The objective of the European Union’s research policy is to organise cooperation at different levels, coordinate national and European policies, encourage the networking of research teams and increase the mobility of individuals and ideas in order to reinforce European competitiveness.

Science, research and technological development all help deliver jobs, prosperity and quality of life and current European research efforts and cooperation are focussed on creating growth and jobs. The EU’s goal is to bring research and development investment to an average of 3 percent of national GDP by 2010, as a part of the union’s Lisbon strategy for growth and competitiveness.

The UK's approach to EU research policy is co-ordinated jointly by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS). We believe that Europe must, as a whole, invest more in research and development (R&D) if we are to keep up with most other major world economies such as the US and Japan. Stimulating private R&D will also improve the underlying conditions for innovation and entreneurship, especiialy for small and medium sized enterprises.

During the French Presidency in 2008, we expect the EU to focus on taking forward action to promote availability and dissemination of creative content across the EU. The European Commission set out possible action in this field in January 2008 and we expect Member States focus on issues relating to digital rights management, multi-territory licensing of copyright protected works, the development of new business models and actions to tackle piracy and infringement with an emphasis on soft law and best practice initiatives rather than new regulation. The UK Government recognises the importance of these issues – for consumers and for rights holders – but we must encourage the market to develop its own solutions, and avoid unnecessary intervention.

 

Seventh Framework Programme

 

The EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) for Research and Technological Development is the primary tool for delivering the EU's aim of strengthening research. This programme, which runs from 2007 to 2013 with a budget of €53 billion, supports and encourages collaborative, trans-national research and technological development across the European Union. It is intended to focus on selected priority areas so that the EU continues to be or becomes a world leader in those sectors and as well as responding to Europe’s employment needs and competitiveness.

DIUS is responsible for overseeing UK participation in the Seventh Framework and for  UK involvement in the COST (European Cooperation in the field of Science and Technology) scheme.