CORDIS focus

European Commission Directorate-General For Enterprise And Industry

Description

Issue number 222, 3 June 2003
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: 21
• Langue: English

Extrait

ISSN 1022-6559

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 a v a i l a b l e o n t h e Whet tbpa: /t/ w w w . c o r d i s . l u / n e w s

IN THIS ISSUE What role for foresight in an A Th gr e e   e me m m en b t e r r e s a o c f h t e h d e     o E n u   r G o a p li e le a o n Space enlarged Europe? A on g   e t n h c e  y f   u (E n S di A n )  g h  c a o v n e t   r r i e b a u c ti h o e n d s     a t n o     a G g a r li e le e o m W e , h n il t st it can sometimes appear that there are as many definitions of foresight as ther E l u e r a o ri p n e g ’s     t s h a e t   e w lli a t y e     f n o a r  v t i h g e a   ti o o ff n i   c s i y al s   t la e u m n , ch p   r o a f be defined as the process of analysing current scientific devctitioners, it can generally c ments and societal challenges in order to identify future research priorities, thus lending a the project page 3 term perspective to policy-making. Carefully controlled consensus- Many EU Member States, especially those withDr Havas described the tension that exists be building process needed to clinch ITER project, says Busquin tsys dedr fo smed and heun-fllwe ret op my l c b i s l i k s a e m a - t g ininwteeort n shlongand  e- As the countdown to the implementation lrea of the international thermonuclear isnos atet.sE oc- nomic and instiutitnolar -e ma anyescc s tahcuhe ten bitefths  ydr ae-l side search, have a experimental reactor (ITER) project ge a t c s  require long term forms tivities can offer. But underway, the Commission has underlined the urgent need for further consensus  approaches, he said, butwhat role can foresight building and additional objective criteria to help select the right European onsiescc ahe tinhtiw yalpfdiun o era sn-id netf f dnt gna  a t   t l n a e c e k h   a o     o s f h   w p r ti e o   n eo i c c n i u a r o t l e i i t candidate site for ITER page 5 financial and other re-  verted by equally pressing Council welcomes Commission’s  short sources often imposes  term issues, such as broader conception of innovation  unemployment limits on the scope of re-  and budget The Commission’s recent communication on innovation was given a warm welc s o e m a e  ‘A comprehen- imbalances. rch activities, and by ministers attending the where, generally, fore-  sive foresight process, in- Competitiveness Council in Brussels Attila Havas on 13 May page 7 sight is at an earlier stag © e CORDIS News volving all stakeholders, of development?  can help to find a balance Report reveals significant increase in Ireland’s R&D public expenditure competing pri r o u ri - ebwtee nhtse e tseuq eht fo eno dedssredd ansioTih saw s ’.seit Irish public funding of research and epineho gnt if a on oessing s , Drre,sohdlvereh woi e n   n e v c c - o i o t   n k f e n t o a c   n s e c r e e nIt redro  development (R&D) rose by 40% in 2 t 0 l 0 e 1 d ,  avas told CORDIS News that it had been nec-  ‘Foresight in the enlarged European ReH- according to a new report published by the national policy and advisory boar s d earch and Innovation Area’, hosted by th essary to first overcome an initial reluctance to for enterprise, trade, science, technolo G gy Presidency in Ioannina, on 15 May.  embrace foresight within the acceding coun- reek and innovation (Forfás) page 12 For Attila Havas, from the institute of econom t - ries. Head of Eureka secretariat calls for Academy of Science, th‘eMany experts within the former Soviet statesics at the Hungarian restructuring of network in response economic and societal challenges facing thewere sceptical at first, because they saw fore to change   The outgoing head of the Eureka acce ningp n l   a s n t r s a s l i   ohtigesoritivct aaem setaf taht nsie si thgs salpmi a yw nermfof  ontce secretariat has called for a reorganisation r of the organisation in order to enhanc a a e anp h e e roEus ouersp it t t u s b i   c , n s e e . i d r S t   nu s o  i c a   rywao ls arewes   tcaf eht ot eud  ro y c v e e s i s t     s b that    a e   r p e r n o a s t e r g o i f t   h t c   u s   a h   s o a p f m   is  c f a or la w r h   , t   h h e   m i   c a omerp or grre n d industrial co-operation, thus contributing to the Barcelona goal of increasing the nature of the debate is somewhat alteredr.esult in any number of outcomes or ‘right an- research investment in Europe to 3% o W f ’,rswesculaartiscierly tiesi  stop fln  h f h i e t   n t   n , l c   i ege e a h rntmep orecssw sas itll in its GDP page 18 en early stages, the current group of accession added. Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . s . ta 2 as the tranT-he types of initiatives that Dr Havas feels actes were collectively referred to News from the Greek Presidency . 4 sition countries, and while the terminology hascession states will benefit most from are joint Innovation: Policy and Practice . . . si 7 nce changed, Dr Havas reminded delegatefsoresight studies with neighbouring countries, Programme Implementation . . . . . t . h 9 at these countries still find themselves in ian order to identify synergies as well as differ Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . s 1 t 2  perspectives, as well as co-ordinated, or ‘pa ent ate of flux. Result . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Calls and Tenders . . . . . . . . . . . . . ‘ 1 T 4 .semmargorp thgie s n i ’ t d i l o a n g   i w l h l e   r y e taio i r r e s s e a a l     e f r t i i   o   n n ,     a n o a psiescc antou coneh General Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . t 1 h 5 ey need to find new markets, develop newKarel Klusácek is the director of the technol- Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i 1 nd 8 in tces he t c i e v y e  r p e e n t t i f     c   o o m e h   e t i h r daca ymes fon e e n i s c sesristut esaercni dna  g , o Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i 2 n 3 is hngrin F t o s r e e r - e pot noita finefrt l ec l h f   ubey C   zl e b m c e i g e   R . u t p n   e d   u m d o   r , a n l a nt  odrreo Other Items Online . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 s 6 ight can help,’ he said. CORDIS on the Web . . . . . . . . . . 27 continued on page 3

