Prodi introduces sense of urgency to Lisbon strategy
The President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, used an address to the European Parliament on 12 February to call for renewed commitment and positive action from Member States to achieve the Lisbon goals. In a speech entitled 'growing and thriving in a knowledge society', Mr Prodi spoke plainly about the need to accept the challenge of boosting Europe's competitiveness and of implementing the required policies. The Commission President said: 'My message to you today [...] is: 'Europe can do it.' Europe can meet the challenge of modernisation and innovation [...]. But those targets cannot be met without far-reaching changes in our societies. Changes that call for political decisions, a shared outlook and rules.' Mr Prodi accepted that advances have been made in certain areas, but bemoaned the lack of progress on securing agreement for a Community patent: '[...] more political determination is needed to get things moving on the Community patent. This has become a symbol of the EU's capacity - or incapacity - to reach its goals,' he said. And Mr Prodi had this message for anyone who thought that progress towards the Lisbon goals would happen automatically: 'Let us not delude ourselves that market mechanisms or the researcher's own pride suffice to meet the challenge of modernisation: what is needed is decisions we agree on and shared determination.' The Commission President particularly emphasised the need for action in the areas of education, research and innovation. He stressed that not only spending more, but spending better in both research and education was a key requirement. 'We simply can no longer put off establishing certain scientific centres of excellence if we want to raise Europe's research to absolute world class standard,' he said. 'If we cannot attract the best brains on the planet we will not be able to put the Lisbon strategy into effect. If we genuinely, seriously want to lay the foundations for a 'knowledge society' we must take the target literally and invest three per cent of GDP in research.' In case anyone was left in any doubt about the need for positive action, Mr Prodi closed his speech by warning that: 'Unless we take these practical steps, there is no way we can make up for the lost time we all regret. Building a knowledge society is the only way to be champion in this world league.'