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By Biocat

The Federation of Spanish Scientific Societies (COSCE), which represents more than 30,000 researchers, has sent a letter to Spanish President Mariano Rajoy to express their concerns about the deterioration of R&D&i in the country and the lack of a coherent scientific policy to provide the necessary stability and peace of mind.

The presidents of the 50 scientific societies that signed the letter also criticize the lack of funds and coordination among the ministries. Specifically, they say, “we are living in total uncertainty, not knowing which calls for proposals will be published, or when or under what conditions. And not knowing whether, once the calls are adjudicated and actions planned, the Ministry of Economy and Finance will paralyze or revoke the process, as is now happening in some cases."

According to the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE), public investment in R&D&i fell to 1.33% of the GDP in 2011. The R&D&i budget for 2012 was cut 25% “and the news that it won’t be touched this year, as Minister Luis de Guindos assured, doesn’t fit the reality we are seeing," reads the letter.

Catalan representatives on the current COSCE Board of Directors are Dr. Joan Comella, director of the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), who is secretary general of the federation, and Dr. Lluís Torner, director of the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO), as the member for the area of Mathematics, Physics and Physics Technology, and Chemistry and Chemical Technology.

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