Council conclusions of 26 November 2002 on progress made in the development of the European research area and on providing it with new momentum
Date: 2002-11-26
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: EU Member State, EU research policy, cooperation policy, research programme, scientific cooperation

22.2.2003

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Official Journal of the European Union

C 43/1

I

(Information)

COUNCIL

COUNCIL CONCLUSIONS

of 26 November 2002

on progress made in the development of the European research area and on providing it with new
momentum

(2003/C 43/01)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

concerning the reinforcement of the mobility strategy within
the European Research Area (ERA) (3);

RECALLING the conclusions of the Lisbon European Council in
March 2000, which,
in the context of setting the strategic
target for the European Union to become the most competitive
knowledge-based society by 2010, and in underlining the
in
significant
generating
social
cohesion, asked the Council and the Commission, together
to take the
with the Member States where appropriate,
necessary steps as part of the establishment of a European
research area (ERA), including to:

role played by research and development
economic

employment

growth,

and

— develop appropriate mechanisms for networking national
research programmes on a voluntary basis

and joint
around freely chosen objectives,

— encourage the development of an open method of coor-
dination for benchmarking national research and devel-
opment policies,

— remove obstacles to the mobility of researchers in Europe;

the Barcelona European Council

RECALLING that
in March
2002 agreed that overall spending on R&D and innovation
in the Union should be increased with the aim of approaching
3 % of GDP by 2010, and that
this new
investment should come from the private sector; NOTING that
this initiative is an important element in contributing to the
successful implementation of the ERA;

two thirds of

RECALLING Council Resolution of 15 June 2000 on establishing
a European area of research and innovation (1), and Council
Regulation of 16 November 2000 on making a reality of the
European area of research and innovation: guidelines for the
European Union's research activities (2002-2006) (2) in which
it was considered that this must be the product of joint and
voluntary effort and partnership between the European Union,
the Member States,
the associated
countries and all scientific and technical research stakeholders,
as Council Resolution of 10 December 2001
as well

the applicant countries,

1. WELCOMES the submission of the Communication from
the Commission entitled ‘The European research area:
providing new momentum’;

2. WELCOMES the progress achieved in developing the ERA,
in areas such as benchmarking, networking and mutual
opening up of national programmes, while noting the
structural differences in Member States, as well as the
varying pace of advance
its
different aspects;

application of

in the

3. WELCOMES

the

adoption of

Sixth Framework
Programme as an important and innovative strategic tool
having a structuring effect on research and technological
development
in Europe and contributing to making a
reality of the ERA;

the

4. WELCOMES efforts currently being undertaken in the
context of ERA to achieve closer
linkage with other
European cooperation initiatives such as COST, Eureka
and ESF, with a view to creating synergies while respecting
their complementary roles;

5. AFFIRMS that a continuing strong commitment of

the
Member States is necessary for the successful implemen-
tation of the ERA;

6. REAFFIRMS, in accordance with Article 165 of the Treaty
establishing the European Community, the importance that
the Community and the Member States coordinate their
research and technological development activities so as to
ensure that national policies and Community policy are
mutually consistent and CONSIDERS that, while fully
respecting the principle of subsidiarity, this coordination
should take place at the national and European level;

(1) OJ C 205, 19.7.2000, p. 1.
(2) OJ C 374, 28.12.2000, p. 1.

(3) OJ C 367, 21.12.2001, p. 1.

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Official Journal of the European Union

22.2.2003

7. CONSIDERS that for achieving the objectives of the ERA, as
agreed in the Lisbon 2000 European Council conclusions,
a method of open coordination on a voluntary basis could
be developed;

8. ACKNOWLEDGES in addition the possibility of using legal
measures where they can constitute the most appropriate
and effective means of achieving the objectives of the ERA,
such as in the field of Intellectual Property Rights and RTD
statistics;

9.

INVITES CREST to recommend appropriate measures for
strengthening the ongoing actions to advance the ERA,
in particular in its advisory capacity in relation to the
the Community
coordination of
the RTD activities of
and the Member States and in respect of
the role of
other European cooperation initiatives in the ERA;

10.

INVITES the Permanent Representatives Committee to study
further the Communication from the Commission, with a
view to assisting in the timely preparation of the necessary
input for the Spring 2003 European Council. It is invited
to pay particular attention to the following suggestions for
improving conditions for encouraging better coordination:

— examining, for achieving the objectives of ERA, the
concrete use of an open method of coordination in
accordance with the Lisbon 2000 Council conclusions,
based on joint and voluntary efforts and in full respect
of the principle of subsidiarity and the independent
role of national policies,

— strengthening the role of CREST in contributing to
improved coordination within the ERA, possibly by
reviewing its mandate and working methods,

— improving the mobility of researchers in the public and
private sectors in Europe by the further identification
and removal of persistent obstacles, where
such
obstacles span different policy areas, also taking into
account other issues arising from the development of
an effective mobility strategy for the ERA,

— measures to favour innovation in the ERA, so that
those who generate knowledge are brought together
with those who use, exploit and finance it, thus stimu-
lating the free movement of knowledge and inno-
vation;

11.

in collaboration with the
INVITES the Member States,
through CREST and other
Commission where relevant
appropriate existing bodies,
to strengthen the actions
being undertaken to develop the ERA further, in particular
by:

— improving

career

researchers,
development
including issues such as recruitment and retention of
researchers,

for

— facilitating or

continuing to facilitate

entry and

residence for researchers from third countries,

— encouraging national research organisations in Europe
to coordinate their activities, while taking advantage of
opportunities existing in the Framework Programme,
as well as strengthening cooperation at a strategic
level between managers of major national research
organisations by building upon existing forums,

— making fuller use of the possibilities offered by the
European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures
for consulting and advising the Member States and the
relevant European institutions,

— in cooperation with relevant national and European
research organisations, continuing discussions on the
purpose and scope of a European Research Council
and exploring options for its possible creation,

— putting in place

exchange of
information and cooperation on international scientific
cooperation policies,

a more

effective

— stimulating technological

innovation, utilisation of
research results,
transfer of knowledge and tech-
nologies and the setting up of technology businesses,

— exploring the means for transferring knowledge of
good practice and policies between regions in the
ERA, including the regions of the Candidate countries;

12.

to facilitate the examination of all

in consultation with relevant
INVITES the Commission,
stakeholders,
these
issues, and to report to Council before the end of 2003
on the progress made in developing the ERA, with special
emphasis on the issue of integrating other European coop-
eration initiatives.