Irish presidency announces research and innovation priorities

January 6, 2004

Brussels, 05 Jan 2004

The Irish government has announced that raising research investment, furthering excellence in basic research and developing an effective European space policy will be among its priorities during its six month Presidency of the EU.

'The Irish Presidency will prioritise initiatives to advance the creation of a European Research and Innovation Area and in particular to achieve the research and development investment target of three per cent of GDP by 2010,' states the Irish government. The Presidency will promote the development and implementation of a 'workable' open method of coordination in order to achieve these objectives, a statement adds.

The Irish government will facilitate discussions on the role of the EU in facilitating excellence in basic research, on the basis of forthcoming proposals from the Commission. It also stresses that an effective follow up on the recent White Paper on European Space Policy will be a priority. The Galileo project is also to be promoted, in order to maintain 'the momentum towards the development of Europe's strategic capability in satellite navigation'.

Following the recent selection of Cadarache in France as Europe's candidate to host the international thermonuclear experimental reactor (ITER), the Irish government says it will work to make progress on financing and organisational issues relating to the establishment of ITER, and on wider international aspects.

Ireland will continue the work of the Council on the IDABC (interoperable delivery of pan-European eGovernment services to public administrations, businesses and citizens), which seeks to support the establishment of pan-European eGovernment services including interoperable telematic networks. The adoption of a decision on this issue is foreseen during the Irish Presidency.

The mid-term review of the eEurope Action Plan, to be conducted during the Irish Presidency, will reflect the opportunities of enlargement and highlight the benefits of broadband across the EU, states the Irish government. To this end, the Hungarian Government, with the support of the Irish Presidency, will host a European ministerial meeting on the information society in Budapest. A follow up assessment of the broader situation in electronic communications will be conducted in advance of the Spring European Council.

Finally, the Irish government intends to continue work initiated under the Italian Presidency on the proposal for a regulation on chemicals, with a view to achieving an effective balance between economic, social and environmental considerations.

For further information, please consult the following web address: http://www.eu2004.ie/templates/standard. asp?sNavlocator=5,11,153

CORDIS RTD-NEWS / © European Communities

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