In his confirmation hearing at the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday, Portuguese Commissioner-designate for Research, Science and Innovation, Carlos Moedas pledged to strengthen the “framework conditions” for research and innovation at European level in order to “develop the full potential of European science and innovation”.
Carlos Moedas, the Portuguese Commissioner-designate for Research, Science and Innovation, sailed through his confirmation hearing in the European Parliament today (30 September), sweeping aside criticism that he helped implement one of the toughest austerity programmes during the eurozone crisis.
A pan-European biobanking initiative looks set to become the first research consortium to benefit from VAT-free status under a new regulation agreed by EU leaders in May.
At the official launch of the European Research Council in Berlin, politicians have welcomed the announcement that EU-funded research will finally be based on excellence and independent decisions by scientists, without interference from politics.
The EU is not spending enough on basic research and developing new technologies, experts at a Brussels conference said, backed by recent Eurostat data.
Thanks to economic growth and increasing research funding the Asian nations, led by China, are catching up with Europe and the US in terms of the number of science publications produced.
A European Parliament report on the future of European research
says that the member states should regard the doubling of
the funding for Community R&D "as a minimum not be
questioned during the negotiations on the financial
perspectives".
The French government has unveiled its legislative plans
to reform French research - a response to the extraordinary
year (2004) of demonstration and mobilisation of the country's
scientific community.
The Council has widely debated the shape of the 7th Framework
Programme for research and technological development (FP7).
It urges the Commission to set out its vision in early 2005.
The Commission has published a Communication on the situation of basic research in the EU, calling upon governments to boost investment in this key area in order to keep up with the US.