On 4 February 2011, the European Union's leaders gave a strong backing to the European Commission's Innovation Union blueprint, at the first European summit ever to discuss innovation in Europe.
This was a major achievement and as part of the drive to make the European Union a true Innovation Union, the EU has set the goal of giving Europe a world-beating science base, including by completing the European Research Area by 2014.
By achieving this an important boost could be given to cross-border co-operation between researchers, universities, research centres and industry. At the moment many opportunites are still being wasted because of obstacles to the movement of ideas and people.
You will find full information on the Innovation Union initiative on the dedicated Innovation Union website: http://ec.euorpa.eu/innovation-union
The European Commission also recently presented its Green Paper on the future of EU funding for research and innovation after FP7 ends in 2013.
The goal is to make life easier for researchers and innovators, attract more applicants and get even better results from EU funding for research and innovation. In other words more excellent science across Europe, more support for the competitiveness of our industries, more creation of growth and jobs and even bigger contribution to finding solutions to the key challenges that our society is facing.
The Green Paper launches a consultation on how we can achieve those aims in particular by simplfying and streamlining our European funding instruments and better complementing national and regional funding.
Please take an active part in this debate. You have until 20 May 2011 to read the Green Paper and coment on our proposals at : http://ec.europa.eu/research/csfri
Your views will help us develop the legislative proposal that the European Commission will put forward for the successor to FP7. The Commission aims to submit this proposal to the European Parliament and the Member States by the end of this year.
We are also looking for a new a new and improved name for what will be a new and improved funding system. Proposals are welcome via the web site: http://ec.europa.eu/research/younameit