R&D investment crucial to attaining Lisbon goals, says Prodi
Commission President Romano Prodi has called on Member States not to reduce spending on research and innovation during the current economic downturn. Responding to a presentation of the Greek priorities by Prime Minister Costas Simitis and presenting the Spring report to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 14 January, Mr Prodi emphasised the importance of investment in research and innovation. The Spring report assesses progress towards the Lisbon goals of becoming the world's most competitive knowledge-based economy by 2010, 'In times of change and difficulty it is all too easy to yield to the temptation to reduce or postpone such investment in order to deal with seemingly more pressing concerns. We must not make this mistake. Knowledge and innovation [...] are the preconditions for growth, competition and new jobs, and a healthier environment,' said Mr Prodi. 'Without research into world-beating products and clean technologies, without the stimulus to help business turn knowledge into commercial opportunities, none of our targets are achievable,' he continued. Responding to the presentation, UK MEP Jean Lambert also bemoaned the lack of research investment in the EU, although warned against too much emphasis being put on biotechnology. Mr Prodi announced a forthcoming action plan for research and development (R&D), and called on the Member States to coordinate efforts to set up national targets in education, research, innovation and enterprise. He emphasised that ultimately, it is up to the Member States to take the Lisbon process forward, saying: 'The Commission will play its part. But ultimately it is up to the Member States to show courage and conviction in forging ahead.' 'Without greater political will there is no firm guarantee of success,' said the Commission President, criticising the failure of some Member States to implement many of the national policy reforms needed to reach the Lisbon goals. As highlighted by Mr Prodi, the US and Japan have more researchers than the EU, and European companies investing in research often carry out the research outside of the EU. Some 40 per cent of research by large EU companies is undertaken in a third country. Brain drain also means that a significant number of European scientists are working outside the EU. This was a point picked up by German MEP Hans-Gert Pöttering, who said that 'we will only manage to keep qualified scientists in Europe if we are capable of carrying out a reform of our tax system, so that investment and achievement will pay.'