Commission and Member States benchmark national research policies

Benchmarking Conference, Athens, 17-18 January 2003<br>During a two-day meeting to start tomorrow in Athens the European Commission and the Greek Presidency will present the first comprehensive results from a research and development (R&D) policies' benchmarking exercise.

The analysis, launched in September 2000 to contribute to the creation of the European Research Area, examined human resources in research, public and private Investment in research, the impact of research on competitiveness and employment, science and technology productivity, how to promote R&D culture and public understanding of science. Participants will address case studies such as successful research clusters in Finland and effective R&D policies in Austria.
As European Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin says "benchmarking is about learning through comparison. In this context, it is intended to help Member States to improve their research policies by making them more consistent through a process of comparison, exchange and mutual learning. By identifying and disseminating best practice in co-operation with Member States, we can help improve R&D conditions in Europe and foster the creation of the European Research Area, a true internal market for science and knowledge. We are still far from achieving the European Research Area and turning Europe into a world-class growth engine: much remains to be done, and I call on Member States and research players to step up their efforts and to work with us to meet these goals".
,BACKGROUND
The conference will bring together representatives from the Commission, the Greek Presidency, EU Member States and countries associated to EU research programmes, to analyse best practices in R&D policy and encourage their take-up across Europe.
Some of the first lessons learnt through benchmarking have already been translated into policy actions: An interim report, presented in January 2002 stressed that "both the level of RTD investment and its current growth are too low to achieve the Lisbon goals; the shortfall is principally due to the private sector". The Barcelona summit acted upon this recommendation. Other recommendations are being discussed at national level.
The future of benchmarking will be debated in the light of the recent Commission Communication "The European Research Area - Providing new momentum" and the subsequent conclusions of the Council on the possible application of the open method of co-ordination.
Potential topics for the second benchmarking "cycle" include human resources in industrial research, mobility of researchers and how to counter the "brain drain", scientific careers and graduate training. Issues will be considered in the context of the broader framework of EU's drive to raise its research spending to 3% of Europe's average Gross Domestic Product (GDP). These include funding of university research, direct and indirect public support measures to boost private R&D investment, technology transfer and spin-offs from universities, incubators and support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) research. Local research clusters represent an important dimension of the European Research Area. In this respect, factors to be "benchmarked" could include R&D cluster models, sector-specific research clusters and technological platforms, universities as cluster enablers, SME groupings and networking to foster the creation of clusters, and high-technology SMEs in R&D clustering. Public policies to promote better understanding of science are influenced by topics such as government spending, public incentives in this field and awareness-raising events such "Science weeks" at national level.
As indicated in the Commission synthesis report to the spring EuropeanCouncil, the application of the open method of coordination in the research area has a key role to play to boost growth-enhancing investment by the public and private partners.
Press conference:
A Press Conference is foreseen during the first day of the event, just after the opening session (Friday 17/1/2003 at 11.00). Speakers will include: Dimitris Deniozos, Secretary General for Research on behalf of the Greek Presidency, Achilleas Mitsos, Director General for Research of the European Commission, Eryl Mc Nally, Member of the European Parliament and Gonzalo Leon, Secretary General of Scientific Policy of Spain.
Conference speakers and other experts who have been involved in the benchmarking exercise will be available for interviews during the conference. ,More information on the EU benchmarking and the conference itself is available on the following sites:,http://cordis.europa.eu/rtd2002/era-developments/athens.htm
http://cordis.europa.eu/rtd2002/home.html
http://cordis.europa.eu/rtd2002/era-developments/benchmarking.htm
The full programme of the conference is available online.
For further information on media participation in the Press conference, please contact:,Klimentini Diakomanoli, Press Officer, DG Research, European Commission,Tel: [phone] - E-mail: [e-mail]
For further information on the EU benchmarking, please contact:,Anastasia Andrikopoulou, Scientific Officer, DG Research, Directorate B, "The Open Co-ordination of Research Policies Unit", European Commission, ,Tel: [phone] E-mail: [e-mail]