Transcript Template Speakers

The European Research Area
and Research on European
Politics
Pēteris Zilgalvis, J.D.
European Commission
Head of Unit ‘Governance and Ethics’
Directorate General For Research
The European Research Area
as policy and politics
• Research as Treaty competence: the
Single European Act and changes
foreseen in the (pending) Lisbon
Treaty
• Articles 179-182: legislative measures
necessary to implement the ERA
ERA as Policy and Politics (2)
• The Framework Programme and/in
the ERA: collaborative research and
other research intiatives in a
European dimension and a common
space for researchers and knowledge
The European Research Area
as policy and politics (2)
• ERA policy in the context of the internal market
and its four freedoms, plus discussion of a ‘fifth
freedom’
• ERA policy in the context of globalisation &
transnational markets and networks
• ERA politics in the context of EU and MS
competence, enlargement (first implemented in
association to FP), external relations (e.g. via
research international cooperation)
The European Research Area
as policy and politics (3)
According to a current assessment of ERA results:
 European research is more firmly rooted in
society and responsive to its needs
 Actors of research and innovation in
Europe are empowered with a wider area
of freedom, opportunities and services
 Appropriate means and incentives are
provided to most research stakeholders in
the pursuit of world-class excellence
 Revised Lisbon strategy targets are
broadly met
The European Union as a
research issue in the FP
• Paradoxically, research on the very
working of the European institutions, the
web of actors involved in EU decision
making and the involvement of citizens in
this only started at the European level in
the late nineties –in the 5th FP.
The EU as a research issue in the
FP (2)
• At closer look, this development may not be that
paradoxical, but rather reflect the evolution of
European integration which was launched as a
political project to be implemented through
economic means and cooperation, with a false
start towards CED and CPE in the 50s – with
political elements again later gaining prominence
(inclusion of European citizenship in the
M.Treaty, debates on 'democratic deficit‘,
Constitution, European governance etc.).
The European Union as a
research issue in the FP (3)
Since its start:
• Around 20 projects in FP5 on issue of 'governance and
citizenship' gathering 7-8 institutions on average, i.e. 160
institutions involved
• Around 20 projects in FP6 on issues of governance,
regulation, citizenship of which 9 large integrated projects and
networks of excellence –ranging from 18 to 57 partner institutions
each: overall, about 320 institutions. Together large and smaller
projects involve about 400 institutions
• And research on conflicts, migration, social&econ. polices…
• Involving research institutions in all EU countries and beyond
EU (associated countries and third countries)
• Leading to the development of some shared research
infrastructures, programmes, etc. (e.g. databases, virtual libraries
and reviews, joint training schools) as well as joint publications
and other outputs geared towards academia as well as policy
makers and the wider public
The European Union as a
research issue in the FP (4)
In FP7, two main Activities of the Socio-economic
sciences and Humanities Programme tackle EU
policy and politics:
• Activity 4 on ‘Europe in the World’ –with recently
selected projects on Conflicts&Peace, on Human
Rights, on Multilateralism and the new EU
external relations, on the EU seen from Outside..
• Activity 5 on ‘The Citizen in the EU’, with some
projects on citizenship and on participation (3 out
of 98 – drawing lessons for the future to avoid enormous
oversubscription and therefore frustration..)
