In many countries which have limited R&D budgets are confronted with discussions about the feasibility and appropriateness of supporting basic science and research. Among these countries is Austria – the country of origin of the authors. Basic research as opposed to applied research aims at...

In Barcelona, the European Union set ambitious targets for the European Research Area, calling for research expenditures equivalent to 3 % of Europe’s GDP by 2010. This paper analyses the implications of these targets, assesses the influence of the member states, and examines the role of the...