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Manfred Weber felt compelled to make a statement yesterday: Neither the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) nor the Belgian authorities had “approached us to initiate possible investigations”, the EPP party and group leader announced. Politico had previously reported that two close associates of Weber were suspected of having received a salary from the party and at the same time from the parliamentary group during his election campaign as EPP lead candidate in 2019 – which they expressly deny.
EPPO only confirms that it is investigating allegations of misuse of EU funds in a political group, but does not say against whom. It remains to be seen whether these investigations will substantiate the suspicions. What is clear is that Weber has recently made few friends in his own ranks.
The CSU politician made his head of cabinet Ouarda Bensouag Secretary General of the parliamentary group, which did not go down well with the CDU/CSU group of MEPs. Bensouag set about filling important posts – for example, the head of the department responsible for finance and his colleague responsible for outreach had to go. Weber and his confidant Bensouag acted on their own authority, according to the parliamentary group, and ignored the right of the Presidium to have a say.
After his election as EPP party leader, Weber himself drew criticism because he was paid a salary both as party and group leader. The willingness within the EPP to stand up for the leader now appears to be limited. “With Weber and his entourage, very little surprises you”, says one MEP.
I wish you a good day!
Vladimir Putin is firmly convinced that the Europeans are weak, said Finland’s former head of state Sauli Niinistö at the end of the presentation when asked how the Russian president could be stopped: “We have to show him that we are strong.” And not only strong against military threats in the east, but also in terms of resilience with regard to hybrid attacks, natural disasters and the protection of vital infrastructure. The EU is currently not sufficiently prepared for these multiple crises, which is why the 76-year-old is calling for the consistent development of comprehensive European crisis management.
“We can learn a lot from Finland“, said Ursula von der Leyen at the presentation of the report commissioned by the Commission President at the beginning of the year. It was no coincidence that Finland’s former president was chosen. Sauli Niinistö has not only had more dealings with Putin than other heads of government, but also comes from a country that is familiar with resilience in a broader sense, given its 1,340-kilometre border with Russia, and has a strong army and well-developed civil defense.
Without security, common values and prosperity are at risk and there is no future, according to the Finn. The extent of the risks is great. On the one hand, there is the mega-crisis of climate change, and on the other, growing geopolitical tensions and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Finland’s former president is calling for closer coordination between national intelligence services and the EU’s intelligence situation center in Brussels, among other things. However, the idea of a European intelligence service, which was considered in an earlier draft, was not included in the report. One of the recommendations is to set up an anti-sabotage network. Today, foreign actors can switch off power networks “with a click”. The EU must ensure that critical infrastructure remains operational under all circumstances, said Niinistö.
In addition, most European households are currently unable to hold out for longer in a serious supply crisis. Another recommendation is that citizens should be able to provide for themselves for at least 72 hours. And be prepared for new risks such as disinformation or cyber attacks. The economy must also be involved, which must rethink the principle of just-in-time, among other things, in view of the risks to supply chains. There is not only a lack of soldiers for the national armed forces, but also a lack of suitable workers for security-related jobs. According to the report, an additional one million cybersecurity experts are needed.
Although the EU is not a military institution, unlike NATO, both organizations have the goal of keeping Europe safe. In view of Article 42.7, the EU must also prepare for the possible scenario of an armed attack. Sauli Niinistö also calls for improved cooperation between the EU and NATO. The report therefore also includes the recommendation to create a single European arms market. Security has its price, but being unprepared for a crisis is even more expensive. Member states and financial markets could, for example, jointly set up crisis funds or preparedness bonds.
Is another debate on common debt looming? The first question is what major projects could be of common European interest, said Sauli Niinistö. This could be a European missile defense shield, for example. Then there is the question of financing, and here there are two ways. Financing could come from national contributions or from new own resources. The experience of recent years, including the coronavirus crisis, has shown that more flexibility is fundamentally needed in the EU budget. According to the report, 20 percent of the EU budget should be reserved to support security, defense and crisis preparedness in a broader sense. Distribution battles are pre-programmed for the next MFF.
The EU Commission sees clear progress in the accession candidates Ukraine and Moldova, but only limited momentum in the countries of the Western Balkans. With regard to Serbia’s seesaw policy, the authority seems to be gradually losing patience: Serbia must clarify which strategic direction the country is opting for, said Foreign Affairs Commissioner Josep Borrell at the presentation of the enlargement package on Wednesday.
