The European Commission published, on Tuesday 5 July, the 2022 Science, Research and Innovation performance of the EU report which concludes with six sets of recommendations.
Building a better future in a post-pandemic world
For the authors of the report, European Research and Innovation (R&I) has a key role to play in the green and digital transition. The report highlights the benefits of experimenting, co-creation and citizen engagement. To be transformative, R&I policies must also provide direction for investment at national and European levels.
Regaining competitiveness
The European leadership position in R&I has been eroded by the rise of other global players. This backlog increased during the pandemic, particularly in the field of digital technologies. The report recommends strengthening the performance of European R&I through reform and investment and consolidating the less developed national and regional research systems.
Thinking the unthinkable (and be prepared for it by maintaining agile R&I, including foresight preparedness exercises and aiming for digital sovereignty.
Leveraging businesses, institutions and people
The intensity of research and development funding in the EU is still far from 3% of GDP. In addition to increased public funding, the report recommends attracting private investment, introducing more inclusive human capital policies and closing the gap between research results and marketable innovations. There is a need to better connect actors and to take into account disparities in terms of geographical distribution of R&I investments, publications or patent registrations. Vocational training policies for low and medium skilled workers would be beneficial.
Finally, the report points to the need for the EU to attract investors willing to finance riskier companies, by integrating sustainability criteria in the financing of firms and by consolidating an institutional and regulatory framework favourable to innovation.
Read the report: https://aeur.eu/f/2ie (Original version in French by Émilie Vanderhulst)