The importance of innovation in the European Union’s 2020 strategy Lambert van Nistelrooij Member of the European Parliament, EPP- Group/CDA 8 September 2011 Lambert van Nistelrooij, MEP (EPP Group)

EU Strategy for Launched in March 2010 by European Commission President José Manuel Barroso Aims for: - smart growth (fostering knowledge, innovation, education and digital society); - sustainable growth (making our production more resource efficient while boosting our competitiveness) - inclusive growth (raising participation in the labour market, the acquisition of skills and the fight against poverty). And: - societal challenges (climate change, scarce energy, demographic change and security) -greater coordination of national and European policy EU 2020 strategy Lambert van Nistelrooij, MEP (EPP Group)

 Europe needs to get ‘back on track’ → get out of the financial crisis and prepare for next decade  Europe is not on track yet → Europe's target for 2010 for spending 3% of EU GDP to research and development (Lisbon Strategy) has not been realised yet. (EU % in 2008.)  Europe is lacking behind countries like the US and Japan  This needs to change → Europe needs to be more competitive Why EU 2020? Lambert van Nistelrooij, MEP (EPP Group)

1.Innovation Union 2.Youth on the move 3.A digital agenda for Europe 4.Resource-efficient Europe 5.An industrial policy for green growth 6.An agenda for new skills and jobs 7.European platform against poverty How? Flagship initiatives in EU 2020 Strategy: Lambert van Nistelrooij, MEP (EPP Group)

What will be the basis for Europe's future competitiveness? How will we create new growth and jobs? How will we get Europe's economy back on track? How will we tackle growing societal challenges like climate change, energy supply, the scarcity of resources and the impact of demographic changes? How will we improve health and security and sustainably provide water and high-quality, affordable food? The only answer is INNOVATION Innovation Union Lambert van Nistelrooij, MEP (EPP Group)

EU Competition-index

Innovation leaders: Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sweden and the UK Innovation followers: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Slovenia. Moderate innovators: Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia and Spain. Catching-up countries: Bulgaria, Latvia and Romania, with innovation performance significantly below the EU27 average. Lambert van Nistelrooij, MEP (EPP Group) EU 27 country groups

Under-investment in our knowledge foundation Unsatisfactory framework conditions Too much fragmentation and costly duplication. Lambert van Nistelrooij, MEP (EPP Group) European weaknesses in innovation

Launched 6 October 2010 by the European Commission Aim: to improve the conditions and access to finance for research and innovation and assures that innovative ideas turn into products and services that create growth and jobs. 4 concrete proposals: – Create a European Patent – Speed up standardisation – Make more use of public procurement – Enhance access to finance Lambert van Nistelrooij, MEP (EPP Group) Innovation Union

Lambert van Nistelrooij, MEP (EPP Group) Report Van Nistelrooij: Synergy cohesion and R&D&I 85 billion euro allocated for innovation in structural funds SYNERGY 54 bln R&D + INNOVATION (F.P.’s) 85 billion INNOVATION (S.F.)

Simplification More participation needed SMEs and industry Creating ‘stairway to excellence’ Smart specialisation Lambert van Nistelrooij, MEP (EPP Group) Focus points in the European Parliament

Excellent initiative  collaboration NL- Hungary Always been actively involved with Tilburg and its innovation-initiatives (SHARE-ERIC) Participation WIRE conference Debrecen, Hungary (Regional Dimension of the Innovation Union) Lambert van Nistelrooij, MEP (EPP Group) INNOHELIX