In January 2024, the European Commission published a White Paper on options for enhancing support for research and development involving technologies with dual-use potential.
In response to the Commission’s public consultation on the White Paper, the European University Association argues that this initiative reflects the growing importance of dual use in a challenging geopolitical context and resonates with wider debates on security within the research and innovation sector.
As key actors in this sector, universities play a leading role as both producers of knowledge and developers and adopters of solutions to major societal challenges, including security and resilience. Each of the three options outlined in the White Paper can facilitate this role in distinct ways, and EUA has closely examined their respective implications for universities. However, due to the lack of impact assessments to substantiate the options and their merits, it would be premature to express a preference. The many unknowns surrounding the topic of dual use mean that the White Paper gives only a limited indication of what universities can expect from future EU programmes. As such, EUA has chosen to pinpoint some aspects that require further elaboration from the Commission.
Read EUA’s response to the consultation here.
This article was first published on 7 May by EUA.
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