Informal meeting of EU research ministers, 16-17 September 2024

One of the priorities of the Hungarian presidency is to increase the competitiveness of the European Union. The Hungarian presidency is convinced that improving the effectiveness of the European research and innovation ecosystems is a key instrument to strengthen the EU’s competitiveness. This requires addressing the gaps in the functioning of the European innovation system. Among these gaps, it is particularly important to address the fragmentation of the European Research and Innovation Area (ERA), both at the level of the innovation ecosystem and geographically. The Hungarian presidency will link this topic to the assessment of the ERA Policy Agenda (2022-2024) and the – already published – Letta and awaited Draghi report on the future of the EU’s competitiveness.

The agenda of the ministerial meeting includes the strengthening of the European research and innovation competitiveness and overcoming the fragmentation of the ERA. The outcome of the meeting will be considered during the preparation for the Council conclusions on this issue. Europe’s higher education sector must remain competitive globally. In its communication published on March 27, the Commission outlined its proposal on the European degree (label). During the meeting, the Presidency will seek opinions and guidance from Ministers in order to contribute to the Council’s position on the concept of the European degree.