ComputerWeekly.com notes today that an EU commission charged with assessing the state of EU IT research efforts has concluded that the effort is failing because of insufficient funding and heavy-handed bureaucracy.

The panel said the research was vital for competitiveness but that it more investment and less bureaucracy are required for success.
The panel was chaired by former Portuguese science minister Jose Mariano Gago, who was one of the authors of the European Commission’s 10-year Lisbon Strategy, which aims to make the EU the “world’s most dynamic and competitive economy.”
Viviane Reding, European Commission information society and media commissioner, said, “Fast-changing IST research is, and must remain, a key driver for the rapid economy-wide technological innovation on which Europe’s skilled jobs ultimately depend.”

As we’ve noted before (Are we taking NSF for granted?), the Europeans are increasingly aware how important US investment in IT R&D has been to US competitiveness and are moving to mirror it. While it appears US industry leaders and academics recognize the value of that investment, unfortunately, it appears the Administration and Congress may not be quite so sure.
Thanks to Dave Farber (via IP) for the story!