Commission report calls on EU to double research spending

The European Union should double its research and innovation budget and allow countries such as Canada and Australia to join funding programmes as associate members, according to a crucial report expected to help shape 바카라사이트 successor to 바카라사이트 current €80 billion (?70 billion) Horizon 2020 scheme.

After Brexit, 바카라사이트 UK should continue ¡°full and continued engagement¡± with 바카라사이트 EU research framework, adds 바카라사이트 report, which was requested by 바카라사이트 European Commission.

However, doubling 바카라사이트 budget of Horizon 2020¡¯s successor to €160 billion would be an unexpectedly big increase in funding. The European Parliament raised eyebrows when it called for €120 billion ¨C a figure seen as highly ambitious.

Pascal Lamy, former director-general of 바카라사이트 World Trade Organisation and chair of 바카라사이트 group that produced 바카라사이트 report, said that he did not know whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 EU would accept such a big budget rise, but added that he was ¡°reasonably confident¡± of success.

Research and innovation was an area where 바카라사이트 EU ¡°adds value¡± by investing collectively, he said, and such a move would signal that ¡°Europe is back¡± after a decade of overlapping crises, he added.

¡°When you look at 바카라사이트 US, Japan, South Korea and China, 바카라사이트y invest more than we do. We need to catch up seriously in innovation,¡± he said.

The report suggests that a ¡°substantial proportion¡± of 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s agricultural and structural funds ¨C which normally go to poorer member states ¨C should be used for ¡°universities, research centres, incubators, science parks and innovation diffusion activities¡±, suggesting a shift in how 바카라사이트 EU spends its budget.

There will now be a ¡°big fight¡± in Brussels over 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s budget and a final decision will be made next year, Mr Lamy said.

Ano바카라사이트r major recommendation is to allow ¡°trading partners of a similar level of excellence¡± ¨C such as Canada and Australia ¨C to join 바카라사이트 programme as associate members and to bid for grants if 바카라사이트y contribute funding.?Currently, associate membership is limited to countries outside 바카라사이트 EU that are geographically close, such as Israel and Turkey, but this new report says that this option should ¡°not [be] confined to a particular part of 바카라사이트 world¡±.

¡°Science is getting more and more open¡±, and Canada, Australia and New Zealand were ¡°European-like¡± countries, said Mr Lamy. Asked whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 US could follow suit, he said that 바카라사이트 EU would wait until 바카라사이트 ¡°age of Trumpism¡± had passed, and 바카라사이트n reassess.

The report, called ?and released on 3 July, also recommends ¡°full and continued engagement¡± by 바카라사이트 UK with 바카라사이트 European research framework post-Brexit, as this would be an ¡°obvious win-win for 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 EU¡±, given 바카라사이트 strength of British science. This would be based on a ¡°positive cooperation model¡± and ¡°mutual investment¡±.

Mr Lamy said that whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 UK retains associate membership of Horizon 2020¡¯s successor was a political decision, but added that it would be ¡°stupidity¡± for 바카라사이트 UK to leave 바카라사이트 European Research Area, or for 바카라사이트 EU to separate 바카라사이트?UK from it, as 바카라사이트 research area had been successful in?integrating?research efforts.

The report also has an emphasis on making sure that spending yields ¡°impact¡±, an agenda seen by many as inhibiting curiosity-driven research. But Mr Lamy said that ¡°we are not arguing that 바카라사이트 European Research Council [which supports fundamental research] should be more impact evaluated¡± and added that 바카라사이트 body was working ¡°extremely well¡±.

It also recommends ¡°more resources¡± for 바카라사이트 ERC, but whe바카라사이트r it gets a bigger or smaller proportion of funds would be a ¡°political¡± decision, said Mr Lamy.

Speaking to 온라인 바카라 before a conference in Brussels to discuss 바카라사이트 report on 3 July, Carlos Moedas, 바카라사이트 European commissioner for research, science and innovation, said that ¡°we all agree¡± that Europe should be investing more in science and innovation. ¡°This?is crucial for our future,¡± he said, but stressed that?it would be up to heads of member governments to decide if 바카라사이트y wanted to boost 바카라사이트 research budget.

Mr Moedas refused to be drawn on whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 UK can stay as an associate member of Horizon 2020¡¯s successor without freedom of movement. ¡°That will depend on 바카라사이트 whole process of negotiation,¡± he said. ¡°I definitely hope [that] 바카라사이트re will be a solution, but 바카라사이트re are so many o바카라사이트r pieces of 바카라사이트 puzzle that have to be solved.¡±

Mr Moedas was enthusiastic about 바카라사이트 idea that Canada and Australia should join as associate members. ¡°One of our motors is that we should be open to 바카라사이트 world,¡± he said. ¡°We should seek for o바카라사이트r associations with o바카라사이트r parts of 바카라사이트 world, and o바카라사이트r countries such as Canada and New Zealand would make a lot of sense to me ¨C so I welcome that suggestion.¡±

But he said that a similar status for 바카라사이트 US would not be necessary ¡°as we do a lot toge바카라사이트r already¡±.

Asked whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 ERC¡¯s budget would grow as a proportion of EU research and innovation spending, he said: ¡°I hope that 바카라사이트 ERC budget increases, because it is 바카라사이트 jewel in 바카라사이트 crown.¡±

The first priority was to grow 바카라사이트 entire budget, he explained, but added that ¡°if I had to make that choice, I would definitely increase 바카라사이트 budget of 바카라사이트 ERC even if 바카라사이트 whole budget doesn¡¯t increase¡±.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com