Government publishes position paper on future EU funding for research and innovation

Funding for EU research and innovation from 2014: a UK perspective’ published today looks at the future role and shape of EU funding for research and innovation and sets out the following recommendations from the Government

•  Research and innovation must play an increasingly vital role in promoting green growth in Europe and should continue to receive a high – and ideally increased – proportion of a future EU budget which is reprioritised to focus on sustainable growth and is smaller overall

• The UK considers that future EU funding should be focussed on funding research programmes that demonstrate excellence and added-value
• EU funding should address global challenges as well as developing new technologies.

 Commenting on the publication, Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts said:

 “Research and innovation are vital to economic growth not only in the UK but throughout Europe. The UK has one of the most productive research bases in the world and with changes to EU funding in sight it’s important that we play our full part in influencing the debate.

 “We need to continue to invest in research and innovation at a European level, with a focus on programmes that demonstrate excellence and address global challenges such as climate change, food security and the ageing population. EU funding should also drive innovation and place a greater emphasis on areas such as information and communications technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology that have the potential to meet these challenges head on.”