Finns set to tackle EU innovation gap

Helsinki is calling on EU ministers to ‘roll up their sleeves’ and find ways to turn Europe’s innovation capabilities into commercial success stories.

The Finns want Europe’s trade and research ministers, gathering for a two day informal competitiveness meeting at the university town of Jyväskylä on Monday, to focus on the best ways of harnessing innovation to boost Europe’s productivity.

Mauri Pekkarinen, the Finnish industry minister wants the meeting to act as a catalyst for discussions between the EU institutions in advancing EU innovation policy.

Innovation is a key pillar of the European commission’s strategy to build growth and jobs – the revised Lisbon agenda - but results so far have been mixed.

The EU’s goal of increasing R&D expenditure to three per cent of GDP, agreed at Barcelona in 2002 has largely failed to materialise.

Europe spends about a third less on research than the US, and is now facing a growing challenge from globalisation, particularly from China and India, where low costs make them an increasingly attractive centre for R&D.

Writing ahead of Monday’s meeting, Pekkarinen said that tackling the innovation gap would be a major theme of Finland’s work programme.

“According to the Lisbon Strategy target, Europe was to become the world’s most competitive financial region by 2010. We cannot achieve that target if we are unable to innovate,” said Pekkarinen.

“If we cannot obtain a firmer grasp on innovation activities, the threat is looming of talent and business being attracted more and more often to Asia and the US.”

The Finns hope that during the meeting, ministers will “roll up their sleeves and participate in workshops on different topics related to the theme of innovation.”

Helsinki has a four point plan for innovation: research –friendly regulation; business-friendly research; innovation-oriented public services and assisting entrepreneurs in bringing innovations to the market.

Success in the global economy is “increasingly determined by firms’ ability to respond innovatively to the changing views and needs of customers and users – the demand side of the market,” Helsinki advises in a discussion note for ministers.

“For this reason it has become important to ensure that European innovation policy places sufficient emphasis on market demand and the needs of users.”

“This requires we take a fresh look at all available policy measures that are important in this respect.”

Monday and Tuesday’s informal discussions are likely to form the basis for a set of Finnish presidency recommendations to be presented to Europe’s leaders at their December summit.

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