High-level discussion among science leaders in Brussels: focus on the future and competitiveness of Horizon Europe
Regina Valutytė, Vice-Minister of Education, Science, and Sport, participated in a high-level discussion in Brussels under the title “Co-Creating European R&I Policy,” held as part of the international conference “Towards the European Fifth Freedom and Global Competition: Voices from Science.” The event was organised by the European Research Council (ERC) in collaboration with the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.
The closing panel discussion at the conference covered the future of European research and innovation policy, the 10th Framework Program for Research and Innovation, next Horizon Europe (FP10), the European Research and Innovation Area, and the implementation of the Fifth Freedom. Vice-Minister R. Valutytė held discussions with Christian Ehler, Member of the European Parliament, and Manuel Aleixo, a representative of the Cabinet of the European Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation.
Participants in the discussion emphasised that Europe’s competitiveness is inextricably linked to long-term investment in top-level science, talent, and innovation. The European scientific community has called for maintaining an ambitious and independent Horizon Europe programme, reducing the administrative burden on researchers, and strengthening trust in scientific institutions. It was agreed that it is important to make the Fifth Freedom a practical reality by ensuring the free movement of knowledge, researchers, technology, and innovation throughout Europe.
The Vice-Minister emphasised Lithuania’s goal that the next Horizon Europe program remain a clearly recognizable and ambitious program for research and innovation. She also emphasised that the Fifth Freedom should help all European Union member states strengthen their research potential. This is particularly important for working towards a sustainable, secure, and truly competitive Europe.
The discussion took place at an important juncture: on June 26, the Council of the EU adopted the Partial General Approach for the regulation for the new Horizon Europe program, which had been proposed by the European Commission a year earlier. This document is still being debated on in the European Parliament. In addition, a proposal for the European Research Area Act is set to be presented to the European Commission this autumn. These decisions will have a key impact on the future line of the European R&I policy and on Europe’s competitiveness.