Several Member States recalled the need to reach 3% of GDP in national investment in research and innovation (R&I) in order to keep the European Union afloat in the face of international competition, during a policy debate at the Competitiveness Council dedicated to research on Tuesday 28 May.
This demand came mainly from Northern and Western European countries such as Germany, France, Portugal, Belgium and Finland. Germany reported that it had already reached this threshold in 2017, and was aiming for 3.5% by 2025. France insisted that the 3% of national GDP should be achieved in an “additional” way and not in an “alternative” way to the European effort. It is true that this 3% target is explicitly mentioned in the Europe 2020 strategy.
The countries of Central and Eastern Europe, for their part, once again stressed the need not to leave the least developed Member States behind, at the risk of widening national economic disparities. These Member States include Poland, which wants a principle of excellence as part of the Horizon Europe programme extended to all, as well as Latvia, Lithuania and Hungary.
The Hungarian delegation proposed to introduce envelopes per Member State. It will make this proposal in the context of the negotiations on the next 2021-2027 multiannual financial framework.
European sovereignty. Support for key projects to guarantee European technological sovereignty was discussed, in particular by France and Germany. The French delegation mentioned in particular access to space – a topic that was discussed during the Joint Space Council on the same day (see EUROPE 12266/7, 12265/8) – but also artificial intelligence (AI). It also stressed the importance of European preference.
Consensus emerged on the need to create synergies between European funds, in particular between the future Horizon Europe programme (see EUROPE 12218/15) and the Structural and Investment Funds, but also between European funds, national funds and regional funds.
Others, such as Poland, stressed the importance of clarifying State aid rules.
Several Member States, such as Germany, have stressed the importance of properly communicating investment projects to European citizens – a recurring theme in research and cohesion policy. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)