With a view to the meeting of the EU Council Working Party on Research on 21 September, the German Presidency sent delegations draft conclusions on the future of the European Research Area (ERA).
The latter is expected to be revised: the project of a new ERA, which has been under discussion for several years, was discussed at length at the last two informal meetings of ministers, in February (see EUROPE 12418/5), then last July (see EUROPE 12533/12).
On this occasion, the relevant German Minister, Anja Karliczek, announced the adoption of specific conclusions at the next ‘Research’ Council of the EU scheduled for 29 September.
Greening the ERA
According to the draft document, of which EUROPE has obtained a copy, ministers should decide in favour of an ERA geared towards a more sustainable development model. In the draft conclusions, they thus acknowledge that the European Green Deal is a “core opportunity to put the new ERA approach into action”.
In particular, the ministers should invite the Commission and the Member States to ensure that 20% of the national budgets allocated to Research and Innovation (R&I) over the next ten years are devoted “to transnational activities towards realising the European Green Deal”.
The draft conclusions also underline, in this respect, the importance of green hydrogen “to contribute to solving Europe’s energy problems” and welcomes the role given to research in the Commission’s recent hydrogen strategy (see EUROPE 12523/1).
It also advocates the development of a strategic R&I agenda on green hydrogen, which could be implemented as early as 2022.
Interact more
Furthermore, the text emphasises the need to increase citizens’ awareness of the impact of R&I in their daily lives. It therefore calls on the Member States and the Commission to organise a Europe-wide citizens science campaign at least every two years.
The Commission and the EU27 are also invited to establish a new ‘EU Science Media Network’ to provide the general public with access to the latest scientific knowledge.
The draft conclusions also call for increased support for the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC - see EUROPE 12144/27) after 2020, in order to promote access to research results and data. The text proposes that the Commission should make concrete proposals to integrate those Member States that do not have the necessary infrastructure to participate fully in the ESCO. A report, to be sent to the EU Council by May 2021, is also expected to be requested.
Other points discussed included the call for more synergy. Notably between the different European funding instruments and European instruments and policies. “In particular between Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, the structural funds, EU4Health and the Digital Europe programme”, the document details.
It is also suggested that ministerial conferences on the ERA be held at least every two years. (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)