PUBLISHED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION • INNOVATION

2

‘Urgent action’ required in order to reach agreement on European space policy, concludes Competitiveness Council

The decision to address the obstacles hindering the development of a comprehensive space policy has been described as ‘ to the long term interests of the Union’ by ministers who adopted a resolution on the subject at the EU Competitiveness Co on 13 May. Ministers welcomed the work already  ing between the EU Council and the ESA achieved by the Commission in co-opera  council at ministerial level for sometime tion with European Space Agency (ESA in the second half of 2003. g a r n e d e   n M   e pa m p b e e r r     o S n t   a s t p e a s, c   e i   n  p d o r li a c w y. i   n H g o  u w p e   v t e h r The Council also adopted conclusions on given the current critical situation in th  the EU defence equipment policy and in European space sector, mainly in th  particular on ‘the importance of putting in place arrangements, which could lead l e a ll u it n e c   h m   a s r e k r e vi t c s, e   s m   i a n n is d t  t e h rs e     n c o o t m ed m  t e h r a c t i  i a s l  s s u a to greater cost-effectiveness, improved raised during the green paper consulta  harmonisation of standards, and more efficient planning and procurement of t g i e o n n  c n y. eed to be addressed with some ur defence equipment and research, tech- nology and development (RTD), based on With respect to this, the Council calle technological innovation.’ for concrete action to be taken with re © NASA To follow the progress of such arrange-

ments, the Council called on the Com- mission to draw up a report by the end of The Council reminded the 2003, based on preparatory action taken published by: siisnot oCmmerngt harost in relation to the development of l coe security-related research. EUROPEAN COMMISSION po-tanranoinoatreiitn With regard to the recently announced Enterprise Directorate-General the to siiclac ur research action plan for Europe, discus- Innovation Directorate dopmeevela fo tn sions focused on the importance of a pub- lic-private partnership in order to achieve Communi L c - a 2 t 9 io 2 n 0     a L n u d x   e A m wa b r o e u n r e g ss Unit (C.4) pa svesicecneherpmo level of investment in research anda high E-m Fa ai x l : :    I + n 3 n 5 o 2 va - t 4 i 3 o 0 n 1 @ - c 3 e 2 c 0 . 8 eu 4 .int cylipo ,seepiclayl cRt&  a(n,s iDo)oipoeplrtnytmrei an dn v o e i d t  ta  na UE  necessaal levelhcei-vyrf roa  considering the recent ing the 3% investment target, and the role CO h R tt D p I : S /   / f w o w cu w. s c is o   r a d l i s s. o l   u a /f v o a c il u a s b / l e e n/ at: erev nalewmeegre ecns fo etno I .tx il n thg tof iheormpncta efot ehc moum- he rof tsic  nhtsni geoi Based on information weporsspe ac nication, the Council instructed the com- from CORDIS News mittee of permanent representatives available onthe Web at: (COREPER) to undertake a more detailed  http://www.cordis.lu/news ht eer- p no nal ehtitcaontif  oxaenamithehat so t d ant ecojprO LEILAG eht ot drag structuring of European launchers. Fur-Council  could discuss it at a forthcoming thermore, reaching a framework agree- session. ment between the Community and ESA by the end of 2003 would also help bring A number of items were also approved the EU a step closer to the development without debate. These included the sign- of an overall policy on space, agreed th i e ng of an agreement on scientific techni- Council. cal co-operation between the Commu- nity and Israel, and participation in the w C e O ek R s D   I b S y     f t o h c e u  I s  n is n   o p v u a b t l i i o s n h   e D d i   r e e v c e t r o y r   a t t w e  o as ‘uEclini- dndelevpero aanrtnu seinipooc g ht doC emer edni atthtr s ismmonsi etnrtaoinoeg rniperationnal co-o ncil CouThe cal trials programme’ (EDCTP). part of the European Community’s is crucial to the development of a com- Sixth Research Framework prehensive space policy, especially con- To read the Council conclusions, please consu the following Web address: Programme, and presents the latest sidering the recent emergence of several http://ue.eu.int/pressData/en/intm/75728.pdf news on European Union research and new space powers. To help in the process Basedontfehnooslusiconcraftthed innovation and related programmes of maintaining international co-operative tetioCpmilncousCeseniv and policies. ties, the Council proposed a joint meet- RC24202N

CORDIS FOCUS - NUMBER 222

3 JUNE 2003