Mitsos emphasises importance of ERA
The proposed European research Area (ERA) should bring together the best research from arabidopsis to globalisation, said Achilleas Mitsos, Director-General of the European Commission's Research DG, at the opening of a dialogue workshop on 14 December. Delivering the keynote speech at the workshop on 'global trade and globalising societies: challenges to governance and sustainability, the role of the EU', Mr Mitsos made clear that the best European research, and not just that funded by the European Commission, needs to be brought together by the ERA. 'We can't pretend that we can have the maximum impact on research in Europe, just by selecting the best projects,' he said. Mr Mitsos also indicated that listening and learning is a key element to the ERA. 'If we can't link the policymakers to the real issues that emerge from research, then we have failed. This can't be a one way type of communication - it's more complicated than that,' he said. The workshop (which comes under the 'improving the socio-economic base' Key Action of the Fifth Framework programme), is being attended by members from a number of Commission DGs, plus academics and non-governmental organisations and finishes on 15 December.