Deutsche
Forschungsgemeinschaft

The DFG and the European Research Area
Position and Outlook

The DFG and the European Research Area

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft e. V.
Kennedyallee 4053175 Bonn
Germany
Postal address: 53710 Bonn, Germany
Phone: 02 28 / 8 85-1
Telefax: 02 28 / 8 85-27 77
E-mail: postmaster@dfg.deInternet: www.dfg.de
Contact:
Dr. Achim Haag, Dr. Annette Doll-Sellen
Layout:Bosse und Meinhard Wissenschaftskommunikation, Bonn
Print:
Druckerei Engelhardt GmbH, Neunkirchen2

Position and Outlook

The DFG and the European Research Area
Position and Outlook

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The DFG and the European Research Area

Preface
Professor Matthias Kleiner, President of the DFG

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The frontiers of science transcend political boundaries. But researchers understand only too well thatnational borders can be barriers to cooperation andexchange. In this respect, European scientists andinstitutions have achieved much. Research bodies,funding organisations, governments and individuals
have worked together admirably in recent decades
to promote greater European collaboration.

The establishment of a European Research Area is agoal shared amongst scientific and political entities.
Many initiatives have been undertaken by both European and, especially, national research organisations.
Widespread agreement on objectives is not, however,entirely matched by agreement on methodologies,
funding mechanisms and the relationships between
existing funding bodies and those that are envisaged.

Europe is characterised and strengthened by its
unique diversity, whether social, political or cultural.
Such diversity brings with it both challenge, whichmust be met, and opportunity, which ought to be
maximised. Nowhere is opportunity more apparent
than within the concept of a common European Research Area.

What would a common European Research Area look
like in detail? What contribution would be made bynational funding organisations, and what scope would
they have relative to European funding organisations?

Position and Outlook“The frontiers of science transcend							 political boundaries.”

Compounding this question are the differences insize, responsibility, internal culture and other particulars of the various national bodies.
Establishing a European Research Area is inevitably
a multi-dimensional process. Success will depend
upon an integrated approach that encompasses manyfactors: from improved collaboration of researchers
in different countries and the meshing of national
and international funding bodies, to the expansion ofexisting institutions such as the European ResearchCouncil.

The DFG has been active in all of these fields formany years – with great success – and has alreadypositioned itself firmly within the emerging European Research Area. This document outlines the key
points of the DFG’s European strategy. It argues thatthe objectives of a European Research Area, such asincreased mobility and synergy, harmonised quality standards, and invigorated competition, should
proceed from a bottom-up perspective. Progress depends upon the plurality of funding opportunities at
the national and European levels being expanded
across the board.

		Matthias Kleiner

5Content

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Position and Outlook

The DFG in the European Research Area (ERA):
Six Objectives

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I. The DFG in the Context of Current
Funding Structures in Europe

II. Current Developments and Outlook

1. Summary

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1. EUROHORCs and ESF Road Map25

1.1 At the national level
1.2 At the bilateral/multilateral level
1.3 As a representative of German scienceat the European level			

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12
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1.1 Background
1.2 What the Road Map contains25
25

2. Current Developments in EU Research Policy

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2. The European Research Area from the DFG’s
Perspective

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		What are the DFG’s objectives
in shaping the ERA?

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3. The ESF’s Role in the European Research Area

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3.1 The ESF’s programme portfolio
3.2 Interaction between the DFG and the ESF:
Problematic areas and prospects

15
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4. The DFG and the ERC in Europe

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		The DFG’s role in the future
development of the ERC 
5. The DFG’s European Research Activities 
at Present

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DACH
Network of partner organisations from
Germany (D, DFG), Austria (A, FWF)
and Switzerland (CH, SNF)
ERA
European Research Area
ERC
European Research Council, Brussels
ESF
European Science Foundation, Strasbourg
EUROHORCs
European Heads of Research Councils

