Initiative for Science in Europe (ISE) together with four of its member organisations, the European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (EURODOC), the International Consortium of Research Staff Organisations (ICoRSA), the Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA) and the Young Academy Europe (YAE), launched a survey on 3-6 May 2023 to gather the views on Research and Innovation of the candidate parties to the European Parliament elections taking place from 6 to 9 June.

Up to now, twenty one parties from eleven countries (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Netherlands, Sweden) responded to the survey; their answers are all available on the ISE website (https://initiative-se.eu/2024/05/24/eu-survey-result-test-page/). More answers are coming and will be available as they arrive.

Our project is the first ever European-wide survey on the specific concern of Research and Innovation, so important for the future of Europe.

While the number of responses is not as high as one might have hoped, the survey presents some interesting insights on the parties’ views about Research and Innovation concerns, including some divergences.

A few examples:

Most parties agree to commit on 3% or more on R&I budget.
Most respondents support also the goal of a large increase in the budget for the next multi-annual framework programme.
Respondents from EU-15 countries (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia) emphasise the necessity to have a more balanced allocation of grants to their countries.
Several respondents ask for a reduction in bureaucratic controls.
On the balance between funding basic research, or giving more weight to innovation, there are some contradictory views.
Contact e-mail and organisers: ep-2024-survey@initiative-se.eu

Initiative for Science in Europe (ISE)
European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (EURODOC)
International Consortium of Research Staff Organisations (ICoRSA)
Marie Curie Alumni Association (MCAA)
Young Academy Europe (YAE)

Initiative for Science in Europe (ISE) is an independent platform bringing together learned societies and European scientific research organisations, operating throughout all disciplines and across all sectors, which played a decisive role in the creation of the European Research Council (ERC).

ISE has since then successfully advocated for a greater role for science in Europe, and effectively supports common causes essential for European scientific research communities, shaping European science policies and stimulating the involvement of European researchers in the design and implementation of the European Research Area.