Research and Innovation

The Foundation: The Spanish Presidency’s Initiatives

The publication of the EU’s 2020 strategy was a major feature of the Spanish Presidency, placing research and development at the heart of economic growth initiatives for the next decade. The strategy’s aim is to raise combined public and private investment levels in R&D to 3% of GDP (advanced Member States will face higher targets than those with traditionally low levels of investment). Earlier in the Spanish presidency, an informal meeting of science ministers gathered in San Sebastian to examine the Spanish government’s innovation priorities. One of Spain’s central initiatives was encouraging the development of electric vehicles. Although this strategy got a lukewarm reception from some Member States and environmentalists, the Commission did succeed in publishing a strategy on this front, which was adopted by ministers in May.

Belgian Presidency

The Belgian Presidency comes at a critical and exciting time for European R&D policy, as the EU looks to secure its economic recovery through the development of a more high-tech, research-intensive economy. The EU 2020 strategy is founded on the assumption that if the EU does not make a concerted push for greater research and innovation, the economic recovery will either be longer and harder, or Europe will suffer a permanent loss in wealth and growth potential. Europe is increasingly seen as falling behind in the global innovation leaders. This shortcoming inspired President Barroso to make innovation a central pillar of his second term and to beef up the portfolio of the Research Commissioner. Under the Treaty of Lisbon, the EU has new competences in space policy, and the Belgian presidency will make this field one of its key priorities. Belgium’s work on this front should be followed closely for signs of how space policy will develop under Lisbon and of what opportunities may lie ahead.

With the EU2020 strategy approved by the European Council in the last days of the Spanish Presidency, the Belgians now have the responsibility to begin implementing its provisions. At a time of budgetary constraints across Europe, governments may view the 3% target with some scepticism, especially those expected to meet targets above 3%. It will therefore be a test of Belgium’s leadership to ensure that the EU starts on the right track in its bid to ensure the recovery and improve on Europe’s pre-recession state. Belgium’s own R&D set-up is characterised by a strong history of attracting international firms, sizeable private investment but shrinking public financing for research programmes, and a declining educational base. The regions have been engaging in a host of creative policies to streamline innovation policy and attract sustainable inward investment, providing a good starting point for the federal government to share best practice with its European partners.

Another major focus of the Belgian Presidency will be to solve the question of the language for the European patent, which represents an essential aspect of the European strategy to tackle the economic downturn. The ambition of the Belgians is to have a full proposal by December 2010.

Key Belgian Priorities

• Drive the first ever European Research and Innovation Plan, to be presented by Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn in the autumn.
• Researchers’ mobility, particularly in terms of hiring procedures, social status, working conditions and training, in the context of a European Partnership for Researchers.
• Implementation of the ESFRI (European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures) Roadmap, focusing in particular on space research.
• 7th European Space Council concluding Spanish work on the ‘Security’ and ‘Space’ themes.
• Evaluation of the role of innovation and research in moving towards a sustainable society
• To complete the European patent

Key Dates

• European Cluster Conference 2010 (29 September – 1 October)
• Second EU-European Space Agency High Level Conference, Brussels (21 October)
• European Council devoted to innovation, Brussels (28-29 October)
• European Space Council (7 November)
• Competitiveness Council (18-19 November)
• European Council to give final approval to Research and Innovation Plan (December 17)