site.btaEU Commissioner Moedas: Scientific Research Needed, but also Innovations Turned Products

Sofia, February 2 (BTA) - Speaking at a news conference after the EU Informal Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Competitiveness (Research) here on Friday, Education and Science Minister Krasimir Valchev said that the participants discussed how to encourage more young people to get involved and remain in research in Europe.

European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation Carlos Moedas said that Europe is good at conducting basic research but not so good at turning these innovations into products. In his words, 150 billion euro less are invested in research and development in Europe than in the United States, and these resources need to be increased.

The resources for scientific research should be increased at the European level in the separate Member States, Valchev said. He explained that together with Commissioner Moedas and the EU finance ministers, they have to specify in the following months their positions on the scientific research framework within the EU's new multiannual financial framework.

Taking a question, Valchev said it is a fact that in the last decades Bulgaria has experienced processes of both external and internal migration. He went on to say that in the sectors where an income level of 70 to 75 per cent is achieved, such as in the IT sector, a turn is observed in these processes. It is very important for young people today to work with colleagues from other countries and the business in order to achieve good results, he added.