Brussels, 11/12/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 11 December in Brussels, the Competitiveness Council adopted conclusions on the European Research Area (ERA). There is still a long way to go but this area should be completed by 2014, as requested by the European Council in February 2011.
European ministers for research adopted the European Commission's proposals on the priorities that are supposed to guide the ERA. As emphasised by Commissioner for research, innovation and science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn at the end of the Council, this involves increasing the efficiency of national research systems, optimising transnational cooperation and competition, opening up the labour markets for researchers, promoting equality between men and women and optimising the free movement of knowledge.
The Commissioner explained that despite the claims of its detractors, this is not an empty shell, because over recent years, the different instruments (research framework programme, Europe wide infrastructure) have put the ERA in to practice. Geoghegan-Quinn admitted that progress had been uneven in member states but said that the provisions undertaken by the Council in this respect would help readjust the differences. (JK/transl.fl)