The Research Ministers of the European Union meeting in Würzburg on Thursday and Friday will be discussing crucial issues which will set the course for future European research policy. Under the Presidency of the German Federal Research Minister, Dr. Annette Schavan, the Ministers have set themselves ambitious goals for the Informal Competitiveness Council. Under the motto of the German Council Presidency "Success through Research", the responsible ministers from the Member States will deal with the issue of strengthening the European Research Area and the establishment of a European Institute of Technology (EIT). Another topic will be the important question of the management of intellectual property and the related Presidency initiative for an IP Charter.
"Science and research are vital for making Europe fit for international competition", said Schavan. "They are the prerequisite for our future prosperity and social participation". The European Research Area is the central lead topic of the Informal Council in Würzburg. The Ministers will discuss the future direction of European research policy on the basis of the Green Paper published by the Commission on 4 April.
"Central issues of the Green Paper which we will be discussing in Würzburg are improved working conditions in research and new infrastructures for European research as well as modern basic research as an element of the value added chain which is crucial for future innovation", said Research Minister Schavan. In preparation for the Council, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) had presented its proposal for the further structuring of the consultation process in a discussion paper on the Green Paper.
Important points concerning the structure of a European Institute of Technology (EIT) have already been settled during the German EU Council Presidency. A central element of the EIT will be the Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs). These are networks composed of universities, research institutions and companies, as well as other players as required. The BMBF has drafted a compromise paper over the past few weeks which takes the Member States' initial proposals for amendments into account and is supported by the Commission. "I am confident that we will make decisive progress on our way towards an EIT at the Würzburg Council", Schavan said.
Knowledge is increasingly becoming a strategic raw material in the global competition. "The German Council Presidency will therefore launch an initiative for the management of intellectual property in Würzburg", Minister Schavan said. And she stressed that the debate about this European Charter should be conducted on the basis of the Knowledge Transfer Communication of the European Commission: "With the IP Charter we want to ensure mutual recognition of inventive performance and prevent an uncontrolled know-how drain".
For further information about European research policy and the German EU Council Presidency please visit www.bmbf.de, www.eu2007.de and www.eu-forschung.de.
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