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The DFG in the European Research Area (ERA): Six Objectives
The DFG acts in several major capacities: as a national funding organisation, as a partner in bilateral and multilateral networks, and as an advocate of German science in Europe. Within this framework, the DFG will pursue
six overall objectives in the coming years:

1) Expand bilateral and multilateral activities
The DFG’s bilateral and multilateral activities typically stem from bottom-up processes. These are set tobecome increasingly important in the future, as they
permit rapid and flexible funding opportunities. The
DFG currently has a broad spectrum of bilateral andmultilateral programmes.
In addition to the specific provision of funding, bilateral and multilateral collaboration also gives the DFG
the opportunity to optimise its own standards as aresult of dialogue with its partners, and to promote theinternationalisation of such programmes. The DFG
will continue to back the expansion of cooperation
with its European partner organisations, particularlyon the basis of the “Road Map to Excellence in Science” proposed by the European Heads of ResearchCouncils (EUROHORCs) and the European Science
Foundation (ESF).
2) Attract the best minds
To maintain and improve their competitiveness, German research institutions need to recruit the world’s
very best researchers and scientists. The DFG will
therefore use its wide range of funding opportunities to help attract this sought-after target group toGermany and to retain them in Germany over thelong term.
83) Enhance the role of the European Science
Foundation
The ESF, as a member organisation, can play an important role in terms of liaising and coordinating within the ERA, especially in instances where joint action
by research and funding organisations exceeds thelevel of bilateral cooperation. The ESF can continue
contributing to the implementation of research-led
standards, and to harmonising Europe-wide peer
review and decision-making processes. Promptedby criticism of the ESF in recent years, the DFG will
work, in cooperation with the EUROHORCs, to accelerate the consolidation of the ESF and to enhance
its profile, efficiency and effectiveness.

4) Represent the interests of German university
research in the European Union (EU)As the central funding body for university researchand the largest funding organisation for basic research in Germany, the DFG represents the entire
German scientific community. It is thus dedicatedto representing the interests of German university
research before the European Commission, in consultation with the German Rectors’ Conference, theGerman Federal Ministry of Education and Researchand other key players.

5) Participate in the creation of EU frameworkprogrammes
Where the EU funds basic research and research
infrastructures, the DFG will continue to push for acommitment to excellence, transparency and appropriate competition. The ERC was established under
the Seventh EU Framework Programme for Research
and Technological Development (FP7) as a sciencedriven institution for funding basic research. The
development of the ERC includes, most importantly,
the reorganisation of its structures as well as adaptation of its funding programmes.
6) Capitalise upon the competitive impetus of theEuropean Research Council (ERC)
The DFG is dedicated to promoting the best researchers under the best conditions. The ERC strives toattain this goal as well. The DFG welcomes ERC
funding as a supplemental element to fostering competition and argues in favour of the plurality of funding opportunities and against a division of labour inrelation to the ERC. The DFG regards the ERC as an
instrument for providing additional funding opportunities to attract outstanding researchers to Germany
and as a platform to facilitate robust evaluation standards throughout Europe.

9I. The DFG in the Context of Current
Funding Structures in Europe

10Position and Outlook

1. Summary

The DFG has been active in Europe for many years
as a national research funding organisation. Its European activities have always been designed to promote
German science and research on the global playing
field, and to enhance its international position. In
doing so, the DFG supports increased cooperation
between researchers as well as greater mobility of
researchers, both in Europe and worldwide.
The DFG is active at three levels:• The DFG acts as a national funding organisation.
• The DFG acts as a partner in bilateral and multilateral networks with other scientific organisations in
Europe.

1.1 At the national level• The DFG serves as a self-governing organisation for
the entire German research community with its various research disciplines, representing their interestsand promoting them in a competitive manner. The
DFG funds international/European research projects
on the same basis.
• The DFG cooperates closely with other German research organisations and research funding bodies
with regard to European research policy and European research funding.

