MEPs have quizzed the Bulgarian candidate for the Startups, Research and Innovation portfolio in Ursula von der Leyen’s EU Commission.
Ekaterina Zaharieva faced deputies on the Industry, Research and Energy Committee on Tuesday.
In her introductory remarks, Commissioner-designate Zaharieva expressed her desire to place Research and Innovation (R&I) “at the heart” of the EU’s competitiveness agenda.
She said there is now momentum for investing more into R&I in a more strategic manner to allow Europe to achieve its digital and low-carbon transitions.
She highlighted that R&I spending in Europe is lower than in the US, China or Japan and pledged to propose a European Innovation Act, to push Member States to meet the 3% spending target on R&I.
Other aims, she said, were to avoid brain drain, defend freedom of research, invest in R&I infrastructure and expand the European Research Council.
Zaharieva also advocated for a comprehensive strategy to help start-ups and smaller companies grow by facilitating access to capital and cutting red tape.
The Commissioner-designate also argued in favour of a strategy for European life sciences, boosting the use of AI in science, and an Advanced Materials Act.
Zaharieva said that the Commission should also bring forward an action plan to help promote women in R&I and advocated for an ambitious budget for R&I in the next multiannual framework programme.
On international relations, she said the EU should defend the principle of reciprocity, level playing fields, and strategic autonomy, pledging to work with Ukrainian researchers and innovators as much as possible.
Several MEPs called for less red tape for SME applicants for EU research support.
On this, Zaharieva said she is in favour of a strong simplification with a two-phase application process in order to minimise red tape.
Other MEPs asked for EU R&I policy to have a stronger focus on nuclear research, in the context of the low-carbon transition.
A parliament spokesman said,
“Based on the committee recommendations, the Conference of Presidents is set to conduct the final evaluation and declare the hearings closed on 21 November.
“Once the Conference of Presidents declares all hearings closed, the evaluation letters will be published.”
