EU Socialists See Need for Researchers and Community Patent

According to the Socialist Group in the European Parliament, the percentage of researchers in the active population in the European Union is 5.4, in the USA 8.7 and in Japan 9.7.

"Europe urgently needs more people to choose research careers and existing research staff need incentives to stay in Europe. We need no less than 700,000 new researchers by 2010. A scientific career in Europe must be made more attractive to young Europeans and to third country researchers who at present choose instead to head for the United States. . . .

"The introduction of a Community patent is long overdue, and an urgent priority, which would give a real boost to research and development."

The Socialist Group includes 202 MEPs from 23 Member States.