Discours de Ondřej Liška à la Réunion de la commission de l'Industrie, recherche et énergie du Parlement européen, 19 janvier
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Mrs Chair, Honourable Members of the European Parliament, ladies and gentlemen;
Main overall priorities of the Czech Presidency
It is my great pleasure to be here today to present to you the priorities of the Czech Presidency in the field of research in the first semester of 2009. The Czech Presidency comes at a time when the European Union is facing several important challenges. At a time when Europe is working hard to mitigate the adverse impact of the economic crisis and when the challenges and competition from other parts of the globalised economy have never been greater.
The Czech Republic will do its utmost to ensure effective implementation of the European Economic Recovery Plan, as approved by the European Council in December 2008. It is of crucial importance that Europe reinforces its position in the global economy and that it emerges from the current economic crisis as stronger and more sustainable global competitor with enhanced confidence in the market economy of both consumers and industry, notably SMEs.
as you know, the motto of our presidency is "Europe without barriers". In the context of the dramatic economic developments of the last year, another motto needs to be added to that:
what Europe needs in this moment of crisis is "a prag(ue)matic approach"
and this not only because it is a nice pun on the name of our capital city, but because this is a moment for rapid, resolute, pragmatic action.
Priorities in the field of research:
In this context we look forward to the next six months. This leads us on the issues concerning my responsibilities in the research sector, which are also an essential element of the European Economic Recovery Plan.
The main motto of the Czech Presidency is "Europe without barriers" reflecting the four basic freedoms of the EU single market. The research agenda will reflect this intention as our main aim is to pave the way to create "The European Research Area (ERA) without barriers". In fact, our aim is to go beyond the four freedoms and facilitate the creation of the "fifth freedom", free circulation of researchers, knowledge and technology - the main goal of the ERA Vision 2020 which was adopted by the Competitiveness Council in December.
This is why we have put in the centre of our specific research strategy three priorities.
First: Promote Pan European cooperation within the knowledge Triangle
Research, innovation and education, the so called knowledge triangle, will remain the cornerstone to the success of the re-launched Lisbon Strategy and to the successful implementation of the aforementioned economic recovery plan. In the past we witnessed that squeeze of investments in R&D and education, both public and private, due to economic turndown led to major capital and knowledge destruction with negative effects for Europe's growth and employment. Therefore, our main message will aim at calling upon all Member States to increase their planned investments in education and R&D not despite, but in particular because of the economic crisis. This should lead to stimulate growth and productivity and lay down the basis for their strong position in innovation.
Moreover, efforts should be undertaken to achieve better synergies between the activities of different Community instruments for R&D and innovation, which may provide complementary sources of funding. At the same time the management of these programmes must be made simpler and their implementation more flexible and quicker. In particular, this concerns
- the Seventh Research Framework Programme (FP7),
- the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework programme (CIP),
- the intervention of the Structural,
- the operations of the Knowledge and Innovation Communities in the framework of the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT),
- the more than 2.000 Regional Innovation Clusters existing within the EU,
- the Commission's Lead Market Initiative and
- new planning instruments like the SET (Strategic Energy Technology) Plan,
- the 30 billion increase of intervention by the European Investment Bank especially (also) for SME's as approved by the December European Council,
- the creation of the 2020 European Fund for Energy Climate Change and Infrastructure ("Marguerite Fund") in partnership with national institutional investors (also agreed by the European Council of this December),
- the launch of an European Innovation Plan.
A major conference on this issue will be organised in Prague, in cooperation with the Commission, on 7-8 May 2009.
I am convinced that an increase in financial resources allocated to R&D, innovation and education as requested by the European Economic Recovery Plan is a cornerstone for overcoming the current crisis. The Czech Presidency will also look at ways how to address the question of implementation of the earmarking for research and innovation in national Structural Funds programmes optimize monitoring of Member States' final assignment of these funds.
As regards the Ljubljana Process which should ensure a increased coordination within the ERA process, the work under the Czech Presidency will be based on the political agreements achieved and conclusions adopted under the Slovenian and French Presidencies. A particular emphasis will be put on the discussion how the Ljubljana Process can contribute to the successful implementation of the Lisbon Strategy and to growth and employment in Europe in the period post-2010. Following the adoption of the ERA 2020 Vision in December, the Czech Presidency will also launch a debate on the future governance of ERA and how this vision could be best achieved through different instruments and actions at national and European level.
