Research is becoming increasingly important for employment and for the renewal of society in an economically sustainable direction. Furthermore, since EU research programmes are already open to European candidate countries and non-members, they are actively contributing to linking together the whole of Europe. The great challenge on the research policy agenda during the Swedish Presidency is on the one hand, to continue the work of realising the European research area, and on the other, to initiate work in the Council of Ministers by adopting a sixth framework programme for research and technological development - which itself represents the most important tool by which the European research area may be established. In addition, the agenda includes efforts to develop the conclusions of the Lisbon summit regarding the significance of research and technological development for economic development and social cohesion in time for the European Council meeting in Stockholm in March. At this meeting in Stockholm, the current progress of work in the creation of a European research area through voluntary collaboration and establishing networks will be presented.
Research policy is primarily a national sphere of responsibility.
Nevertheless, the research sector is an area of society in which globalisation is already very apparent, having had a long tradition of contacts across national borders. International collaboration has become increasingly important within the research sector over the years. Completely new perspectives for European research will be presented by the European research area - perspectives that I personally find extremely interesting and most stimulating. What it is about is for the Union to succeed in finding better methods of together using the enormous resources to which it has access by developing closer, more varied and more intensive voluntary systems for cooperation. It also involves finding ways to combine the need for, on the one hand, the highest scientific quality and a concentration of investment to vital cutting-edge sectors, with the need for investments covering the entire research policy field.