Press Release: New report calls for stronger impetus behind EU research

A new evaluation report into research in the European Union warns that there is a danger of Europe falling behind other economic areas and losing its place as a centre of excellence for the creation of knowledge if European leaders do not place research at the right political level. The report, addressed to EU Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin, states that EU research programmes alone will not be enough to meet the challenges faced by European research and that demographic changes and decreasing reseach budgets will make a major policy review necessary. “This is exactly why I proposed a strategy for a genuine European Research Area” says Mr Busquin, adding that “networking and better coordination of Member States' research policies could be tools to tackle the problem”. The report also assesses programme performance and administration and calls for greater flexibility to meet new challenges such as new diseases and food scares.

The report was compiled by a panel, chaired by Joan Majó, assessed the implementation and achievements of Community research and technological development (RTD) programmes over the period 1995-1999, and covers activities relating to the Third (1990-94), Fourth (1994-98) and Fifth (1998-2002) Framework Programmes

http://www.cordis.lu/fp5/5yr_reports.htm http://www.cordis.lu/fp5/5yr_reports.htm

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