The European Union has had some success leveling the playing field for countries that struggle to attract research funding, but certain countries still lag behind, according to an EU auditing body’s assessment.
The “widening measures” aimed at giving stragglers a leg up can only go so far without matching efforts from those countries, says the report from the European Court of Auditors, which examines the finances and management of EU funds., there were “weaknesses in implementation,” says Ivana Maletić, an auditor at the court and the report’s lead author. Some countries did not take advantage of a program to reshape national research policies and tighten links between science and business, she says.
That success was not evenly distributed. Cyprus more than doubled its share of EU research funds, and Estonia nearly doubled its share. But Croatia saw no increase at all, and Hungary’s share fell by 14%. The widening countries that secured more EU research grants overall also did better at securing funding for widening projects.
Common to countries that were less successful in winning widening funding is “a real lack of follow-through” from their political leadership, says Jan Palmowski, secretary general of the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities. They didn’t consistently bring matching funding to the table and in some cases didn’t take up the offer of support for reshaping their own national research policies. “This cannot just be the responsibility of the EU,” Palmowski says.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
EU Parliament to vote again on climate laws after first try failedThe European Parliament will have a second try at agreeing key climate change policies next week, after rejecting them in a chaotic first vote that risked delaying the EU's carbon-cutting measures.
Read more »
EU lawmaker committees object to planned 'green' label for gas, nuclear investmentsTwo European Parliament committees on Tuesday supported an attempt to stop the EU labelling gas and nuclear energy as climate-friendly investments.
Read more »
Europe turning into a global hub for narcotics, EU drug agency warnsNarcotics production is growing in Europe, the EU drugs agency says as it warns of a proliferation of new psychoactive substances being sold and consumed on the continent
Read more »
EU Will Buy 110,000 Monkeypox Vaccines As Global Outbreak GrowsI am a London-based reporter for Forbes covering breaking news. Previously, I have worked as a reporter for a specialist legal publication covering big data and as a freelance journalist and policy analyst covering science, tech and health. I have a master’s degree in Biological Natural Sciences and a master’s degree in the History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Cambridge. Follow me on Twitter theroberthart or email me at rhartforbes.com
Read more »
UK moves to rewrite Brexit rules; EU threatens legal actionBritain’s government has unveiled legislation that would unilaterally change post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland.
Read more »
Stakes heightened as another Louboutin vs. Amazon referral faces off in EU courtLuxury goods companies, like many other trademark owners, have been continuously vexed by the large numbers of counterfeits and other infringements offered by ecommerce platforms without much recourse.
Read more »