EU Parliament Monitor - 07/11/08

Innovating for economic growth I (Guest coIumnist: Reino Paasilinna MEP)
"The EU needs to focus on knowledge-intensive products and services as European prices cannot compete with those in emerging markets.

The free movement of knowledge in the EU is a basic right worth fighting for. It means giving citizens access to the best, most up-to-date information and making it possible for researchers, universities and businesses to interact and co-operate freely. That objective is still beset with certain challenges: diverse higher education systems, the immobility of researchers, insufficient funding and questions of intellectual property.
So what role will the new European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) play in this changing field?" [EuropeanVoice]

Innovating for economic growth II (Guest columnist: Jerzy Buzek MEP)
"Innovation is crucial for the EU if it is toenjoy economic success, but growth has to be balanced with social security and protection of the environment.
A fundamental aim of economic development in the free market economy is to achieve competitiveness. But economic growth has to be balanced with social security and protection of the environment. Therefore, the most important challenge is how to achieve competitiveness within this context. And finding the right response to this is vital if the EU is to enjoy economic success in the 21 century." [EuropeanVoice]