Liikanen calls for a coherent approach to aerospace R&D
The European aerospace industry requires European governments to create a coherent approach to its aerospace related requirements, including research and development, said EU Commissioner for Enterprise and Information Society Erkki Liikanen on 4 October. Speaking at the European association of aerospace industries' annual convention on 'Aerospace and the evolution of Europe', Mr Liikanen focused on the STAR 21 initiative. Under the initiative, an advisory group on aerospace have sought to develop a coherent framework for aerospace in Europe with a view to ensuring a competitive industrial base in the long term. The group was composed of seven industry chairmen, five European Commissioners, the EU's High Representative, Javier Solana and two prominent Members of the European Parliament. Mr Liikanen claimed that the 'dramatic increase' in the US defence budget will have a significant impact on Europe's aerospace industry, 'including in the vital area of research.' He added that 'the inefficiency brought about by fragmentation of markets and insufficient coordination of defence requirements is a luxury Europe can no longer afford.' This was also one of the conclusions of the STAR 21 report. Mr Liikanen also supported the establishment of a European space policy, a view already espoused by Commissioner for Research, Philippe Busquin. 'I believe it is essential to develop future space programmes under the 'political umbrella' of the European Union, given the strategic importance of space capabilities and increased reliance on space based applications to implement individual European policies,' said Mr Liikanen. 'Some might say that progress should be faster. But, where important institutional change is involved, the process is always complex, and invariably time consuming. The important point is that we are getting tangible results,' he added. The Commissioner called for the involvement of the Member States in the STAR 21 discussion. 'With their respective procurement policies and research budgets, they hold important keys to progress,' he said. He also urged industry to maintain contacts with the decision makers in the Member States 'to maintain the STAR 21 momentum.' The Commissioner voiced his dissatisfaction with the European economy, saying that it is 'due in part to the slower adaptation of ICT [information and communication technologies] in Europe and its disappointing record in innovation. Europe is spending too little on R&D [research and development] and the return from European research investment is lower than in the case of its major competitors,' he said. He concluded that in order to ensure the competitiveness of Europe's aerospace industry, concrete policy responses should be devised, which will maintain high value added manufacturing in a highly productive economy dependent upon science and technology.