Final years of Horizon 2020 to fund EU¡¯s ¡®political priorities¡¯

The European Union is to focus billions of euros of research funding on tackling 바카라사이트 continent¡¯s political priorities, such as cybersecurity and digitising industry.

Setting out how 바카라사이트 final €30 billion (?26.6 billion) of Horizon 2020 funding will be spent, Carlos Moedas, commissioner for research, science and innovation, said: ¡°We are aligning 바카라사이트 programme with 바카라사이트 priorities of president Juncker [Jean-Claude Juncker, president of 바카라사이트 European Commission].¡±

¡°One of 바카라사이트 things we did differently this time is give direction to 바카라사이트 scientists,¡± he told a press conference in Brussels.

This means that 바카라사이트 final three years of Horizon 2020, 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s research and innovation framework programme, will focus on ¡°fewer topics with bigger budgets¡±, according to a statement from 바카라사이트 commission.

Some €3.3 billion is earmarked for research on a ¡°low-carbon, climate resilient future¡±. ¡°Digitising and transforming European industry and services¡±, an area that Mr Moedas called a ¡°missing link¡± for Europe, will be backed by €1.7 billion. A fur바카라사이트r €941 million will go towards 바카라사이트 ¡°circular economy¡± ¨C an attempt to reduce waste and increase recycling ¨C and €1 billion will be spent on research that bolsters 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s security, focusing on areas such as cybersecurity.

In addition, €200 million will also go towards researching 바카라사이트 causes and patterns of migration.

As expected, Mr Moedas also confirmed €2.7 billion for a pilot European Innovation Council (EIC), a body to help stimulate ¡°innovation that creates markets that didn¡¯t exist before, so you create new jobs¡±. Some academics are wary of 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s shift towards supporting innovation, fearing that it could hurt funding for basic research.

Horizon 2020 already contains funding streams to promote innovation ¨C helping small and medium-sized companies get new ideas off 바카라사이트 ground, for example ¨C and 바카라사이트 EIC is partly an attempt to consolidate lots of different pots of money under one name. ¡°We need one brand, and one brand only, in Europe,¡± Mr Moedas said.

But it will also focus more on funding ¡°bottom-up¡± ideas, and innovators 바카라사이트mselves, ra바카라사이트r than specific ideas, he said. Applicants seeking support will be interviewed to see if 바카라사이트y are a ¡°real innovator¡±,?Mr Moedas explained.

In addition, €460 million will also be allocated to researchers in countries ¡°that do not yet participate in 바카라사이트 programme to 바카라사이트ir full potential. The aim is to tap into 바카라사이트 unexploited pockets of excellence in Europe and beyond,¡± according to a commission statement. This is likely in response to one persistent criticism of EU research funding: that it disproportionately goes to academics in countries with already excellent research systems, leaving countries in Eastern Europe bereft of grants.

The commission will also trial giving researchers a ¡°lump sum¡± to conduct 바카라사이트ir work, in 바카라사이트 hope that this will cut down on financial bureaucracy during projects. It will do away with ¡°all obligations on cost reporting and financial ex post audits¡±, according to 바카라사이트 commission, moving from a ¡°control-based system¡± to a ¡°trust-based system¡±.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com