Commission Communication on Joint Programming Sep 02, 2008
Common problems need common solutions! Commission proposes to Member States to jointly address major societal challenges
The Communication sets out an ambitious new approach for making better use of Europe's limited public R&D funds through enhanced cooperation. The new initiative it proposes – namely Joint Programming – marks a change in European research cooperation. By enhancing cooperation among those that develop and manage research programmes, it aims to increase the efficiency and impact of national public research funding in strategic areas.
The European Commission recently adopted the communication "Towards joint programming in research: working together to
tackle
common challenges more effectively". The communication proposes that EU
Member States programme their research and technological development
activities together to address major societal challenges common to
several or all Member States. The Commission recommendation would thus
lead to joint programming initiatives, possibly involving EU funding
but mainly consisting in the joint development of research agendas and
evaluation of the results. Participation in joint programming would be
voluntary and would involve the Member States interested in each
specific initiative.
The communication will now be discussed by the
Council of Ministers. If it is adopted, the first joint programming
initiatives are
expected to start by 2010.