In view of Russia’s war against Ukraine, there can be no “business as usual” with Moscow. The leadership in Belgrade has still not adopted the EU’s sanctions regime, is maintaining relations at the highest level with Vladimir Putin’s regime and is also intensifying relations with China, according to the report. “We want to be able to rely on Serbia”, said Borrell. Sooner or later, the country will have to adopt the common European foreign policy or it will jeopardize its future membership.
The European partners have recently gone easy on Belgrade despite the reform deficits and the blockade in the dialog with Kosovo – for fear of losing Serbia to Russia and China. Last Friday, Ursula von der Leyen canceled a meeting with Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vučević during her Balkan tour at short notice because he had discussed intensified economic relations with a Russian government representative on the same day. Prior to this, however, the Commission President had already met with President Aleksandar Vučić and assured him that Serbia’s place was in the EU.
Accession negotiations have been underway for ten years, but only 22 of the 35 chapters have been opened and only two have been provisionally closed. In almost all chapters, the Commission’s assessment varies between stalemate and little progress. There is little appetite among the member states to reopen the chapter on growth and competitiveness as long as the fundamental deficits, for example in dealing with the opposition, are not addressed.
The Commission’s assessment of Montenegro is more positive. The government there has made European integration its top priority, the country report states approvingly. The new government, which has been in office since October 2023, is operating in a fairly stable political environment. However, further reforms are needed in the justice sector.
Accession talks with Montenegro are already further advanced than with any of the other nine candidates. Prime Minister Milojko Spajić has set himself the goal of joining the EU as early as 2028. The FDP parliamentary group’s spokesperson on European policy, Thomas Hacker, sees the country as the only real ray of hope in the Western Balkans: “Only Montenegro has the potential to join the EU in the next few years if the country continues to pursue its ambitious reform path consistently.”
There is unlikely to be too much resistance among the EU member states to the admission of the comparatively small country with 626,000 inhabitants if the government stays on course. The new right-wing coalition in the Netherlands has made it clear that it views the admission of new member states even more critically than its predecessors. However, the government, led by far-right politician Geert Wilders, has so far not been blocking the process: In mid-October, the Council voted unanimously in favor of opening the first chapter of negotiations with Albania.
The Minister of State for Europe at the Federal Foreign Office, Anna Lührmann, believes that further progress is possible: “We are now taking a close look at the Commission’s reports”, the Green politician told Table.Briefings. “We will then discuss the next steps with our EU partners, for example with regard to Albania and Montenegro.”
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama is clearly pro-European and was recently courted by Ursula von der Leyen, among others. However, in its progress report, the Commission calls for the government in Tirana to step up the pace of reform, particularly in the fight against corruption and organized crime, as well as better protection of press freedom.
The Commission expressly praises the accession efforts of Ukraine and Moldova. It recommends taking the next step with both countries as early as possible next year and opening the first chapter of negotiations.
Negotiations with Georgia, on the other hand, are on hold. As long as the country does not deviate from its current course, the Commission cannot recommend the opening of accession negotiations, according to the report.
The trade conflict between the European Union (EU) and China is intensifying: Following the entry into force of additional tariffs on electric vehicles, Beijing lodged a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Wednesday. All necessary measures will be taken to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce stated on Wednesday. However, it is prepared to find a solution with the EU in order to avoid an escalation of the trade conflict.
At the same time, Beijing is said to have instructed Chinese car manufacturers to halt major investments in EU countries that had voted in favor of the additional tariffs on electric vehicles built in China. This was reported by Reuters, citing two insiders from a meeting of several car manufacturers and official bodies. Several foreign car manufacturers also took part in the meeting. According to the report, the participants were advised to be cautious when investing in countries that had abstained from voting. On the other hand, they were “encouraged” to invest in EU countries that had voted against the tariffs. Germany has rejected the tariffs, as have Malta, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary.
This step could divide Europe even further. Ten EU member states, including France, Poland and Italy, supported the additional tariffs in this month’s vote. Five EU states were against and twelve abstained. Italy and France are actually among the EU countries that are courting investment from Chinese car manufacturers. However, Paris was also one of the main drivers of the additional tariffs.