• The DFG represents the interests of the German scientific community before European institutions (suchas the European Council, Commission and Parliament).

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The DFG and the European Research Area

1.2 At the bilateral/multilateral level• The DFG enters into agreements with European partner organisations (in addition to funding international/European projects) so as to facilitate researchcooperation by and with German researchers.
• The DFG, as a member organisation of the ESF, develops joint positions, objectives and actions.
• The DFG, as a member organisation of the ESF, supports international funding programmes and review
processes.
• The DFG, as a member of EUROHORCs, develops
joint objectives and actions for advancing the European Research Area (ERA), in partnership with theobjectives of the Commission, in particular the ERC.
• The DFG, as a member of EUROHORCs, interacts
with other bodies involved in research policy issues
at the EU level (such as the European Commission,
the European Parliament, etc.) in order to contributeto political decision-making.

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1.3 As a representative of German science at theEuropean level• The DFG enters into dialogue with the European
member states and the European Parliament to contribute to the development of European research policy (such as the legal framework for operating research
infrastructure, research visas, earmarking of funds
from the European Structural Fund for research, etc.).
• The DFG exerts influence on the European Commission in the development of the framework programme
and the associated funding programmes, which areintended to promote international research collaboration, foster young researchers and strengthen European research infrastructure.
• The DFG supports the development of the ERC as ascience-driven Europe-wide funding organisation forbasic research (as part of FP7).
• The DFG supports the expansion of the ERC as asupranational partner organisation because it holds
excellence to be the sole funding criterion and because it is committed to an independent and transparent peer review process.

Position and Outlook

2. The European Research Area from the DFG’s Perspective

In 2000 the member states of the EU passed the Lisbon Agenda. The aim of this agenda was, and is,
to make the EU the most dynamic and competitive
knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010.
The creation of a single ERA takes top priority for theEuropean heads of state and government in attaining
this ambitious goal. Excellent science and research
are a precondition for innovation and economic prosperity in Europe.
The ERA concept provides the DFG’s funding activities at a European level with a new dynamism andGerman research with new impetus. The DFG therefore supports the political concept behind the ERA
and is actively involved in its design.
What are the DFG’s objectives in shaping the ERA?
From the European Commission’s point of view, oneof the main objectives of the ERA is to overcome thefragmented nature of the European research landscape. The DFG sees fragmentation as a challengethat stems from European diversity. This challengemust be answered effectively if researchers are to
enjoy full and fruitful mobility.1
1

Fragmentation must be sufficiently overcome so thata “critical mass” is attained, and bilateral and multilateral synergies are optimised along with international competition. Under these conditions the ERA
will propel Europe into the forefront of global science.
Diversity is one of Europe’s most significant strengths
and a source of great potential. Fragmentation, therefore, must not be overcome at the price of those productive features that allow national funding organisations to respond with speed and flexibility to topicaldevelopments.
The ERA enjoys notable advantages in recruiting thebest researchers and scientists, in adding to the appeal of key locations and in its potential for a highly
efficient research environment. It will be necessary,
therefore, to strike the right balance between centralised coordination by the European Commission(primarily through FP7) and the decentralised, purely
research-led work of the national research (funding)organisations.

The DFG has a direct impact on mobility by way of the “Money Follows
Researcher” instrument. As far as other hurdles to mobility are concerned(university appointment procedures, employment and working conditions, portability of social security benefits, etc.), the DFG is only able
to have an indirect effect.

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Position and Outlook

3. The ESF’s Role in the European Research Area

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As a science-driven organisation, the ESF has animportant role to play in augmenting European research policy and funding activities. The ESF should
consolidate its position as the “voice of science inEurope” with respect to political players and the
ERC. This function is especially important for thosecountries that lack a self-governed research fundingorganisation that is both independent and internationally active (such as exists in Germany). The ESF
guarantees researchers in these countries a politicallyindependent and purely scientific assessment, as wellas high-quality peer review of research cooperation
within Europe. For such ventures the ESF provides a
crucial liaison and coordination service and can thus
assist in implementing research-led standards and aharmonised Europe-wide peer review and decisionmaking process.2

3.1 The ESF’s programme portfolio

In parallel to the Lead Agency procedure (for details on the Lead Agency
procedure, see section 5); this section applies only to the ESF’s own
procedures

3

A total of 53 proposals were received in 2005, 47 in 2006, 33 in 2007 and
38 in 2008.

