Commission urges government ‘turnaround’ in research policy

Red tape and silo thinking stymieing German scientific research, warns expert commission report

An expert commission has urged Germany’s government to facilitate a “turnaround” in research policy, as a lack of coordination and collaboration between ministries is stalling scientific progress.

The Expert Commission on Research and Innovation (EFI), a government advisory panel, called for reform to ensure all the societal challenges facing Germany were given adequate attention. In its annual report, which it handed over to chancellor Olaf Scholz on 15 February, EFI said the war in Ukraine was dominating government strategic thinking, and other important topics such as decarbonisation and digitalisation were falling by the wayside.