12
programme management. This indicates that good instruments for multilateral cooperation are
in place. MPC programs target similar topics, showing potentials for further cooperation in the
Mediterranean Region on common objectives”.
In addition , it is important to highlight that research and innovation in “
agriculture” reveals to be
the most important topic for all MPCs, therefore
any future joint programming initiative on R&I,
in order to be in line with national priorities, should address agriculture in all its dimensions.
1.2 National Programmes in EU Member
States
Based on a survey conducted in 2014 by ERANETMED project (final version to be published soon on
www.eranetmed.eu
) on the national R&I programming of eight EU member States
2
,which
considered 65 different programs, the analysis of potential for programme synergies and alignment
among EU countries and with the MPCs has been also conducted. The following features should be
underlined:
All countries concerned have programs ranging from national (unilateral), to bilateral and
multilateral (including opening for international cooperation). In almost all cases national
programs are open to third country collaboration even if expenses for non-national
researchers are not always eligible.
As for the themes covered by the national programmes, they have a wide coverage and it is
rare that a national programme is focused on a specific research area or theme like – for
example - “only water” or “only food” or “only climate”. These topics are generally linked
to broader strategic intervention in agriculture, sustainable development, management of
resources, environment. Globally speaking the funding for national calls for research
proposals ranges from environment, climate agriculture and food to health, energy,
sustainable development, biology, biotechnology, engineering, economics and social
sciences, and other themes. (Table 2, Figures 2 and 3).
The national programmes show slight differences in their main objectives. These differences
are mainly linked to the internal process of granting projects, the type of eligible actions and
– in particular – the financial size. Some countries, like France and Italy for example, support
a wider range of actions, from basic research to innovation, flagship projects, actions
dedicated to industry. While other countries having limited budget, tend to concentrate the
financial support to basic research. In general,
the opening to international cooperation is
commonly seen in all countries as the main strategy to tackle societal challenges that
needs transnational and regional approach, like for example climate, water, food..
On the other hand, national programmes have some problems in common, like the need of
higher link between research and innovation and low research competiveness compared
with major countries outside Europe (i.e.: US, Canada, Japan) and the need to give more
continuity to research in strategic topics. On the other side, some countries (i.e.: Cyprus,
Malta, Greece) suffer of insufficient funding and lack of continuity in funds, brain drain, weak
valorization of research results.
There is no synchronisation of programmes in Europe. There are multi-annual programmes
(example: Italy, Greece, Turkey), while there are yearly revised programmes (i.e.: Germany,
2
Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Cyprus, Greece, Portugal, Malta