EC: Investment in research and innovation boosts EU science

Investment in research and innovation from the EU budget between 2007 and 2013 has greatly improved scientific excellence in Europe and strengthened its competitiveness by improving industry’s capacity to innovate, report finds.

The ex-post evaluation FP7, EU research funding programme for 2007-2013, shows that the €55 billion invested over 7 years into EU’s research and innovation proved highly attractive to private sector participants, including a record number of SMEs, which helped strengthen competitiveness of European industries.

On this basis, the Commission has also drawn recommendations to be integrated into Horizon 2020, the current EU research and innovation funding programme.

Carlos Moedas, Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, said: “Independent experts have confirmed that our research and innovation investments are supporting world class science and improving our citizen’s welfare. We are now using the lessons learned to further improve Horizon 2020, the new EU research and innovation funding programme, and make it simpler, more effective and more focused on finding innovative solutions to benefit our society and economy.”

According to the European Commission, the 7th Framework Programme (FP7) projects have so far generated over 170,000 publications, with an open access rate of 54% for all scientific peer reviewed publications created during the lifetime of FP7.

From the total budget of €55 billion for the programme, 82% (€45 billion) has been allocated in open calls in the four specific programmes (€28.7 billion Cooperation, € 7.7 billion Ideas, €4.8 billion People, €3.8 billion Capacities).

Euratom, JRC direct actions, ITER, the Risk Sharing Finance Facility were allocated 18%.

The Commission will present the results of the ex-post evaluation of FP7, alongside its response to the recommendations of the High-Level Expert Group, to the Member States at the Informal Competitiveness Council in Amsterdam on January 27, 2016, as well as to the ITRE Committee in the European Parliament on January 28, 2016.

Horizon 2020, the successor research and innovation programme to FP7, runs from 2014 to 2020.

Over the seven years, the programme will make available €77 billion in funding for research and innovation, an almost 40% increase on FP7 in current prices.