Europe is mostly united but lacks a common support of young investigators.

摘要

EUROPE comprises 46 countries with at least part of their territory inside the geographical boundary of Europe (i. e., Russia, Turkey, Greenland, Kazakhstan). Twenty-seven of these countries, with a total population of approximately 500 million inhabitants, are members of the European Union (EU). According to the combined gross national product, the European Single Market is the biggest market in the world. However, Europe comprises a union of sovereign states, with only partial central control held by the EU. Responsibility for research and education remain mostly under national control. More than 2 decades ago, the EU identified research and innovation as a major contributory factor for economic growth, job creation, prosperity, and quality of life. The EU is building up research programs in which researchers of all countries are invited to engage. Within Europe, it is recognized that not only industrial but also public funding needs to be substantially increased to come close to the investments in research of other major developed countries (i.e., the United States, Japan) and to remain competitive in the fields of technology and innovation.