Parliament's EPP group calls for consolidated European approach in high tech sectors
At its annual conference on 4 and 5 February, the European People's Party (EPP) from the European Parliament called on the European Council to support a consolidated approach in high tech sectors in order to boost competitiveness. The resolution cites the example of Galileo, Europe's satellite navigation system, as a consolidated European approach, and calls for similar efforts in sectors such as aeronautics and nanotechnology. MEPs attending the congress voiced their support for the Lisbon goal of making Europe the most competitive economy by 2010, but declared that 'the programme has been undermined by too many Member States not putting into effect agreed reforms.' The resolution calls on the EU's Heads of State and Government to 'recognise that the main driving forces for employment are in the business, educational and research spheres, not in bureaucratic processes with too many reports and not enough action.' It therefore requests that the European Council 'puts emphasis' on competitiveness by laying sound bases for enterprise and innovation. The situation of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) was also discussed by MEPs, who called on Europe's leaders to 'Release the job-creation potential of SMEs and start-ups' through reducing red tape at both national and European level, and reforming tax systems by drawing on lessons learned elsewhere.