Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-05-17-Speech-3-296"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20000517.14.3-296"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, Mrs Plooij-Van Gorsel’s excellent report, which we have before us, on the European Commission communication, “Towards a European research area”, has aroused genuine interest in the House judging by the fact that almost 150 amendments have been tabled.
Clearly, the development of research within the European Union is one of the keys to the future. The twenty-first century will be the century of knowledge and grey matter. Progress in communications effectively increases the rate of dissemination of knowledge, as the development of the Internet demonstrates, and is a powerful factor in promoting economic growth. In the broadest sense, then, research will, more than ever, be a fundamental element of future development.
According to the figures made available by the Commission, Europe is definitely lagging behind the United States. Here are some examples of this: the average investment in research for the European Union as a whole is no more than 1.8% of GDP, as opposed to 2.8% in the United States; the number of European graduate students studying in the United States is twice that of American students in Europe.
On this subject, the proposals of both the Commission and the Plooij-Van Gorsel report lead me to make a few observations. The first is that European investment in research is at least as important as the European research area. In the United States, there is rather less concern for semantics and more for practical action. The second observation is that approximately two thirds of research is undertaken by private companies and that the European Union must take this situation into consideration when focusing its resources. My third observation is that we must absolutely avoid anything which, from a distance or close up, looks like what has just been referred to as a master plan for European research. Research is, first and foremost, a matter for freedom and not for planning.
This is all included in the Commission communication and the report by our fellow Member. There is, however, no prioritisation in the proposals, and this is something I would like to suggest. This prioritisation should focus primarily on researchers and businesses. As far as researchers are concerned, their standard of living throughout Europe must be enhanced. As far as businesses are concerned, research work must be encouraged.
My conclusion is as follows: that we should first back the people involved, then business and, finally, that we should ensure that the European Union does not hinder the activities or the development of either party. This is what our approach must be. So the area ..."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples