On World Engineers Day, ANE’s board had the opportunity to meet with MEP Niels Flemming and other stakeholders from the ITRE Committee at the European Parliament. We presented our report, Reclaiming Europe’s Edge – Competitiveness through STEM Talent, which highlights the challenges posed by the STEM skills shortage and its impact on Europe’s economic vitality, technological leadership, and global position.
To address these challenges, we have formulated key recommendations in support of promoting the cause of STEM professionals in the heart of Europe.
1. Establish a 4% Objective for Increased Research Funding
Europe’s economic growth is lagging behind the USA, while China is rapidly catching up. To reverse this trend, increased investments in research, new technologies, and green transitions are essential. The current investment level across the EU is only 2.3% of GDP, which is insufficient to compete globally. ANE recommends supporting the vision of placing research, development, and innovation at the heart of the European economy, advocating for a new objective where EU countries collectively invest 4% of GDP in public and private research, and promoting cross-border research collaboration to enhance the collective research capability of the EU.
2. Support EU Startups and Scale-Ups
Europe has a limited pool of deep-tech investors, which restricts the capacity to fully support startups as they progress through funding rounds. ANE recommends developing funding programs specifically aimed at supporting scale-up financing for deep-tech startups, simplifying legal frameworks in the Innovation Act to reduce complexities related to corporate, tax, insolvency, and labour laws, and creating models for the participation of large pension funds in venture capital and encouraging consortia of investors to share risks and rewards.
3. Attract and Retain STEM Talent in Europe
Europe needs a comprehensive STEM strategy that links education to immigration, mobility, and entrepreneurship policies to avoid losing talent to more attractive ecosystems. ANE recommends establishing a centralized STEM Observatory to serve as a gateway for STEM educational resources, empirical research, and statistical data, creating a STEM Data Hub as part of the European STEM Observatory to provide real-time intelligence on STEM education-to-workforce transitions, and developing a regional and sectoral STEM skills forecasting model to help Member States align STEM education with labour market needs.
Please find the full recommendations here:
Re-establish the STEM Interest Group in the European Parliament
ANE and the European Chemical Employers Group (ECEG) also had the opportunity to welcome MEPs to a breakfast session in the European Parliament, during World Engineers Day. During this event, ECEG and ANE highlighted the key challenges posed on the European industry due to STEM competencies and skill shortages. ANE and ECEG called for the re-establishment of the STEM Interest Group in the European Parliament. This group could aim to raise awareness of the STEM skills shortage, promote interest in STEM disciplines, and align European policies with industrial needs. It would also hold the European Commission accountable for measuring progress in STEM competitiveness, talent retention, and R&D investment efficiency.
Please find the full statement here: [Link to full statement]