The largest recipient of Chinese investment is currently Hungary, where BYD, for example, is setting up shop. The state-owned car manufacturer SAIC is also currently looking for a location for an electric car factory in Europe. The state-owned company is also planning to open its second European spare parts center in France this year in order to meet the increasing demand for MG brand cars. The Italian government is in talks with Chery and Dongfeng Motor about possible investments.
The EU additional duties have been in force since Wednesday night. However, the EU Commission has identified “exceptional circumstances” for the anti-subsidy case for Chinese EVs. This means that a solution with price commitments may still be found. If the manufacturers commit to this, the tariffs can be withdrawn. If the manufacturers do not comply, they can be reinstated.
An EU official said on Wednesday that the possible price agreements and associated production commitments can also be verified by means of on-site visits to the manufacturers, among other things. He emphasized that a regulation on price commitments would be in line with WTO rules. A similar regulation already exists for biodiesel from Argentina, for example.
Chinese manufacturers cannot take a detour via third countries. The EU official emphasized that the additional tariffs are based on the production of the EVs in the People’s Republic. The vehicles could therefore not be imported into the EU via countries such as Switzerland, Serbia or the UK. The EU Commission has seen a sharp increase in imports of EVs in the months since the customs investigation began. “We assume that the warehouses are full“, said the EU official.
EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said on Tuesday: “By adopting these proportionate and targeted measures after a rigorous investigation, we are standing up for fair market practices and for European industry.” However, the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) warned that the tariffs increased the risk of a “far-reaching trade conflict”, while a Chinese trade group denounced the “politically motivated” decision and called for dialog between the two sides.
Volkswagen, which has been hit hard by increasing competition from China, had previously stated that the tariffs would not improve the competitiveness of the European automotive industry. VW is suffering from a decline in sales, especially in its most important market, China. After nine months, the return on sales of the struggling core brand VW is only two percent. “This shows the urgent need for significant cost reductions and efficiency improvements”, explained VW CFO Arno Antlitz. The car manufacturer has announced plans to close plants in Germany for the first time in its history. According to the Works Council, this involves at least three plants and massive job cuts.
Ilaria Mazzocco from the think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington told Table.Briefings: “It buys European car manufacturers a little time and offers a little more incentive to produce in Europe.” However, the tariffs are not a long-term solution. “German and European car manufacturers need to be innovative. Many of them slept through electrification and only became aware of the challenge very late. Now they have started a kind of race to catch up.”
BYD reported rising sales figures on Wednesday – surpassing global rival Tesla in quarterly revenue for the first time. BYD recorded operating revenue of 201.1 billion yuan ($28.2 billion) in the third quarter, according to a filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. This corresponds to an increase of 24 percent compared to the same period last year. Tesla reported a turnover of $25.2 billion in the third quarter last week.
Preparations for the next EU research framework program have begun and, following the Letta and Draghi reports, the Heitor report on the evaluation of Horizon 2020 has been published. It is high time to take a look at its financial, thematic and programmatic structure. And to define a German position in the European debate.
New findings do not fall from the sky, they are created in a specific environment, especially in research: It requires freedom of thought, places for research and exchange across borders. These three prerequisites are the added value of European research cooperation.
However, the answer to this cannot be a central spending agency of the European Commission. On the contrary, we need fewer but more targeted programs instead of a super fund. In this respect, the proposals of the Heitor Report are to be welcomed in principle. These principles are important from a German perspective:
In 2021, the ratio of investment in research and development was only 2.2% of EU GDP, well behind the USA (3.5%) and China (2.4%). This is also a European truth. This means that a massive expansion of the R&D budget is necessary in all areas in order to achieve the three percent target. In the past, the scientific community has submitted enough applications with excellent funding potential to make full use of a 10th Research Framework Program with a budget of over €200 billion.
However, it is not only the size of the budget that is decisive. Researchers should be able to concentrate on their research and spend less time on applications, reports and documentation. A “trust in science” must be practiced politically: Instead of having researchers collect countless metadata on their projects, which can hardly be processed anyway, targeted accompanying studies should be commissioned to prove the relevance and impact of R&D. In this sense, both the proposal for a unit in which innovative regulation can be tested and the current expansion of funding by means of lump sums are to be welcomed.
SPD MP Ruppert Stüwe is a member of the Committee on Education, Research and Technology Assessment. His research policy priorities include the handling of research data, foreign science policy and research security as well as university medicine.
