OMC Mutual Learning

The Open Method of Coordination (OMC) is a policy instrument created in the year 2000 to make Member States progress jointly towards the goals of the Lisbon strategy.

The Barcelona target (increasing general expenditure on R&D to 3% of GDP within the European Union) led to a dedicated OMC process in the field of research policy. The Competitiveness Council appointed CREST to oversee its implementation. Thus the OMC mutual learning exercise of CREST is a response to the Council´s request to underpin the contribution of Member States to implementing the European Research Area by systematic joint monitoring of progress and by mutual learning exercises.

Since then, the CREST-OMC instrument has unfolded through yearly cycles, of which there have been four to date. In each cycle, a series of working groups have discussed specific research policy issues. All working groups have produced a report with the results of their discussions and recommendations.

The first OMC cycle was launched in 2003 and focused on

• Public research spending and policy mixes
• Public research base and its links to industry
• Fiscal measures and research
• Intellectual property and research
• SMEs and research

The second OMC cycle was launched in 2005 and focused on

• Effectiveness of fiscal measures for RTD
• Improving the design and implementation of national policy mixes
• Promoting the reform of public research centres and universities in particular to promote transfer of knowledge to society and industry
• Designing measures to promote growth of young
  research-intensive SMEs and start-ups

For the third OMC cycle four Expert Groups were established in 2006:

• Framework Programme and the Structural Funds
• Internationalisation of R&D
• Policy mixes 
• R&D in services

A fourth cycle of the OMC was launched in December 2007 and focuses on

• Universities
• Industry-led competence centres
• Internalisation of R&D
• Policy Mixes

A fifth cycle is currently being carried out. CREST approved the mandate for peer learning activities (PLA) on the follow up of the CREST OMC Working Group on Universities. The Danish delegation is acting as the chair of the activity.

As part of the OMC, CREST offers to member states a peer review of the national research policy-mix (see: Policy Mix Peer Review).

Reports on the previous OMC cycles (including reports of the respective expert groups) can be found here.

Documents

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