Activities of Ioannis A. TSOUKALAS related to 2011/2107(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
EU research and innovation funding (debate)
Amendments (33)
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Points out that consolidated community policies such as agriculture and fisheries, which form the basis of the EU’s economy, particularly on the periphery of the Union, require appropriate and targeted scientific support. S; stresses that traditional ways of solving sector-specific problems such as environmental impact, provision of feed, health control and integration in coastal zones have long since ceased to be the primary and most important sources of solutions;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Emphasises that, on top of the need for sufficient and reliable scientific data, multi-dimensional cross-sectoral research should also be carried out into both the sustainability and viability of marine ecosystems and the welfare of the fisheries sector;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Takes the view that, given the many and varied research opportunities in the fisheries sector, such as oceanography, living marine resources, aquaculture, marine biology and genetics and inland waterways, specific budget allocations for calls for proposals within the new Framework Programme and actions deriving from it would help to combat many of the sector’s weaknesses and shortcomings and would also help build a stronger position for fisheries and aquaculture researchers. S; stresses also that building a strong research and innovation base would help to further develop a sustainable fisheries and aquaculture sector;
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital Β
Recital Β
B. whereas the EU has established the objective of increasing spending on R&D to reach 3 % of EU GDP by 2020, but many countries are still a long way from achieving this goal,
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Considers that there is a need for more effective coordination between the research framework programmes and the European Fisheries Fund instruments and with other European programmes;
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Believes it will be crucial to EU competitiveness to increase the participation of enterprises in the next Framework Programme; is of the opinion that entrepreneurs, especially owners of micro- and small SMEs and microenterprises such as small- scale coastal fishing enterprises, might be encouraged to participate in European programmes by the establishment of a transparent and easily accessible system; believes that fishermen’s organisations and Regional Advisory Councils should also be able to apply for small, practically oriented projects,;
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital Ε
Recital Ε
E. whereas other regions and countries of the world, in particular developing countries, are increasingly investing in R&D&I, and whereas EU investment in this domain should therefore be oriented towards a reinforcement ofing and attracting scientific capacity and an improvement in overall EU competitive capacity,
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Stresses the importance of the exchange of best practice, correct and effective implementation by businesses and the dissemination of research results; considers that both the stakeholders directly involved and the public at large should be better informed about the research programmes launched and the results they produce.
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital G
Recital G
G. whereas there are still significant and growing inequalities within the EU in terms of national levels of R&D funding capacities, industrial structures and higher education systems, and levels of national research funding are directly related to the performance of Member States' participation in FP7,
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Draws attention to the importance of maintaining convergence policies, and asks the Commission to build stairways to excellence for those MS and regions that are underrepresented in the FP by developingmaking effective use of the tools it has at its disposal and by developing, if it deems it necessary, new, appropriate instruments to intensify cooperation between MS with a strong participation and those with a weaker participation, and to substantially increase human capacity building and infrastructure in the latter;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Points out that innovation is a fundamental component of the knowledge triangle (education-research-innovation), so any attempt to strengthen it is inextricably linked to strengthening the other parameters and requires a coherent and balanced policy towards creating a European knowledge-based society;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Bearing in mind the target of funding research and development with 3% of GDP by 2020, and recognizing that research and innovation are the only sure road to the economic recovery of the EU, urges the Commission to consider setting a binding interim minimum percentage for funding research and technological development for Member States at approximately 1% of GDP by 2015;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 c (new)
Paragraph 4 c (new)
4c. Calls for Commission participation in the evaluation of research and innovation proposals and programmes financed by the Structural Funds and Cohesion Fund in those Member States which lag behind as regards national research funding, so as to ensure the application of common standards and objectives and the meritocratic evaluation and best possible utilization of these funds;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls for a better articulation between local and regional, national and European research and innovation strategies, respecting the specificities of the different contexts and, at the same time, reinforcing the possibilities for complementarity and cooperation between them; Calls for a better articulation betweenand combination of local and regional, national and European research and innovation strategies, respecting the specificities of the different contexts and, at the same time, reinforcing the possibilities for complementarity and cooperation between them; believes that sharing information, best practices and results is of key importance here;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Underlines the fact that at the core of the CSF should be the idea that the differing nature and scale of R&D&I projects, together with the multiplicity of funding schemes, must be organised in such a way that coherence, articulation and complementarity are ensured and duplication avoided;
