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Language: en
Format: md

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# 91999E2806

**WRITTEN QUESTION E-2806/99 by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Innovation and technology at ministry level.** 
  
*Official Journal 374 E , 28/12/2000 P. 0017 - 0018*

  

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2806/99

by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(18 January 2000)

Subject: Innovation and technology at ministry level

One of the great challenges for the European Union is to succeed in combining its development with technological innovation, which is essential in view of the advances being made in the sector by world powers such as the United States, Japan and south-east Asia.

More than ever, public opinion in general and businessmen in particular need to be made aware that innovation and technology are the most demanding issues to be tackled by society at national and regional level in the spheres of industry and research.

In view of this, does the Commission consider that it should encourage the Member States of the European Union to raise to ministerial level the various agencies dealing with innovation and technology, in order to emphasise publicly and officially the important role they have to play in all Member States' governmental activities?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(21 February 2000)

The Commission agrees the innovation perspective deserves a more central role in public policies promoted at national and regional level. Since enterprises' ability to innovate is the first step towards competitiveness in advanced economies, the promotion of innovation is a challenge to public action. The complexity of the innovation process means that strategies and policies affecting innovation are often handled by several different government departments, some of which may have conflicting objectives. It is therefore essential to encourage dialogue and to organise the co-ordination of the policies which depend on it.

The policy debate on innovation launched by the Commission, (starting with the Green paper on innovation(1) and subsequently the Action plan on innovation(2)) already recommends that Member States take the necessary steps for effective co-ordination of the measures deriving from various policies to ensure their coherence in boosting innovation in our societies. These questions, naturally, are primarily matters for Member States. However, it is desirable to identify and promote good practices in this field.

The Commission intends to facilitate the design and implementation of initiatives in this area setting up a joint reference framework on innovation. That will help Member States in the exchange and adoption of good practices, including appropriate internal co-ordination mechanisms of innovation-oriented enterprise policies.

To this end the Commission has launched a benchmarking initiative of innovation performances and policies in the Community. Innovation will also be discussed at the informal meeting of industry ministers on 10 March 2000 in Nordwijk in the Netherlands. The Commission hopes the discussions will give a significant input into the Lisbon European Council of 23-24 March 2000.

(1) COM(95) 688 final.

(2) COM(96) 589 final.

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