ETRMA joins call for more ambitious research and investment policy in Europe

Brussels – A grouping of 110 European associations, including the European Tyre and Rubber Manufacturers' Association (ETRMA), have called on the EU to place more focus on research & innovation in the region to maintain competitiveness in the long term.

The call, on 4 July, “urgently” called on the EU institutions to “significantly increase” the budget in view for the next European Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (FP10).

The plea was made in view of an accelerating global technology race, where the petition said “the EU significantly lags behind in terms of investments in RD&I compared to its global competitors.”

This, it went on to say, is “particularly true for private investments,” hampering the region’s ability to “fully capitalise on its scientific and technological potential.”

“For the sake of its long-term competitiveness, the EU needs to do more to attract and retain private RD&I investments in Europe,” the petition went on to say.

The EU framework programme, it argued, enables public RD&I investments, which are crucial to alleviate market failures and to stimulate private RD&I investments by lowering the risks.

Click for full text: “Joint statement for an ambitious FP10: investing in Europe’s future competitiveness through collaborative research, development, and innovation”