The Union for Innovation
The Industry Ministers of the 27 Member States, together with Iceland and Norway, met today in Louvain-La-Neuve, under the Presidency of Walloon Minister Jean-Claude Marcourt, in an informal session, in the presence of the Vice-President of the European Commission, Mr Antonio Tajani, and the Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Mrs Marie Geoghegan-Quinn.
Two subjects were on the agenda: the European Union’s updated industrial policy and the Union for Innovation. The Ministers expressed their wish for an ambitious industrial policy to be put in place that is capable of responding to the challenges of globalisation and to the transition to a greener economy. The Minister and current President of the Competitiveness Council on industry, Mr Jean-Claude Marcourt, reiterated that industry was a crucial driver for European growth. What was needed, however, was an updated approach to industrial policy "combining both generic and targeted policies" that would allow for the transversal dimension. As far as the European innovation policy was concerned, this was one of the keys to supporting the transition of European industry and clear links would need to be developed with other policies (trade, competition, employment, training, etc.).
The question of financing was crucial to support moves by businesses towards innovation and internationalisation.
Most of the delegations called for improvements to the current financing programmes, for improvements to risk capital access. There were likewise demands for greater creativity with respect to the financing of innovation.
Given the key role played by SMEs in the Union’s economic fabric, the “Think Small First” principle should be applied to the various industrial and innovation policy initiatives.
The Small Business Act (SBA) for Europe should focus on identifying and reinforcing what works well. Furthermore, particular attention would need to be paid to the shortcomings of the SBA and every effort made to correcting them.
All those taking part also pointed to the importance of a Community patent to bolster intellectual property and to the need for the infrastructures applying to newly marketed products to be harmonised.
Clustering policies were mentioned as a vector for disseminating innovation. Preference should be given to cooperative measures fostering the application within businesses of the outcomes of research and innovation.
Particular attention needs to be paid to training, initiatives and creativity in general.
