Belgium will prioritize strategic autonomy, the valorization of research results and the strengthening of the position of research and innovation in society.
On December 11, 2023, the IGLO Open took place, this time with the current theme of the priorities of the Belgian presidency of the EU Council in the field of research and innovation, which will take place from January to June 2024. The Belgian national system and the sharing of competences between individual actors were presented to the participants. The division of competences is also reflected in the organization of the meetings of the individual formations of the Council of the EU. In total, 5 Belgian entities will be involved in the Presidency.
Belgium can be divided based on language communities (French, Flemish and German) and regions (Wallonia, Flanders and the Brussels region). From the perspective of research and innovation, language communities primarily deal with scientific research in higher education institutions, while regions, on the other hand, support applied research, technological development and innovation. Federal incentives or research in the field of development are then in charge of the federal level.
In the area of research and innovation, Belgium has set 3 priorities with the aim of strengthening the competitiveness of the EU. Specifically, these are the following:
- Open strategic autonomy and the role of research and innovation.
- Valorization of research results and their use in practice.
- Strengthening the position of research and innovation in society.
The Belgian Presidency will also organize a whole series of events. It will take place at the ministerial level on the 14th-15th. February 2024 informal meeting of ministers for competitiveness. They will then meet on May 22 and 23 at the Meeting of the Council for Competitiveness (Space, Science and Innovation).
A complete list of events will be published soon