One of the priority initiatives of ERA in line also with the European Recovery Plan are research infrastructures. The aim of our Presidency will be to find a political agreement on the proposed regulation concerning the common legal framework for research infrastructures with a view to its adoption still during our term in office. The Czech Presidency will do also here its utmost that the opinion of the European Parliament, based on the report by Ms. RIERA MADURELL of last December, will be taken into account. Moreover, research infrastructures will play even greater role on our agenda, as the Council will seek to adopt conclusions on the update of the ESFRI roadmap, prepared by ESFRI in December 2008. These conclusions will also look at ways how infrastructure can even further strengthen ERA, by concentrating in particular on the role of the regions. With a view to ensuring the best result this discussion will be underpinned by a conference "Research Infrastructures and their regional dimension”, which the Presidency will organise on 24-26 March.
A few words about space policy.
Let me begin with expressing my gratitude for the constant support, encouragement and critical interest the European Parliament has shown for this key sector of European high-technology policy. Without your courageous support, the Council and the Commission would not have been able to keep the GALILEO programme on track, particularly when it had to be re-launched into a purely public service trajectory after the public-private partnership approach proved to be too cumbersome and risky to implement.
As the recent EP resolutions and reports based on the work by Mr PRIBETICH, Mr VON WOGAU and Mr HUDACKY, clearly show, that EP wants the other institutions to conduct a dynamic and ambitious European space policy. In the service of the European citizen, we have not only to reach for the stars, but also to bring the benefits of space technology down to Earth.
We will build on the achievements of our French predecessors, who have shown admirable commitment and, indeed, strategic vision.
In this context we would like to inform you that we have recently joined ESA to underline our commitment to this European policy, and we are working hard to ensure that our contribution is corresponding to our potential. This potential is far from negligible, in particular in some high-technology niches.
We have already made a commitment to hosting the first High-Level International Conference on Space Exploration on 25 June 2008 in Prague. This will be a landmark event, bringing together all space powers on the planet with the aim of exploring the options for a major common effort by all mankind for the exploration of our solar system and beyond. At the same time it will demonstrate the clear benefits of these efforts for European innovation capacity.
We are going to support all initiatives for developing the European Space Policy, and, in May, we will organise, together with ESA, another meeting of ministers responsible for space with the main aim to lay the groundfloor for an innovation platform for the benefit of European citizens and the competitiveness of Europe.
In short, be assured that our country, which has been home to some of the greatest Renaissance star-gazers, from Tycho de Brahe and Johannes Kepler to Wallenstein's famous astrologer Seni, and which also has a proud space history in the twentieth century, with a Czech astronaut - the honourable Mr. REMEK - even sitting among you - will not deny its cultural heritage! (to be considered by the minister)
Second priority is the endeavour to reinforce and ease access for mobility, interaction and awareness
Of course, infrastructures and programmes are not worth much without researchers. Promoting researchers' careers and in particular their mobility has been a long-standing priority both for the European Parliament and the Council. Indeed, I believe there is a large measure of agreement between your Committee and the Council on the issues concerned in this field, as reflected in the draft report by Mrs LOCATELLI. As you are aware, during the French Presidency the Council reinforced action in this field by launching a "European partnership for researchers" in the context of which priority lines of action were identified for the basis of the development of appropriate measures at national level.
The Czech Presidency will work intensively to maintain the momentum in this field and has planned a series of events, including notably a conference “Researchers in Europe without Barriers” on 28-29 April in Prague. The Council will also ensure that the aspect of human resources in science and technology will be duly taken into account wherever this proves necessary, for instance in the key messages to be put forward in the context of the annual Lisbon cycle.
The relevance of the international dimension of research is well known to you. One of the key initiatives already identified in the context of the Ljubljana process is therefore a "wide opening of the ERA to the world". In this respect, the Czech Presidency will implement the newly established "European partnership for international scientific and technological cooperation". The Council decided to give an important role to CREST (Scientific and Technical Research Committee) by creating a dedicated structure (Strategic Forum for International S&T Cooperation) in which Member States and the Commission will cooperate on the implementation of this European strategy.
