Пълен протокол на разискванията

Сряда, 18 октомври 2023 г. - Страсбург

22. Нова европейска програма за иновации (разискване)

  Sēdes vadītājs. – Nākamais darba kārtības punkts ir debates par jautājumu, uz kuru jāatbild mutiski un kuru uzdeva Cristian-Silviu Buşoi Rūpniecības, pētniecības un enerģētikas komitejas vārdā Komisijai, par jauno Eiropas Inovācijas programmu (O-000038/2023 - B9-0031/2023) (2023/2799(RSP)).

  Christian Ehler, author. – Mr President, dear Commissioner Ivanova, welcome to the plenary: it is your debut, but it is a highly and hotly debated topic we talk about today.

Yesterday we had a debate on the 2024 budget, where the Council shamelessly cuts innovation. It is almost an annual ritual. I pointed it out there, and many other colleagues, and I will repeat it now: without innovation, we fail on our climate, on our digital objective, but also on the general objective of changing our societies using technologies, using innovation as a comparative advantage for the European economy. Without innovation, we cannot build a modern society. That is why it was so essential that with this new European innovation agenda we are getting back to taking innovation policy really seriously.

I have to admit that this is late in the term, and we had been slightly confused that DG RTD rightly have been presenting an innovation agenda, but it seems to have become a little bit fashionable. I mean, we have a slightly bewildered DG BUDG, who never was suspected to have any idea about innovation, who brought forward an innovation platform, a financial instrument using headlines actually not existing for innovation before. Deep digital was not just a flaw, but it illustrated that it seems to be now a little bit fashionable to work on that. Commissioner Breton had been bringing forward 10 new innovative strategies. We have a lot of programmes, we have a lot of ambitions, but you also called for – and we did call for – an innovation agenda. I think it had been high time that DG RDT had brought forward a straight, understandable agenda: what we should do together with the Member States to bring innovation at the forefront.

We need to foster the development of new knowledge and technology. We need to foster the development of new ideas for products and services. We need to foster our ability to turn technologies and ideas into market-ready products and services. We need to make it easier for our industry and start-ups to scale up innovations once they are brought to the market. To achieve all this, we need the Member States to buy in. The new European innovation agenda with its flagships is doing exactly that. Just like we have been doing for the European Research Area, we now have a policy agenda for innovation in Europe we can discuss.

But also we embrace the idea that this is not an isolated ambition of the Commission and the Parliament: it is a European agenda we have to develop and we have to align behind. So now it is about deliveries. That is why I deeply believe that this specific policy agenda needs to be combined with a more general approach to making the internal market more friendly towards innovation. This means lowering the regulatory burden and more rigidly implementing the innovation principle. This means further rolling out regulatory sandboxes, this means developing a substantial policy agenda on technology infrastructures. However, most of this means investing in science, research and innovation, and we are still not investing the 3 % of GDP which had been announced almost 20 years ago by the Council. In 2021, we got stuck with 2.27 %, while the US stands at 3.46 %, and South Korea even at almost 5 %.

We are also not investing enough in the European framework programmes: just for the first two years, Horizon would have needed an additional EUR 34 billion to fund all excellent proposals. This is only for the calls that are actually put out, because we also know that we are currently not investing enough in early research. If we want to fund enough early research, applied research and innovation to ensure long-term ability to innovate, we would need at least EUR 200 billion for the next framework programme. That needs to be part of our long-term European innovation agenda.

  Iliana Ivanova, Member of the Commission. – Mr President, honourable Members, the new European Innovation Agenda was launched one year ago to boost a wide range of actions: from access to finance to experimentation spaces, from innovation ecosystems to talent attraction and development.

Innovation has a crucial role in achieving the ambitions of our European Green Deal, not only to develop cutting-edge technologies and support decarbonisation but also to create jobs, stimulate our economy and ensure a just transition. That is why at least 35 % of our Horizon Europe programme budget will be dedicated to projects linked to the green transition. And because none of this will be possible without having citizens on board, Horizon Europe has introduced the EU missions that place people at the heart of our agenda for research and innovation. The European Partnership’s EUR 6.5 billion will also boost areas such as clean hydrogen or the industrial battery value chain.

Our main instruments include the InvestEU programme and the European Innovation Council, which supports deep tech start-ups and scale-ups, also through equity investments. The Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform will reinforce the existing EU instruments even further.

