Merit-Based Research Funding -- EU Science, Education, and Industry Ministers Vote Yes-23, No-2 (December 3, 2004)

    In Brussels last week a meeting of the European Union's (E.U.'s) science, education, and industry ministers voted 23 to 2 for the creation of a European Research Council (ERC) and asked the European Commission to develop a proposal.

As far back as January 2002 the concept of an ERC which would foster basic research based on merit irrespective of national boundaries was mooted. Now almost three years have passed and it looks as if the brainchild of Europe's scientific organizations, is in the process of getting its Guernsey from the politicians. It would be created as part of Framework Programme 7, the E.U.'s science funding round for the period 2007-10. Former Dutch prime minister Wim Kok and his panel backed the ERC in a report about the lack of progress on the Lisbon strategy, Europe's plan to reinvigorate its economy and which among other goals set 3% of GDP of its members to fund research and development by 2010.

The two objectors? According to Science "Italy and Poland refused to go along. The Italian government objected to the ERC, as it explained in an earlier statement, in part because the agency's merit reviews might lead to some grants being awarded to groups from just one country, which Italy says violates E.U. principles. Poland, for its part, is worried that it may lose out in the competition for ERC funds."

Meanwhile the Italian Academy of Sciences had already issued a protest against its government's position frustrated by the government's lack of consultation, and made it clear that it favoured the initiative, stating that the government's position was "dangerous for the prestige of the Italian scientists in Europe," while an online petition in favour of the ERC launched by an association of young researchers has so far been signed by over 2200 scientists.