European Research Area progress report 2016. Country snapshot Spain

The European Research Area (ERA) Progress Report 2016 shows the state of play in ERA. A lot has happened in the European research landscape since the last edition in 2014. The ERA Roadmap at EU level was endorsed by the Council in early 2015. This called for top action priorities that will have the biggest impact on Europe’s science and innovation systems. Member States were invited to draw up national action plans based on this approach. Last year almost all Member States and a number of Associated Countries have published their National Action Plans on ERA showing clear political ownership of ERA. This analysis carried out in 2016 shows strong progress in all ERA priorities across the EU. This was possible because of a true partnership among the Member States and Associated Countries, the Commission and research stakeholder organisations. But we cannot be complacent. European strength in the field of Research and Innovation is needed more than ever to reinforce competitiveness but is also increasingly challenged to deliver on impacts. The Commission’s policy agenda on Open Science, Open Innovation and Open to the World will open up ERA to future challenges, like digitalisation and global networks. There are new barriers to break down to create more wealth and security for our citizens

It's not the break that's the problem: Women SET professionals and career breaks in European companies

This report is focused on what companies can do to support women returning to work after a career break and to continue to progress their careers. Clearly company specific work life balance policies have a significant role to play but it is important to recognise the wide range of other factors within a broader cultural context. The decisions that women make at the time of maternity including whether or not to work part time on returning to work, can often determine what options they might have at a later stage in their careers. Yet these crucial decisions are not made in isolation but are strongly influenced by gendered cultural assumptions both inside and outside of the workplace. As well as company policies these include national legal frameworks, availability of care networks, work status, as well as personal preference

The role of Universities and Research Organisations as drivers for Smart Specialisation at regional level

The development and implementation of smart specialisation strategies involve a number of stakeholders, among which universities and research centres play a key role. Smart specialisation requires them to re-think their mission beyond scientific research with focus on national or international excellence and mobilise their expertise in innovation and regional development. This report analyses the role of universities and research centres in the development and implementation of smart specialisation strategies and examines their strengths and weaknesses with a view to their contribution to a diversified local innovation and growth process. While there are still challenges to be overcome, a number of success stories already demonstrate that universities and research centres can develop their capacity to successfully promote the approach of smart specialisation. Strengthening their interactions with companies and building up on their competitive presence and international networks, universities and research centres can position themselves as lead organisations in the process. The report proposes a number of recommendations for policy makers at EU, national and regional level for facilitating the involvement of universities and research centres in the development and implementation of smart specialisation strategies

101 ideas on the future of research and innovation in Europe : messages from RISE Tour d’Europe 2017-2018

Dokumenty Evropského dokumentačního střediskaLuxembour

Study supporting the assessment of EU missions and the review of mission areas: Mission A Soil Deal for Europe assessment report

The Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’ (hereafter also referred to as the Mission Soil) addresses alarming developments in soil health degradation and the ensuing detrimental consequences for various essential ecosystem services. The mission relies on an elaborated and coherent strategy rooted in yet going well beyond what could be achieved through Horizon Europe’s research and innovation (R&I) actions alone. The focus on local testing grounds (the 100 living labs and lighthouses), monitoring, training and engagement activities represents a promising way of engaging stakeholders, facilitating experimentation and diffusing learning. Moreover, the R&I actions provide the fundaments for a range of complementary non-R&I actions of both public and private actors. Particularly salient is the development of harmonised indicators, which is a precondition for the implementation of potentially game-changing legislation and incentive schemes. While some possibilities for improvement were identified, the governance arrangements, policy instruments and budgets that have been selected appear to offer a feasible pathway to achieving the implementation plan. Rolling out that plan is progressing well, both in launching Horizon Europe calls and in exploiting synergies with other EU policies like several Green Deal strategies and the CAP. Moving forward, enhanced multi-level governance (involving national, regional and local stakeholders) remains a medium to long term need in order to optimise the mission’s impact

Towards sustainable food consumption : promoting healthy, affordable and sustainable food consumption choices

The food we eat has major impacts on our health, on local ecosystems and on our planet as a whole. Our current food consumption habits are both contributing to worsening the climate and environmental crises and fueling a global public health crisis caused by malnutrition and obesity. Radical system-wide changes are urgently needed to correct this. It is crucial to support, as much as possible, the adoption of healthier and more sustainable diets and food cultures, contributing to a long-term solution to these crises. This Scientific Opinion presents a set of recommendations for a mix of policy interventions to overcome the barriers that are preventing consumers from eating in a healthier and more sustainable way, which would complement the current initiatives under the Farm to Fork strategy

Improving access to and reuse of research results, publications and data for scientific purposes – Study to evaluate the effects of the EU copyright framework on research and the effects of potential interventions and to identify and present relevant provisions for research in EU data and digital legislation, with a focus on rights and obligations (Publications Office of the European Union)

This report supports ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024, aiming at an EU framework for copyright and data fit for research. It analyses barriers to accessing and reusing publicly funded research, evaluating EU copyright and data legislation, along with regulatory frameworks. Presented measures aim to enhance the current framework, aligning it with scientific research and open data principles. It offers a comprehensive overview of the EU's research and innovation legal landscape, providing insights for policymakers, researchers, and research organisations

Controlling occupational cancers in Australia

Lin Fritschi, Renae C Fernandez, Deborah A Vallance, Terry J Slevin, Alison Reid, Timothy R Driscoll, Deborah C Glas