European Research Policy

European Research Policy in the context of this website means the entirety of measures at European level to promote R&D and to create a favourable environment for R&D throughout the European Union. Geographically it also comprises the countries associated to the Framework Programme (Croatia, Turkey, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Israel, Albania, FYROM, Serbia, Montenegro). Following this definition, the instruments of European Research Policy are the Research Framework Programmes and the European Research Area with all its aspects. Pan-European schemes for Research Cooperation such as COST and EUREKA partly go beyond this definition, but do play an important role in this context.
 
The legal basis for European Research Policy is Chapter XVIII of the EC Treaty (Articles 163-173). It provides the basis both for the Framework Programmes and the ERA. Important measures within European Research Policy are in the competence of Member States. In this respect, European Research Policy is implemented by Member States, either within their national legal frameworks, or by adapting them.