The new Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority will coordinate research and innovation plans, and support EU-wide clinical trial networks and data sharing
New legislation announced by Ursula von der Leyen in state of the union speech is step towards reducing EU reliance on technologies developed and manufactured in China and the US
With its promise of emissions-free, abundant power, fusion energy could play a key role in reaching zero carbon targets. But critics say the technology won’t arrive in time and the money would be better invested elsewhere
Outgoing research minister is optimistic that ELI-NP will join the European laser research consortium by 2023, but laments frequent changes at the top of the Romanian research system
Expert advisory council says liberalising research and cultivation of gene edited crops could create export barriers to the EU. But the risk is worth it, given the EU seems likely to soften its rules too
Namibia has the natural resources, while Germany wants to become a world-leading hydrogen economy. A new partnership will see Germany inject €40M with the aim of putting both countries at the forefront of clean energy innovation
Member states have until the end of April to fine tune and adapt plans to fit with EU climate goals. But will bids to spend money on roads and gas pipelines support a green recovery?
As the US rejoins the Paris agreement, Ernest J. Moniz, former US energy secretary, urges bigger budgets, broader ambitions for climate technologies. ‘We need to know which of these dogs can hunt by 2030’
Brexit put the brakes on investment for years, but champions of the tech say there is now a chance to make up ground. A new £130M research centre is on the way and plans for the first gigafactory are in hand
Attending international scientific conferences is the lifeblood of research. Now, grant funding bodies are introducing offsets to cut the carbon footprint and encourage use of greener modes of transport
Parliament welcomes the start of the first phase of the project to marry form and function with sustainability, but asks how the Commission plans to fund it
“We are preparing the post-COVID world. A place where generations meet, life is affordable, the planet is protected and style matches with sustainability,” says Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, launching first phase of the New European Bauhaus
Confusion over GDPR is blocking scientific progress, throwing up barriers with US researchers in particular. More than 5,000 projects were affected in 2019 and the problem is ‘escalating’
At first event to be jointly organised by European Innovation Council and European Institute of Innovation and Technology, entrepreneurs call for EU to fill gaps in support and funding their companies need to scale up and be profitable
Relief bill has money to help researchers over the COVID-19 crisis and fill gaps in US response, such as viral genome sequencing and zoonotic disease work. But some say it is a fraction of what is needed for science to recover fully
COVID-19 has brought science to the forefront of policymaking around the world, and science advisers have become minor celebrities. Now, the public demands the experts are consulted, says Canada’s chief science adviser
EU director of public health calls for better pandemic preparedness, as health commissioner tells Science|Business conference that vaccine rollout is ‘gathering pace’
The European Open Science Cloud is a giant effort to provide a single point of access to all scientific data. But getting all the infrastructures to integrate and engendering a culture of sharing is a daunting task, say those involved in its creation
Former head of Delft University of Technology, Karel Luyben, will set direction for EU’s cloud project, now formally underway on mission to provide access to all publicly funded research
As EU launches its cloud effort, a Science|Business group says defining relations with the rest of the world is among 10 top issues that need to be resolved
New legislation announced by Ursula von der Leyen in state of the union speech is step towards reducing EU reliance on technologies developed and manufactured in China and the US
Universities have mixed feelings about draft plans which give the research community a seat at the table overseeing the implementation of the new single market for research
As things stand, stakeholders will have little say over how proposed increases in R&D budgets are implemented in member states. But this input and know-how is essential to advancing the single European area for research, says Science Europe
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee calls on the government to develop a strategy for critical raw materials to speed up the development of batteries
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
As shortages of imported microchips continue to impact manufacturing and supplies of electronic goods in Europe, the EU is bringing industry and member states together in push for technology sovereignty in key sectors
Ariel University, located in a settlement on the West Bank, should have no involvement in EU-funded projects researchers say, as the university denies one of its professors received EU funding
Early sketch of plan sees the bloc eager to revitalise US alliance, expand multilateral schemes and cajole China into opening up. The mantra is no longer ‘open to the world’ but ‘EU must no longer be naïve’
Relief bill has money to help researchers over the COVID-19 crisis and fill gaps in US response, such as viral genome sequencing and zoonotic disease work. But some say it is a fraction of what is needed for science to recover fully
The research is there, but scientists are having trouble getting their voices heard. In the lead up to COP26, funding agencies are calling on scientists to be better at communicating their findings
The race to the hydrogen economy is on and in the next decade, production should become cheaper and storage and use easier. But not everyone is convinced green hydrogen is the fuel of the future
MEPS are trying to block a proposed €316M cut to next year’s R&D budget. EU climate targets will be impossible to achieve if member states keep delaying investments in R&D, they say
Technology and regulation alone will not deliver a climate neutral energy system. A people-centred approach is needed for a successful transition - in which low carbon lifestyles are no longer seen as an alternative, but become the default option
The House of Lords Science and Technology Committee calls on the government to develop a strategy for critical raw materials to speed up the development of batteries
European Commission sets out plan to make Europe first climate neutral continent by 2050, through new regulations and targeted investments in research and innovation
Shrinking revenues from European Coal and Steel Community assets could leave the coal and steel research fund without money. MEPs back a proposal by the Commission to diversify the assets and raise more money
EU’s new 5 year €1.38B Euratom nuclear research programme puts fusion first. Despite its strategic importance and climate friendly credentials, fission research looks to the past, focusing on waste management and decommissioning
Technology and regulation alone will not deliver a climate neutral energy system. A people-centred approach is needed for a successful transition - in which low carbon lifestyles are no longer seen as an alternative, but become the default option
Belgian MEP Marc Botenga, rapporteur on the new EU pharmaceutical strategy, says money for public-private partnerships should come with strings attached
Science is shifting to focus on collaboration and the societal impact of research. The reward system for scientists needs to keep pace with that change
As part of the ongoing development of EU research and innovation policy, it is now time to start the debate and support concrete actions to protect academic freedom in Europe
Upcoming changes to the EU Renewable Energy directive will set new production targets. But with a few additional adjustments, the directive could also drive the development of completely new forms of renewable energy
For Europe to maintain its position as a science leader, a continued focus on the basics of curiosity-driven research must be blended with forward-thinking adjustments in the protection of intellectual property
Tia Loukkola, the European University Association’s new deputy secretary general, says policymakers should commit to enhancing the career paths of all academics, regardless of their roles
journalists track important R&D policy news across the globe - including the EU Horizon programme, COVID-19, AI and climate. 
