The European research ministers will begin their informal meeting on Friday 28 July in Santander (Spain) with a working session on the development of scientific diplomacy. More specifically, the ministers will be invited by the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU to examine the role of research and innovation (R&I) in the development of public policies, with a particular focus on the external action of Member States.
The Presidency also hoped that, in their discussions, the ministers would address the continuation and strengthening of the PRIMA programme, the partnership for R&I in the Mediterranean region, which is headquartered in Spain until 2027.
PRIMA is a 10-year initiative (2018-2028), part-funded by the EU Framework Programmes for Research, designed to support the development of solutions, particularly for more sustainable management of water resources and agri-food systems in the Mediterranean basin. PRIMA also aims to strengthen the region’s position as a major strategic partner of the EU.
After a group photo, over lunch, the ministers will attend a presentation of the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility - Demo Oriented Neutron Source (IFMIF-DONES) project, located in Escúzar (Granada).
IFMIF-DONES is a single-site research infrastructure designed to test, validate and qualify the materials that will be used in future fusion power plants such as DEMO. DEMO is a nuclear fusion demonstration reactor project designed as part of Europe’s roadmap towards electricity generated by nuclear fusion.
Finally, the second working session of this informal meeting will be devoted to the European Commission’s second strategic plan for Horizon Europe. This strategic plan covers the period 2025-2027.
The ministers will discuss the alignment of its objectives with European and national public policy priorities, but they will also be able to discuss suggestions for improvement and proposals to strengthen knowledge transfer. (Original version in French by Émilie Vanderhulst)