“All science, ranging from the humanities and social sciences to natural sciences, and from basic research to technological development, has something to contribute here and now,” Spain’s Minister of Science Cristina Garmendia said after the meeting, which she chaired.
Spain took over the rotating six-month EU presidency just weeks after the Lisbon Treaty came into effect. The new treaty has many implications for science and technology, not least the addition of the following words: “The Union shall have the objective of strengthening its scientific and technological bases by achieving a European Research Area in which researchers, scientific knowledge and technology circulate freely.”
The creation of such a European Research Area (ERA) and specific proposals to enable researchers to move around the 27-nation bloc were discussed at the San Sebastián meeting.
“We intend to promote certain aspects which will give prominence to the European Research Area, such as mobility and the careers of researchers and the extension of their employment rights,” Spain’s Garmendia said in an interview on the eve of the meeting.
Whether or not progress is made on the ERA will be one measure of how successful the Spanish presidency is in the area of science and research. The presidency hopes to reach “important agreements” on the mobility of researchers, and Science ministers will air the issue before the Employment Council in March. This will be the first time that one group of ministers comes before another council, according to the Spanish.
The Science ministers will stress to their colleagues in employment the importance of developing a knowledge economy and, in order to achieve this, the need for researchers to have complete freedom of movement. Particular focus will be placed on recognising researchers’ social security entitlements, a point raised time and time again by advisory bodies such as the European Research Area Board (ERAB).
Spain considers itself well placed to promote these goals, having taken what it calls a “pioneering approach” to social security and the job status of young researchers.
Whether the country is really so well placed is open to question. (see “Spain poised to chop science spending”)
Spain is one EU country where university academic posts are mostly taken up by national citizens and anybody who moves away puts themselves at a disadvantage in terms of lost seniority, pension rights and social networks.
As is the case in Germany and France, lecturers in Spain are often civil servants, meaning the jobs are only open to nationals, and permanent positions are very rarely given to foreigners.
Science’s central role in the road to economic recovery is also underlined in the EU’s 2020 strategy, the successor to the Lisbon Strategy. This was highlighted by European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, in a speech on Tuesday when he said, “growth based on knowledge and innovation,” and increasing R&D are central to the 2020 vision.
The EU’s plans for a new innovation strategy are also due to be fleshed out early this year, with a European Innovation Act.
“We see the European innovation plan and the launching of the 2020 Strategy as opportunities to place science and innovation firmly at the heart of Europe's future,” said Garmendia. “Investment in R&D must be maintained, sustained and increased,” she said.
The bulk of the Spanish presidency’s work on science and research issues during the next six months has been placed into three broad categories: integration, with a focus on developing the European Research Area; involvement, with the aim of involving science and innovation in the major challenges facing citizens; and inclusion, referring to the presidency’s wish to make science a part of society and a key to social cohesion.
The Spanish presidency is also working together with the following two presidencies, those of Belgium and Hungary, to put together an 18-month work programme.
This week’s meeting was attended by the ministers of science and innovation for Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Norway, with the rest of the delegations being mainly represented by deputy ministers.
The ministers’ next formal meeting is on March 1-2 in Brussels.
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