EU should address lack of public trust in science and technology

An expert panel on EU research states that addressing the
issue of trust and legitimacy of science and technology would forge
greater understanding of and support for science among European
citizens.

Even though the EU’s research and development programmes
have contributed positively to the development of Europe’s
knowledge base and have boosted Europe’s potential for innovation,
the expert panel report underlines that European research is
increasingly falling behind the United States and Japan, its main
competitors. In addition, new emerging economies such as China,
India and Brasil are starting to challenge European performers.

Therefore, the expert panel supports the Commission proposal to
double European research funding in the next financial
perspective (2007-2013) and highlights that this significant
boost at European level needs to be accompanied by increased
research spending at national level. In addition, more
emphasis should be put on radical innovation and
risk-taking. More industry participation, especially
SMEs, and streamlined and simplified
administration are also strongly encouraged.

The report identifies four major challenges for European
research:

• ‘Brain-gain’ – attracting and rewarding the best
  talent; 
• Business and industrial research
  -friendly environment; 
• Mobilising resources for innovation and sustainable
  growth; 
• Building citizens’ trust in science and technology. 

On trust in science, the panel states that the “Framework
Programme must continue to address the issue of trust and
legitimacy of science and technology in Europe and Science and Society  issues must
continue to be addressed in a separate programme whilst also being
embedded in all other programmes.” 

For the future, the panel recommends that the
Commission launch a consultation with the main stakeholders to
improve intellectual property rights procedures within the
framework programmes, and it “strongly advocates the swift
implementation of the European patent with the requirement of a
single language”. 

Further, the report states that “the tendency to expand the
objectives (excellence, cohesion), thematic scope, and
modalities/instruments of the Framework Programme should be
resisted.”  It points out that the role of EU research
activities is different from that of the national activities
in the field and that the framework programme must demonstrate
European added value. Therefore, “it would be reasonable to expect
the framework programme to address the big European challenges with
clear and transparent European value”.

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