Technological research and development becomes new European policy

With the Lisbon Treaty, Research and Technological Development - formerly a so-called support competence - has become a "shared competence", meaning that both the EU and the Member States may legislate and adopt legally binding acts in that area. The promotion of scientific and technological advance in its own right has thus become a specific objective of the Union for the first time.

Article 4 of the EU Treaty specifies that: “In the areas of research, technological development and space, the Union shall have competence to carry out activities, in particular to define and implement programmes; however, the exercise of that competence shall not result in Member States being prevented from exercising theirs.”

Previously, the Community aimed to promote research activities deemed necessary to support the competitiveness of industry and/or by virtue of other chapters of the Treaty. Other elements of the European research policy (such as the Framework Programmes) will continue to be adopted on the same basis and according to the same procedures as at present.

ERA lies basis for "Fith Freedom"

Almost ten years after introduction of the "Lisbon Strategy", the European Research ERA and the free transfer of knowledge are finally laid down in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, alias the Treaty of Lisbon: “The Union shall have the objective of strengthening its scientific and technological bases by achieving a European research area in which researchers, scientific knowledge and technology circulate freely, and encouraging it to become more competitive, including in its industry, while promoting all the research activities deemed necessary by virtue of other Chapters of the Treaties.”

Sources: http://www.euromonde2015.eu/IMG/pdf/annexe6_en.pdf and europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/09-531, as accessed on December 7, 2009