Let me underline also the important role played by women in innovation. Within the new European Innovation Agenda we are running several dedicated programmes and calls such as the Women Leadership Programme for female entrepreneurs and Women2Invest to help women in STEAM Studies launch their careers in venture investment.

The push for innovation must include the entire Union and improve innovation cohesion, which leads me to my third point: regional disparities in research and innovation performance still remain deep across the EU and are hindering our ability to scale up innovations. We need to mobilise all available EU and national programmes. They include EUR 43 billion under the Cohesion Policy, over EUR 3 billion under the Widening part of Horizon Europe and EUR 48 billion under the Recovery and Resilience Facility. We are working hard to improve synergies between these programmes, to identify bottlenecks and to improve coordination. One concrete example is the 100 Regional Innovation Valleys Initiative that is launched within the European Innovation Agenda. It will bring together less and more innovative regions to help bridge the innovation divide, utilising both Horizon Europe and regional funds.

Regarding innovation and cultural and creative industries, we provide grants to promote cross-sector partnerships between cultural entities and technology sectors, supporting the integration of emerging technologies and fostering cultural education and skills development. The importance of SMEs is also crucial for us and several actions are supporting access to finance for SMEs, such as the proposed Listing Act and the DEBRA Directive to facilitate equity investments. Let me remind the important role of the European Innovation Council in this regard, which aims at addressing both high-risk research and the scaling-up of SMEs or Start-Ups.

The Commission also fully recognises the complementarity between research and technology infrastructures. Ensuring synergies between both types of facilities is essential for adequate provision of research and innovation services needed by industry. We are currently developing a European approach to technology infrastructures, including a study and an expert group, while Horizon Europe supports specific thematic projects to strengthen the continuum between research infrastructures and technology infrastructures.

Honourable Members, innovation is in the DNA of Europe and it should continue to be at the centre of our policies, because we all know very well that there are no solutions to climate change and no long-term prosperity without innovation and without a clear commitment to it. Thank you for raising its relevance through today’s debate.

  Henna Virkkunen, on behalf of the PPE Group. – Mr President, Madam Commissioner, thank you for your speech. I can hear that even that you are very new in your position, you are taking this topic very seriously and you are trying to find answers and solutions for these important challenges.

The New European Innovation Agenda is a very important idea, because it is supposed to position Europe at the forefront of the new wave of deep tech innovation and startups. Also, it is supposed to help Europe to develop new technologies to address the most pressing societal challenges and to bring them to the market. In this time of geo-economical competition, when we are speaking about critical technologies, this is especially important. The New European Innovation Agenda is rightly also designed to position Europe as a leading player on the global innovation scale.

I’m also very happy that the Commission has stated that Europe wants to be the place where the best talents work hand in hand with the best companies, and where deep tech innovation thrives and creates breakthrough innovative solutions across the continent that will inspire the world. I very much agree with this vision, but to reach these targets and this vision, we have to do more. Especially, I want to underline two sectors to where we have to focus: first, fundamental research; and then, an innovation-friendly regulatory framework.

First, about fundamental research, because we know that basic research is the basis for all innovations. I am very worried that when we look at our research and development investments in Europe, we are lagging behind the USA, Japan, Korea and even China. So, we have to encourage Member States to invest more in research and development, and a bigger European research programme is also needed.

Secondly, we have to have a more innovation-friendly regulatory framework, that kind of framework and regulation that encourages new ideas, innovations and investments in Europe. This is not the case now. We are overregulating our industry and markets, and especially when it comes to startups and SMEs, the regulatory burden for them is too heavy. So it’s very promising that the Commission has now proposed an initiative to cut reporting obligations by 25% from SMEs, and is also committed to a competitiveness check of new legislation.

So these are very important steps to include. But more has to be done to boost innovation.

  Lina Gálvez Muñoz, en nombre del Grupo S&D. – Señor presidente, señora comisaria, si bien Europa es líder en investigación, sabemos que acelerar y fortalecer la innovación sigue siendo una tarea pendiente para la Unión Europea.

La Nueva Agenda Europea de Innovación es, sin duda, un primer paso para posicionar a Europa como líder en la escena global de la innovación y avanzar en la autonomía estratégica abierta de la Unión Europea. Pero aún quedan incógnitas e inquietudes que me preocupan.

En primer lugar, me gustaría pedir a la Comisión que tome medidas que ayuden a paliar los costes derivados de la diferencia entre lo proyectado y financiado y lo que finalmente reciben los programas debido al efecto de la inflación.

