European Union News - Research & Innovation

A new European Commission report shows that EU telecoms markets have become more competitive thanks to the Commission's guidance in the consultation and review process known as the 'Article 7 procedure', whereby national telecoms regulators inform the Commission in advance of their plans to regulate parts of their national telecoms markets. As a result, citizens and businesses enjoy greater choice of services and cheaper prices.

Innovation is key to boosting economic growth, and governments should resist the urge to cut spending on activities that are 'essential for a country's future, the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) has warned.

EIBURS provides grants to University Research Centres working on research topics and themes of major interest to the Bank. EIB sponsorships, of up to EUR 100 000 per year for a period of three years, are awarded through a competitive process to interested University Departments or Research Centres, associated with Universities of EU, Accession or Acceding Countries. Call is open until September 10th 2010.

Efficient electricity storage, artificial organs to replace damaged ones and robots to make our lives easier were chosen by citizens as the most important scientific challenges in the near future. The results of the vote organised by the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the EU have been announced during the Research Council in Brussels.

Following the success of the last year, the Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry of the European Commission launches its  Second European SME Week, which is designed to promote and support entrepreneurship. Events are being organised to help SMEs and micro-firms share experiences and develop their businesses.

A groundbreaking UK-US study may give researchers worldwide the tools they need to contain the spread of malaria, a disease that can have fatal consequences, and it specially has in Sub-Saharan Africa

Two Lithuanian projects, another from Belgium, another from Sweden, from Germany and from France are the winners in the six separate categories of the "RegioStars Awards" 2010. The prize giving ceremony recognises the most innovative projects that have been supported by European cohesion policy. The annual event takes place during a two-day conference in Brussels entitled "Regions for Economic Change – Building Sustainable Growth".

The results of the EU project EPITHERAPY approach to the cause of neurodegenerative diseases, which will encourage the creation of a memory enhancer drug.

The Europea Commission has recently unveiled the contents of the European Digital Agenda, the he first of seven flagship initiatives under the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. The Digital Agenda focuses on seven areas, foreseeing some 100 follow-up actions, of which 31 would be legislative.

The completion of the single market, the sustainability of national debts and a grass-roots led EU cohesion policy are central to the success of the EU2020 strategy, insisted MEPs in a series of resolutions adopted on Thursday. The vote on Parliament's EU 2020 resolution has been postponed until June.

European Commission has published a report that says that Europe's digital economy is growing in strength, spreading throughout all sectors of the economy and reaching into all areas of our lives.  However, if Europe wants to fully exploit the potential benefits of the digital economy, it must step up a gear and provide faster broadband and an internet people trust, improve citizens' skills, and encourage even more ICT innovation.

According to an EC report released on May 12th, Europe's Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector, leads the way in private research and development (R&D) in the EU. Accounting for just 4.8% of GDP, ICT represented 25% of total investment and 32% of researchers working in the private sector in 2007. However, both public and private EU ICT R&D still has to bridge the gap with global competitors, as one of the main issues to be tackled by forthcoming European Digital Agenda.