The European Commission unveiled a new strategy for research and technology that aims to bolster European innovation, attract and retain talent within Europe, and implement a simplified governance framework.
The strategy is part of the Commission’s push to keep pace with technology, following the Draghi report on EU competitiveness and other Commission reports on the topic. The Commission believes in the project as part of what it calls “fifth freedom”, or free movement of research, innovation and knowledge.
As said by Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, “an ambitious and coordinated European approach to research and technology infrastructures is crucial for us to remain a global leader in excellent science and in technology innovation.”
With the primary aim of fostering innovation, the strategy will focus on strengthening the European infrastructure ecosystem and providing better access across the bloc, thereby developing common services for researchers and companies, regardless of their size. The idea is to support both academic research and businesses with technological achievements.
A significant effort will be made to simplify the governance framework, aiming to harmonise long-term investment across member states and other interested stakeholders. Together with a focus on dedicated career paths to retain and attract talent across the world, the strategy should help the EU with its needs for remaining a top innovation centre.
