ESC President endorses Busquin's approach
On 28 October in Miami, Beatrice Rangoni Machiavelli, president of the ESC (Economic and Social Committee) will become the first European to receive the 'Woman who makes a difference' prize, awarded by the International Women's Forum. In an interview with CORDIS News, Mrs Rangoni outlined her long-standing interest in, and concerns regarding European research and science issues, along with her interest in the promotion of women in European research. Mrs Rangoni has participated in and organised countless seminars and conferences at national, European and international level on the subject, and has spent time lobbying for recognition of the importance of research. At the invitation of European Research Commissioner, Philippe Busquin, she is currently a member of the jury that will choose this year's winner of the Descartes Prize. 'Europe needs research and needs know-how' says Mrs Rangoni. She is deeply concerned by the gap in research activity between Europe and the United States and Japan, and sees the lack of co-operation between Member States as the main reason for this gap. 'Every country has its own research and is jealous' believes Mrs Rangoni, 'if you divide your potential between 15 countries, you will never be the first'. The gap is particularly evident in the area of biotechnology, an area which Mrs Rangoni would like to see become an EU research priority. Some 80 per cent of research is carried out by the USA, and only one per cent by the EU. 'This is the kind of monopoly that Europe cannot accept' added Mrs Rangoni. Mrs Rangoni has a personal memory of a meeting with Jacques Delors, president of the European Commission between 1985 and 1995. Mr Delors claimed that the one failure of his White Paper had been research, and he admitted to Mrs Rangoni that his report had failed to offer the impetus that would unite Europe's research communities. This is why Mrs Rangoni gives her full support to Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin's proposed European Research Area, which she sees as 'essential'. By pooling Member States' resources and streamlining national approaches to research and development (R&D) at a European level, the EU will have a chance to make up the growing intercontinental gap in expertise. The promotion of women in research and science is of particular interest to Mrs Rangoni, having studied physics herself, and edited 'Women of Europe', a magazine published by the European Commission aimed at women involved in science within the EU. Mrs Rangoni conceded that the difficulties that women have in research are those that they have always had in the labour market, but noted how attitudes towards women have changed since she alarmed her family by going to university to study for a science degree. More young women are now entering research, but still not enough according to Mrs Rangoni, who would like to see both the Commission and Member States doing more to improve the situation for women. On the question of what actions could be taken, Mrs Rangoni referred to the Amsterdam Treaty, which states that equal opportunities for women must become a mainstream policy. 'If the Commission really apply what the Amsterdam Treaty decided, and if the other institutions and civil society and big enterprises apply what has been an institutional decision [...] then women will have less problems', emphasised Mrs Rangoni. Women's future involvement in EU research, and the future of EU research in general are topics which worry Mrs Rangoni. She strongly believes that every effort must be made in order to achieve equal opportunities for women in research, so that Europe does not lose the potential that women have to offer, and she urges the Commission and Member States to devote more energy and finance to research.