Germany uses own experience to make a case for funding research with Structural Funds
The German government has used its experience of reunification to make the case for using the EU's Structural Funds to support research and innovation. 'Regional recovery processes only work with investment in innovation,' said Parliamentary State Secretary from the Ministry for Education and Research, Ulrich Kasparick, on 3 May. He was speaking at a conference entitled 'Use Structural Funds for research - exchange of experiences and views'. Experiences in East Germany since reunification clearly illustrate the link between research funding and sustained development, said Mr Kasparick. 'Innovation funding brings about growth, which investment in concrete does not achieve,' said the state secretary. Money from the EU's Structural Funds should therefore be used to improve the research environment, particularly in the new EU Member States, he added. Mr Kasparick also suggested that research bodies from these countries may have a lot to gain from working together with their counterparts in East Germany.
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Germany