The European Union as a
research issue in the FP (5)
And issues also in other Activities:
• Activity 1, Growth, employment and
competitiveness
• Activity 2, Combining economic, social and
environmental objectives
• Activity 3, Major Trends in Society
• Activity 6, Indicators
• Activity 7, Foresight
Socio-economic sciences and
Humanities: Call 2009
Call publication: 3rd September 2008
Call Closure: 13th January 2009
Collaborative projects (Call A)
Research for the benefit of Specific Groups –
Civil Society Organisations (Call A)
Collaborative projects for Specific Interational
Cooperation Actions – SICA (Call B)
Coordination and Support Actions (Call C)
2009 Workprogramme
Funding schemes
• Eligibility Criteria – Financial Thresholds
– Maximum EC Requested Contribution
• Call A: Collaborative projects EUR 2.7 M
• Call A: BSG–CSO EUR 1 M
• Call B: CP–SICA EUR 3 M
• Call C: CSA–CA and CSA–SA no financial limits
defined as eligibility criteria but indicative available
budget indicated in Call
Proposals outside these financial limits will
be considered ineligible
2009 Workprogramme
Evaluation Criteria
• Default evaluation criteria – Annex 2 of
Cooperation Specific Programme
• The first and most important criterion is
scientific quality –with a view to its
European dimension
(e.g. for Call A, the scientific and/or technological
excellence evaluation criterion will include the additional
sub-criterion: 'appropriate comparative perspective and
the largest possible European coverage in relation to the
proposed research‘)
CALL SSH-2009-A
Activity 8.1 : Growth, employment and
competitiveness in a knowledge society – the
European case
–
Area 8.1.1 : Changing role of knowledge throughout the
economy
 Topic: SSH-2009 – 1.1.1 Education in a European knowledge society
Modern skills for young people in a knowledge society, contribution of
SSH to the development of such skills, reduction of inequalities, role of
actors (pupils, teachers, unions, employers, etc.) in reforming the
education systems.
–
Area 8.1.2 : Structural changes in the European knowledge
economy and society
 Topic: SSH-2009 – 1.2.1 Growth and service industries
Empirical analysis of service industries in Europe; focus on productivity,
internationalisation, etc.; effectiveness of policy instruments
CALL SSH-2009-A
Activity 8.1: Growth, employment and
competitiveness in a knowledge society – the
European case
–
Area 8.1.3: Strengthening policy coherence and coordination
in Europe
•
Topic: SSH-2009 – 1.3.1 Public economic policy for growth
Quality and effectiveness of public intervention in getting adequate
growth (taxation government expenditure, public institution and
regulation, etc.); policy options to support the Lisbon Stategy
CALL SSH-2009-A
Activity 8.2: Combining economic, social and
environmental objectives in a European
perspective – Paths towards sustainable
development
Area 8.2.1: Socio-economic development trajectories
•
Topic: SSH-2009 – 2.1.1 New socio-economic concepts, paradigm
shift and territorial dynamics in a long term perspective
New models, 2030-2050, energy-transport-environment-land-use,

adaptation to global changes
Topic: SSH-2009 – 2.1.3 Impacts of corporate social responsibility
Empirical evidence needed: tools & measurement on CSR impact
at company/sectoral or spatial levels
CALL SSH-2009-A
Activity 8.2: Combining economic, social and
environmental objectives in a European
perspective – Paths towards sustainable
development
–
Area 8.2.2: Regional, territorial and social cohesion
•
Topic: SSH-2009 – 2.2.1 Social inequalities, their implications and policy
options
Increased or new social inequalities: social, cultural and political impact
in the long(er) term
CALL SSH-2009-A
Activity 8.3: Major trends in society and their
implications
–
Area 8.3.2: Societal trends and lifestyles
•


Topic: SSH-2009 – 3.2.1 Changes in consumption and consumer
markets
New trends in consumers' behaviours, social and cultural implications,
factors influencing consumers' choice, link to sustainable development.
Topic: SSH-2009 - 3.2.2 Social platform on research for families and
family policies
Stock-taking => societal & policy needs + stakeholder participation =>
future research agenda
Topic: SSH-2009 – 3.2.3 Quality of work and impact on quality of life
and economy
Better jobs (Lisbon): negative + positive working trends => synergies possible?
CALL SSH-2009-A
Activity 8.3: Major trends in society and their
implications
–
Area 8.3.3: Cultural interactions in an international perspective
•
Topic: SSH-2009 – 3.3.1 Tolerance and cultural diversity
normative and conceptual approaches;
historical and contemporary exemplars; role of educational systems
•
Topic: SSH-2009 – 3.3.2 Religion and secularism across Europe
Interaction of religious and secular values, beliefs, practices and
its consequences for policy formulation
CALL SSH-2009-A
Activity 8.4: Europe and the world
–
Area 8.4.1: Interactions and interdependences between world
regions and their implications
•
Topic: SSH-2009 – 4.1.1 Competition and collaboration in access to oil,
gas and mineral resources
Role of markets, technology, international regulation, etc. in shaping
competition and collaboration; link between efficiency, justice and
fairness accross generations (time sacle up to newt 20-30 years)
CALL SSH-2009-A
Activity 8.4: Europe and the world (2)
–
Area 8.4.2: Conflicts, peace and human rights
•
Topic: SSH-2009 – 4.2.2 Perspectives from outside the EU on human
rights, democracy and peace
Comparative analysis of what these mean and how they are practiced
in different contexts; e.g. perceptions and legal status of human rights,
different interactions between democracy and rule of law, different views
of just peace…
(cooperation with researchers outside Europe is to be enhanced!)
