European Union

The European Venture Capital Association is reforming to allow national associations more access to the European stage in Brussels.

South Africa’s two-pronged approach to creating its national innovation system is an example for Europe to follow.

The EU has made a call for greater transparency and accountability in running the Internet when the current system comes to an end in September.

Whatever its shortcomings, FP7 has attracted a good response from researchers, says a progress report on its first two years.

The EU doesn’t do fundamental research, which is why it has taken 20 years for researchers involved in high risk research to get together, but it can’t get by without it.

The European Commission is to boost funding for high-risk futuristic research in ICT, to provide foundations for economic recovery and future competitiveness.

Under a new deal, Framework Programme 7 funding will be diverted to help revive Europe’s devastated automobile, manufacturing and construction sectors.

The European Commission has announced a 40 per cent cut in the cost of a Community Trademark, bringing the cost of applying online for a trademark to €900.

The European Commission has called for a doubling of ICT investment in the next decade and promised to increase annual funding to €1.7 billion in 2013.

A quietly published review has criticised FP6 as too bureaucratic, and for not reaching out to the private sector. But are these failings being perpetuated in FP7?