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Council outlines actions to increase investment in R&D
Record Control Number : 20931
Date : 2003-09-23
Category : General policy
General Information :
In support of the Commission's recent communication on raising the
level of expenditure for research and innovation; ministers
attending the Competitiveness Council in Brussels on 22 September
invited the Commission and Member States to make more effective use
of financing instruments, including the EU's structural funds, for
research and development (R&D) .
The Council welcomed the communication 'investing in research: an
action plan for Europe', and endorsed its main message which calls
for a comprehensive and coherent range of actions to increase
investments in research and to close the gap with Europe's main
competitors.
'Investing in research and technological development and
stimulating innovation and transfer of knowledge is essential to
increasing European competitiveness, and to the strategy set by the
Lisbon European Council for Europe's economic, social and
environmental development [...] , there is a particular need to
stimulate and improve conditions for more private investment for
research and innovation,' state the draft Council conclusions.
Ministers also referred to the importance of developing broad
policy mixes, adapted to the respective national and regional
contexts, combining financial incentives and measures to improve
framework conditions and stimulate private investment in R&D.
In particular, ministers recognised the significant role that small
to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have to play in raising the
level of expenditure in research and innovation, and called on
Member States and acceding countries to enhance access to equity
and debt financing for research and innovation through a range of
measures. Ministers also called for the development of a European
risk capital and venture capital market, as well as increased
complementarity between European Investment Bank (EIB) and
European Investment Fund (EIF) initiatives and national
initiatives with specific regard to the needs of SMEs.
With regard to making better use of the funds available, ministers
supported the Commission's ongoing initiatives to simplify and
modernise State Aid rules and procedures to facilitate Member
States' efforts to redirect State Aid towards R&D activities. They
also suggested that funds at EU level, such as structural funds,
could be used to a greater extent for R&D and innovation purposes.
They called for a closer examination of this possibility.
In the context of developing a strategic approach to growth and
competitiveness, the ministers invited the Commission to report
annually, from 2004 onwards, on the progress achieved in reaching
the three per cent objective, on the implementation of the
communication, identifying remaining obstacles and, where
appropriate, new actions needed.
Other items covered by the ministers included the Commission's
communication on life sciences and biotechnology, the Community
patent, and the chemicals legislative package. The Council agreed
to return to the issues of EU funding for human embryonic stem cell
research, and the identification of a European candidate site to
host the nuclear fusion energy research project (ITER) , at the
next Council meeting on 27 November.
Text :
Remarks :
Data Source Provider : Council of the European Union
Document Reference : Based on the conclusions of the Competitiveness
Council
Programme Acronym : FRAMEWORK 6C, ERA
Subject Index Codes : Scientific Research, Economic Aspects,
Coordination, Cooperation
Contact Person : To read the draft conclusions in full, please visit:
http://ue.eu.int/pressData/en/intm/77295.pdf
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International seminar on 'the meaning of genomics'
Record Control Number : 20935
Date : 2003-09-23
Category : Event
General Information :
The UK Economic and Social Research Council's centre for genomics
in society is organising an international seminar on 'the meaning
of genomics' from 20 to 22 November in Exeter, UK.
The underlying theme of this event will be how genomic knowledge is
produced, perceived and modified in science and society. Workshops
and keynote talks will address the understanding of genomics by
scientists themselves, the flow of genomic knowledge from
scientists to the public, and the application and regulation of
genomic technologies and information.
Text :
Remarks :
Data Source Provider : ESRC centre for genomics in society
Document Reference : Based on an event announcement
Programme Acronym : FRAMEWORK 6C, FP6-STRUCTURING, FP6-SOCIETY, MS-UK C
Subject Index Codes : Life Sciences, Medicine, Health, Social Aspects
Contact Person : For further information, please consult the following
web address:
http://www.ex.ac.uk/egenis/events/meanings.htm
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Conference to examine how social sciences contribute to social
change in Europe
Record Control Number : 20936
Date : 2003-09-23
Category : Event
General Information :
A conference on the 'potential and performance of social sciences
in the process of EU enlargement' will take place from 23 to 26
November in Vienna, Austria.
The conference will examine how sociology and related social
sciences can contribute to the processes of social change in Europe,
as well as the effects that socio-economic and political change in
Europe have on social sciences.
Other items to be discussed include:
- labour market and employment;
- migration and mobility;
- social issues in the EU convention's recommendations;
- research and technology policies of the EU.
A declaration on the position of social sciences and humanities in
the European Research Area (ERA) will also be debated.
Text :
Remarks :
Data Source Provider : Austrian sociological association
Document Reference : Based on an event announcement
Programme Acronym : FRAMEWORK 6C, MS-A C, ERA
Subject Index Codes : Scientific Research, Social Aspects
Contact Person : For further information, please consult the following
web address:
http://www.oegs.ac.at/kongress03/index.html
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