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Research and innovation

Past research and innovation policy goals

Open innovation, open science and open to the world were the 3 main policy goals for EU research and innovation. They were set by Commissioner Carlos Moedas in 2015.

Past policy goals

Open innovation, open science and open to the world were the 3 main policy goals for EU research and innovation. They were set by Commissioner Carlos Moedas in 2015.

Open innovation

This means opening up the innovation process to people with experience in fields other than academia and science.

By including more people in the innovation process, knowledge will circulate more freely.

This knowledge can then be used to develop products and services that can create new markets.

Open innovation policy initiatives, funding and support services 

Open science

This is an approach to the scientific process that focuses on spreading knowledge as soon as it is available using digital and collaborative technology. 

This is a change from the standard practice of publishing results in scientific publications only at the end of the research process.

The Commission's open science approach, open access, expert groups, open science monitor and European Open Science Cloud

Open to the world

This means promoting international cooperation in the research community.

Doing this will allow Europe to access the latest knowledge worldwide, recruit the best talent, tackle global challenges and create business opportunities in emerging markets.

International cooperation policies, initiatives and international research agreements

In detail and earlier policy goals

You can download the book, A Vision for Europe, which explains in detail the thinking behind these policy goals and how to achieve them.

  • Promotional material
  • Directorate-General for Research and Innovation

A vision for Europe

This book brings together some of the key conceptual insights behind Open Innovation, Open Science and Open to the World and highlights actions that are already taking place or are being prepared.

Earlier policy

These policy goals succeeded the earlier research and innovation policy, Innovation Union.