EU Research Ministers discuss R&I in advanced materials and adopt Council Recommendation on Enhancing Research Security

At the Competitiveness Council (Research) on Thursday, 23 May 2024, the ministers responsible for research focused on Research and Innovation on advanced materials in their policy debate. Furthermore, the ministers approved Council Conclusions on the ex-post evaluation of the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, and Council Conclusions on knowledge valorisation. The adoption of the Council Recommendation on enhancing research security, a political agreement on the Council Regulation for the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC)) and the obligatory outlook for the Work Programme in the field of research under the next Council Presidency were also on the agenda. The meeting was chaired by the Belgian Minister Willy Borsus (Government of the Walloon Region). The European Commission was represented by Commissioner Iliana Ivanova and Commissioner Thierry Breton.

The adoption of the Council Regulation for the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC) in view of enlarging the scope of this Regulation followed the 2023 State of the Union speech in which Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, had announced this initiative. A further objective for the Joint Undertaking was introduced which allows the Joint Undertaking to support the further development of a highly competitive and innovative AI start-up and research ecosystem in Europe, including the development and uptake of European AI solutions by operating AI Factories.

The Council Recommendation on Enhancing Research Security takes account of the geopolitical situation: A global increase in foreign interference and disinformation has exposed risks and vulnerabilities in our societies, economies and companies. Due to its inherent openness and internationalisation, the R&I sector is particularly vulnerable in this respect. The risks identified relate to three main areas: (1) undesirable transfer of knowledge, (2) foreign interference, and (3) ethical or integrity violations. The Council Recommendation identifies concrete actions and measures to be taken by the Member States and the Commission to enhance research security, with the starting point of a clear and urgent need for raising awareness and building resilience among researchers and academics across Europe.

The adopted Council Conclusions on Knowledge Valorisation address the different ways of supporting knowledge valorisation as an important element for a resilient and competitive industry and strategic autonomy in an open economy of the Union. They take stock of recent initiatives and provide orientations for strengthening them, if necessary, and address the ways for filling the gaps in the European innovation landscape. The proposal focusses on strengthening knowledge valorisation capacities and also refers to the need of developing a culture of knowledge valorisation, by fostering collaboration and by improving training programmes for entrepreneurship and innovation in all disciplines.

The adopted Council Conclusions on the ex-post assessment that the Commission has done on the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme focus on some of the key themes of the evaluation, such as the scientific, societal and economic impact of research and innovation. Furthermore, the Council Conclusions address synergies with other programmes and funds, the support for the European Research Area, dedicated measures to widen participation in the programme, and the implementation and monitoring of the programme. Finally, an outlook on challenges and needs for the preparation of the next Framework Programme for Research and Innovation is also provided.

As mentioned in the Presidency note for the Policy Debate, the demand for advanced materials (new materials with enhanced properties that are intentionally designed for superior performance) is expected to significantly increase in the coming years and should be matched by growing innovation and production in the Union. In late February 2024, the European Commission issued a Communication on Advanced Materials for Industrial Leadership, which the Presidency has taken up for the policy debate, since the Union and its Member States have the unique opportunity to develop a joint and comprehensive strategic approach to safeguard the Union’s economic security and increase its industrial competitiveness. In their debate, the ministers focused on possibilities for stronger cooperation, thematic prioritisation and the exchange of good practices.

Under Any Other Business, the Hungarian delegation informed about its work programme as an incoming Council Presidency in the field of research. The Hungarian EU Presidency starts on 1 July 2024. The informal meeting of EU ministers responsible for research will be held in Budapest on 16-17 September 2024, and the formal Competitiveness Council meeting is scheduled for 29 November 2024 in Brussels.

For more information:

Competitiveness Council (Space, research and innovation) - Consilium (europa.eu)