[A2k] Finnish EU Presidency- New Innovation Policy a priority

[Michelle Childs]

>From Michelle Childs Blog:
5th July 2006

http://downontheriver.blogspot.com/2006/07/finnish-eu-presidency-new-innovation.html

Finnish EU Presidency- New Innovation Policy a priority

>From 1st July for the next six months Finland has the Presidency of the EU
- it will be followed by Germany.

The outline work plan has been agreed in advance and will broadly cover
the issues agreed in a joint document with Austria ( the previous
President) See here for details:
www.eu2006.fi/the_presidency/en_GB/work_programme/_files/75197089060421975/default/st16065.en05.pdf

The President, however, does have the opportunity to pick some key areas
they want to focus on. A word of warning though- Presidency agendas are
notoriously overambitious and tend to get bogged down in political in
fighting.

The Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen is today setting out the
priority areas for their Presidency at the plenary session of the European
Parliament. Copy of his speech here:
www.eu2006.fi/news_and_documents/speeches/vko27/en_GB/1152081630727/

There are a number of issues that are relevant to those interested in IP
and Health issues .I highlight some of the points made in Mr Vanhanen's
speech and the points made in the draft agenda:
www.eu2006.fi/news_and_documents/other_documents/vko24/en_GB/1150719844665/_files/75413592640520341/default/preliminary_agenda.pdf

It's a mixed bag. Very welcome are the strong commitments made to greater
openness of the secretive Council of Ministers proceedings, with the
Finnish Government committing to webcast public Council sessions itself ,
if the Commission does not get its own website in order. Also welcome is
the agreement for the Council to make greater use of economic, social and
environmental impact assessments before agreeing to legislation- though of
course it all depends on how the impact assessments are drawn up !

The greater commitment to communication also involves a weekly briefing in
Latin to celebrate Europe's ancient culture!

Innovation and competition are key themes:
.
'The Finnish Presidency wants to make progress on the development of a
broad-based innovation policy. In the Council's legislative work and at
the meeting of Heads of State or Government in Lahti, we will focus on
initiatives aimed at creating an environment that is conducive to
innovation and to the effective use of it. The goal is a policy that
generates demand for innovation.'

'A broad-based innovation policy requires joint action at EU level and
more effective decision-making with regard to standardisation, protection
of intellectual property and development of financial markets, for
example.'

The more detailed workplan indicates , as well as continuing the work on
copyright levies and the Community Patent, Finland will produce a report
on new ideas and challenges in innovation policy by end 2006. In
developing its broad based innovation policy it will draw on the Aho
report:www. ec.europa.eu/invest-in-research/pdf/download_en/aho_report.pdf

One of the Aho report's main points is the creation of an
innovation-friendly market in which businesses can launch new products and
services. The report considers e-health, pharmaceuticals, energy,
environment, transport and logistics, security and digital content as the
top sectors in which the market needs to be urgently created, with public
procurement driving the demand

As was made clear in a good article on eurativ.com ( from which some of
the information below has been taken see below for link) ' Finland
proposes to change the direction of EU innovation policy.'

For this purpose, the Finnish Presidency has prepared a background
discussion paper for the Competitiveness Council ministerial meeting
taking place on 10-11 July 2006.
www.eu2006.fi/news_and_documents/other_documents/vko26/en_GB/1151507822505/_files/75465236385958747/default/com_discussion_paper.pdf.

While much of the paper in practice is not new ( and very much based on
the Aho report) what is new in a Presidency paper is an emphasis on the
demand ( user) side of standards , R&d and IP and the emphasis on the need
for users to have a role in all these areas.

At the competitiveness meeting ministers will be invited to participate in
workshops on different topics related to innovation:

- competition and innovation-friendly regulation,
- public services as drivers for innovation,
- adaptability of research systems,
- entrepreneurs' role in bringing innovation to the markets.

Next Steps
The Finnish Presidency will provide a summary of the informal
Competitiveness Council's results soon after 11 July, 2006.

The Commission will publish a Communication on Innovation in September 2006.

The December 2006 Competitiveness Council is set to discuss "concrete
deliverables and suggestions for practical policy improvements that might
be taken up by the forthcoming German Presidency".

Other issues

During the Presidency they will also set out the preparations for the
ratification and implementation of the UNESCO Convention on the Protection
and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expression.

Health
Community competence on Health matters is a controversial subject, while
there is cooperation and competence in limited areas, many Member States
want to retain their ability to make policy independently in this area.
Equally some sections of industry are opposing the use of health concerns
as a justification for new regulations. Against this backdrop there is an
intriguing sentence at the beginning of the work plan section on Health:

'Protecting Health is an obligation under the Treaties which extends to
all common policies. Finland wants to determine explicitly what that
entails during the Presidency'

They are also keen to try to finalise the 7th Research Framework Programme
during their Presidency which contains key commitments on medical R&D.

A new pharmaceutical forum will hold its first meeting during the
Presidency which will set out a strategic blue print for the work of the
G-10 working party on pharmaceuticals and competitiveness. Regrettably by
all reports the forum looks like shaping up to be an other opportunity for
Pharma to present its wish list , with most relevant NGO's excluded.
Perhaps the Finns could live up to their ambitions on openness and
transparency by allowing a broader range of stakeholders to take part?

The Presidency also commits to taking forward the EU commitments on
development and in particular the Africa Strategy.


Read On : . Article on Finnish proposals on Innovation with links to key
documents :
www.euractiv.com/en/innovation/finland-proposes-change-direction-eu-innovation-policy/article-156511



--
Michelle Childs -Head of European Affairs
Consumer Project on Technology in London
24, Highbury Crescent, London, N5 1RX,UK.
Tel:+44(0)207 226 6663 ex 252.
Mob:+44(0)790 386 4642. Fax: +44(0)207 354 0607
http://www.cptech.org

Consumer Project on Technology in Washington, DC
1621 Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20009 USA .Tel.:
+1.202.332.2670,Fax: +1.202.332.2673

Consumer Project on Technology in Geneva
1 Route des  Morillons, CP 2100, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 791 6727