How should the Common Strategic Framework make EU research and innovation more attractive and easy to access for participants? From the Quaker Council for European Affair’s point of view, it is not the ease of access and attractiveness per se that is important. What is important is to attract the kind of research that will help to solve the societal challenges the EU has identified and that are seen as key challenges by citizens. It is important to look at the type of research that is being funded – and – importantly the research that is not being funded. We believe far more funding should be targeted at priority areas such as energy because not only are we going to need to transition to low-carbon sources of energy to replace coal-fired power stations, but we have the means of technology and know-how to reduce our energy dependence, but lack the social insight and the courage to prod homeowners and individuals to be part of the solution. The public have seriously been underestimated for their impact to deliver on energy policy and no amount of one-stop-shop approaches is going to make as significant a difference as if we elevated the significance of public involvement in decision-making.

Read QCEA’s consultation response (PDF – 55 Kb)

Results of the Consultation

You can read a summary of the consultation responses here. All the written responses to the consultation are available on-line here.