Giving more for research in Europe: The role of foundations and the non-profit sector in boosting R&D investment. Report by an Expert Group

This report has been produced by an expert group, set up by the Directorate General Research of the European Commission (EC), in order to identify and define possible measures and actions at national and European level to promote the role of foundations and the non-profit sector in boosting public and private investment in R&D.

The expert group was created as part of the overall implementation of the European Commission’s Research Investment Action Plan2 (the ‘3 % Action Plan’). It consisted of selected experts and stakeholder representatives in the field drawn from foundations, research bodies, the business sector and public authorities. Its mandate was to define and set out policy actions at national and European level to help foundations aimed at fostering research in Europe play their fullest possible role in the pursuit of knowledge.

This involved drafting a report identifying a number of public policy options to foster the creation, development and effectiveness of research foundations and improve the legal and fiscal framework environment in which they operate. These options would then constitute orientations for policy implementation at national and European Union (EU) level.

In order to achieve the task set out in its Terms of Reference, the expert group reviewed and
assessed the current landscape for research foundations in Europe in a series of meetings,
providing an overview of recent initiatives, current challenges and existing trends, as well as
comparative analysis based on a selected number of national case studies and by comparing the foundation landscape in the EU with that in the US.

The current report is the result of the deliberations of the group.

European Commission: Investing in European Research: Philanthropy for research and innovation http://ec.europa.eu/invest-in-research/policy/philanthropy_en.htm

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