News & Events

Held on 8 March 2022 in Marseille under the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the ministerial conference on a comprehensive approach to research, innovation and higher education aimed to reinforce the international dimension of European policies in these fields on the basis of shared values and principles.

 

European research ministers strongly supported the need to respect fundamental values and principles in international research and innovation, as set out in the EU's Global Approach to research and innovation (R&I) and taking into account synergies with higher education.

 

In this context, they unequivocally condemned the Russian illegal and unjustified invasion of Ukraine as an attack on the elementary values of freedom, democracy, sovereignty and respect for international order, on which academic and scientific freedom and cooperation are based.

 

Following the EU Global Approach to research and innovation European ministers and Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Mariya Gabriel discussed key values and principles for international cooperation in research and innovation and expressed their intention to launch a dialogue on the issue with international partners.

 

The ministers and the Commissioner took the opportunity of the conference to affirm the full support and solidarity of the EU's R&I community towards Ukraine and its scientific community, and noted the timeliness of the dialogue on values in international cooperation.

 

The French Presidency presented the "Marseille Declaration", setting out its proposals for a common understanding of the values and principles for international cooperation in research, innovation and higher education. These include issues such as freedom of scientific research, ethics and integrity, gender equality, and open science.