Industry council looks at role of innovation and SMEs
Innovation, assisting SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises), the integration of ICT (information and communication technologies) and analysing biotechnology are some of the main elements on the agenda of the Industry and Energy Council, meeting in Brussels on 4 and 5 December. Attended by the EU Commissioner for Enterprise and Information Society, Erkki Liikanen, the meeting will look at the goals set by the Lisbon summit of creating the world's most dynamic knowledge-based economy, and measures which can help to achieve that goal. In particular, the Council will look at the results of projects such as the Innovation scoreboard, which analysed the state of European innovation and why Europe continues to lag behind the USA in the area. The results of the European competitiveness report, which showed slow take-up of ICTs, will also be discussed. The effect of getting European businesses online also features on the agenda, as well as plans the Commission aims to initiate next year to ensure greater cooperation with stakeholders in the creation of a European e-economy. Finally, Commissioner Liikanen will present the latest news on biotechnology in the EU. The Commission expects to have a communication addressing the issue ready for publication early next year. The communication will look at how biotechnology could affect Europe up to 2010 and will specifically deal with six areas: biotech industrial potential; research, public perception and ethics, competitiveness and innovation, regulation and international aspects.