CALL SSH-2009-A
Activity 8.5: The Citizen in the European Union
–
Area 8.5.1: Participation and citizenship in Europe
•
Topic: SSH-2009 – 5.1.1 Independent media and democracy in Europe
Role of media in formation and consolidation of democracy; governance
of media sector; media convergence and concentration; media pluralism
and independence
(For collaborative projects and/or BSG-CSO)
CALL SSH-2009-A
Activity 8.5: The Citizen in the European Union (2)
– Area 8.5.2: Diversities and commonalities in Europe
• Topic: SSH-2009 – 5.2.1 Vehicular languages in Europe in an
era of globalisation: history, policy, practice
historical and contemporary instances globally; effects on cultural
diversity as well as social and economic effects; power and identity
• Topic: SSH-2009 – 5.2.2 Interrelation between collective
representations and uses of history and cultural evolution in an
enlarged Europe
formation of collective memory; its impact on perceptions of
Europe’s past, present and future
• Topic: SSH-2009 – 5.2.3 Culture in the creation of a European space
of communication
emergence of new transnational cultural communities in Europe;
influence of technology and globalisation
CALL SSH-2009-A
Activity 8.6: Socio-economic and scientific
indicators
–
Area 8.6.2: Developing better indicators for policy

Topic: SSH-2009 – 6.2.1 Indicators for the European service sector
Indicators research relating to: measurement, productivity, growth in the
service sector; including ICT services, ICT intensive services, financial
services, wholesale and retail trades, health, social and personal services
–
Area 8.6.3: Provision of underlying official statistics
 Topic: SSH-2009 – 6.3.1 Data management for statistics
Research into: the combination of electronic surveys, new sampling
techniques, cross linking data, EU level representativity, reduction of
response burden and survey costs, methods for handing large datasets.
CALL SSH-2009-A
Activity 8.7: Foresight activities
–
Area 8.7.1: Wide socio-economic foresight on key challenges
•
Topic: SSH-2009 – 7.1.1 The World and Europe in 2025
•
Topic: SSH-2009 – 7.1.2 Foresight on the long term challenges for the
Mediterranean area
CALL SSH-2009-B
Activity 8.2 : Combining economic, social and
environmental objectives in a European
perspective: paths towards sustainable
development
–
Area 8.2.1: Socio-economic development trajectories
•
Topic: SSH-2009 – 2.1.2 Cities and sustainable development
CALL SSH-2009-B
Activity 8.4 : Europe and the world
–
Area 8.4.2: Conflicts, peace and human rights
•
Topic: SSH-2009 – 4.2.1 Climate induced changes in water resources in
southern Europe and neighbouring countries as a threat to security
Coordinated with the ENVIRONMENT Research Programme: focus here
is on socio-economic-institutional aspects of mitigation, adaptation, conflict
Prevention. Focus in ENV is on regional modelling.
(Applicants should see both texts/Calls, and choose where to apply)
CALL SSH-2009-C
Activity 8.3 : Major trends in society and their
implications
–
Area 8.3.2: Social trends and lifestyles
•
Topic: SSH-2009 – 3.2.2 Social platform on research for families and
family policies
Activity 8.4 : Europe in the world
–
Area 8.4.1: Interactions and interdependences between world
regions and their implications
•
Topic: SSH-2009 – 4.1.2 Geopolitics and the role of Europe in a
changing world
CALL SSH-2009-C
Activity 8.7 : Foresight activities
–
Area 8.7.5: Mutual learning and co-operation
•
Topic: SSH-2009 – 7.5.1 Consolidating the information system for foresight
Activity 8.8 : Horizontal actions
•
Topic: SSH-2009 – 8.1 Measures to support the dissemination of research
results
What is in store
after 2009 ?
