R&D investment

Draft report by the Committee of Regions calls for a boost in research and innovation investment to enable member states with less developed science infrastructures contribute to the Horizon Europe mission

Decrease is blamed on COVID-19, but 2021 scoreboard underlines Europe’s need to invest more on new technologies to catch up with the US and China, which both boosted R&D spending during the first year of pandemic

Member states are now allowed to spend EU structural funds to co-finance Horizon Europe partnerships and research projects that receive the European Commission’s seal of excellence.

Innovation reform fills Brexit-shaped gaps and echoes EU push for missions and smart specialisation

Jean-Pierre Bourguignon urges EU and member states to maintain investment in fundamental research, as innovation drive funnels money to applied research and industry partnerships in digital and climate technologies

European Commission sets out plan to make Europe first climate neutral continent by 2050, through new regulations and targeted investments in research and innovation

Several countries in the south and east of Europe have improved their R&D performance, slightly narrowing the gap with richer member states. But excellence in research and innovation remains concentrated in northern and western strongholds