Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-12-03-Speech-3-138"
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"en.20081203.15.3-138"2
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"Mr President, President-in-Office of the Council, ladies and gentlemen, in December 2006 the Commission proposed fully integrating the partners in the European Neighbourhood Policy into the implementation of certain policies and into a series of Community programmes. Fields such as research and development, innovation, competitiveness, consumer protection and information society, to name but a few, were at the forefront of our considerations.
The Council has taken up this proposal on several occasions. In March 2007 it supported the Commission's proposal that all partner countries should always be enabled to participate in certain Community programmes.
Israel is the first of our partner countries in the Neighbourhood Policy which this year formally concluded a protocol on a framework agreement with the European Community on the general principles of its participation in Community programmes.
The Commission welcomes this outcome because it underlines our long-standing, close collaboration with our partner Israel. Since 1995 Israel has held full associate status in the Framework Programme for Research and Development. Over the years, this close collaboration has led to many joint projects, incidentally with substantial results, which I was able to see for myself on the spot in Israel last year.
The high quality of Israeli researchers and Israeli universities makes Israel a highly interesting and valued partner. In the field of innovation too, Israel can make a significant contribution, which is advantageous for both sides because in the medium term the way will be opened for much closer industrial cooperation. Meanwhile, the dialogue initiated at that time by Prime Minister Olmert and myself between companies from the EU and Israel has got off to a good start and is producing results.
Furthermore, Israel is already taking part in the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme, one of the three pillars of our competitiveness and integration programme. That is a programme of particular importance for small and medium-sized enterprises. Both sides are combining great expectations and hopes with strengthened cooperation. Therefore, the last EU-Israel Association Council last year underlined that it wanted to intensify relations with Israel based on the Common Action Plan.
Without doubt our relations are capable of expansion. Everything which contributes to making it easier for people to meet, bringing together journalists, artists, researchers and entrepreneurs, everything which serves dialogue and promotes mutual understanding, deserves our unconditional support. This will have a positive effect on our existing dialogue on human rights.
The further strengthening of our relations with Israel, a heartland in the European Neighbourhood Policy, is in the strategic interest of the European Union. The Council decision discussed here today fits in this context, thus making an important contribution to the strengthening of our cooperation with Israel. I therefore ask you, ladies and gentlemen, to support the draft resolution and to vote for the Commission's proposal."@en1
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