Manfred Weber felt compelled to make a statement yesterday: Neither the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) nor the Belgian authorities had “approached us to initiate possible investigations”, the EPP party and group leader announced. Politico had previously reported that two close associates of Weber were suspected of having received a salary from the party and at the same time from the parliamentary group during his election campaign as EPP lead candidate in 2019 – which they expressly deny.
EPPO only confirms that it is investigating allegations of misuse of EU funds in a political group, but does not say against whom. It remains to be seen whether these investigations will substantiate the suspicions. What is clear is that Weber has recently made few friends in his own ranks.
The CSU politician made his head of cabinet Ouarda Bensouag Secretary General of the parliamentary group, which did not go down well with the CDU/CSU group of MEPs. Bensouag set about filling important posts – for example, the head of the department responsible for finance and his colleague responsible for outreach had to go. Weber and his confidant Bensouag acted on their own authority, according to the parliamentary group, and ignored the right of the Presidium to have a say.
After his election as EPP party leader, Weber himself drew criticism because he was paid a salary both as party and group leader. The willingness within the EPP to stand up for the leader now appears to be limited. “With Weber and his entourage, very little surprises you”, says one MEP.
I wish you a good day!
Vladimir Putin is firmly convinced that the Europeans are weak, said Finland’s former head of state Sauli Niinistö at the end of the presentation when asked how the Russian president could be stopped: “We have to show him that we are strong.” And not only strong against military threats in the east, but also in terms of resilience with regard to hybrid attacks, natural disasters and the protection of vital infrastructure. The EU is currently not sufficiently prepared for these multiple crises, which is why the 76-year-old is calling for the consistent development of comprehensive European crisis management.
“We can learn a lot from Finland“, said Ursula von der Leyen at the presentation of the report commissioned by the Commission President at the beginning of the year. It was no coincidence that Finland’s former president was chosen. Sauli Niinistö has not only had more dealings with Putin than other heads of government, but also comes from a country that is familiar with resilience in a broader sense, given its 1,340-kilometre border with Russia, and has a strong army and well-developed civil defense.
Without security, common values and prosperity are at risk and there is no future, according to the Finn. The extent of the risks is great. On the one hand, there is the mega-crisis of climate change, and on the other, growing geopolitical tensions and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Finland’s former president is calling for closer coordination between national intelligence services and the EU’s intelligence situation center in Brussels, among other things. However, the idea of a European intelligence service, which was considered in an earlier draft, was not included in the report. One of the recommendations is to set up an anti-sabotage network. Today, foreign actors can switch off power networks “with a click”. The EU must ensure that critical infrastructure remains operational under all circumstances, said Niinistö.
In addition, most European households are currently unable to hold out for longer in a serious supply crisis. Another recommendation is that citizens should be able to provide for themselves for at least 72 hours. And be prepared for new risks such as disinformation or cyber attacks. The economy must also be involved, which must rethink the principle of just-in-time, among other things, in view of the risks to supply chains. There is not only a lack of soldiers for the national armed forces, but also a lack of suitable workers for security-related jobs. According to the report, an additional one million cybersecurity experts are needed.
Although the EU is not a military institution, unlike NATO, both organizations have the goal of keeping Europe safe. In view of Article 42.7, the EU must also prepare for the possible scenario of an armed attack. Sauli Niinistö also calls for improved cooperation between the EU and NATO. The report therefore also includes the recommendation to create a single European arms market. Security has its price, but being unprepared for a crisis is even more expensive. Member states and financial markets could, for example, jointly set up crisis funds or preparedness bonds.
Is another debate on common debt looming? The first question is what major projects could be of common European interest, said Sauli Niinistö. This could be a European missile defense shield, for example. Then there is the question of financing, and here there are two ways. Financing could come from national contributions or from new own resources. The experience of recent years, including the coronavirus crisis, has shown that more flexibility is fundamentally needed in the EU budget. According to the report, 20 percent of the EU budget should be reserved to support security, defense and crisis preparedness in a broader sense. Distribution battles are pre-programmed for the next MFF.
The EU Commission sees clear progress in the accession candidates Ukraine and Moldova, but only limited momentum in the countries of the Western Balkans. With regard to Serbia’s seesaw policy, the authority seems to be gradually losing patience: Serbia must clarify which strategic direction the country is opting for, said Foreign Affairs Commissioner Josep Borrell at the presentation of the enlargement package on Wednesday.
