- The initiative aims to improve instruments to support R + D + i
The Minister of Economy and Competitiveness, Luis de Guindos, has announced in the Senate that the group of experts from the European Commission begins tomorrow to analyze the situation of Spanish R & D & I through the so-called European Research Area Committee (ERAC) peer review. Nine experts from five countries of the European Union (Belgium, Germany, Estonia, France and Sweden), four independent experts and two representatives of the European Commission will meet for two days with the actors of the Spanish R & D & I System. His recommendations, as explained by the minister, will serve "for the launch of the Research Agency and to improve our science system as a whole."
The exercise is carried out at the initiative of the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and aims to improve instruments to support R + D + i to respond effectively to the needs of agents (researchers, universities, public research centers and companies ). This is to ensure the achievement of the objectives of the Spanish Strategy for Science and Technology and Innovation (approved in February 2013) by adopting the measures, reforms or adaptations that are necessary to reinforce the effectiveness of the I System + D + i in our country.
On Wednesday, April 9, the experts will be received by the Secretary of State for R + D + i, Carmen Vela, and then begin a series of interviews with representatives of the Public Administrations, both from the Central Government and from the Autonomous Communities. On Thursday, April 10, they will continue with the interviews, in this case with the agents of the Spanish R + D + i system (representatives of Public Research Organizations, research centers and institutes, universities, researchers, companies, associations, technological centers, platforms, etc.). These interview sessions will continue in June, when the broad spectrum of agents that make up the system will be completed.
The conclusions of the experts and their indications are of great value, since they stem from the experiences they have had in each of their countries and from concrete measures that they have already implemented and evaluated. The Ministry will have the conclusions report in the coming months and will include the recommendations in the Government's National Reform Program in 2015.
All the Autonomous Communities will participate in this exercise, which can be very useful to increase collaboration, seek greater synergies and end duplication and dispersion in the field of R + D + i. The Government is particularly proactive in this regard, so it maintains a fluid dialogue with the Autonomous Communities.
