At their informal meeting in La Hulpe on Thursday 15 February, European ministers discussed the future of European research and innovation programmes and the contribution of European research to tackling societal challenges. They also discussed the collaborative aspects of research, both between sectors and between disciplines. Lastly, they talked about support for technological development aimed at accelerating the decarbonisation of industrial processes.
The ministers stressed the importance of supporting European R&I, both to maintain European competitiveness and to strengthen Europe’s strategic autonomy.
While the morning session was devoted to the future of the European framework programmes, the issue of Member States’ budgetary support for the framework programmes resurfaced in the debates. The Belgian Minister for Research, Willy Borsus, who chaired the debates, emphasised the need for research and innovation communities to be able to operate over time with a degree of predictability, while retaining a degree of flexibility to respond to rapid change and changing needs. He also stressed the need to improve the links between the various existing funding instruments.
The European Commissioner for Research and Innovation, Iliana Ivanova, said she was delighted that the European Council was able to reach an agreement on 1 February during discussions on the mid-term revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework. However, she expressed dissatisfaction at the 2.1 billion cut in the research budget, despite the fact that the strategic importance of R&I was regularly discussed at European level.
The Commissioner spoke of a red flag when referring to these cuts, and claimed that the time was not right to send such a signal, although understanding the overall context and the fact that concessions are necessary.
She pointed out that the assessment of the Horizon 2020 framework programme (see EUROPE 13338/6) had highlighted the added value of European funding: for every euro invested, there is five euros in return.
Ms Ivanova expressed the hope that, thanks to the day’s discussions with the ministers – which she described as fruitful – but also, more broadly, in the future, with the finance ministers and in the Member States, there would be a realisation of the importance of strengthening long-term funding for research, but also of spending this public money efficiently.
The Commissioner and Mr Borsus said that the results, both economic and societal, of European research are the best argument for this.
The issue of support for research is due to be raised again at the EU ‘Research’ Council on 23 May, and should be included in a draft set of EU Council conclusions. (Original version in French by Émilie Vanderhulst)