International cooperation in research and innovation

 

SUMMARY OF:

Communication (COM(2012) 497 final) — the EU’s strategic approach to international cooperation in research and innovation

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE COMMUNICATION?

• It proposes to enhance and focus the European Union’s (EU) international cooperation activities in research and innovation using a dual approach.
• The dual approach of openness complemented by targeted international cooperation activities will be developed on the basis of common interest and mutual benefit, optimal scale and scope, partnership, and synergy.

KEY POINTS

• The EU needs to maintain its world lead in research and innovation. As more research and innovation is performed in non-EU countries, the EU will need to access this knowledge.
• To remain a major global player, the EU must promote itself as an attractive location for carrying out research and innovation and be successful in the global competition for talent, while at the same time preserving its economic interests.
• The EU needs to strengthen its dialogue with international partners to build critical mass for tackling global challenges.
• International cooperation activities in research and innovation will be developed in close coordination with the EU’s external policies and instruments.
• The EU, as well as EU countries need to coordinate their respective activities, so as to ensure that national and EU policies are mutually consistent.

The objectives of EU-international cooperation in research and innovation are:

• 1.

  Strengthening the EU’s excellence and attractiveness in research and innovation, as well as its economic and industrial competitiveness, by:

  • creating win-win situations and cooperating on the basis of mutual benefit;
  • accessing sources of knowledge outside the EU;
  • attracting talent and investment to the EU;
  • facilitating access to new and emerging markets; and
  • agreeing on common practices for conducting research and exploiting the results.

• 2.

  Tackling global societal challenges by:

  • developing and deploying effective solutions more rapidly; and
  • optimising the use of research infrastructures.

• 3.

  Supporting the EU’s external policies by:

  • coordinating closely with enlargement, neighbourhood, trade, common foreign and security policy, humanitarian aid and development policies and making research and innovation an integral part of a comprehensive package of external action.

‘ Science diplomacy ’ will use international cooperation in research and innovation as a way of improving relations with key countries and regions. Good international relations may, in turn, lead to effective cooperation in research and innovation.

This new strategy for international cooperation in research and innovation is characterised by:

• Horizon 2020 being fully open to non-EU participants, allowing EU researchers to cooperate with the best brains across the world;
• targeted international cooperation activities with the scale and scope necessary to maximise impact;
• the development of multiannual roadmaps for cooperation with key partner countries and regions;
• reinforcing the partnership between the European Commission, the EU countries and relevant stakeholders;
• promoting common principles for conducting international cooperation in research and innovation;
• enhancing the role of the EU in international organisations and multilateral fora;
• strengthening implementation, governance, monitoring and evaluation.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

• ‘Research and Innovation — International Cooperation — Policy Framework’ on the European Commission's website.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — Enhancing and focusing EU international cooperation in research and innovation: A strategic approach (COM(2012) 497 final, 14.9.2012)

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Commission Staff Working Document Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions — Enhancing and focusing EU international cooperation: A strategic approach (SWD(2012) 258 final, 14.9.2012)

Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing Horizon 2020 — the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020) and repealing Decision No 1982/2006/EC (OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, pp. 104–173)

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 have been incorporated in the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Report on the implementation of the strategy for international cooperation in research and innovation (COM(2014) 567 final, 11.9.2014)

Commission Staff Working Document Roadmaps for international cooperation Accompanying the document Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Report on the implementation of the strategy for international cooperation in research and innovation (SWD (2014) 276 final, 11.9.2014)

Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Implementation of the strategy for international cooperation in research and innovation (COM(2016) 657 final, 13.10.2016)

Commission Staff Working Document; Priorities for international cooperation in research and innovation Accompanying the document Report from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Implementation of the strategy for international cooperation in research and innovation (SWD(2016) 329 final, 13.10.2016)

last update 07.12.2016