I am confident that these activities will greatly enhance the impact and coherence of the European action in international cooperation in science and technology and I am looking forward to concrete results to be reported in about one year time.
The Czech Presidency will also engage in the implementation of the December Council Conclusions concerning the Joint Programming with a view to taking decisions on first JP initiatives in 2010. We believe that this new instrument which is primarily based on strong commitments of interested Member States and associated countries, with the Commission acting as a facilitator, represents an innovative way how to pool together research efforts to fight major societal challenges. As in the case of international S&T cooperation, the Council decided to give an important role to CREST in the governance of this instrument, by creating a High Level Group for Joint Programming which will be responsible for the identification of themes for Joint Programming following broad consultation of relevant stakeholders. The Czech Presidency will focus in particular on the governance issue and how to facilitate this process of identification of themes, and also on the launch of the pilot project of joint programming in the field of neurodegenerative diseases, in particular Alzheimer's, for which the proposal from the Commission for a Council recommendation will be presented in September after substantiation by the Member States.
Being at national level also entrusted with the education dossier I am on daily basis confronted with the challenge to bring research and innovation entrepreneurship to schools. Czech Presidency will thus look into possibilities how to promote a process to a European curriculum for applied research in schools and how to promote interest in research and innovation among the young.
Staying with the initiatives of R&D programmes undertaken by several Member States, the Presidency would like to express its satisfaction that the Commission adopted on 3 December 2008 a long awaited new proposal on the basis of Article 169 of the Treaty, the proposal to establish a European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP) bringing together 22 national metrology research programmes with a view to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of public metrology research. It aims to contribute to structuring the European Research Area (ERA) through better coordination, thereby tackling common European challenges, increasing the impact of these programmes and removing barriers between national programmes. As this legislative proposal will be co-decided with the EP, I am looking forward to a fruitful cooperation with this EP Committee, in particular with the rapporteur Ms. ERIKA MANN, in order to find agreement in a timely manner.
I would also like to express a hope that the Commission will decide to propose to both institutions another initiative under Article 169 of the Treaty during the Czech Presidency, notably BONUS which aims at integrating national Baltic Sea research into a joint transnational programme in order to support the sustainable development of the Baltic Sea with regard to environment, fisheries and ecosystem-based management.
Third priority is the endeavour to guarantee a better cycle of evaluation and monitoring of research programmes
A very important part of our work in the next semester will be dedicated to the evaluation of research programmes on all relevant levels. This is an important element not only for the implementation of the current Framework Programme, FP7, but also to prepare ground to improve the quality of future Framework Programmes in particular as regards the setting-up and implementation of strategic goals in specific areas and for the EU as a whole. In the forthcoming months the Council is awaiting two Commission documents concerning the evaluation of Framework Programmes, the ex-post evaluation of FP6 and a progress report with political orientations for the mid-term review of FP7 which is expected for April this year. On the basis of these two documents and following the adoption of Council conclusions (30 May 2008) on the Special Report No. 09/2007 by the European Court of Auditors concerning "Evaluating the EU Research and Technological Development (RTD) framework programs - could the Commission's approach be improved?", the Presidency will propose to the Council to adopt a common set of conclusions on the evaluation of Framework Programmes, including with the vision on the future evaluation including also Joint Programming.
Conclusion:
Ms. Chair, Honourable Members, an excellent relationship between you, in the European Parliament, and ourselves in the Council is vital if we are to take forward our work agenda successfully. Europe is facing major global challenges and European citizens rightly expect a pro-active x showing that "Europe is part of the solution". This is why we look forward to continuing the excellent co-operation that has prevailed so far between this Committee and the Council, for the benefit of European citizens and researchers/investors/entrepreneurs.
Ms. Chair, Honourable Members of Parliament this concludes my presentation of the three main priorities envisaged by the Czech Presidency in the field of research for the coming six months.
I thank you for your attention and I would now welcome any questions or comments from the committee on this area.
Dernière mise à jour : 16.8.2011 15:51
