Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-10-25-Speech-3-073"
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"en.20061025.4.3-073"2
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".
Mr President, Mr President-in-Office of the Council, ladies and gentlemen, I believe that practically everything has already been said. Allow me simply to return to a number of points you raised during the debate.
With regard, first of all, to the European Institute of Technology – and as Prime Minister Vanhanen pointed out – the European Council gave the green light – not the orange light, but the green light – to the initiative at the end of the Lahti summit. It now remains to implement it. That is why we have already presented a legislative proposal to be examined by the Council and Parliament and covering, for example, the issue of the financing that you mentioned during the debate. Our approach is that there must be financing not only by the Community institutions but also by the Member States that wish to support the initiative. It is a way for them to achieve the Lisbon objectives where innovation and research are concerned. We also await contributions from the private sector. On this subject, allow me to point out to you that, on the basis of our informal contacts, the private sector has a great interest in financing certain actions to be taken by the European Institute of Technology, a state of affairs that is, moreover, only to be expected since the same ideas are to be found in many of our Member States. Public-private partnerships do exist and, if initiatives on the part of the Member States manage to attract private investment for research, I wonder why we should not be capable of achieving the same at European level. I say that because we think it necessary to give a European dimension to support for research.
Where this very subject of research is concerned, the United States manifestly differs from Europe due, in particular, to the existence of institutions or networks covering the whole of the territory of the United States of America, for example the National Science Foundation, familiar to a number of you, or the National Institute for Health. In Europe, we have until now had practically nothing along those lines. A number of our countries have major institutions in the form of great universities, but it is only now that we have set up the European Research Council, which is an institution crucial to implementing the Seventh Research Framework Programme, and the European Institute of Technology, which is an institution specifically founded on the idea of networks with a view to giving a European impetus and perspective to innovation, research and teaching focused on excellence. That is why it is a great project, and I would thank all those who have spoken in favour of it.
We have asked for this Institute’s main priorities to include the fight against climate change and a leading role for Europe in the area of renewable sources of energy that respect the environment. I believe that we have a specific mission in this regard, and I shall address my remarks more particularly to those, including Mr Turmes, who have expressed concerns about this matter.
Energy is, without a doubt, the issue of the future, and not only from an economic, but also from a political, point of view. I agree with the comment by Mr Poignant, who draws a parallel with the situation in the coal and steel sector. I do think that, where energy is concerned, there is a serious argument in favour of a federal approach. That is, moreover, why, a few months ago, we presented a Green Paper on sustainable energy, and we were very pleased with the support given by the European Council to the idea of a common approach to energy matters. It is, therefore, precisely along those lines that we are working, Mr Poignant.
That approach is very important if we consider our responsibilities to our planet and to future generations. Climate change is perhaps the greatest challenge of the 21st century. However, it is also very important from the economic point of view, so crucial is it for us still to be capable of being in the vanguard of the fight against climate change, providing it with its impetus. It is also very important as a demonstration of solidarity, especially with a view to the enlarged Europe. We have here an opportunity to show that solidarity needs to be real.
I therefore think that we are concerned here with something very ambitious, and I can guarantee, in particular to Mr Turmes, that it is in this spirit that we are preparing the energy package to be presented in January. What is more, you have already seen an initial sign of what is to come in the form of the proposal on energy efficiency that we have just tabled. As Prime Minister Vanhanen has said, the Lahti Council has opened the way to the formal decisions on energy that we hope to obtain at the spring Council under the auspices of what will already be the German Presidency.
I shall conclude by saying that I share the ambition, and sometimes even the impatience, expressed by Mr Goebbels, Mr Swoboda, Mr Schulz and many others. Our role now is, as Mr Goebbels said, to convert the dream into reality. Indeed it is. However, the informal summits offer an opportunity to deepen the debate and to consolidate positions, as shown moreover by the Hampton Court summit. From this point of view, I can honestly say to you that the Lahti Council signalled progress. It was difficult, particularly because of our ever more complex relations with Russia. Where that aspect too was concerned, I had the sense of progress being made, with Mr Putin’s presence contributing to this. I had the feeling that the Heads of State or Government understood the need for coherence and solidarity. That is why I hope that now, with the vigilant support of the European Parliament, the conditions will be present, during the Finnish Presidency and beyond, to make progress in these very important areas of energy and innovation and also to make headway with our project of a more united Europe."@en1
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