Commissioner Cresson at the Industrial Technologies conference
The opening session of the Industrial Technologies conference, in Toulouse, 27-29 October 1997, was addressed by Commissioner Edith Cresson, responsible for research, innovation, education, training and youth. She discussed Europe's weaknesses in comparison to its major competitors, before focusing on how the Community and European industry could work together to improve Europe's competitiveness, particularly within the Fifth Framework Programme. Action is needed in three areas to reduce Europe's competitive disadvantage, not just in relation to the USA and Japan, but also new competitors, such as Asian or South American countries, according to Commissioner Cresson: - Increasing investment; - Exploiting scientific and industrial potential better, and; - Concentrating efforts - merging companies to match their overseas competitors. At Community level, research is one of the few areas for which the Commission proposes to increase funding. The Framework Programmes have demonstrated their value, not least in developing trans-frontier research partnerships and cooperation between universities and industry, however, the Fifth Framework Programme will bring a leap in quality. Two points characterize the Commission's proposal: firstly, in selecting the research themes and fields, in parallel to European added value, the expected impact on growth, competitiveness and employment has been paramount; secondly, it is commonly thought that industrial competitiveness and citizens' expectations, in terms of quality of life, are mutually exclusive. Not the case, says Mrs. Cresson, stating that the most promising markets are those corresponding to existing or future demand in areas such as health, the environment, culture, transport and education. Partnerships between industry and the Community need to be established to strengthen EU competitiveness, according to the Commissioner. The Fifth Framework Programme will help European companies. Further progress will, however, require real and direct links between industry, researchers and users. Four key themes will concern industry in respect of the Fifth Framework Programme: - Ambition: Consensus needs to be created around clear and concrete objectives, with the Programme aiming at lowering the costs of production, disseminating innovation in all sectors, and mobilizing European industry in large scale demonstration programmes; - Participation: The participation of industry in the Fifth Framework Programme needs to be increased, with the Commissioner noting her wish to reinforce the rules governing protection of research results under the Fifth Framework Programme; - Consultation: Industry will be closely associated with the implementation of the Programme, in particular the key actions, as it has been in the preparation of the Programme so far, with "Consultative groups" established for each key action; - Support: The Commission's proposal for the Fifth Framework Programme rests in the hands of the Council and Parliament, and Mrs. Cresson appealed for industry's help to ensure its adoption in the shortest possible time. Industry's support was also needed to ensure the Commission's proposal for the budget is not reduced and the structure is not extended. She underlined again the benefits of concentration of resources and multi-disciplinarity, as promoted in the Commission's proposed structure. Concluding, Commissioner Cresson stated that the Fifth Framework Programme would not alone resolve Europe's problems of growth, competitiveness and employment. However, it could play a considerable role in maximizing the economic and social impact of technological progress.