Geopolitical and economic crises impose new policies and huge investments on the European Union. Within this framework, it is imperative that Europe catch up with the United States and China in the production of new knowledge and its effective transfer to economic development.
In one of our papers-which can be found on the Accademia dei Lincei website-we analyze the differences that exist among the 27 countries of Europe when considering the ratio of investment in public research to Gross Domestic Product. The European average is at 0.75 percent, but the two ‘virtuous’ countries (Germany and Estonia) are at 1.0 percent and the two most backward countries (Ireland and Romania) are at 0.17 percent, a full six times lower.
Considering instead government spending on Health and Education, the backward countries invest half as much as the virtuous countries; this is a disparity that can be understood. On the other hand, it is not acceptable that the differences in public research are as much as three times greater because this implies that while some of the 27 countries of the Union can train excellent researchers, elsewhere they lack the minimum means to support their preparation and competition at the international level. The disparity in turn engenders a vicious cycle: countries with less funding lack the research infrastructure to adequately train their young researchers or prepare them to compete for European Research Council funding, which is allocated on the basis of scientific quality. In addition to being an injustice, it is wasteful.
To remedy, at least in part, this situation, we have proposed a ‘20-year EU Public Research Program’ aimed at gradually raising the share of public research investment in countries that currently invest the least, to give everyone equal opportunities for scientific and technological growth.
In recent weeks a new theme has suddenly appeared on the scene of global public research. As pointed out in the articles written for Corriere della Sera by Ilaria Capua, Roberto Battiston, Maria Pia Abbracchio and Paolo Soldati, the stance taken by the Trump administration against science and independent scientists is serious not only for the future of the United States but for the whole world because the U.S. research system has so far attracted the best brains and invested large amounts of capital even in international collaborations. At the same time, however, it offers a unique opportunity to all the scientifically backward countries from which, for decades now, the best trained researchers have been emigrating to the United States to find better working conditions: with a rapid investment plan and appropriate incentives many will be enticed to return and raise the level of public research in their home countries. Therefore, part of the funding under our proposed 20-Year Plan will be invested for this purpose, thus reducing the time it takes, for countries today lagging behind in scientific investment, to catch up with the most advanced ones.
The proposal calls for a joint commitment by individual countries and the Union to increase investment toward a common minimum target of 0.75 percent of GDP, with EU support for states that are currently lagging behind in funding so that they can achieve a level of investment in line with the countries that invest the most. Quantitatively, a total of 180 billion euros must be invested over the 20 years from 2026 to 2045 to achieve the target. In our proposal, half of this sum, or 90 billion, would be funded by the European institutions and would go more to countries with the lowest ratios of public research investment to GDP.
Taking inflation into account, over the period 2026-2045 the average EU investment would be 3.7 billion per year, expressed in 2026 currency. This commitment, equal to one and a half times the European Research Council's annual funding, is only a small adjustment to the 750-800 billion that, according to the Draghi Report, Europe will need to invest each year to improve productivity, support the ecological transition and maintain sovereignty.
It is necessary to “rearm” our historical and cultural values, fostering education and creativity as powerful peaceful weapons capable of generating lasting prosperity. The entire continent would benefit, gathering the contributions of all countries-even those that cannot do so today for lack of funds-and strengthening our competitiveness globally. More integrated and sustained research will bring the peoples of Europe together, helping them meet present and future challenges. Feeding culture and knowledge multiplies energy and hope, and is also an indispensable weapon for saving our planet.
We therefore ask the Italian government and Parliament, the European Commission and Parliament, political forces, civil institutions and European citizens to share and support this initiative. Investment in laboratories, universities and research centers is the key to a Europe that does not want to remain a prisoner of logics that do not belong to our culture, but wishes to become a cradle of new ideas and a forge of sustainable development. It is an act of courage and vision; it is an opportunity to chart a new path of shared prosperity in the wake of our tradition.
Ugo Amaldi, Roberto Antonelli, Carlo Doglioni, Luciano Maiani, Giorgio Parisi
The Call was published April 12 by Corriere della Sera. See the first attachment