On Friday 20 March, the Cyprus Presidency of the EU Council proposed including the younger generation in the framework for scientific diplomacy in its compromise text on the subject. This proposal will be discussed at the EU Council’s Research Working Party meeting on Wednesday 25 March.
Among the accompanying actions, the Presidency suggested that “Member States, with full regard to subsidiarity, proportionality, institutional autonomy and academic freedom, and in accordance with Member States’ national specificities [...], encourage the integration of elements related to science diplomacy, the role of science in international cooperation and evidence-informed policymaking into education and training programmes”. The aim is to raise awareness among younger generations about the links between science, policy and global challenges, particularly by fostering scientific diplomacy youth ambassadors.
In addition, one of the proposed recommendations is to use scientific diplomacy to facilitate establishing and developing international research infrastructures, thereby promoting the EU’s ambition and convening power.
Regarding implementation, Cyprus has proposed using the European Research Area (ERA) platform and relevant monitoring tools already in place. “Therefore, no new structures need to be created”, said the Presidency. “In this context, Member States are invited to share with the Commission information on their national approaches and initiatives as input for the aforementioned monitoring and reporting activities by the Commission”, it added.
The text also stresses that “the Union’s science diplomacy should be conducted in full coherence with the Union’s external action and relevant programmes”, in particular the Horizon Europe Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. This is why the EU framework for scientific diplomacy has been included in the ERA Policy Agenda 2025-2027, which is helping to develop the concept of a ‘fifth freedom’ related to the single market for research and innovation.
Read the compromise text: https://aeur.eu/f/lb0 (Original version in French by Anne Damiani, with Solenn Paulic)