Recommendation 2021/2122 - Pact for Research and Innovation in Europe - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 431/1

On 30 September 2020, the Commission adopted a Communication on ‘A New ERA for Research and Innovation’, in which it sets out a new vision for the European Research Area (ERA) and announces the intention to propose a Pact for Research and Innovation (R&I) in Europe.

The Council Conclusions on the New European Research Area, adopted on 1 December 2020, call on the Member States and the Commission to develop in 2021 an ERA policy agenda and a multi-level governance model to deliver on the new ambition for the ERA.

Over the past two decades, the implementation of the ERA has contributed to some major achievements in areas such as research infrastructures, open science, transnational and international cooperation, gender balance in R&I, joint programming, research careers and the mobility of researchers, as well as to structural reforms. However, the pace of progress on R&I investment at Union level has slowed down overall recently, and more needs to be done to reverse that trend.

In order to address global challenges and support Europe’s competitiveness, international cooperation through ERA should take into account the priorities of the Union’s external relations, based on multilateralism and balanced reciprocal openness and should promote a level playing field and reciprocity underpinned by fundamental values and common framework conditions.

To deliver on an ERA fit for the future, it is necessary to strengthen coordination and to deepen coherence between the Union, national and regional policies. The Commission Communication ‘A New ERA for Research and Innovation’ therefore calls for mobilising Member States around key common principles and values and for identifying shared priority areas for action. This is particularly relevant at a time when increased and more focused national and regional funding and reforms are necessary to accelerate the contribution to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Develepment Goals, the green transition and digital transformation and to implement the Paris Agreement goals, in line with European Green Deal objectives.

A common set of principles and values is necessary to reaffirm solid foundations for R&I in the Union, underlining values (ethics and integrity; freedom of scientific research; gender equality and equal opportunities), setting out better working conditions (free circulation of researchers, knowledge and technology across the Union; pursuit of excellence; value creation and impact of R&I) and increasing cooperation (coordination, coherence, commitment; global outreach; inclusiveness; societal responsibility).

Shared priority areas should constitute a clear indication to stakeholders of the areas and actions that the Union and its Member States consider as their common priorities and where they commit to work together on a variable geometry, creating a stable framework for policymakers, public funders, private investors and performers.

In its Conclusions on the New European Research Area, the Council reaffirmed the target of investing 3 % of Union GDP in research and development (R & D). In order to prioritise investments and reforms, Member States could update their national targets to reflect new Union priorities and national circumstances.

To qualify their national strategy...