Commission calls on member states to invest in research
Commission calls on member states to invest in research
More should be done at national levels to promote research and innovation, the European Commission says.
The European Commission today (10 June) reiterated the importance of investments in research and innovation at national level to help secure jobs and growth across the European Union. Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, European commissioner for research, innovation and science, announced that the Commission will support member states in their efforts to push through research and innovation reforms to sustain economic recovery.
Geoghegan-Quinn said that quality strategy, programmes and governance are three key areas that should be reformed, with more investments needed in universities and businesses to support innovative programmes. She also stressed that, at a time when most member states are still experiencing spending constraints, smarter and tougher decisions need to be made on where money should be spent.
Geoghegan-Quinn said that some member states have a very low level of investment and the quality of spending is not as good as it should be, but she added that Europe needs to keep investing in order to maintain a globally-competitive position.
“The EU has been doing a lot to help member states. But we do not want to continue with an innovation divide. Many member states have little budget for research, even below the 3% EU minimum. We believe the support from the European Commission will help them to make the right investments.”
Olli Rehn, European commissioner for economic and monetary affairs and the euro, said: “There is evidence that countries that continued to invest in research and innovation through the crisis have fared better economically. Those countries that cut investments run the risk of losing highly-skilled talent and they will not generate future jobs and growth.”
Innovation plays an important role in the EU’s Europe 2020 strategy and the budget for Horizon 2020, an EU programme for research and innovation, was increased by a third in the 2014-20 budget.
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