The Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation (EFI), headed by Chairman Prof. Dr. Uwe Cantner and Vice-Chairwoman Prof. Dr. Katharina Hölzle, provides scientific policy advice to the German government and regularly submits expert reports on Germany's research, innovation and technological performance.
On March 09, 2022, the new annual report of the Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation (EFI) was presented to the Federal Minister of Education and Research Bettina Stark-Watzinger.
The report comments on research and innovation policy plans of the governing coalition, the importance of key technologies, the role of sustainable mobility, the innovation impact of B2B platforms and the lack of digitalization in the German healthcare sector (eHealth). The Commission of Experts believes that Germany's research and innovation policy has a duty to tackle the upcoming challenges with vigor. In many places, it points to failures in digitalization.
Overall, "the German government [...] cannot rely on the fact that it is sufficient to continue developing the technology sectors and industries that have made Germany economically strong in recent decades and to focus on incremental innovations geared to the highest quality and greatest efficiency. Transformative change can only be realized with substantial, often radical technological innovations, social innovations and complementary behavioral changes."
The report, including a summary and policy recommendations, can be found in the press section on the EFI website.
