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Growing EU ambitions for science and innovation

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19 May 2020
Europe Science policy Innovation mission-driven innovation policy

Christening of the TU Delft Solar Boat 2018 - (c) Hollandse Hoogte

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Detail Doop van de TU Delft Solar Boat 2018
The European Commission shows a growing ambition to use science and innovation for geopolitical and societal goals, such as strengthening Europe's competitive position and combating climate change. This is evident from a survey by the Rathenau Instituut. The coming months will show how the corona crisis is affecting this.

In short

  • The European Union is an important factor for science and innovation in the Netherlands.
  • Developments in technology, international relations, and the climate issue influence EU policy on science and innovation.
  • The Rathenau Instituut investigates changes in European science and innovation policy.

More than just a research funder

The European Union is an important source of funding for scientists in the Netherlands. But Europe has also become more important in recent years in putting scientific research on the agenda, and in organising, implementing, and valorising it. Scientists in the Netherlands, for example, focus their research on societal challenges that are a priority for the European Union. And European principles for socially responsible research, gender equality, and open access influence the standards of research at Dutch knowledge institutes.

Growing ambitions

The EU is currently reviewing its science and innovation policy. In new research, the Rathenau Instituut notes that developments in technology, international relations, and the climate issue have an impact on the new EU policy. The rapid development of digital technology, geopolitical uncertainty, the Brexit and the climate crisis, are leading to growing ambitions on the part of the European Commission to deploy European science and innovation for strategic goals. These include strengthening the EU's competitive position vis-à-vis the US and China, developing technological autonomy, and combating climate change. With its new policy, the EU will give even more direction to science and innovation than is currently the case.

With its new policy, the EU will give even more direction to science and innovation than is currently the case.

Following developments

In European research and innovation in a new geopolitical arena, the Rathenau Instituut has analysed current changes in EU science, technology, and innovation policies. We did this on the basis of desk research and interviews with experts. In the coming period, the Rathenau Instituut will continue to monitor the changes in European policy for science and innovation, paying special attention to the significance of those changes for Dutch science and the possible impact of the Covid-19 crisis on the new policy.