Cyprus' Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation, and Digital Policy, Nicodemos Damianou has asked for "clear parameters and criteria for the participation of third countries" in EU-funded dual-use and defence technology programs in statements upon his arrival at the EU Competitiveness Council meeting on research issues in Brussels.
Speaking on 30 September, the Deputy Minister focused particularly on the new framework program and its provisions for supporting dual-use and defense technologies. "While we support this direction, Cyprus highlights the fact that there need to be clear parameters and criteria for participation of third countries in this program, particularly countries which have shown a history of going against strategic interests of EU member states," he underlined.
Damianou said that this is"a decisive moment for Europe," noting that the discussions and decisions made "affect our ability to innovate, to remain competitive and to turn research results into tangible benefits for our citizens and our economies.”
He further explained that the Council is adopting conclusions on the EU Start-Up and Scale-Up Strategy this morning. "This is an important step, particularly with regards to our ability to retain not only our talent but also our innovative start-ups in Europe. Cyprus stands ready to push forward with the implementation of this strategy during our upcoming Presidency," he stressed.
Additionally, according to the Deputy Minister, the Council is endorsing the EU Life Sciences Strategy today, which "is aligned with a number of our national priorities, namely, and to name a few, our focus on biotech, agritech, energitech, but also biobanks and sustainable food systems.”
Finally, at the policy debate level, discussions focused on the new approach to research and technology infrastructures, which is particularly important in areas such as artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and semiconductors. "Cyprus advocates for stronger coordination and more accessibility, particularly with regards to SMEs and start-ups," the Deputy Minister concluded.
(Source: CNA)
