UFU, Alm.del - 2019-20 - Bilag 69: Orientering om ny EU komissær for innovation, forskning, kultur, uddannelse og ungdom Mariya Gabriel samt kommisær for det indre marked Thierry Breton, fra uddannelses- og forskningsministeren

Uddannelses- og Forskningsudvalget 2019-20
UFU Alm.del Bilag 69
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Minister for Higher Education and Science

Mariya Gabriel

Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth

European Commission

Dear Commissioner Mariya Gabriel

Please accept my warmest congratulations on your appointment as Commissioner

for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.

The main challenge that our societies face in the coming years is addressing

climate change. Our education, research and innovation systems are of critical

importance in order to address the challenges, and create a more sustainable and

prosperous EU.

The EU has a global position in the area of green and sustainable solutions that

can strengthen our competitiveness, and at the same time contribute to fulfilling

the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.

A green Horizon Europe

Ambitious investments in green research and innovation are crucial for reaching

the EU's climate target, and both the current and the next EU-framework

programme for research and innovation, Horizon Europe are central to this.

Horizon Europe rightly reflects the urgency of solving the grave climate related

challenge. The Danish Government has high expectations to the European Green

Deal and hope that it will set a strong green agenda for the next five years.

Nationally, we have committed ourselves to a target of reducing greenhouse gas

emissions with 70 percent by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels).

We meet our 3 percent objective in terms of research and innovation investments,

including 1 percent from the public sector. Within this budget, the Government will

invest additional 1 billion Danish kroner - around 134 million euros

–

next year on

green research and innovation compared to what we invest today.

Arctic research and innovation

In order to address climate change, we must pay particular attention to research

and innovation

related to the Arctic. This is an overarching European interest and

a crucial focus area, not only to counter local climate developments, but because

the Arctic region is an indicator of global climate change. Horizon Europe should

have a strong focus on Arctic research and innovation

–

both in relation to

Ministry of Higher Education and

Science Denmark

Børsgade 4

P.O. Box 2135

1260 Copenhagen K

Denmark

Phone +45 3392 9700

[email protected]

www.ufm.dk/en

CVR no. 1680 5408

Ref. no.

87030

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UFU, Alm.del - 2019-20 - Bilag 69: Orientering om ny EU komissær for innovation, forskning, kultur, uddannelse og ungdom Mariya Gabriel samt kommisær for det indre marked Thierry Breton, fra uddannelses- og forskningsministeren

mitigating climate changes, exploitation of natural resources in a sustainable way,

and connectivity, monitoring and infrastructure.

Stronger links between higher education, research and innovation

It was with great pleasure that I learned about your portfolio covering both

education, research and innovation. This gives you a unique opportunity to create

stronger links and synergies between these closely related policy areas. Creating

closer ties between Horizon Europe and the next Erasmus+ programme is

instrumental in this regard.

The new European Universities initiative brings a burning platform to both

reinvigorate European cooperation in Higher Education as well as truly bring

elements from both Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe together in one initiative. The

European Universities can hopefully lead to increased quality, excellence and

international competitiveness for European higher education and research

institutions, and I look forward to collaborating with you to bring these ambitions

into reality.

High quality education with Erasmus+

The Erasmus+ programme has never been more important than now, and there

are high expectations for what the programme should accomplish. The next

programme should build on past successes, but be more accessible and simple

with reduced bureaucratic procedures.

Erasmus+ should increase the quality and international outlook of European

Education systems by fostering mobility and cooperation not just within Europe but

also beyond.

Within Erasmus+, we should focus on initiatives that bring EU added value, and

contribute to high quality education. This is not the case for DiscoverEU which is

an idea that should be abandoned.

I look very much forward to working actively with you and the new Commission

with the aim of creating a prosperous and integrated European Research Area

and European Education Area that will help preparing Europe for the next decade.

Yours sincerely

Ministry of Higher Education

and Science Denmark

Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen

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