CORDIS focus

European Commission Directorate-General For Enterprise And Industry

Description

Issue number 240, 8 March 2004
Scientific and technical research
Target audience: Specialised/Technical

Sujets

• Periodical publication
• RE/Search
• Research and development
• Sciences et techniques

Informations

• Publié par: EUROPEAN-COMMISSION-DIRECTORATE-GENERAL-FOR-ENTERPRISE-AND-INDUSTRY
• Nombre de lectures: 37
• Langue: English

Extrait

IN THIS ISSUE

ERC is the means not the objective, says ResearchDirector-General Speaking at a meeting to debate the creation of a European Research Council (ERC), the Director-General of the Commission’s Research DG, Achilleas Mitsos, expressed his support for improving the quality of basic research in Europe, but described an ERC as a means, not an end page 2 EU research spending inches towards 2% of GDP New figures released on 25 February reveal that EU spending on research and development (R&D) as a proportion of its GDP increased by just 0.01% between 2001 and 2002 page 3 Fraunhofer President presents preliminary conclusions on FP6 instruments mid-term review On the eve of the presentation of the first draft report evaluating the new instruments in the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6), Hans-Jörg Bullinger, President of the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft and member of the high level panel charged with carrying out the evaluation, presented some preliminary findings page 5 Leaders of France, Germany and the UK call for a more innovative Europe The leaders of the EU’s three richest Member States met in Germany on 18 February,where Europe’s competitiveness was high on the agenda page 8 EU-US agreement gives Galileo the green light After three years of talks, the EU and the US have finally reached agreement on the frequency to be used by Galileo, Europe’s satellite navigation system, clearing the way for the operational phase of the project page 15 Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Innovation: Policy and Practice . . . 8 Programme Implementation . . . . . 10 Calls and Tenders . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 General Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Inside Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Other Items Online . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

B a s e d o n i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m C O R D I S

ISSN 1022-6559

N e w s a v a i l a b l e o n t h e W e b a th t t p : / / w w w . c o r d i s . l u / n e w s

JRC Director-General tells CORDIS News of his role as repairer and developer, which is now coming to an end Having made enlargement a priority on his appointment as Director-General of the Commis- sion’s J C), it is appropriate that Baroint Research Centre (JRryMcSweeney is now helping to select his replacement, who the Commission has decided must come from one of the EU’s new Member States. When Dr Mc Sweeney ar- lation is based. ‘Evidence- rived in 2001, the climate based science will make it within the JRC was rather less necessary,’ he says. uncertain. ‘People used to  Despite the importance of ask me ‘which part will the advice that the JRC pro- you be closing first?’, he  vides, the organisation has said in an interview with remained largely invisible CORDIS News. ‘Those  to t ener days are well gone,’ he Aske h d e     w g hether  al h   e p  w u o bl u i l c d . added. like to raise the profile of The JRC is described by Dr the JRC in order to receive Mc Sweeney as a ‘re-  recognition for this impor- search-based policy sup- tant work, Dr Mc Sweeney port body’. It supports the replied that it is more im- Commission’s DGs, as well portant to him to raise as European Parliament awareness among policy- committees and the makers than the public at Member States, when it is  large. asked to do so. Some 30% cM yewS yene OC ©ISRDew Ns Barr ‘In PR [public relations] of EU legislation has a very defined technical requirement, and to help draw terms, the a r mo  i u n  n o t  rd of e   r  e t x o - up legislation that is technically sound and work- penditure that  e w  o o f  u t l h d  e be R  n C ecessay able, the JRC steps in and conducts the neces- r p a u is b e li  t c  h is e     s p o r   o hi fi g l h that it i   s J  no   t  a ju m s o ti n fi g a  t b h le e ,   ’  g h e e  n s e a r i a d l . sary research and provides technical assistance.  ‘What we are working on is getting our role Recent ‘hot areas’, as Dr Mc Sweeney calls  better understood by policy-makers.’ them, for which the JRC has provided policy support include legislation on genetically modi-  And there has been success in this area. Mem- fied organisms (GMOs) and the REACH chemi-  ber States are now seeking further co-opera- cals Directive. On a more global level, the JRC  tion with the JRC, according to Dr Mc Sweeney. recently provided enhanced satellite imagery  The JRC is particularly well known by the EU’s of Israel’s West Bank barrier and escape routes  acceding and candidate countries, not only be- out of Iraq.  cause of its specific ‘Enlargement Action’, but because of the help it has provided during emer- His mission, Dr Mc Sweeney told CORDIS  atio such as the floods which dev- News, is to decrease the use of the precaution-  gency situ ns, ary principle, on which the majority of EU legis-  astated parts of the Czech Republic and continued on page 4

