DUBLIN—A sense of cautious optimism about the future of science funding in the European Union has emerged from a meeting held here over the past 2 days.
With the support of the European Commission, the Irish government—as the current holder of the EU presidency—assembled the symposium of politicians, industry leaders, and high-placed members of the scientific community. The aim was to draw a consensus about the state of European basic science and whether new EU action was needed.
Representatives of 27 countries—current EU members, accession states, and allied countries—unanimously approved a set of conclusions that acknowledged a need to create a more attractive basic research environment.
The delegates agreed that a new European arrangement was required and urged the commission “to bring forward to the Competitiveness Council proposals for the governance, management, and accountability of a European initiative.”
It should be characterized by minimum bureaucracy and closely involve the scientific ...
