Other ideas
#TheFutureIsYours Transversal and cross-cutting issues
In 2002, the EU Council published a list of priorities including the 3% goal by 2020: 3% of the GDP should be dedicated to fund research and innovation. Such long-term funding would not only make Europe one of the world leaders in basic research but would also result in long term economic growth. Today, 19 years after setting this goal and one year after its deadline, we are still waiting for a plan as to how to reach it.
Without decades of basic research to build on, the development of not one but several vaccines against Covid-19 to battle the current pandemic would have been impossible. Still, massive cuts to the research budget were decided in the face of a global pandemic. This is already leading to a tremendous brain drain and destroys Europe as home of scientific excellence. To face future crises – from climate change over cancer to multi-resistant bacteria - we need a strong fundament of open research that will provide the solutions when needed.
We ask EU Council, Commission and Parliament to appoint a task force, which must consist of scientists as well as politicians to draw up a plan of how to reach the 3% goal by 2035. This plan must be agreed on as legally binding. We could be at the brink of fantastic decades filled with scientific breakthroughs if the EU chooses it. We have the capacity. Science is the only true resource Europe has; we should start mining it!
Related media
