Investing for growth

The set of proposals Horizon 2020, the eighth EU research Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020,) was submitted to the European Parliament after having been presented in the Commission’s seat past November 30. A few days ago, Robert-Jan Smits, Director General of Research and Innovation at the European Commission, presented the €80 billion set of proposals (over a seven-year period) at the European Parliament’s Industry, Research and Energy Committee. The package is aimed at boosting growth and competitiveness in Europe. Three main objectives. The objective of Horizon 2020 is "to revitalize the economy, ensuring the technologic, scientific foundations, along with industrial competitiveness for the future" whilst promoting a "more intelligent and sustainable" society. Smits outlined the three priority areas of Horizon 2020: excellence in the science base, ensuring ongoing research at global level to ensure Europe’s competitiveness in the long run with a dedicated budget of € 24 598 million. This will boost top-level research, developing talents in Europe, providing researchers with access to infrastructures for priority research and thus make of Europe "the ideal place for world’s top researchers". The second goal is to secure industrial leadership in Europe and attract investments in innovation, with a budget of €17.9 billion to develop industrial technology, promote business development by providing access to capital, and help SMEs grow into world leading enterprises. Improving the life of citizens. Finally, €31.7 billion will go towards addressing major concerns shared by all Europeans, such as climate change, smart, green and integrated transport; clean and efficient energy; food security, and population ageing. Notably, sustainable development is a key target of the new Framework Programme. Funding for climate and efficiency will be integrated by Horizon’s further targets: at least 60% of the research budget is allocated for sustainable development. But for the first time, Horizon 2020 brings together all EU research and innovation funding under a single programme, which entails, "turning scientific breakthroughs into innovative products and services that provide business opportunities and change people’s lives for the better", states a release by the Commission. At the same time it drastically cuts red tape, with simplification of rules and procedures to attract more top researchers and a broader range of innovative businesses. Funding provided by Horizon 2020 will be easier to access thanks to this simpler programme architecture and less red tape. Coming to grips with the crisis. The ongoing recession, triggered by 2008’s financial crisis, inevitably forced national authorities in Europe to come to grips with government debt crisis. In this framework, the consolidation of public accounts and structural reforms are necessary – albeit insufficient – measures. Also investment is needed to secure global competitiveness – which is the underlying spur of Horizon 2020. In this light, on the agenda for 2012 figure ongoing negotiations between Parliament and Council on the basis of the Commission’s proposal for the multiyear budget 2014-20, that will include the budget for Horizon. Council and Parliament are set to adopt legislative measures by 2013, while January 1st 2014 is the crucial date for the official launch of the Framework Programme. ” “” “European bishops: no to stem cells research"Human embryonic stem cell research is no longer patentable in the EU", it is "ethically problematic" and therefore "it offers less and less clinical promise". In a statement released a few days after the presentation of Horizon 2020 the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE, www.comece.org) called on the EU Commission to "to exclude human embryonic stem cell research from its upcoming research funding programme for the period 2014-2020 and instead focus on the more innovative and promising field of alternative stem cell research". COMECE is closely following the debate on Horizon, ongoing in Community seats.