Finns want ERA communication to go further
Finland has welcomed the Commission's two communications on the European Research Area (of 18 January 2000 and 4 October 2000), which it says 'give a good overview of research activities in Europe and present adequate proposals for development measures.' But, it says, the communications could go further. In particular it warns against forgetting that European competitiveness depends 'first and foremost on measures taken at national level and on the development of direct cooperation between Member States.' But the Finns see the most serious deficiency in the Commission Communications in its focus on structuring the different areas of EU resarch policy. 'European research and development activities should be considered in a broader context as an integral part of a wider European innovation environment that, in addition to actual RTD activities, include the commercialisation and social utilisation of research results as well as education,' it says. In Finland's opinion, this view is not taken into account enough in utilisation of research results, knowledge and know how. In addition, it sees the popularity of the Framework programme among researchers as a way to develop contacts and networks as a key indication of the need for a similar strategic research instrument in the future. Current Commission guidelines do not 'sufficiently stress the advantages of this type of project cooperation and the great demand it has created,' says Finland. In agreement with the Commission's proposals, Finland also believes in the importance of encouraging voluntary cooperation between European researchers in European countries. 'The overall target should be the promotion of networking and gradual opening up of national programmes and the enhancement of cooperation between centres of excellence,' it says. Proposals to support building and operating costs of research infrastructures in certain cases and to participate in big high-cost research projects through co-financing could also be examined further, says Finland. And, regarding the distribution of funds within the next Framework programme, Finland advises the Commission to seek a balance between supporting the development of new promising technologies and finding solutions to obvious problems involved in mature industries. Not surprisingly, Finland stresses the importance of information and communication technologies for the competitiveness of Europe. To promote mobility of researchers in Europe, Finland suggests that future Commission proposals include measures to establish 'European research schools' to be built around large research entities, or 'be common, virtual research schools serving several research entities'. And finally, Finland concludes that administrative burden to researchers currently participating in the Commission's RTD Framework programme is too great. The Commission should focus its efforts more on reducing administrative work related to the Framework programme, instead of outsourcing commission tasks, the paper says.