Crucial months ahead for future EU research policy

The UK presidency has four months to find an agreement on the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) budget, otherwise the EU may risk a break between the FP6 and the FP7. 

The UK Presidency will, in the coming months, lead the negotiations on the EU budget. Its role will be crucial in determining whether the EU budget is agreed in 2005 or whether the negotiations stretch into 2006. Talks on the budget for FP7, the EU’s main instrument to support R&D in 2007-2013, are closely linked to the success of the negotiations on the financial perspective. 

“The UK will conduct substantial negotiations on the FP7 budget,” promised the UK minister for science and innovation, Lord David Sainsbury, at a hearing in the European Parliament. However, “if the budget is significantly increased, we need political support and agreement from scientists and industrialists that the FP7 is essential for Europe’s future”, he added. 

“It is important that there’s no break between FP6 and FP7,” said Lord Sainsbury. The question to be clarified is thus when should the Council, at the latest, reach an agreement on the FP7 in order to avoid a gap between FP6 and FP7 and allow for a smooth transition between the framework programmes. 

Commissioner for Science and Research Janez Poto?nik will continue his plea for twice as much EU money for research. In his speech to the Competitiveness Council ministers in Cardiff on 11 July 2005, he described the current situation as a clear “gap between analysis and capacity to act”. Everybody agrees on the analysis that knowledge is the key to Europe’s competitiveness. There is full support for the European Research Council (ERC), for building new infrastructures and for space and security research. Everybody agrees that more should be done for mobility, SMEs and the new member states. The importance of technology platforms is also acknowledged. 

“And yet, signs are that the future EU research budget could remain close to what was the last compromise proposal [Luxembourg Presidency] in June, meaning similar to what we have now.” In short, there is full support for the Commission FP7 proposal but with much less EU budget.

“Regardless of the budgetary uncertainties, I will propose to my fellow commissioners the specific programmes for adoption in September,” said Poto?nik. “Framework and specific programmes are interdependent. Without the specific programme proposals, work in the Parliament and the Council on questions such the ERC, new infrastructures and Joint Technology Initiatives cannot really progress,” he explained.

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