Archive:Science, technology and digital society statistics introduced
Research and development (R & D) is often considered as a driving force behind economic growth, job creation, innovation, and the subsequent increasing quality of products.
The seventh framework programme for research and technological development (FP7) is the EU’s main instrument for funding research in Europe ; it runs from 2007-2013 and has a total budget of EUR 53 200 million. This money is generally intended to finance grants to research actors all over Europe, usually through co-financing research, technological development and demonstration projects. Grants are determined on the basis of calls for proposals and a peer review process. The main aims of FP7 are to increase Europe’s growth, competitiveness and employment. This is done through a number of initiatives and existing programmes including the competitiveness and innovation framework programme, educational and training programmes, as well as regional development through structural and cohesion funds. FP7 is made up of four broad programmes (cooperation, ideas, people and capacities) and a fifth specific programme on nuclear research. The ten thematic areas that are covered by FP7 cooperation include: health, food, agriculture and biotechnology, information and communication technologies, nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials and new production technologies, energy, environment, transport, socio-economic sciences and humanities, space and security.
In 2000, the EU decided to create the European Research Area (ERA): a unified area all across Europe, which should:
- enable researchers to move and interact seamlessly, benefit from world-class infrastructures and work with excellent networks of research institutions;
- share, teach, value and use knowledge effectively for social, business and policy purposes;
- optimise and open European, national and regional research programmes in order to support the best research throughout Europe and coordinate these programmes to address major challenges together;
- develop strong links with partners around the world so that Europe benefits from the worldwide progress of knowledge, contributes to global development and takes a leading role in international initiatives to solve global issues.
A debate was conducted during 2007 on what should be done to create a more unified and attractive research area to meet the needs of business, the scientific community and citizens. The European Commission published a Green paper on the ERA reviewing progress made. In 2008 a new set of initiatives to develop the ERA were launched, including enhanced political governance of ERA, called the ’Ljubljana Process’, as well as specific initiatives for five different areas (researchers’ careers and mobility, research infrastructures, knowledge sharing, research programmes and international science and technology cooperation).
Information technology develops on a daily basis, and it may be argued that a society’s wealth and growth are, at least to some degree, based on its ability to handle information efficiently. Information technology is not only a technical phenomenon, it is a means of transforming the way in which people communicate, do business, and live their everyday lives. It holds enormous potential and opportunities for Europe’s economy and societies. The 2010 initiative is the European Commission’s strategic policy framework in this area, laying out broad policy guidelines for the information society and media in the years up to 2010. It is designed to promote an open and competitive digital economy, research into information and communication technologies, as well as their application to improve social inclusion, public services and the quality of life.
Further Eurostat information
Database
- Research and development
- Community innovation survey
- High-tech industry and knowledge-intensive services
- Patent statistics
- Human resources in science & technology
- Information society statistics