The Belgian Presidency of the EU Council is continuing work on the conclusions on strengthening the use of knowledge as a tool for a resilient and competitive industry and open strategic autonomy in Europe. On Thursday 29 February, following an initial proposal for conclusions (see EUROPE 13325/5) and initial amendments (see EUROPE 13341/13), the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council sent the delegations of the Member States a third draft text, which will be examined in working group on Thursday 7 March. The text could be adopted by the European Research Ministers at their meeting on Thursday 23 May.
This text is part of a long-term dynamic at the EU Council, where one of the problems identified is the difficulty of fully translating the results obtained in the research and innovation (R&I) sector in Europe, the excellence of which is nevertheless recognised, into positive impacts for European society and the economy, and of keeping the fruits of this R&I in Europe. This issue is also one of the priorities of the Belgian Presidency (see EUROPE 13321/6).
This third version of the draft conclusions proposes to emphasise the collaborative dimension of research and the open approach to R&I. The Belgian Presidency proposes to add a call for administrative simplification and the removal of legal obstacles within the single market.
Other changes are also proposed, such as no longer inviting the European Commission to explore possible synergies between European programmes at the design stage of the next multiannual financial framework.
The new text also proposes, in particular, to insist on the need to support innovation ecosystems that are equitable between regions and local entities that are more or less successful in terms of innovation.
Furthermore, with regard to innovative public procurement, the Belgian Presidency is proposing to invite the Member States to consider encouraging public purchasers to transfer intellectual property to contractors in public procurements.
Further information: https://aeur.eu/f/b3o (Original version in French by Émilie Vanderhulst)