Information technology research in Europe is vital for the continent's competitiveness, but needs more investment according to a new report from the European Commission.

It also warns that the tangle of red tape is making it increasingly more difficult to motivate high-level people from industry and academia to take part in vital work.

As well as calling for an increase in funding for IT/telecoms R&D, the report called for greater collaboration between firms and academia, and to step up the involvement of small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs).

The EU - which spends more than €1bn (£703m) a year on IT/telecoms R&D - is adamant that such research is essential to the future wealth and prosperity of Europe.

Responding to these concerns Viviane Reding, Information Society and Media Commissioner said today: "I intend to respond very quickly to the panel's concerns about red tape which is a general problem of EU Research programmes, but felt most directly in IST Research where we operate in a particularly dynamic and fast evolving environment.

<p She said there was a need for a change in mentality in the EU, poinTing out that bureaucracy "does not eliminate risk, and can merely hide it".

She added: "Fast-changing IST research is, and must remain, a key driver for the rapid, economy-wide technological innovation, on which Europe’s skilled jobs ultimately depend."

The report was written by a panel of independent experts, including Professor Gago, former Portuguese science minister and co-author of the Lisbon strategy. The panel was asked to assess how the EU had performed between 1999 and 2003 against its fifth and sixth research framework programme targets. ®

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Then we'll kill red tape, says EU minister eu_red_tape EU EC R&D research "Viviane Reding"

The European Union (EU) has promised to cut red tape to help boost research and development (R&D) into IT and telecoms.

The EU - which spends more than €1bn (£703m) a year on IT/telecoms R&D - is adamant that such research is essential to the future wealth and prosperity of Europe.

Responding to these concerns Viviane Reding, Information Society and Media Commissioner said today: "I intend to respond very quickly to the panel's concerns about red tape which is a general problem of EU Research programmes, but felt most directly in IST Research where we operate in a particularly dynamic and fast evolving environment.

"We must make our bureaucratic procedures more efficient, while maintaining the highest levels of transparency and accountability, and we will discuss with the Council and Parliament how to get the balance right."

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