30 Apr 2024
LERU publishes statement on support for dual use technologies
LERU, the League of European Research Universities has released a statement on how to support the development of dual use technologies. In a White Paper published in January 2024, the EC had outlined three options for enhancing support for research and development involving technologies with dual use potential, as part of its European Economic Security Package: 1) to exploit synergies in existing programmes more, 2) to remove the exclusive focus on civil applications in the Framework Programme and 3) to develop a new instrument for dual use technology development.
In its statement, LERU outlines how it would prefer option 1, exploiting synergies in existing programmes more. According to the association, this would afford flexibility in responding to crises in a timely measure and would allow for participation of universities within those countries which are closely ideologically aligned with the EU, or which have specific ethical issues in doing military research.
LERU elaborates that it has many concerns over option 2, the removal of the ‘exclusively civil’ clause in the Framework Programme, yet understands that the boundaries between what has dual use potential and what doesn’t, is increasingly blurry – and removal of the exclusively civil focus of the Framework Programme would simply reflect a new reality. As such, LERU outlines several safeguards which should be added into the Programme should this be the European Commission’s preferred option.
Option 3, the development of a new instrument for dual use technology development, is not regarded as being viable by LERU, as it is not clear to the association what benefits this would bring over better exploiting synergies. Furthermore, LERU regards this as an additional instrument, in an already complex funding landscape, and would likely compete with FP10 for funding.
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