Welcome Note to the CORDIS Web service of the Portuguese Council Presidency of the EU (July – December 2007)
Building the future of science and research in Europe is a priority. This is a main objective of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union during the second semester 2007.
Coinciding with the launch of the Green Paper on the European Research Area, the Presidency will open the debate on the future of the scientific and technological policy in Europe. All the relevant stakeholders will be invited to discuss the development of science and technology in Europe with the aim of promoting joint action at the national and international level.
Governments and European institutions, regions, national funding agencies, large European scientific laboratories, the scientific community, industry, the banking sector, universities and research institutions need to be partners in concerted and joint action to ensure scientific development in Europe.
We recognize that Europe needs more public and private investment in research and development, as well as policies to promote qualified human resources in science and technology. The situation however varies from country to country.
The Presidency wants to attribute a new impetus to the Lisbon Strategy in the area of Science and Technology. The Lisbon Strategy defined collective targets in scientific and technological development but the main responsibility of implementing them now is conferred to national policies and strategies. We believe that the European political process may stimulate and support the broadening of social support to the scientific and technological development in each country. Completion of more ambitious policies for scientific development in each country is stimulated by the definition of common objectives on the European level.
José Mariano Gago
Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education
[ Last updated: 2007-07-05 ]