En segundo lugar, me preocupan muchísimo las disparidades regionales. Es cierto que la Nueva Agenda Europea de Innovación quiere combatir estas desigualdades con mejores sinergias y también con los valles de innovación regionales construidos sobre la base de la acción piloto de asociaciones para la innovación regional, que yo también estoy impulsando desde el Parlamento Europeo.

Así que contamos con el firme compromiso de la comisaria para reducir y cerrar esta brecha regional en innovación y que esto siga siendo una prioridad para la Comisión, así como que haya más mujeres en este ámbito. Así, tendremos una mejor innovación y más mujeres innovando.

  Billy Kelleher, on behalf of the Renew Group. – Mr President, the green transition and the digital reformation are key opportunities for our innovation in the European Union.

Of course, we have been complacent in the past in terms of funding towards innovation, even starting through education, science, technology, engineering and maths in the STEM area, but also in terms of investment in our academic third-level colleges. Any cursory look at the international league tables of universities shows that Europe is not doing well when it comes to the comparable index between the United States, the UK – and Asia now as well. So, we have a lot of work to do on ensuring our academic research, which is the bedrock of ensuring that we have innovation and creativity in Europe as well.

The issue of seed capital, start-up funding and angel investors is something that’s still not in the culture of people in Europe. We do have to bring forward policies in terms of taxation at Member State level and at European level to incentivise and encourage, to ensure that there is capital available for startups, so they can fund a transition from small startup to medium, and scaling up. That clearly is an area where we have failed in Europe. If you look, in recent years, most of the major companies that were startups started either in the east coast or the west coast of the United States, or now in Asia. Very few actually started in the European Union and were able to scale up and remain in the European Union.

So, we have a lot of work to do in those particular areas. But the green transition and the digital agenda gives us an opportunity to catch up with, and get ahead of, the rest of the world.

  Damian Boeselager, im Namen der Verts/ALE-Fraktion. – Herr Präsident! Viele hier scheinen im Hinblick auf den US Inflation Reduction Act die jahrzehntealten ordnungspolitischen Maßnahmen über Bord werfen zu wollen. Innovation und Wettbewerb werden in der EU immer öfter aus den Ministerbüros gedacht, und es wird die Vorstellung verbreitet, dass der Staat tatsächlich in der Lage ist, neue Märkte und Produkte zu gestalten.

Die Kommission hilft hier fleißig mit. Von den 60 gestellten Staatsbeihilfeanträgen wurden 58 genehmigt. Aber das kann nicht unser Ansatz für eine gelungene Industriepolitik in Europa sein. Denn erstens ist es ganz oft eben ein nationaler Ansatz. Wenn wir uns das anschauen, die Chipfabrik in Deutschland mit fast 10 Milliarden Euro, das kann sich einfach ein kleineres EU-Land nicht leisten. Da müssen wir vorsichtig sein. Der Binnenmarkt muss zusammenhalten.

Das Zweite ist, dass ich Ihnen als Gründer eines innovationstreibenden Start-ups in der Politik sagen kann, dass es sehr schwierig ist, aus Ministerbüros heraus tatsächlich vorauszusehen, wie die Zukunft aussehen wird. Und es ist auch so, dass wir einfach wieder mehr darauf vertrauen müssen, dass unsere Unternehmerinnen und Unternehmer funktionieren können, dass unser Binnenmarkt funktionieren kann, wenn wir in Forschung und Entwicklung investieren, wenn wir darin investieren, die Kapitalmärkte in Europa tatsächlich zusammenzuführen und zu harmonisieren, und wenn wir das Wettbewerbsrecht auch wieder richtig durchsetzen. Lassen Sie uns also nicht einfach nur in die Investitionspolitik reindenken aus Ministerbürosicht, sondern tatsächlich eben auch wieder ordnungspolitisch denken.

