Hopes rise for post-Horizon 2020 research funding increase

The European Union could enjoy a bigger research and innovation budget after 2020 ¨C but universities might lose out to businesses as 바카라사이트 emphasis of funding switches, senior EU figures have suggested.

Jyrki Katainen, European Commissioner for jobs, growth, investment and competitiveness, told a conference that he would like to see 바카라사이트 proportion of 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s budget set aside for research and innovation rise from 바카라사이트 current 8 per cent.

Debate in Brussels is intensifying over how to fund 바카라사이트 successor to 바카라사이트 EU¡¯s current research and innovation package, Horizon 2020. The European Parliament has called for 바카라사이트 next framework programme to be worth €120 billion (?106 billion), a 50 per cent increase on 바카라사이트 current package.

Asked about this figure, Mr Katainen said that he thought it was ¡°a good target¡± while noting that cuts would have to be made elsewhere.

However, he hinted at a shift away from grants ¨C which fund basic research ¨C to loans and equity investments to stimulate new companies, in an attempt to help 바카라사이트 EU catch up with capital markets in 바카라사이트 US. For organisations that preferred grants, ¡°바카라사이트 next budget will most probably be smaller than 바카라사이트 existing one¡±, he said.

Some EU structural funds, which tend to go to poorer member states, could be refocused on research and innovation, he added.

Then 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 impact of Brexit ¨C 바카라사이트 loss of 바카라사이트 UK will leave a ¡°hole in 바카라사이트 budget¡±, he said, meaning that 바카라사이트 EU would have to reconsider its funding priorities ¡°from scratch¡±.

The conference, New World Order: Science, Technology & Trade: Shaping 바카라사이트 Next Framework Programme, held in Brussels on 27 June, also heard details of how Horizon 2020¡¯s remaining €30 billion will be spent between 2018 and 2020.

Robert-Jan Smits, director general 바카라사이트 European Commission¡¯s Directorate General for Research and Innovation, said that it would focus on ¡°impact, impact, impact¡±.?¡°What have all 바카라사이트se investments over 바카라사이트 past few years brought?¡± he asked.

Security, digitising industry and 바카라사이트 low-carbon economy would also receive special attention through project calls, he explained.

And 바카라사이트 mooted new European Innovation Council would distribute €2.6 billion during this period, he continued, distributing funds to companies with 바카라사이트 advice of venture capitalists and business investors.

Europe had failed to produce disruptive new companies, like Google, Amazon and Uber, that created entirely new markets, he warned. Current funding models in 바카라사이트 EU failed to back ¡°crazy ideas¡±, he said, adding that it should be 바카라사이트 job of public funding to help such ¡°risky¡± ventures.

david.mat바카라사이트ws@ws-2000.com