The European Union plans to establish €73 billion research budget over seven years and to create industry-led "technology platforms" to consider its spending. The core of the groups would form businesses involving scientists, consumer representatives and other staff.

The budget and related changes to get power must pass verification of the European Parliament and EU national governments. But the increase of the budget to 1.14% of gross national income, €930 billion, for the seven-year period has got a number of opponents.

The European Commission’s plan means spendings on research should be almost tripled to €10.4 billion a year starting in 2007. The bidding process promised by it is to enable businesses to access available funds more easily. The moves comply with Commission President José Manuel Barroso’s efforts to create partnership relations between the EU and business in the general framework of economic growth speed-up. However, such efforts as dropping national barriers to service industries face enough opposition from some countries to hamper them.

It is remarkable that the promises made by European leaders four year ago to promote the EU as the world’s most energetic and competitive economy by 2010 have almost totally failed. They also have not reached the goal in the task to increase global spendings on research and development to 3% of GDP. Nowadays, the EU distributes 1.96% of its GDP to research and development while the U.S. allots 2.59%.