Commission acts on expert advice
Achilleas Mitsos, Director General of the Research Directorate-General welcomed the conclusions of the five year assessment of the European Commission's RTD Framework programme at a press conference in Brussels recently. 'We're extremely happy that this report exists - even about the critical parts - because the logic goes even further than the ERA [European Research Area] communication,' said Mr Mitsos. The Commission has taken on board many of the points it raises, he revealed, and in the first instance is looking at its internal structure to try to cope with its recommendations. The report, compiled by an independent expert panel chaired by Spanish politician Joan Majó, concluded that increased collaboration on research and technological development is vital between the Member States of the European Union in a situation similar to a European Research Area. This is particularly important, the panel stressed, if the EU wants to achieve the targets set by Ministers at the Lisbon summit earlier this year. If the heads of government were serious about getting Europe to be the most competitive and innovative region in the world by 2010 then the EU's RTD Framework programme will 'never be enough', says Mr Majó. To pursue this challenge the Commission must implement changes to the current system soon, he advises. The Member States must increase competition in research and technological development to stimulate industry while preventing duplication in the research effort. Investment in research and technological development must also increase with the level of GDP spent in the public and private sectors rising to at least three per cent over the next ten years, Majó says. 'We agree that a large part of our knowledge comes from private investment, not public funds,' which could be encouraged through tax incentives. The expert panel agreed that collaboration and cooperation between the Member States' research programmes is also vital, particularly with enlargement on the horizon, echoing the sentiments of the European Commission's communication on an ERA. And they stressed the importance of investment at the educational level to fully exploit Europe's research potential. It will also be necessary to identify the areas at the core of EU research and at the regional level to determine where cooperation and assistance for innovation and education is most necessary, according to Mr Majó. Existing policy instruments available to support science and technology are also currently under-exploited, he says, suggesting 'a major review of the systems and procedures used to devise overall goals, specify delivery mechanisms and implement the programmes.' This could come as a six monthly report on European research strategy. The Commission should be able to work more quickly and to spend less time on administration, he added, so they can spend their time actually implementing the Framework Programme. This is just one point the Commission is already indicating it may take up, with Mr Mitsos hinting that the Research Directorate-General is discussing ways of outsourcing administrative procedures, leaving officials more time to focus on their specialised areas of expertise. 'A certain re-balance is needed with respect to general funding,' he added. 'The Sixth Framework programme is unlikely to get very much more money than the Fifth Framework programme has now, which could be a good thing as it will force the European Parliament to focus on how funds are distributed within the programme.' Access, mobility and education are clear areas of concern and generic research may also see more funding, following some comments from the academic community that the Key Actions within the Fifth Framework programme [FP5] are too prescriptive. The ERA concept has received widespread support, not just from experts like Mr Majó and his team, but in the European Parliament, in industry and among researchers throughout Europe, who have responded to calls for feedback on the Communication by Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin. As a result, Mr Mitsos is upbeat about its feasibility. Mr Majó, however, remains circumspect. 'I am convinced that without strong agreement on a central decision in this area consensus will never be reached.' But it was agreed at the conference that generally politicians, industry and academia do agree on one fundamental point - the European Union cannot be competitive in the field of technology and innovation if it continues with 15+1 different policies for RTD.