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

Thu Jul 6 17:50:16 2006

And there's the conference in Helsinki 13-14 July 2006 organised by the
Finnish Presidency

creativity.online.fi. European Content and Copyright Policy
http://www.minedu.fi/OPM/Tapahtumakalenteri/2006/07/creativity_online.html

Michelle Childs wrote:
>>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
>
>
>
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