In view of Russia’s war against Ukraine, there can be no “business as usual” with Moscow. The leadership in Belgrade has still not adopted the EU’s sanctions regime, is maintaining relations at the highest level with Vladimir Putin’s regime and is also intensifying relations with China, according to the report. “We want to be able to rely on Serbia”, said Borrell. Sooner or later, the country will have to adopt the common European foreign policy or it will jeopardize its future membership.
The European partners have recently gone easy on Belgrade despite the reform deficits and the blockade in the dialog with Kosovo – for fear of losing Serbia to Russia and China. Last Friday, Ursula von der Leyen canceled a meeting with Serbian Prime Minister Miloš Vučević during her Balkan tour at short notice because he had discussed intensified economic relations with a Russian government representative on the same day. Prior to this, however, the Commission President had already met with President Aleksandar Vučić and assured him that Serbia’s place was in the EU.
Accession negotiations have been underway for ten years, but only 22 of the 35 chapters have been opened and only two have been provisionally closed. In almost all chapters, the Commission’s assessment varies between stalemate and little progress. There is little appetite among the member states to reopen the chapter on growth and competitiveness as long as the fundamental deficits, for example in dealing with the opposition, are not addressed.
The Commission’s assessment of Montenegro is more positive. The government there has made European integration its top priority, the country report states approvingly. The new government, which has been in office since October 2023, is operating in a fairly stable political environment. However, further reforms are needed in the justice sector.
Accession talks with Montenegro are already further advanced than with any of the other nine candidates. Prime Minister Milojko Spajić has set himself the goal of joining the EU as early as 2028. The FDP parliamentary group’s spokesperson on European policy, Thomas Hacker, sees the country as the only real ray of hope in the Western Balkans: “Only Montenegro has the potential to join the EU in the next few years if the country continues to pursue its ambitious reform path consistently.”
There is unlikely to be too much resistance among the EU member states to the admission of the comparatively small country with 626,000 inhabitants if the government stays on course. The new right-wing coalition in the Netherlands has made it clear that it views the admission of new member states even more critically than its predecessors. However, the government, led by far-right politician Geert Wilders, has so far not been blocking the process: In mid-October, the Council voted unanimously in favor of opening the first chapter of negotiations with Albania.
The Minister of State for Europe at the Federal Foreign Office, Anna Lührmann, believes that further progress is possible: “We are now taking a close look at the Commission’s reports”, the Green politician told Table.Briefings. “We will then discuss the next steps with our EU partners, for example with regard to Albania and Montenegro.”
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama is clearly pro-European and was recently courted by Ursula von der Leyen, among others. However, in its progress report, the Commission calls for the government in Tirana to step up the pace of reform, particularly in the fight against corruption and organized crime, as well as better protection of press freedom.
The Commission expressly praises the accession efforts of Ukraine and Moldova. It recommends taking the next step with both countries as early as possible next year and opening the first chapter of negotiations.
Negotiations with Georgia, on the other hand, are on hold. As long as the country does not deviate from its current course, the Commission cannot recommend the opening of accession negotiations, according to the report.
The trade conflict between the European Union (EU) and China is intensifying: Following the entry into force of additional tariffs on electric vehicles, Beijing lodged a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Wednesday. All necessary measures will be taken to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce stated on Wednesday. However, it is prepared to find a solution with the EU in order to avoid an escalation of the trade conflict.
At the same time, Beijing is said to have instructed Chinese car manufacturers to halt major investments in EU countries that had voted in favor of the additional tariffs on electric vehicles built in China. This was reported by Reuters, citing two insiders from a meeting of several car manufacturers and official bodies. Several foreign car manufacturers also took part in the meeting. According to the report, the participants were advised to be cautious when investing in countries that had abstained from voting. On the other hand, they were “encouraged” to invest in EU countries that had voted against the tariffs. Germany has rejected the tariffs, as have Malta, Slovakia, Slovenia and Hungary.
This step could divide Europe even further. Ten EU member states, including France, Poland and Italy, supported the additional tariffs in this month’s vote. Five EU states were against and twelve abstained. Italy and France are actually among the EU countries that are courting investment from Chinese car manufacturers. However, Paris was also one of the main drivers of the additional tariffs.
