Meeting in the Competitiveness Council on Thursday 9 and Friday 10 June, the European Research Ministers are expected to approve several sets of conclusions prepared under the French Presidency of the EU Council on the morning of 10 May.
The ministers are expected to approve the conclusions on the new European missions as part of Horizon Europe. These five new European missions were initiated by the European Commission on 29 September 2021 to promote cooperation in five areas (see EUROPE 12862/8).
The ministers are also expected to adopt a package of conclusions on values and principles for international cooperation in research and innovation. This is a common thread in the work of the French Presidency. The latter organised an interministerial conference in Marseille on 8 March to rebalance international partnerships in the fields of international cooperation, research and innovation. The conference was followed by a declaration setting out nine common values and principles for Member States.
The ministers are also expected to approve conclusions on the evaluation of research and the implementation of open science which is a project conducted in support of the Pact for Research and Innovation in Europe aimed at renewing the evaluation of research and access to public research.
Finally, the ministers will hold a policy debate to identify best practices and possibilities for progress on the issue of support for young researchers in times of crisis, whether related to Covid-19 or the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Under ‘other business’, the ministers will discuss the results of the events organised under the French Presidency and the European Commission’s assessment of the new governance of the European Research Area. Finally, this will be an opportunity for the upcoming Czech Presidency of the EU Council to discuss its work programme.
During the lunch that will close the ‘Research’ session of the Competitiveness Council, the ministers will have the opportunity to reflect on a European innovation area. (Original version in French by Émilie Vanderhulst)