The European Commission as an engine for international cooperation

Collaboration is crucial to pool the expertise and resources needed to devise solutions to tackle pressing global challenges. Unprecedented global challenges cannot be solved without world-leading research and the funding opportunities and initiatives provided by the European Commission (EC) are built on this premise. A document called the EC’s Global Approach to Research and Innovation 2021, sets out Europe’s strategy for international cooperation in a changing world. A key part of this is open and balanced collaborations. It highlights the important role of innovators in ensuring the wellbeing of citizens for generations to come and emphasises the need for stronger than ever cross-border collaboration to produce innovative solutions that align with the sustainable development goals and promote Europe’s resilience and competitiveness. There is an emphasis on partnerships with countries that share the same values as the EU. By developing frameworks for cooperation with non-EU countries, the goal is to push forward global efforts to solve global challenges. Strategic objectives are the promotion of open and inclusive collaboration, strengthening global partnerships and tackling global challenges through the development of solutions that will benefit everyone. There is emphasis on balancing openness with the need to protect data security, ensuring fair access to funding opportunities, strengthening frameworks for collaboration, supporting research and innovation in partner countries and supporting Horizon Europe initiatives. Horizon Europe is key to facilitating global collaboration in research and innovation. The Global Gateway is another key initiative in the EC’s strategy to enhance collaboration. Von der Leyen called it a ‘roadmap for major investment in infrastructure development around the world’.