Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-10-11-Speech-3-105"
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"en.20061011.14.3-105"2
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".
Mr President, first of all let me welcome the broad support that was given for the agenda for innovation, for a European institute of technology, for a common energy policy and for a European immigration policy. But let me tell you that we need to deliver that message outside this room, because, as some of you said, there are still some misunderstandings.
Let me just mention the EIT. It is interesting that everybody agrees that in Europe we are not doing enough in terms of innovation; there are not enough links between the universities and the research centres and the world of the economy, business and practical projects. But when an idea comes to change that situation, immediately there is resistance. It is amazing! Everybody then says, ‘but we have excellent universities!’ – of course we have excellent universities! But if we have excellent universities, why are we falling behind the Americans and others? Something is wrong. The status quo is not an option. We cannot go on with business as usual.
I know we have excellent universities. Universities were created in Europe. They are a European creation, but we are not taking advantage of the full benefits or the full potential of our European dimension. Let us be frank: some of our universities are still very corporatist, very closed. We need a European dimension. Even the biggest Member States lack the dimension to promote the global culture we need now to face the challenges of this 21st century. Therefore, the idea is network-based. It is not a huge bureaucratic institution; it is network-based, building on the principles of excellence, on what all excellent universities and excellent research centres are doing, but with a view to connecting businesses with research so that we can promote innovation.
At the Commission I met with the leaders of the most important European companies that are driving research in the world. I got great support for the idea and I could name some of the companies. Two of those leaders in European business came from the United States, and they told me at the meeting that their biggest shock when they came to Europe was to discover that, unlike in the United States where they have American institutions for the whole of America, in Europe we do not have that. Only now are we starting with the European Research Council. So we have great institutions to promote research in Germany, Britain, France and Sweden. We have great things, but we are missing a European dimension. We are missing a European mission to give them the real tools they need to compete with the best. That is why I believe this is a great idea. I hope that, not only will it be supported in general, but that it will be supported when we come forward with practical proposals. That is why I hope to have your support when we come forward next week with a practical proposal on the EIT, and I hope for your support when in January we come forward with a really ambitious energy package.
My final point concerns coherence. The best way to negotiate with Russia is from a coherent and unified position. If we want to be credible when we discuss matters with Russia or other partners, we have to show them that we are able to have a coherent policy ourselves. We cannot discuss energy with them in a serious manner if we have 25 different energy policies. It would not be credible, let’s face it.
The first thing to do if we want to be seen from outside as credible, is to put our own house in order and to have a real joint approach to energy. The same, of course, applies to other issues. But I strongly agree that the fight against climate change is a crucial element in our energy policy and we should recall that the European Union is a key player in that field. We are, in fact, leading in the world. I can tell you that when we discuss this matter with our American friends, with our Russian partners, or with the Chinese or Indians, we always put this question at the forefront of our negotiations. It is important to do what we can, but also to involve others in those efforts. But what all these issues show – from innovation to immigration, to energy, to the fight against climate change – is a strong argument for Europe. In the age of globalisation, even the biggest Member States do not have the means to tackle those challenges. So if you want a strong Europe, we are going in the right direction. A strong Europe is not bureaucratic, but has a common approach to those issues.
We should also speak with one voice on human rights, and I hope that this is the message which comes out from Lahti: the European leaders may come from different political and ideological backgrounds, from different national situations, but they are ready to build a strong Europe together and they are ready to speak with one voice to the outside world. That is what I am hoping for from Lahti."@en1
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