4

The number of individual projects per topic is typically 20 to 30.

In 2002 the ESF began soliciting proposals for the European Collaborative Research Programmes (EUROCORES) scheme. This scheme is the only European
interdisciplinary coordinated funding programme
operating on a multilateral level within the ERA,
similar to the DFG’s Priority Programmes. The numberof proposals submitted in the framework of this programme has remained high ever since 2005 (whenproposals were first solicited from all scientific areas).3
Following a rigorous review process carried out by
the ESF, and subsequent assessment by the DFG, anaverage of approx. €1.5 million is contributed to each
EUROCORES programme by the DFG.4
On the basis of the evaluation report by the EUROCORES Scheme Review Panel and its approval by
the ESF Governing Council in September 2007, theDFG supports the idea of enabling the ESF to financeindividual projects of upcoming EUROCORES programmes – in the medium term – via a “common pot”
funding mechanism.

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The DFG and the European Research Area

This administrative change would create an opportunity for the ESF to directly fund those individual
projects that have been selected by the respective
multilateral ESF EUROCORES panel. The DFG believes that the credibility of the ESF’s advisory function in policy matters can only work on the basis oftransparent, direct and reliable funding allocation,
as directed by the ESF and founded on the quality
assurance provided by its members. The DFG plansto address the issue of common-pot funding by the
ESF as soon as possible in order to be able to keep
to the originally envisaged implementation deadlineof five years.5
The DFG believes consideration should be given
to balancing topical EUROCORES programmeswith broad, coordinated, non-topical research programmes. This change would contribute to greater
flexibility of European research funding.6
The networking instruments such as “Forward Looks”
and “Research Networking Programmes” are important elements of the ESF’s programme portfolio
because they provide a pathway that could ultimately
lead to proposals for the establishment of funding
themes, given successful researcher networking.

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5

The evaluation report by the EUROCORES Scheme Evaluation Panelwas presented to the Joint Committee at its session on 03/03/2007 andthe findings were reported. The ESF is currently working on developing
new funding mechanisms that will replace the “à la carte” model.

6

An example of topically independent funding is the ECRP (European
Collaborative Research Projects in the Social Sciences) programme,
which has so far been limited to the social sciences.

The activities of COST, an intergovernmental networking agency, will be evaluated to identify possible programme redundancy to the ESF portfolioand subsequently amended if necessary. Since theadministration and drain of the COST funds (currently
part of FP7) is guaranteed by the ESF head office, the
ESF’s member organisations should play an expanded
role in this process. The DFG is open to dialogue on
ways of solving this issue.
The DFG supports the involvement of non-European
funding organisations (such as the National Science
Foundation) in ESF programmes, especially in EUROCORES. It will continue its participation in the debate
regarding the prospects for collaboration between the
ESF and any other potential sources of funding (suchas the European Commission). The DFG will maintain its position that, fundamentally, all ESF activities
should be initiated by the scientific community or oneof the ESF’s member organisations. Such a strategy
helps to preserve the ESF’s role as a research-led
organisation for research (funding) bodies in Europe.

Position and Outlook

3.2 Interaction between the DFG and the ESF:
Problematic areas and prospects
A number of insights have been gained from theintensive collaboration between the ESF and its members, relating in particular to the following issues:• The 80 member organisations of the ESF (academies,
funding organisations and performing agencies) experience a high degree of managerial and worker turnover. This hinders the relationship between ESF management and representatives of member organisations
by encouraging redundancy in dialogue on strategic
goals and the fine tuning of the ESF’s programme
portfolio – in the Governing Council, for instance.

