The European Research Ministers will meet by videoconference on Friday 29 May to discuss the contribution of research and innovation (R&I) to European recovery.
The Covid-19 crisis has clearly revealed the crucial role of these two sectors for the EU. On 21 April, in their “roadmap for recovery” (see EUROPE 12472/1), the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, referred to a “pressing need to produce critical goods in Europe, to invest in strategic value chains and to reduce over-dependency on third countries in these areas”.
On Wednesday 27 May, the European Commission also proposed that €94.4 billion be allocated to the Horizon Europe research programme, under the EU budget for the 2021-2027 period (see EUROPE 12493/1) and that additional funds be mobilised for recovery (see EUROPE 12494/2).
This sum should make it possible, the institution said, “to scale up the research effort for challenges such as the Coronavirus pandemic, the extension of clinical trials, innovative protective measures, virology, vaccines, treatments and diagnostics”. R&I, she believes, will also need to contribute to “driving the shift towards a clean, circular, competitive and climate neutral economy”.
Job creation and the future of the European Research Area
The ministers' discussion on Friday will also focus on “how investment in R&I can stimulate the job creation of the future”, said the EU Council in a statement, noting that the Croatian Presidency had made this issue a priority.
In addition, the ministers who, before the crisis, were working on a project to revise the European Research Area (ERA - see EUROPE 12418/5) will now have to decide on the lessons to be learned from the Covid-19 pandemic in order to move this work forward.
The ERA should serve cooperation, data sharing and joint funding efforts in the fields of research and innovation; the crisis has prompted Member States to do more in this direction. This was demonstrated by the adoption in April of the ERAvsCorona action plan (see EUROPE 12464/17, 12468/12).
Finally, at the end of the meeting, the German Minister will present the priorities for the German EU Council Presidency for the second half of 2020. (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)