It is very important to carry the public with us. In many cases the good sense of the measures in the action plan speak for themselves. Consumers are also of course becoming increasingly demanding, and welcome innovative products and services which improve on what went before. Sometimes, however, there are aspects of innovation which are worrying. Not all technological advances are universally welcomed.
Innovation can also mean changes in methods of work, and in social organisation.
It is absolutely vital to ensure that these questions are brought out into the open, and that employees, consumers and everyone concerned are kept fully informed and are able to participate in decision-making. I take as an example the development of plants modified by genetic engineering. Only total transparency is likely to satisfy people. Moreover, I consider it natural that the consumer should know the origin of products, and that the labelling should mention the nature of the product - whether it has been modified or not. It is not a question of damning these products but, on the contrary, of showing that, if there is no risk, manufacturers have nothing to fear by specifying the nature of the product.