• Roadmap under discussion with Programme
Committe/MS, Expert Advisory Group, all
Commission’s services to identify key research
challenges to be developed until 2013 and
establish the instruments to be used
• This is based on stock-taking of research done in
FP6 (reviews at project and programme levels)
and its instruments (e.g. workshop and survey
promoted by the NoE CONNEX in cooperation
with the NoE PRIME and the IP RECON)
• And considering the international dimension
(more cooperation with non-European teams,
e.g. in ‘Europe in the World’ topics) and policy
challenges for the EU
Some features of
EU research
• Collaborative Research in FP is not focused on
disciplines but on research issues: some issues
are researched especially in some disciplines (e.g.
electoral behavior by political scientists, labour
markets by economists) but may benefit from
contributions by other disciplines; also, some
relevant study areas (e.g. conflict and peace
studies, environmental studies, European studies)
are not discipline-based
• This approach is not unique (ECPR itself is not
narrowly based on discipines as many sessions
demonstrate), but not mainstream either (career
and publications structures & incentives still
mainly based on disciplines…)
Some myths on
EU research
• Power-myths: everything is decided by the Commission, which has
hidden agendas and one needs to read between the lines. Specific
Programme is co-decision; Calls are the result of
Interservice+EAG+Programme Committee. Anyone working on EU
decision making processes is aware of the competences AND limits
of the Commission…
• Evaluation-myths: an opaque process where proposals are judged
with little regard to quality. Evaluation criteria are published;
evaluators are anonymous as in most peer review but list of names
published yearly in aggregate mode; 3 to 5 evaluators per proposal;
Commission officials moderate according to clear codes;
independent observers during evaluation; report to MS; redress
procedure…
Inputs from the Research
Community
• However, on the basis of past and ongoing
research, reflection and dialogue take
place in the Commission and in the other
institutions benefitting from your research
results. They can have impact!
• This leads also to ideas for future topics.
Some areas of European reflection
• A United Europe?
• social sciences research can play an important
role in clarifying how and why we are still divided
within the EU, either in terms of perceptions of
threats or in our perceptions of trends in
development of new technologies.
• - Do we need to identify precisely where EU
citizens know little about each other and where
there are difficulties in establishing a common
dialogue, as well as in confirming which values
are truly shared?
Some areas of European reflection
(2)
• An economically viable Europe?
Can we afford the European social model in the
future?
We face demographic and integration
challenges.
Are we on the road to becoming a knowledge
society? Is manufacturing an essential part?
• Open economies: yes, but what about sovereign
wealth funds, energy security, “carbon leakage”?
Some areas of European reflection
(3)
• European defence:
an interesting history going back to the rejection
of the CED in the French Parliament.
- initiatives from Presidency, foreseen changes in
the Lisbon Treaty.
- relationship to NATO?
- does “soft” power inevitably need to be
complemented by a Europe that can “project
power”?
Some different ‘faces’
of EU research
• Cooperation: quality is not enough; need
collaboration (across countries, institutes..)
+policy relevance (while remaining independent
of the Institutions)
• Ideas: quality is enough/is the only criterion
• Capacities: research itself is not enough; the
research system, its own governance, openess,
ethical principles, gender dimension need to be
addressed (SiS)
• People: knowledge is not developed by
machines but by people (who need machines at
times) in a diverse and globalised world
EU research and ECPR
• As for all relations between EU RTD programme
and professional associations: cooperation and
independence/respect of each other roles
• Many EU-funded research projects present
sessions at ECPR (while often not referring to the
projects as such…)
• Commission supported some sessions in
targeted way (e.g. support for young researchers from
new Member States to attend the Pan-European ECPR in
Bologna) and sometimes invited (Pisa, Rīga,…)
Europe in the World
• Conflict and peace
• Rule of law & human rights
• Europe seen from outside
• Multilateralism
• Climate and security
• etc….
The citizen in the EU
• Democratic ownership
• Citizenship in the EU
• Media and democracy
• etc.…
Research on
governance, citizenship,
conflicts, human rights
For more information:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/
social-sciences/index_en.html
Thank you for your attention