The Netherlands presidency of EU

The Netherlands took presidency over the Council of the EU until July 2016, followed by Slovakia and Malta. This 18month timetable puts great pressure on the Dutch to deal with the refugee crisis. For half a year, the country will have to tackle the various challenges. In a programme drafted with Slovakia and Malta, which will take the next two presidencies from July 2016, the Netherlands focused on a number of priorities in the area of Research and Innovation. An innovative Union focused on growth and jobs is one of the three starting points for the 2016 Dutch Presidency. Innovation will have to top the EU agenda if the Union wishes to remain an economic powerhouse, according to the government. The Netherlands mentions several points, amongst which: effective implementation of European research and innovation programmes, supporting applied research while maintaining scientific excellence; the evaluation of the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (2007–2013); the joint establishment of large-scale research facilities for the ERA; rapid development in science (Science 2.0 or Open Science); enhance the impact of science; advance Open Access to scientific publications and the use of research results; encourage public-private partnerships and the involvement of SMEs, to ensure scientific knowledge is used in tackling social challenges.