooperation for R&D and innovation. On this, there is no disagreement with ministers seeming to agree on the idea of setting in place a programme based on bi-regional cooperation, under Article 185 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (possibility for the EU to take part in R&D programmes undertaken by several member states). The recent upheavals of the Arab Spring provide an opportunity for the EU to intervene in the region in question, without affecting sensitive issues, the Cypriot minister said. (JK/transl.jl)