EU Competitiveness Council discussed research and technology issues
The EU Competitiveness Council meeting was held on 9 December in Brussels, Belgium, to discuss research and technology issues, such as changes to the European High-Performance Computing (EuroHPC) Regulation, advancement in negotiations for the new Horizon Europe programme and future EU priorities. Lithuania was represented by Prof. Regina Valutytė, Vice-Minister of Education, Science and Sport.
The meeting reached a ministerial-level agreement on an amendment to the EuroHPC Regulation, which will enable the development of artificial intelligence (AI), including gigafactories, and quantum technologies in the EU. In the debate on future EU research and innovation priorities, ministers expressed their wish for timely and meaningful involvement of Member States in priority-setting processes and partnerships. Lithuania stressed the need to focus resources on risk- and capital-intensive areas in the next financial perspective. Vice-Minister Valutytė also proposed to ensure a more efficient and more transparent priority-setting process based on scientific evidence and future projections.
Additional issues were also presented during the meeting. France stressed the importance of European alliance of universities, and the European Commission reported on progress in research security and the future fund which will invest in companies growing in the EU. The latter initiative received strong support from a number of countries, including Denmark, which is holding the Presidency, Spain, Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Estonia, Germany, Ireland and Italy.
Photo from the EU Council