Sherlock: Horizon 2020 must be agreed
The Irish Minister for Research and Innovation has said that the achievement of a political agreement on Horizon 2020 remains the top priority for the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Seán Sherlock made the comments ahead of the second day of a meeting of the Competitiveness Council in Brussels, the final session he will chair as part of the Irish Presidency.
In a statement, he said: “It is vital that we demonstrate to the citizens of the EU that we are representing their interests efficiently and effectively and it is essential, therefore, that we make progress as speedily as possible to ensure that there will be sufficient time to give effect to the necessary legislative procedures to implement Horizon 2020 from the start of 2014.
“An important feature, indeed an important innovation, of Horizon 2020 is the focus on addressing the major societal challenges – major concerns shared by citizens in Europe and elsewhere. A challenge-based approach will bring together resources and knowledge across different fields, technologies and disciplines, including social sciences and the humanities, to help address issues such as climate change, developing sustainable transport and mobility, making renewable energy more affordable, ensuring food safety and security, and coping with the challenge of an ageing population.”
Sherlock added that progress in developing the European Research Area (ERA) was a key goal of the Irish Presidency and that “remaining gaps must…be addressed rapidly” to help develop a unified research area.
The Competitiveness Council will consider a new strategy for developing international co-operation in research and innovation, as proposed in the European Commission’s ERA Communication. The minister said that enhancing collaboration in R&I was vital to the ERA.
