By Anthony Fletcher - 3rd April 2007
The European commission has unveiled ambitious new plans to improve Europe's research area.
Outlining the proposals in a new green paper on wednesday, science chief Janez Potocniksaid the plans were "not about reinventing the concept of the European research area”.
“It is about giving the EU a fifth freedom – the free movement of knowledge (besides goods, services, capital and people).”
Potocnik said that the fragmentation of the European research system along national and sector lines was harming development.
“We want the fruits of research to be able to move around Europe as freely as more tangible commodities, so businesses can identify and cooperate easily with the researchers doing work that is relevant to them,” said the Slovenian commissioner.
“We need to act now. This is a fundamental necessity if we are to maintain global industrial leadership and our quality of life.”
The green paper proposes the establishment of world-standard research infrastructures that are open to researchers from across Europe, in addition to joint programming and freeing up access to national programmes.
The consultation will end in August said Potocnik, adding that the commission will then examine the issue with the Portuguese presidency towards the end of the year with a view to bringing concrete proposals forward early in 2008.
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