The European Ministers for Research and Innovation held an informal online meeting on Tuesday 21 July, just a few hours after the conclusion of an agreement between the EU-27 on the Recovery Plan and the future Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) (see EUROPE 12532/2).
German Research Minister Anja Karliczek, whose country currently holds the rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU, welcomed the agreement and dismissed criticism of the cuts in the originally proposed research budgets (see EUROPE 12532/6).
“We need to make the most of what we have”, she said, welcoming the fact that the budgets for programmes such as Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe remain larger than under the previous MFF.
The most important thing, Karliczek said, is “to have an outcome which we can work on today so that these programmes can be launched in early 2021”.
This position is supported by the Commissioner for Innovation and Youth, Mariya Gabriel, who did, however, describe the cuts as “regrettable”.
“It is not a question of asking for more money for research and innovation, but of doing more with the money that we have”, the German Minister emphasised at the end of the informal meeting, which was shaped by the announcement of new initiatives in all areas.
Better preparations for the future
First of all, the ministers supported the implementation of a strategy to make the EU more autonomous and independent, especially in terms of health and particularly with regard to the development of medicines.
This support was welcomed by Commissioner Gabriel who, being of the opinion that it was a matter of urgency to prepare Europe for other socio-economic shocks, stressed the importance of creating “framework conditions that will enable us to be competitive in a rapidly changing world”.
Strengthening the European Research Area
Discussions also focused on measures that would make the European Research Area (ERA) more effective and dynamic. Nothing has been decided, but the German Minister mentioned the likely adoption of specific conclusions regarding this subject at the next EU Council meeting scheduled for 27 November.
The Slovenian Minister of Education, Science and Sport, Simona Kustec, has pledged to focus “on the renewal of the European Research Area and the search for synergies between it and the European Higher Education Area” when her country assumes the Presidency of the EU Council in July 2021.
As for the European Commission, they are expected to present a set of objectives for the ERA after the summer break.
Promoting green hydrogen
The implementation of a green hydrogen research initiative (see EUROPE 12523/1) was also welcomed: several ministers have indicated their intention to launch this initiative over the coming months.
Spain's Minister of Science, Innovation and Higher Education, Pedro Duque, among others, has emphasised the importance of this resource in achieving a “clean, secure and sustainable energy future”, and has provided assurances that his country intends to play a leading role in this area.
As for Ms Karliczek, the first step in such a cooperation would be to take stock of the activities that are already under way in Member States and of each other's projects.
The Spanish government, for example, has made green hydrogen a priority under its National Energy and Climate Plan, the minister said.
Integrating citizens
The new three-Presidency team (of Germany, Portugal, Slovenia) has also stressed the importance of conducting regular European participatory science campaigns and has presented ministers with an initial joint initiative in this regard.
Named “Plastic Pirates – Go Europe!”, it will enable students to contribute to a European research project looking at plastic waste in our waters.
Finally, the German Minister has praised the unusually intensive cooperation she has enjoyed with her Portuguese and Slovenian counterparts, Manuel Heitor and Simona Kustec, in view of the “special challenges” that are currently facing the EU. (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)