PUBLISHED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION  INNOVATION

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ERC is the means not the objective, says Research Director-General Speaking at a meeting to debate the creation of a European Research Council (ER C), the Director-General of the Commission’s Research DG, Achilleas Mitsos, expressed his support for improving the quality of basic research in Europe, but described an ERC as a means, not an end. Dr Mitsos was invited to the international ‘Under the financial perspectives pro- meeting of scientists and policy-makers posed by the Commission, research is in Brussels on 24 February to present the by far the biggest winner, with a huge Commission’s view on establishing an budget increase. [...] We are standing ERC. He outlined several preconditions on the edge of a major revolution of for giving more support to basic re- how the Commission views research search, such as stimulating competition policy,’ said Dr Mitsos, adding that the at European level, science-driven prior- full vision would be outlined in a major ity setting, and excellence as the exclu- communication in May. sive criteria for funding. However, he said Achilleas Mitsos Among many of the other delegates at that he would not try to predict what such © European Community, 2004 the meeting, however, the specific de- a body should look like, but would in-  sire to see an ERC created was more stead focus on how basic research could  evident. Vice chair of the ERC Expert be improved. ‘alciehf ninaUdnret  Group, Mogens Flensted-Jensen, pre- sented the group’s final report, calling perspvietcer psobd sepoy for an ERC to be established and op- the hcrasere, onsiismmCo  0 0 7 , 2 y ba t i o n a le r  n n u a l a n a i t h w budget of€2 billion after three to five is by rht afggese binnert wi, years of work. with a huge budget As a first step, Mr Flensted-Jensen publisd he:by called for the creation of ‘A scientific EUROPEAN COMMISSION increase. [...]Weare implementation committee, made up of eminent researchers and research Enterprise Directorate-General tashe tong innda  efoe gd managers with a clear understanding Communication and Awareness Unit of the policy process, to advise on the L-2920 Luxembourg major revoh fo notiluow creation of an ERC.’ The expert group’s Fax: [phone] he said, are based on exten-findings, E-mail: [e-mail] htesn ioewviom Cssmi sive consultations with stakeholders, research policy’ but he did express concern that the CORDISfocus also available at: is views of industry may not have been http://www.co rdis.lu/focus/en/ - AchilssoesaM ti fully taken into account. B a s e d o n i n f o r m a t i o n f r o m C O R D I S N e w s Presenting the business community’s availableon theWeb at: a tilyc hopaecr ejtcvi,ei  tsi‘ ehT CREesti ilfnos tht obe  erpecspveti ta  ehtteem gniwas Horst Soboll,d riceot rfor se  http://www.cordis.lu/newsthe means - perhaps the indispensable means, but not the objective. Europe Daimler v Chrysler. He said that industry needs a system to promote basic sci-  is positi e about an instrument to sup- entific excellence based on scientific j p o o r r   t d   o ba u s b i t c s   ’ r   e o s v e e ar t c h h e ,   c b u u r t  r t e h n a t t    i p t r  h o a c s e  ‘ ss m   a o - f criteria, and if we focus on that we will implementation r  . identify the organisation that is needed,’ said Dr Mitsos.  ‘The EU needs better basic research, Dr Mitsos pointed to a recent commu- i b s u  j t u  t s h t  i o s  n is e     n li o n t  k s  i u n ff  t i h ci e e  i n n t  n o o n v  i a t t s i   o o n w  c n, h  a ai s  n i . t CORDISfoscu published every two is nication on basic research as evidence weeks by the Communication and  [...] The real gap between the EU and of the Commission’s willingness to pro- Awareness Unit of the Enterprise tion andlpxeatio ni  ehtf,elut bgeedts i on oeatiow- l f kntoi sin  erc nhtS  Uhet eH .i eheusse at tonaliceb da p lotiomet Directorate-General as part of the also pointed out that the Commission’s Eu ro p e a n C o m muni t y’s S R i x t h e s e a rch  of that knowledge,’ he vision of the EU budget from 2007 to  implementation F r a m e w o r kP r o gr a m m e ,a n dp r es e n t s 2013 sees fundamental research as one  Mr Soboll added that the EU argued. the latest news on European Union  does central axes of a new EU re-  not need yet another ‘committee’, of five research and innovation and related search programme. p r o g r a m m e s a n d p o l i c i e s . continued on page 3

CORDIS FOCUS - NUMBER 240

8 MARCH 2004