8. Wahlperiode Miroslav POCHE

. ‒ Last year, the Commission proposed the regulation on the new Framework Programme for Research and Innovation – Horizon Europe. In less than three months, the Commission, the Council and Parliament reached an agreement. The content of the programme, as a result of the deal, perfectly reflects our priorities. Many important issues will be secured, such as the health cluster, culture, security, energy and climate, innovation and job qualifications. That is why I did not hesitate to express my support.
Horizon Europe embodies our aspirations and values in many ways. First, it will fight against climate change, one of the most discussed topics nowadays. Second, the programme focuses on the importance of citizens’ quality of life. In this respect, research broad lines will be mainly dedicated to cancer, cardiovascular diseases and precision medicine, in order to improve citizens’ well-being and medical treatments. Finally, part of the programme aims at increasing gender equality, especially in the field of research and innovation, stimulating the integration of the gender dimension. I believe that all of these issues are currently significant and we need to cope with them as soon as possible.

The European Union is undoubtedly one of the principal space world leaders. Nevertheless, if we want to further develop its capabilities, I believe that an additional effort becomes indispensable, considering that mainstream space powers (such as the United States and Russia) remain very active and that new players access to the space sector. That is why I support the proposal. The new programme will enhance EU space activities, stimulating scientific and technical progresses. In addition to that, it will encourage competitiveness and innovation capacity in the area of space industry. To achieve this, we will sustain in particular small and medium-sized enterprises, start-ups and innovative businesses. Furthermore, our target is to develop new partnerships, in order to create and purchase innovative products and services. The proposal aims also at bearing EU action in three new potential domains: high performance computing, climate change and security. Only then Europe could preserve its leadership and autonomy in this strategic area.

The rise of the internet and of social media in the 21st century creates new problematics and necessities that should be tackle. The spread of cyberbullying, a form of harassment using electronic means, has deeply affected our society in the past ten years, with regard to young people. At the same time, we see the development of brand new technologies that are bound to continue growing over the years, for example in the area of artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. Despite this, now the European Union is an importer of digital products, depending mostly on third-countries providers such as the United States and China. I support the programme because I believe that it will increase European digital capacities in different ways, financing infrastructures in the field of cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and supercomputing. In the meantime, the programme aims at stimulating the workforce to acquire digital skills in order to encourage the digital transformation of public services.