Brussels, 28/01/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 27 January, the informal European Research Ministers meeting in Amsterdam, provided an opportunity for the Dutch Presidency of the Council of the EU to highlight its idea of creating European start-up visas and “innovation deals” that have been taken up by the European Commission to overcome the legal barriers that could put a brake on innovation in the EU.
The former European Commissioner for Digital Society, Neelie Kroes, addressed ministers in her capacity as Special Adviser to the Dutch government for start-ups. She attempted to convince them of the benefits of swiftly launching the activity of these companies in several member states. The Dutch Presidency said “The idea was greeted enthusiastically”.
Another debate focused on ways for promoting innovation by reducing legal barriers. The Commission is proposing a solution in this connection but on the basis of a practice that already exists in the Netherlands. This involves “innovation deals” which would allow the Commission to assist the local, regional and national authorities in identifying and using the flexibility permitted in the existing legislative framework for tackling legal barriers that hamper innovation. The Commission may also use its power to clarify existing legislation and even amend it. A pilot project is currently being prepared in this connection.
Free access was another subject for discussion, with the presence of Bill Gates, in his role as a philanthropist who finances research projects through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He was invited to Amsterdam to meet ministers and explain to them the importance of free access to research results. The Dutch Presidency would like this principle to apply to all research projects that receive public funding and will also organise a conference on this subject on 4 and 5 April.
Ministers also referred to the ex-post assessment in the Union's 7th framework research programme, which the Commission recently presented (see EUROPE 11475). (Original version in French by Jan Kordys)