Press Maria da Graça Carvalho and the Belgian Presidency of the EU hold the workshop "Simplification: The Way Ahead"

The European Parliament has recently approved the report "Simplifying the implementation of the Research Framework Programmes". Ms Carvalho, the rapporteur, is co-organizing with the Belgian Presidency a workshop which will take place in the European Parliament, room 4Q1, from 16h30 to 18h30 on 30 November 2010.

The workshop, entitled "Simplification: the Way Ahead", aims to discuss the way the recommendations proposed the implementation of the report by the European Commission. The report marks "the beginning of a difficult road ahead". However, political support and monitoring by the European Parliament and the Council are fundamental to the success of this task.

Ms Carvalho believes that "the Parliament's political support is crucial to the long term success of the simplification process". The MEP also adds "the bulk of my report's recommendations will have been implemented as a result of the mid term revision of FP7. It is to be hoped that what still remains will be incorporated into the FP8".

The workshop will bring together the perspectives of Universities, Research Centres and Industry. The invited speakers are the Minister for the Brussels-Capital Region Government, in charge of Employment, the Economy, Agricultural Policy, Foreign Trade and Scientific Research, Benoît Cerexhe; the Director-General in DG research, Clara de la Torre; the Rector of UCL Université Catholique de Louvain, Bruno Delvaux; the IMEC executive officer in charge of relations with Europe, Gilbert Declerck; and the Executive Scientific Director PSA Peugeot Citroën and Council member of EUCAR, Sylvain Allano. 

There will also be short statements from MEPs with a particular interest in research.

About the report:

The report "Simplifying the implementation of the research framework programmes" was adopted in the European Parliament with the support of all political groups (553 votes in favour, 12 votes against, and 7 abstentions) on 11 November 2010.

Maria da Graça Carvalho declared that this report "will play a fundamental role in the Europe 2020 Growth and Jobs Strategy, so researchers will feel motivated to participate. It will also make the rules and processes simpler, clearer and more transparent in order to facilitate participation".