The Donostia Declaration, which was unanimously endorsed by the EU Competition and Research Ministers, in February 2010 highlights the practical role of science in economic recovery and growth. At the same time the document also highlights the role of science in social issue, primarily as a means to combat poverty. – t his will be the topic of an international conference to be held in April 2010. The three research priorities of the Spanish presidency are:

• Involvement: responding to societal challenges (economic crisis but also green cars, energy efficiency, factories of the future, future internet)
• Integrating the European Research Area (mobility, shared use of infrastructure)
• Inclusion: science against poverty and social exclusion (dissemination, technology transfer)

More information:

Donostia Declaration

http://eu2010.es/en/documentosynoticias/noticias/feb08donosti.html?calYear=2010&calMonth=1

Spanish Council Presidency on CORDIS:

http://cordis.europa.eu/spain/presidency2010/home_en.html

Science against Poverty Conference

http://www.scienceagainstpoverty.com

The United States may have slashed NASA’s budget for manned spaceflight but space exploration is still important to our daily lives – in telecommunication and television, weather forecasting and even global finance.

At the 1st EU-ESA International Conference (October 2009) Commissioner Verheugen defined European space exploration as a booster for innovation and as a catalyst for further European integration, since international cooperation (both within the EU and ESA and with other countries) is a central element of modern space exploration. Verheugen also added that space exploration is also a symbol of global power and prestige and the Europe should not be sidelined.
Discussing the way forward in European and US space collaboration Joseph R. Wood, senior resident fellow with the German Marshall fund, recommends that ““most of NASA’s human exploration budget, and as much as Europe can contribute, should be pulled from government-run programs and put into a fund for major space exploration prizes. Money would be available within a few years for the United States and Europe to offer jointly prizes of, for example, 20 billion euros/$30 billion for a successful manned lunar mission and 50 billion euros/$75 billion for a successful Mars mission.

More information:

ESA/US Conference: http://www.space-conference-prague.eu/

Joint Programming involves Member States engaging voluntarily in the definition, development and implementation of common strategic research agendas. It may involve strategic collaboration between existing national programmes or jointly planning and setting up entirely new ones. In both cases, it entails putting resources together, selecting or developing the most appropriate instrument(s), implementing, and collectively monitoring and reviewing progress. It aims to increase and improve the cross-border collaboration, coordination and integration of Member States’ publicly funded research programmes in a limited number of strategic areas, and thus to help Europe boost the efficiency of its public research funding so as to better address major societal challenges.

The concept of joint programming was introduced by the European Commission in July 2008 as one of the initiatives for implementing the ERA. The Council of the European Union welcomed the concept and the objectives of Joint Programming in its respective Conclusions adopted on 2 December 2008. To implement the concept, the Groupe de haut niveau pour la Programmation Conjointe (GPC) has been established. In its meeting on December 4, 2009 the GPC identified and substantiated the first wave of themes for Joint Programming Initiatives (JPIs). In order to make joint programming operational the EC identified three steps:

• Development of a common vision for the agreed area

• Translate this vision into a Strategic Research Agenda (SRA)

• Implement the SRA: all participating public authorities orient their programmes and funding to contribute in a coherent manner to the implementation

These implementation steps are in the process of being set up by national authorities. The following topics have been identified for Joint Programming so far:

• Agriculture, foood security and climate change
• Health, food and prevention of diet-related diseases
• Cultural heritage, climate change and security

Further information:

Austrian ERA Website
 http://www.era.gv.at/space/11442/directo…

European Commission (2008): TOWARDS JOINT PROGRAMMING IN RESEARCH (pdf file)
 http://ec.europa.eu/research/press/2008/…

Clipart © by Tony Martin.

Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, the new Commissioner responsible for research, innovation and science, was not prominently mentioned in the media reports on the European Parliament hearings (except perhaps in her home country Ireland). However, she did leave a positive “can do” impression and did not face any difficulties in passing the European Parliament’s assessment of the Barroso II Commission.

Born in 1950 she is a member off Fianna Fáil, part of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party. In Ireland Máire Geoghegan-Quinn served in a variety of functions in Irish governments, including as minister of tourism, transport and communications and as minister of justice. Most recently she has been a member of the European Court of Auditors. Geoghegan-Quinn describes herself as “a passionate supporter of the European Union” and “a very strong supporter of the Lisbon Treaty”.

Her priorities for European research and innovation (the latter term has been newly added to the research portfolio) may not be terribly original but they are a logical continuation of EU research policy in recent years:

• a clear strategic focus in research policy in order to achieve the EU 2020 strategy and ensuring that research, innovation and science issues are at the heart of EU policy making
• free movement of information and knowledge in the areas of research, innovation and science in Europe, including researcher mobility
• A greater level of international co-operation
• achieving the establishment of a modern European Research Area (ERA) and implementing the 2008 Ljubljana process for strengthening cooperation between the EU and member states in research
• Simpflication in FP7, more participation of SMEs
• Closer connections between researchers and industry

Those media that did report on Geoghegan-Quinn gave her the “thumbs up” as well. European Voice says she “sailed through” the hearing, showing “great enthusiasm” for her job and producing a few memorable sound bites. According to Science Business she came across as a “woman of action”. Neueurope adds that “nobody would accuse Ms Geoghegan-Quinn of being a shrinking violet, and her powerful and forceful manner showed that she was not to be messed with and provided some dynamism, so far missing from the hearings”.

Links:

Summary of hearing of Máire Geoghegan-Quinn – research, innovation and science

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/hearings/press_service/product.htm?ref=20100112IPR67164&secondRef=0&language=EN

Maire Geoghegan-Quinn European Parliament Hearing Report

http://www.neurope.eu/articles/98485.php

“I’m into action” says Geoghegan-Quinn

http://bulletin.sciencebusiness.net/ebulletins/showissue.php3?page=/548/art/16452

Irish nominee sails through her hearing

http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/2010/01/irish-nominee-sails-through-her-hearing/66889.aspx