Archive:Science, technology and digital society statistics introduced
Research and development (R&D) is often considered as a primary driving force for economic growth, job creation, innovation, and the subsequent increases in the quality of products.
The 'Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7)' is the main instrument of the European Union for funding research in Europe. FP7 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 across Europe, usually through co-financing research, technological development and demonstration projects. Grants are determined on the basis of responses to calls for proposals and a peer review process. The main aims of FP7 are to increase Europe’s economic growth, competitiveness and employment. FP7 is made up of four broad programmes (Co-operation, Ideas, People and Capacities). There is also a fifth specific Euratom FP7 programme on nuclear research. The 10 thematic areas covered by FP7's Co-operation programme 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;
- security.
FP7 works in close co-operation with other sources of European funding for R&D and innovation, including the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme, educational and training programmes, as well as regional development initiatives funded by structural and cohesion funds.
In 2000, the EU decided to create the European Research Area (ERA) to build a unified area for research across Europe. The ERA 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;
- optimize 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 in 2007 to discuss what should be done to create a more unified and attractive research area that can 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. These included an enhanced political governance of ERA (the ’Ljubljana Process’), as well as specific initiatives for five different areas:
- researchers’ careers and mobility;
- research infrastructures;
- knowledge sharing;
- research programmes;
- international science and technology co-operation.
Information technology develops on a daily basis, and it may be argued that a society’s wealth and economic growth are, to an increasing 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 i2010 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.