Strasbourg, 18/01/2000 (Agence Europe) - At its weekly meeting on the fringe of the EP's plenary session, the European Commission approved the Communication presented by Philippe Busquin on a European Research Area. As we announced (see yesterday's EUROPE, p.12), it is a question of setting up a genuine European research policy, based on:
1) Better joint use of material resources and research infrastructures: the Communication proposes drawing up a map of centres of excellence, organising their networking, and establishing a plan for financing centres of excellence on the basis tendering. It recommends setting up a framework for discussion to define requirements that need covering regarding infrastructures at European level.
2) Better overall coherence: the Commission comes down in favour of (a) mutual opening up of national research programmes, (b) the setting up of information mechanisms regarding the goals and contents of programmes, to avoid the same thing being done in several locations, (c) the establishment of a Board of senior officials from European scientific and technological cooperation organisations (FES, ESA, EMBO, EMBL, CERN, ESO, ESRF, ILL, EUREKA, COST).
3) Further involving private investment: it is a question of developing effective tools for protecting intellectual property, notably through Community patents, as well as multiplying initiatives placing scientists, industrialists and financiers in contact through national and European programmes.
4) A common scientific and technical reference system: the Commission is in favour of matching research undertaken in the Community context with the concerns of the citizens and economic operators, as well as of the introduction of a reliable and recognised system for the validation of knowledge and methods of control.
5) More abundant and mobile human resources: this is a question of (a) encouraging mobility as instrument for transferring knowledge and technology, (b) improving certain aspects of researcher-training, (c) opening up Europe-wide recruitment procedures, (d) further involving women in research activities, (e) stimulating the taste of young people for research and scientific careers, especially by improved teaching of the sciences at all levels.
6) A European territory more attractive to researchers and investments: the Commission intends playing on the combination of the use of the Structural Funds and European research programmes. It would also like to involve the regions in stimulating research activities. It considers it necessary now already to support the development of the research and administration capabilities in countries candidates for accession. So as to make the European territory more attractive for researchers from the rest of the world, it proposes the creation of a system of grants for scientists from third countries. It also recommends simplifying and harmonising administrative rules and conditions. The Communication refers, notably, to measures such as the recent French decision to shorten procedures for granting visas to researchers.
7) An area of shared values: the Commission proposes engaging in the science/society debate at European level, especially through "citizens' conferences". To develop a common vision of ethical issues, it also suggests strengthening the ties between national and European ethic committees.
The development of the Community research programme will continue to rest on a renewed framework-programme, responding to the priorities and coherence determined by the European Research Area. The definition of these priorities, the tools, the means of implementing them could take the form of periodic assessments, no doubt every five years, of the state of research in Europe. This Commission would present this assessment in the form of a report, containing a "scoreboard".