Competitiveness Council focuses on research and innovation

On the second day of the Competitiveness Council Meeting, a debate has been held on the research and innovation aspects of the 2014 Annual Growth Survey. Following the first report on the progress towards the implementation of the European Research Area, the Council was invited to adopt conclusions on key elements that will contribute to its completion.

EU member states have signalled that legislation to address the remaining obstacles to the ERA is something that should be used only when there is a clear need.

Research ministers are also reviewing the state of play of negotiations with the European Parliament on the Innovation Investment Package (IIP). The IIP, presented by the Commission on 10 July 2013, proposes establishing five public private partnerships (PPPs) and four public-public partnerships (PuPs) with the aim of leveraging some €22bn in research and innovation investment by 2020.

The five PPPs are proposed in the areas of innovative medicines, aeronautics, bio-based industries, electronics, and fuel cells and hydrogen. For the five programmes in total, a proposed €6.4bn investment from Horizon 2020 would secure almost €10bn from industry and €1.2bn from the member states.

The four PuPs are proposed in the areas of new treatments against poverty-related diseases, measurement technologies for industrial competitiveness, support for high-tech SMEs and solutions for the elderly and disabled to live safely in their homes. According to the Commission’s proposal, they would be supported with €1.5bn from the Horizon 2020 budget and participating states would commit €2bn.

The ministerial lunch was dedicated to exchanging views on the relationship between the EU and the European Space Agency. European Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani and Director-General of ESA, Jean-Jacques Dordain, discussed with ministers the creation of an ‘EU pillar’ of ESA and transforming ESA into an EU agency.