European Council welcomes progress on Lisbon Strategy
EU Heads of State and Government have welcomed the 'extensive' measures undertaken by Member States and the European Commission to invest in knowledge, innovation and business potential, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), within the re-launched Lisbon Strategy. Meeting in Brussels on 16 June, the European Council welcomed in particular the final agreement on the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP), a new EU instrument to support actions to help enterprises and industry to innovate. Between 2007 and 2013, under CIP, some 350,000 SMEs will receive EUR 3.6 billion in EU support to invest in all forms of innovation and growth. EU leaders also referred to the important role the proposed European Institute for Technology (EIT) could play in filling 'the existing gap between higher education, research and innovation', together with other actions that enhance networking and synergies between excellent research and innovation communities in Europe. They went on to state their interest in receiving the Commission's formal proposal for its establishment, to be presented in Autumn 2006, following consultation with the European Research Council, Member States and stakeholders. Support was also expressed by those in attendance for the rapid adoption of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). Specifically, the Council emphasised the added value of joining forces in combating rare diseases such as epidermolysis bullosa and mucopolysaccharidosis, with particular attention to children. In this regard, Council members welcomed research activities under FP7 to develop preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic interventions and invited the Commission to support the efforts of Member States by making full use of the relevant EU instruments especially in the field of research and public health. Also discussed at the meeting was the Commission's recent Communication on universities, in which Member States were urged to press on with the modernisation of Europe's universities. The Council reiterated the need for Member States to promote excellence and foster modernisation, restructuring and innovation in the higher education sector in order to unlock its potential and to underpin Europe's drive for more growth and jobs. Following the summit, on 19 June, the Finnish government, which takes over the EU Presidency on 1 July, updated its preliminary agenda on the main themes to be dealt with during its six months in charge. Among the areas to be prioritised is the EU's financial perspective for 2007-2012, which the Finnish government says must be brought to a conclusion during its Presidency so as to avoid any 'unnecessary delays' at the start of the new period. There are almost 40 policy programmes, including FP7, for which negotiations need to be concluded. The memorandum states that promoting the development of a broad-based innovation policy will be one of several EU policy areas to be covered by the Finnish Presidency as of 1 July. A report on the new ideas and challenges in innovation policy is planned and, on the basis of the report, recommendations are to be made for the future of innovation policy by the end of 2006. As part of this exercise, there will be a review of best practice in the Member States with regard to effective commercialisation and the creation of new demand for innovation generating activity. Electronic communications will also be a priority under the Finnish Presidency, and a strategy to improve European network security will be presented by the Commission in 2006 with a view to adopting a resolution. The strategy is part of the Commission's new i2010 Information Society Strategy, the effective implementation of which Finland will seek to promote. During its Presidency, Finland will also endeavour to ensure rapid progress in the Council and Parliament on the proposal for a Regulation on roaming charges.
Countries
Finland