Pandemic resilience, digital sovereignty and learning mobility among priorities for six-month term
Germany has revealed the priorities for its six-month term as holder of the presidency of the Council of the EU, which began on 1 July, looking to R&D and education to support the bloc as it recovers from Covid-19.
Presidencies coordinate the EU-related activities of member state governments on a rotating basis. Under the overarching motto “Together for Europe’s recovery”, the German presidency’s plans also emphasise the importance of digital sovereignty, as well as environmental and economic sustainability. Another, unsurprising, “major priority” is the conclusion of negotiations on the EU’s 2021-27 budget.
“European research and development play a key role in the prevention of and efforts to overcome healthcare crises,” the presidency programme says. It adds that the presidency therefore wants to make the European Research Area initiative for knowledge and researcher circulation “even more dynamic and targeted in a spirit of solidarity with respect to tackling the pandemic”.
As previously reported by Research Professional News, the presidency confirmed that in the context of the ERA it wants to launch initiatives on green hydrogen and pandemic resilience, as well as civic participation and international cooperation.
To equip people for environmental and digital transformations, the presidency wants to promote cross-border cooperation on vocational training and recognition of educational qualifications, including “excellent vocational training at university level”. It also wants “particular efforts in the expansion of digital education”.
The presidency said it also backs the European Commission’s Beating Cancer Plan, which aims to advance the prevention and treatment of cancer, and will support a planned R&D mission on cancer, one of five missions proposed for the next EU R&D programme, Horizon Europe.
In addition, the presidency wants to “establish digital sovereignty as a leitmotiv of European digital policy”, and work on digital technology skills and the development of artificial intelligence and quantum technologies. This will include improving monitoring of digital capacities, and ensuring “a high level of public and private investment”.
Other priorities include further development of the EU’s industry and small business strategies, modernising state aid legislation, tackling biodiversity loss, and concluding Brexit negotiations with the UK.
The first meeting of research and innovation ministers under the German presidency will be an informal one on 21-22 July, at which the presidency and the two that follow it in the current trio—those of Portugal and Slovenia—will present a joint roadmap on research and education policy.