The Council wants to facilitate SMEs participation in the innovation process
The Competitiveness Council meeting held on 21 of February debated the plans for a new streamlined EU research and innovation funding programme, the proposed Horizon 2020. In addition to the necessary reduction of administrative burden for companies, Ministers highlighted the advantages of embedding social sciences and humanities into research projects so as to better address the major societal challenges facing Europe.
During the Competitiveness Council meeting celebrated on 21 of February, Europeans Ministers debated the new streamlined EU research and innovation funding programme, set to kick off in 2014, outlined by the European Commission in November 2011. Among the conclusions reached, all delegations expressed their support for facilitating SMEs participation in the innovation process. The United Kingdom's Deputy Permanent Representative to the EU also added that whilst simplification of the administrative requirements and the introduction of new instruments should help to encourage higher participation from SMEs, Member States also have a role to play.
Additionally, Many Member State delegations highlighted the advantages of embedding social sciences and humanities into research projects. The Research, Innovation and Science Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn stressed at the end of the meeting that the social sciences and humanities will be fully integrated within the three main pillars of Horizon 2020, and they will be included as an integral part of the activities to address all societal challenges, working beyond the silos of distinct disciplines.
The Danish Presidency hopes that the negotiations within the Council on the specifics of Horizon 2020 will come to an end by May 2012, in order to pave the way for future work and secure a timely adoption of the final legislative acts by the Council and the European Parliament. From 2014, Horizon 2020 will officially take over from the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). In mid-2012 some final calls for proposals under FP7 will be made to help bridge the gap between the two programmes.