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a.Recalls that the future funding of research and innovation should serve the goal of completing the European Research Area (ERA) by creating synergies between different approaches and levels of funding of research in Europe;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Calls for clarification, simplification and reorganisation of the different EU programmes and instruments in existence, for a clear definition of the overall funding system, and for the EU research and innovation programmes budget for the next financial period to be doubled as of 2014 (excluding the budgetin addition to the budget for research, development and innovation devoted to Structural Funds and the EIB), as the appropriate response to the current economic crisis and to the great shared challenges; suggests, therefore, a new organisational model based on three different layers of funding aimed at stability and convergence:
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Stresses the need for KICs with a more narrow focus and consequently a more concentrated network with a smaller sized budget, which also enables more SME participation due to lower annual contribution costs; believes that these smaller KICs can create a single focal point in the EU as a meeting place for scientists from all over the EU in order to better compete on the global market;
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Recalls that the European Research Council (ERC) has proved to be successful and a strengthening element of the European Research Area (ERA); stresses the need to increase the proportion of the budget dedicated to grants to young researchers, as well to strengthen Marie Curie actions and initiatives, thus reinforcing mobility; calls for the implementation of the necessary measures to cope with the precarious conditions of scientific workers in the EU as a means to attract and retain researchers, bearing in mind that precarious working conditions (which are still more prevalent for women, young people and the elderly) constitute a bottleneck on the way to achieving excellence in Europe;
Amendment 222 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Endorses the request by European universities regarding the need for experienced Commission experts to be present at the beginning of the programme so as better to implement the programme and avoid mistakes;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. This layer is the space for marketing offostering the market uptake of innovative products and services and generation of public wealth; innovative SMEs play a pivotal role here in developing novel products and services;
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Stresses that increased participation by SMEs needs appropriate funding instruments that respond to their specificities, including an increased margin of the tolerable risk of error; within this scenario soft loans should be considered, which are reimbursed in the event of success, excluding administrative costs; to enable a more trust-based and risk-tolerant approach to the benefit of SMEs and all other CSF participants, the margin of the tolerable risk of error should be increased;
Amendment 277 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Takes the view that not all innovation is research-based and that not all research has innovation as its goal; believes in consequence that the proposed reorganisation should aim for excellence and cover the full innovation cycle, from concept to market, including non- technological, eco and social innovation;
Amendment 282 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Recalls that the very competitive nature of research, scientific, technological and innovation work and the maintenance of local scientific and innovative capacity building depend on the existence of some level of duplication and fragmentation, without which collaborative research would be undermined;
Amendment 288 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Strongly encourages the implementation of training and mobility programmes for all potential participants, particularly on the application of management rules, and calls on the Commission to develop criteria for the selection, evaluation and assessment of projects, bearing in mind the stairways to excellence;
Amendment 291 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Calls for a stronger intergovernmental participation under the Joint Programming measures, which strengthens the cooperation in research, development and innovation throughout Europe;
Amendment 301 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Favours moving towards a ‘science- based’ approach and calls for a trust-based andttitude towards researchers and a more risk-tolerant attitude towards participants at all stages of the funding system;
Amendment 311 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25
Paragraph 25
25. Calls for the Cooperation Programme to be kept at the heart of the FP, reinforcing collaborative transnational research, especially cooperation between partners in EU Member States; believes that funding should be flexible and consistent with the needs both of large consortia and of smaller groups; in order to achieve that goal, European research funding should be able to attract the best researchers with user-friendly arrangements at all levels;
Amendment 322 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)
Paragraph 25 a (new)
25a. Calls for the strengthening of measures that will contribute to the mobility of European researchers, help stem the 'brain drain', attract very promising young researchers from third countries and make the prospect of a research career in the EU more attractive;
Amendment 325 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)
Paragraph 25 b (new)
25b. Voices its scepticism about the effectiveness of utilizing the funds for creating research networks of excellence and organising conferences and events and calls for a strengthening of electronic networking measures for research and innovation and the dissemination of research results via the Internet;
Amendment 328 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 c (new)
Paragraph 25 c (new)
25c. Expresses its scepticism about whether it is often possible to finance a single proposal per call, resulting in a waste of the resources invested in their preparation and evaluation and the non- funding of excellent ideas; calls on the Commission to investigate the possibility of funding excellent, non-selected proposals, through an additional research budget (matching research funds) which will also involve Member States and regional and structural funds;
Amendment 343 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Emphasizes that the FP should link education and innovation more closely in an integrated knowledge triangle programme, based on the various tools available, such as infrastructure development, standardization, training programmes and measures to support key technologies;
Amendment 345 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)
Paragraph 26 a (new)
26a. Calls for a clear coordination with the new initiatives under the EU2020 strategy, such as the Innovation Union and other relevant Flagship Projects;