Brussels, 25/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - Bringing the national road maps into line with the European strategic forum for research infrastructure (ESFRI) and defining a smaller number of priority projects for the forum: these are some of the ideas discussed by the European research ministers, who met in informal Counsel in Milan (Italy) on Tuesday 22 July.
In May, the ministers had the opportunity to discuss the ESFRI, when they approved the implementation of three projects and adopted the roadmap for 2015-2016 (see EUROPE 11088).
It was therefore with a view to continuing the debate on this subject that the Italian Presidency of the Council decided to devote the whole of the meeting in Milan to the question of research infrastructures (RIs).
Ahead of this meeting, three questions were sent out to the member states: - what are the priorities for the future actions of ESFRI?; - How can the existing RIs be made more effective and what can the EU's role in this context be?; - How can the long-term viability of these infrastructures be ensured?
Italian Minister Stefania Giannini reminded the meeting of what is at stake: “We are moving from a system mainly based on national research infrastructures into a truly European one, with open access to all potential users”, which entails “a big change and big chance, both at political and cultural level and it calls for a clear-cut planning of the actions needed”, she said.
By way of response to the three questions, she then proposed that the ESFRI become a focal point in the analysis of all RIs in the EU, in order to identify the priority areas, avoid duplication of effort and create synergies between the national capacities.
She continued by suggesting that, by imitating the model of the European Research Council (ERC), an assessment system could be created, opening the door to the possibility of prioritising European funding to a small number of better researchers within the infrastructures selected. Finally, in order to guarantee its viability, it would have to be ensured that the RIs are “open” and accessible to researchers of all nationalities, she said.
Several ministers agreed on the need to focus on the future of the ESFRI, as the reform of its governance was one of the possibilities put forward. Most agreed with the European Commission on the need to coordinate national roadmaps and decisions and adapt them to the ESFRI priorities, building on the link between the national infrastructures, notably by making use of the European structural funds and Horizon 2020.
This is another major objective, which was also underlined. As regards the best way to select the priority ESFRI projects, France proposed opting for the most mature projects and those which have the greatest chance of being supported by the member states. (JK)