The DFG will continue to monitor the developmentof the ESF critically and constructively in order to enhance the ESF’s position as an important player in the
ERA. The DFG recognises the progress made by the
ESF, especially since 2004, in its efforts to develop a
programme portfolio that is appealing to the scientificcommunity, an efficient management structure andan even closer accord with its member organisations.

• This, and the disparity in programmes offered by the
ESF’s members, can also occasionally lead to long anddrawn-out decision-making processes. The Governing Council, Science Advisory Board and Standing
Committees should strive to collaborate more closelyand efficiently in the future.
• The Standing Committees, as representatives of thescientific community, are unwieldy.7 They are notadequately involved in strategic decisions made by
the ESF, although the installation of committee chairson the Science Advisory Board in 2006 was a usefulstep towards closer cooperation with the ESF’s executive committees.

7

Each country that is a member has at least one representative on eachstanding committee.

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Position and Outlook

4. The DFG and the ERC in Europe

The DFG has supported the establishment of the
ERC from the outset. The ERC’s commitment to ascience-driven competitive funding system was not
only a prerequisite to, but also a result of the DFG’sendorsement. The DFG supports the ERC for two
main reasons: first, in order to increase competition
among both European researchers and research sites
and expand funding opportunities for researchersin Germany; second, because the ERC is a suitable
instrument for developing international peer review
as well as high-quality evaluation and funding standards throughout Europe. The DFG will continue to be
actively involved in the development of the ERC, bothin terms of its programme portfolio and its administrative structure (executive agency).
The DFG offers a broad funding portfolio catering to
the specific needs of researchers of all ages and levelsof experience, starting from young scientists throughto large research networks. As a national fundingorganisation, the DFG’s strength derives from theclose integration of its statutory bodies and its head
office with the scientific communities. Its knowledgeof these communities is intimate, enabling the DFG
to provide in-depth advice and continuous support
that meets the needs of the researchers and research
institutions. In addition the DFG is able to identify
emerging needs for research funding quickly and toadjust its funding instruments in a flexible manner.

The DFG represents a type of politically independent funding organisation that many other European
countries do not have. This advantage needs to be
reinforced and strengthened in the future, meaningthat the DFG will have to retain its full portfolio, andmay even need to expand it. This is precisely where
the DFG’s two-pronged objective becomes apparent:
whilst cooperating with other national and European
players in order to enable the ERC to play an important role within a common research area, the DFG willat the same time take advantage of its unique positionin order to strengthen German science and research.
Although both organisations share the same objective– which is to support researchers solely on the basisof scientific excellence – the ERC and the DFG are
not directly competing with each other. Rather, bothorganisations fulfil their specific roles which derivefrom complementary, though not interchangeable,
objectives. Therefore, there is no need for any divisionof labour. The differences between the two institutions are not based on a simple allocation of target
groups or funding programmes. Instead, they arise
from each organisation’s different scope, the abilityof each to integrate the scientific communities, andthe capacity of each to individually support scientists
and provide continuous funding.

19The DFG and the European Research Area

The DFG’s role in the future developmentof the ERC

It would be improper to automatically construe existing or future programme overlap between the DFG
and the ERC as poor coordination. Rather, functionallyseparated responsibilities taken by the ERC and the
DFG should be understood as elements of a common
ERA context. The fact that both organisations offer
complementary programmes provides ideal conditions for researchers: it enables them to compete for
additional European funding, which in turn strengthens the competitiveness of national research. ERC
grants are a suitable instrument for supporting theinternationalisation of research institutions. Scientists
funded by an ERC grant benefit German research.
They increase the visibility and attractiveness of German research facilities and can thus make a significant contribution towards the internationalisation of
those institutions. Therefore, the DFG encourages
outstanding scientists of all disciplines to apply for
ERC grants in this international competition. The DFG
and the German Federal Ministry of Education andResearch, as the joint National Contact Point, assist
researchers and research institutions in their ERC
applications by providing information and advice.

