“If Europe is serious about the Europe 2020 Strategy, a shift of priorities towards more R&D investment is needed,” says Eurodoc president Ludovic Garattini.
Eurodoc’s contribution to the debate on a Common Strategic Framework for future EU Research and Innovation Funding is guided by the following question: How to make best use of the financial resources at disposal for faster progress towards a true European Research Area?
It is not wise to allocate funds to the research projects which provide poor working conditions. Therefore, we need strong incentives to go with the principles of the European Charter for Researchers. EU's key initiative to strengthen the human resources base in R&D should be incorporated in all EU funding programmes. The Lisbon Treaty now offers a legal base for this undertaking and Eurodoc recommends making use of this opportunity to realise ERA.
The paper also identifies the ways to improve the promotion of early scientific independence, the representation of young researchers in the steering committees of collaborative projects, recognition for scientific outreach activities and the publication of research results on Open Access platforms.
As Europe designs the successor of the Framework Programme for Research, Eurodoc stands ready to provide its expertise. The future of EU research funding was discussed at Eurodoc’s 10th anniversary conference in Vilnius, Lithuania last month. It's those kind of fora where you get to know what Europe's researchers are really concerned about. The ERA will only be a success if it's not a construction solely conceived by administrators and politicians," says Garattini.
Eurodoc calls for a full involvement of grassroots organisations, learned societies and community groups in the construction of ERA. “The Common Strategic Framework needs to include funding for policy debates and European researcher movements. That's the only way to develop a true European identity in research which is badly needed,” Garattini says.
The full text of the recommendation on the future of EU research and innovation funding can be found at Eurodoc's website:
http://www.eurodoc.net/policyhttp://www.eurodoc.net
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