The largest recipient of Chinese investment is currently Hungary, where BYD, for example, is setting up shop. The state-owned car manufacturer SAIC is also currently looking for a location for an electric car factory in Europe. The state-owned company is also planning to open its second European spare parts center in France this year in order to meet the increasing demand for MG brand cars. The Italian government is in talks with Chery and Dongfeng Motor about possible investments.
The EU additional duties have been in force since Wednesday night. However, the EU Commission has identified “exceptional circumstances” for the anti-subsidy case for Chinese EVs. This means that a solution with price commitments may still be found. If the manufacturers commit to this, the tariffs can be withdrawn. If the manufacturers do not comply, they can be reinstated.
An EU official said on Wednesday that the possible price agreements and associated production commitments can also be verified by means of on-site visits to the manufacturers, among other things. He emphasized that a regulation on price commitments would be in line with WTO rules. A similar regulation already exists for biodiesel from Argentina, for example.
Chinese manufacturers cannot take a detour via third countries. The EU official emphasized that the additional tariffs are based on the production of the EVs in the People’s Republic. The vehicles could therefore not be imported into the EU via countries such as Switzerland, Serbia or the UK. The EU Commission has seen a sharp increase in imports of EVs in the months since the customs investigation began. “We assume that the warehouses are full“, said the EU official.
EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said on Tuesday: “By adopting these proportionate and targeted measures after a rigorous investigation, we are standing up for fair market practices and for European industry.” However, the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) warned that the tariffs increased the risk of a “far-reaching trade conflict”, while a Chinese trade group denounced the “politically motivated” decision and called for dialog between the two sides.
Volkswagen, which has been hit hard by increasing competition from China, had previously stated that the tariffs would not improve the competitiveness of the European automotive industry. VW is suffering from a decline in sales, especially in its most important market, China. After nine months, the return on sales of the struggling core brand VW is only two percent. “This shows the urgent need for significant cost reductions and efficiency improvements”, explained VW CFO Arno Antlitz. The car manufacturer has announced plans to close plants in Germany for the first time in its history. According to the Works Council, this involves at least three plants and massive job cuts.
Ilaria Mazzocco from the think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington told Table.Briefings: “It buys European car manufacturers a little time and offers a little more incentive to produce in Europe.” However, the tariffs are not a long-term solution. “German and European car manufacturers need to be innovative. Many of them slept through electrification and only became aware of the challenge very late. Now they have started a kind of race to catch up.”
BYD reported rising sales figures on Wednesday – surpassing global rival Tesla in quarterly revenue for the first time. BYD recorded operating revenue of 201.1 billion yuan ($28.2 billion) in the third quarter, according to a filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. This corresponds to an increase of 24 percent compared to the same period last year. Tesla reported a turnover of $25.2 billion in the third quarter last week.
Preparations for the next EU research framework program have begun and, following the Letta and Draghi reports, the Heitor report on the evaluation of Horizon 2020 has been published. It is high time to take a look at its financial, thematic and programmatic structure. And to define a German position in the European debate.
New findings do not fall from the sky, they are created in a specific environment, especially in research: It requires freedom of thought, places for research and exchange across borders. These three prerequisites are the added value of European research cooperation.
However, the answer to this cannot be a central spending agency of the European Commission. On the contrary, we need fewer but more targeted programs instead of a super fund. In this respect, the proposals of the Heitor Report are to be welcomed in principle. These principles are important from a German perspective:
In 2021, the ratio of investment in research and development was only 2.2% of EU GDP, well behind the USA (3.5%) and China (2.4%). This is also a European truth. This means that a massive expansion of the R&D budget is necessary in all areas in order to achieve the three percent target. In the past, the scientific community has submitted enough applications with excellent funding potential to make full use of a 10th Research Framework Program with a budget of over €200 billion.
However, it is not only the size of the budget that is decisive. Researchers should be able to concentrate on their research and spend less time on applications, reports and documentation. A “trust in science” must be practiced politically: Instead of having researchers collect countless metadata on their projects, which can hardly be processed anyway, targeted accompanying studies should be commissioned to prove the relevance and impact of R&D. In this sense, both the proposal for a unit in which innovative regulation can be tested and the current expansion of funding by means of lump sums are to be welcomed.
SPD MP Ruppert Stüwe is a member of the Committee on Education, Research and Technology Assessment. His research policy priorities include the handling of research data, foreign science policy and research security as well as university medicine.