Potocnik Says Knowledge and Innovation Key in EU's Development

Celje, 18 March

Knowledge and innovation play a key role in the ongoing development of the EU, European Commissioner for Science and Research Janez Potocnik said at a press briefing on Friday. The instrument of that development will be the seventh framework programme for research, which has not yet been confirmed by the European Commission, added Potocnik.

According to him, the EU should provide competitiveness and increased productivity, especially in reference to small and medium-sized companies (SME), which represent the future of Europe due to their flexibility. Research funds should be increased and the conditions for achieving the Lisbon goals should be provided, said the commissioner.
Europe currently allocates EUR 5bn for research, a sum which should be doubled according to Potocnik. He believes that there is a need to restructure the European budget, which will be a difficult task. The main points of interest should be ideas and human resources.
Potocnik also announced more rational legislation that will provide more accessible ways to acquire research funds. While Potocnik expects feedback from the SMEs, he also said Europe should recognise their importance in its programmes.
"It is important to take action on every level, national as well as regional, and thus encourage research. The driving force of regional development is innovative clusters that connect SMEs to universities and research institutions," said Potocnik.
The seventh framework programme is to introduce new regions of knowledge to strengthen the capability of the regions to invest in research. Potocnik promised administrative improvements in the sense of integrating SMEs into other European initiatives and developmental infrastructure.
Potocnik said that the EU should encourage regional mobility, attract researchers from non-member states to come to the EU and return after a while. "Brain drain is in nobody's interest," said Potocnik.
Minister for Higher Education, Science and Technology Jure Zupan pointed out at the briefing that Slovenia allocated 1.5 percent of the GDP for research, a figure that should be doubled. He said 1 percent should come from the state and the rest from companies.
Zupan thinks the government should provide more research funds and use them for the development of SMEs, which represent an important subcontractor in multinational chains, especially in chemistry, plastic materials and toolmaking.
While Slovenia successfully integrated into the fifth framework programme, it was less successful in carrying out its projects, said Zupan. He added that the seventh programme should carry on with the successful special measures for the SMEs, although he thinks some improvements could be made, especially regarding the number of applications, which is too high.

Potocnik Says Knowledge and Innovation Key in EU's Development

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