The development of the ERC includes, most importantly, the reorganisation of its structures as well as
adaptation of its funding programmes. This applies
in particular to the governance structure and the interaction between its Scientific Council, the Steering
Committee of the Executive Agency and the ERC’s
head office.
As the largest independent funding organisation forbasic research in Germany, the DFG represents all
scientific communities and is the central funding bodyfor university research. The DFG’s role in helping tofurther develop the ERC should therefore be given
even greater weight by the German government.8
Thus, the DFG will represent the interests of German
university research before the European Commission,in consultation with the German Rectors’ Conference,
the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and other key players.
Its aims in doing so are the science-driven development of the ERC’s programme portfolio, increased effectiveness of its peer review and funding procedures,
as well as the enhancement of the ERC’s administrative and legal structures.

820

An initial step in this direction is the common assumption of the responsibilities in the ERC’s programmes committee by the DFG and theGerman Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Position and Outlook

Promotion of German research to the European Commission and national governments requires consultation between European and national research organisations for the sake of a unified position (such as in thecontext of EUROHORCs and the ESF). Consequently,
the ERC should also engage in such institutionalised
dialogue with national and transnational partner organisations.

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Position and Outlook

5. The DFG’s European Research Activities at Present

Through the joint programmes it conducts with partner organisations in other European countries, bothbilaterally and multilaterally, the DFG has developed
international peer review and decision-making processes that adhere to the criteria of scientific excellence and are openly and internationally competitive.
In spite of continuing disparities in funding portfoliosof European research funding bodies such as the ERC,
the DFG’s national activities as well as the bilateraland multilateral activities conducted by the DFG and
its partners will all continue to play decisive roles in
the future development of the ERA.
For the DFG, bilateral and multilateral cooperation
provides an opportunity to further optimise its own
standards and promote them internationally. This
two-pronged approach is necessary in the long termin order to allow the diversity needed to meet the
specific needs of all parties involved based on an
intimate knowledge of national research facilities.
Funding organisations such as the ERC or the European Commission are unlikely to meet this need.
The broad spectrum of bilateral and multilateral programmes that exists at present is the result of gradualbottom-up processes. It warrants consolidation andthe identification of best-practice models.

A consolidation of the administration and peer review process of individual funding proposals has
already taken place under the DACH scheme. With
the signing of the agreement on the “Lead Agency”
procedure, the parties have agreed to the unilateraladministration and mutual recognition of peer reviews. In practical terms, this means that a bilateral ortrilateral DACH project is only reviewed by a single
funding organisation (the “lead agency”). All of theorganisations involved have the opportunity to nominate their own peer reviewers, and the outcome ofthe peer review is submitted to the partner organisations as a funding recommendation. If the proposal isaccepted, the researchers involved in the project arethen financed by their own country’s funding organisation. However, each organisation retains the rightto reject the funding recommendation, although thiscan only be done by the highest relevant decisionmaking body. Its reasons are then communicated to
the lead agency, which is free to respond.

23II. Current Developments
and Outlook

As the ERA continues to advance, the DFG will continually need to reposition itself
at all three levels described above: as a funding organisation, as a partner in bilateral and multilateral networks and as an advocate of the interests of the Germanscientific community in Europe. This applies, in particular, to the latest conceptionsof ERA and EU funding.

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Position and Outlook

1. EUROHORCs and ESF Road Map

1.1 Background
In April 2007 the European Commission publisheda green paper outlining the future development of
the ERA (“The European Research Area: New Perspectives”). This initiated a Europe-wide debate, in
response to which EUROHORCs and the ESF drew
up a joint statement containing the announcement ofa road map that will help to implement an independent “ERA vision”, reflecting the point of view of theresearch (funding) organisations.

