Consultation display

The Enterprise and Business Committee undertook a short inquiry into the Horizon 2020 proposals, which were published by the European Commission in November 2011.

The Committee looked at the potential linkages between the Horizon 2020 and the EU Structural Funds proposals, particularly in terms of creating synergies aimed at improving the overall performance by Welsh universities and businesses in EU research programmes.

The terms of reference for the inquiry were to:

• assess the potential impact of the European Commission’s draft legislative proposals for the future Horizon 2020 on Wales, both positively and negatively;
• make recommendations to Welsh Ministers on what the Welsh Government should prioritise in seeking to shape the UK Government’s position in the Council of Ministers, and feed these views into the negotiations taking place in Brussels (including the European Parliament);
• assess the opportunity for synergies between Horizon 2020 and future EU Structural Funds in Wales aimed at improving future Welsh participation in Horizon 2020;
• consider how the science strategy for Wales and other relevant Welsh Government policies are aimed at maximising the opportunities to organisations in Wales from participation in future EU research and innovation funding.

A link to the proposals:

http://ec.europa.eu/research/horizon2020/index_en.cfm