Proposal for a Council recommendation on enhancing research security

Background

In today's complex geopolitical context, the openness and borderless cooperation in research and innovation may be exploited and become a weakness.

The progress made by international cooperation in research and innovation can be used for military purposes in third countries, or in violation of fundamental values.

The EU needs to act to ensure consistency in international research cooperation across Europe and avoid a patchwork of measures, following the principle ‘as open as possible, as closed as necessary’.

The objective of the proposal for a Council Recommendation is to provide clarity and guidance while supporting Member States and, in general, research and innovation.

Key points

The EESC:

• believes that efforts to bolster the security of R&I should never run counter to asserting the principles of academic freedom and institutional autonomy;
• considers that the objective of guaranteeing secure international cooperation for R&I should never give rise to discriminatory and/or unfair practices towards R&I actors, nor should it be in conflict with labour rights and the safeguarding of working conditions for those working in the R&I sector in the EU;
• would like to see the full autonomy of R&I develop within a uniform and coherent reference framework for the EU Member States.

Additional information

Section: Single Market, Production and Consumption (INT)

Opinion number: INT/1062

Opinion type: Mandatory

Referral: COM(2024) 26 final 2024/0012 NLE

Rapporteur: Stefano Palmieri (Group II - Italy)

Date of adoption by section: 26 June 2024

Result of the vote: 76 in favour, 0 against, 1 abstention

Date of adoption in plenary: 10-11 July 2024

Result of the vote: XXX in favour, X against, X abstentions

Contact

Marco Pezzani

Press Officer

Tel.: +32 2 546 9793 | Mob: +32 470 881 903

E-mail: marco.pezzani@eesc.europa.eu

Marco Manfroni

Administrator

Tel.: +32 546 9140

E-mail: marco.manfroni@eesc.europa.eu