1.2 What the Road Map contains
The Road Map was approved by the EUROHORCs
General Assembly and the ESF Governing Council
in April 2009. The Road Map specifies ten key areasof activity on which the member organisations are toconcentrate over the next ten years at most. The DFG,
for example, will be responsible for the transformationof the ERA into a “European Research Grant Union”.
The conversion of the ERA into a European Research
Grant Union aims to facilitate international researchthroughout Europe and ensure the highest level ofmobility possible. This will involve further expansionof the EUROHORCs “Money Follows Researcher” instrument as well as the “Money Follows Cooperation”
instrument, which has so far only been used under
the DACH scheme in the form of a memorandum of
understanding, encompassing all of the EUROHORCs
partner organisations (2009). In addition, it is expected that the new lead agency procedure will also be
extended to the whole of Europe under EUROHORCs
following its trial period (2010). The ultimate vision isfor research grants to be mutually recognised by all
stakeholders so that they can be used in whichevercountry the research work is then actually done.

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Position and Outlook

2. Current Developments in EU Research Policy

Since the ERA concept was first published in 2000,
the EU’s research policy has been increasingly focussed on the integration and coordination of researchfunding activities. This has been accompanied by aparadigm shift in the EU’s research funding system.
The European Commission now aims to outsource
day-to-day operational tasks to independent bodies,while the Directorate-General for Research, as a“European Research Ministry”, will concentrate on
creating the right legal and political conditions for the
ERA. Parallel to delegating the management of individual projects to project management organisations(such as executive agencies belonging to the ERC orfor Marie Curie Actions), the Commission will coordinate national and European research investment, forexample in European research infrastructure (ESFRI).
The Commission’s current proposal for joint programming expands its responsibilities regarding coordinating existing, jointly funded programmes and initiating
new joint ventures.

The Commission hopes that this initiative will continue to heighten the coordination of national funding
programmes that began with ERA-NET. The main
focus of joint programming is on scientific (and/or
social) topics or challenges that exceed the researchfunding capacity of individual member states. The
Commission hopes that member states will participate
voluntarily and variously in defining and implementing research agendas in different areas. From the
DFG’s point of view it is important to work towards
ensuring that the selection of the topics addressed
and the management of joint programming take place
according to a science-driven process.
The inclusion of the ERC in the Seventh EU Framework Programme for Research and Technological
Development has opened up new and attractive funding opportunities for basic research at the European
level, especially at universities. At the same time,
inclusion of the ERC has firmly and fully establishedthe principles of competition and excellence within
FP7 for the first time.

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The DFG and the European Research Area

Further intensification of European funding of basic
research requires, on the one hand, an increase in theamount of funding available and, on the other hand,the structural development of the funding organisation responsible for allocating those funds (the ERC).
The member states therefore need to strive to increase
the ERC’s budget in future negotiations concerning
the financial framework of the EU after 2013. At thesame time, the Seventh Framework Programme callsfor evaluation of the ERC’s structures (executive agency) and mechanisms (funding programmes). Theseevaluations should be used to help the ERC become
a completely autonomous and purely science-driven
funding organisation.
In developing future EU research funding programmes, the DFG deems it essential to concentrateon transferring responsibility for future expansion ofbasic research in Europe to research-led governancestructures. The evaluation of the ERC may provide
the necessary political momentum to establish basic
research within the EU upon a secure foundation ofscientific autonomy.

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The DFG and the European Research Area

Picture Credits
Title, p. 10, p. 14, p. 29: Bosse und Meinhard Wissenschaftskommunikation; p. 4: Lichtenscheidt / DFG; p. 6: Norbert
Tacken/imagepoint; p. 8 / 9: fotolia; p. 18: f1-online / Fancy;
p. 22: John-Patrick Morarescu, WestEnd61; p. 24: imagepoint; p. 26: Silke Schäfer, imagepoint;30

Position and Outlook

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