Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-02-15-Speech-4-012"
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"en.20070215.3.4-012"2
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".
Mr President, first of all, I should like to join in congratulating the rapporteur warmly on this very good report, which has broad majority support in the committee. I should also like to congratulate the President of the European Investment Bank, who is here today. He represents the largest investment bank in the world. The EIB has a very good reputation, and the EU can be proud of the important role it plays on the world stage by virtue of this Bank. This is partly thanks to President Maystadt himself and his communicative role, whose influence is felt in the political sphere.
My role as rapporteur for the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP) – the key programme for innovation in Europe – has shown me how crucial the role of the EIB is for innovation. In the shape of JASPERS and JEREMIE, the Bank has launched further instruments to help it really build on innovation.
We saw how the EIB also played a key role in reaching a compromise on the budget by virtue of the ‘Risk Sharing Finance Facility’ – I have to use these English terms, unfortunately – so warm thanks for this as well. We could not have adopted our budget without the Bank’s contribution.
I should like to add, however – and this also goes for my fellow Members from Mediterranean countries – that we should pay more attention to innovation in the field of cohesion, too. Merely supporting cohesion will not help in the context of a Lisbon Strategy based on innovation. We must ensure that the focus of all projects is on innovation.
The EIB should also explore new paths. I should like to raise the issue of patents in this regard. Europe has very few patents compared with the USA, and, in particular, very expensive patents compared with China. In this context, the European Investment Bank could play a key role in funding patents for small and medium-sized enterprises. A conference was held on this subject recently, at which the EIB was represented via the European Investment Fund. The EIB and the EIF voiced their strong support for this, as did Parliament, but the Commission was a little hesitant. We must go down this route, however, if we are to raise awareness of innovation among SMEs.
I should like to turn to the major issue of energy. I am delighted that the EIB has already assumed a prominent role in an issue that will be huge in coming years. The Bank supports a multitude of projects, particularly in the field of pipelines, and will continue to be crucial here in future, as our energy strategy can only be realised if the Bank retains an active, leading role in this field.
I should like to mention the issue of projects outside the EU. The rapporteur calls for an increase in the funds for Latin America. This alone will not do. We must make it possible for the EIB to provide financing anywhere in the world where European strategic projects are being carried out – such as Beijing airport. This is of paramount importance to us Europeans. The EIB should be the anchor point of the European support landscape, and it is Mr Maystadt’s job to ensure that this is the case. The relationship between the EIB and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (Council of Europe bank) must also be clarified."@en1
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