Boosting Europe's future competitiveness for the next EU Research & Innovation Framework Programme, FP9

Associations representing key European industrial research and innovation stakeholders, call on the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union to develop the next EU Research & Innovation Framework Programme (FP9) with an appropriate design and budget, at the level of the ambitions of the Renewed EU Industrial Policy Strategy. The initiative was launched today and is being disseminated on social media through #FP9Declaration. Find below the declaration for boosting Europe's future competitiveness as key priority for the next EU Research & Innovation Framework Programme, FP9.

Also, the European Commission today announced a new Director General and Deputy Director General for DG RTD, and a new Deputy Director General for DG SANTE.

Jean-Eric Paquet will replace Robert-Jan Smits as Director General of DG Research and Innovation from April 1.  Paquet, a Frenchman, has been a deputy secretary-general of the Commission since 2015, most recently working on proposals for the Economic and Monetary Union and an industrial policy strategy. A Commission official of 23 years, he was deputy head of cabinet for former Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin.  Smits will become senior adviser to the European Political Strategy Centre, although his area of focus is yet to be determined. The EPSC is the Commission’s internal think tank that advises the president and commissioners.  Signe Ratso will serve as Paquet’s new deputy director-general. An Estonian, she is a director in DG Trade, where she has been dealing with market access and industry. She also worked on European integration and international cooperation for Estonia’s economy ministry, which the Commission said will be relevant in developing the proposal for the next EU research program, Framework 9.
 
DG Health and Food Safety got a new deputy director general: Céline Gauer, a French national who has been serving as director in DG Competition since 2014. She worked on energy and environment cases.
 
In addition, the College of Commissioners today appointed Martin Selmayr, currently Juncker’s chief of staff, to the role of Secretary-General.  Selmayr will replace the current secretary-general, Alexander Italianer, when he retires on March 1.  His appointment was added to the college agenda at the last minute, in an apparent bid to avoid the news being leaked and to prevent commissioners from coordinating opposition to the move.