  Pernille Weiss (PPE). – Hr. formand! Kommissionen kom i sommer med et større og meget nødvendigt udspil til at styrke EU's innovationskraft. Ambitionerne fejler ingenting, og det manglede sådan set også bare. Det innovative økosystem i stort set samtlige industrier bøvler med alt for meget bøvl, så der er nok at tage fat i, der på mange måder vil minde om både oprydning og systematisering. Noget kvinder traditionelt siges at være rigtig gode til. Men vi kan altså også andet og mere end det. Derfor spørger Industriudvalget, som har sat denne debat på dagsordenen og tak for det, også til hvad Kommissionen vil gøre for at få investorerne til at forstå, at de altså kan få meget mere ud af deres penge, hvis de finder de kvindelige iværksættere, som knokler løs ved egen kraft og derfor ikke i det mest optimale tempo bidrager til vækst og jobskabelse. Ofte fordi de tror, at investorerne bare ikke kan lide eller interesserer sig for kvinder, der gør andet end at rydde op og sætte i system. Det er simpelthen for dumt. Skal EU udløse vores fulde, innovative potentiale, så skal kvindelige iværksættere og investorerne altså finde hinanden. Nu og effektivt. Ud over det pilotprojekt, jeg selv har foreslået og fået sat i gang, meget langsomt, ud til virkeligheden, hvad vil Kommissionen så ellers og meget mere gøre? Fordi det der foregår nu? Det fungerer simpelthen ikke godt nok.

  Patrizia Toia (S&D). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, l'innovazione, a detta di tutti, è il motore, la leva su cui agire per il miglioramento, per l'avanzamento della società. Per questo, l'Unione dell'innovazione deve essere la nostra cornice, il nostro faro.

L'agenda è importante e siamo certi che la nuova Commissaria saprà dare impulso e implementazione. È importante perché collega e mette insieme, rende complementari, i diversi programmi e le diverse azioni che già noi svolgiamo sotto il capitolo dell'innovazione.

Mi permetto di dare due suggerimenti alla Commissaria. Il primo riguarda il tentativo di superare la frammentazione che ancora oggi caratterizza molto i nostri programmi nel campo della ricerca e dell'innovazione. Il secondo è di creare maggiori sinergie, sforzo che stiamo facendo, ma va fatto maggiormente tra i programmi diversi, i fondi di finanziamento, per concentrarci sugli obiettivi principali della nostra Unione e non disperdere risorse e non frammentare i nostri programmi.

Crediamo che la ricerca abbia bisogno anche di infrastrutture – i centri, gli hub per l'innovazione – ma, anche qui, non facciamo una dispersione e concentriamola dove ci sono qualità e forza.

Infine, una sola parola: si punta molto al deep tech, alla ricerca disruptive: io credo anche all'innovazione incrementale e all'innovazione sociale, che possono davvero migliorare la qualità e l'inclusività della nostra società.

  Ivan Štefanec (PPE). – Vážený pán predsedajúci, ako prezident SME Europe, organizácie pre podporu malých a stredných podnikov, veľmi pozorne sledujem vývoj situácie ohľadom nového Európskeho inovačného programu. Najmä ma zaujíma, ako sa využije balík desiatich miliárd eur z programu Horizon Europe na stimuláciu inovačného potenciálu európskych malých podnikov. Inovácie sú nevyhnutným predpokladom k udržaniu globálnej konkurencieschopnosti a zamestnanosti na trhu Európskej únie. Vítam informáciu, že už 20 krajín sa zapojilo do tohto projektu s viac ako 169 úspešnými projektmi. Verím, že čoskoro medzi nimi uvidím aj slovenského uchádzača.

Rád by som sa pri tejto príležitosti opýtal pani komisárky, ako je pri posudzovaní žiadostí o financovanie projektov zohľadňované regionálne hľadisko žiadateľov, keďže vieme, že niekedy majú investori problém práve s tým, že sa nachádzajú v regiónoch, kde potrebujú vyššiu podporu z dôvodov menej rozvinutej infraštruktúry, čo sťažuje prístup ku kapitálu.

  Carlos Zorrinho (S&D). – Senhor Presidente, Senhora Comissária, o Programa Europeu de Inovação ganha cada vez mais importância, porque é o alicerce da opção de autonomia estratégica aberta, que visa permitir que a União seja globalmente competitiva, possa definir políticas próprias, liderar a transição verde, a transição digital, de forma inclusiva e focada no primado das pessoas, na sustentabilidade do planeta.

E, as questões que foram colocadas à Comissão Europeia e que hoje, aqui debatemos tocam exatamente nos eixos que determinarão a fronteira entre o sucesso e o insucesso da Agenda Europeia de Inovação.

Tornar a descarbonização não apenas um ganho ambiental, mas também um fator de modernização e competitividade da indústria europeia.

Promover o equilíbrio de género em todas as dimensões no sistema de inovação.

Dinamizar a inovação nos setores culturais e criativos, porque isso cria melhores condições de vida, contribui para uma sociedade mais dinâmica, saudável, com mais elevados níveis de confiança.

Assegurar o acesso das PME ao financiamento, promovendo a diversidade do ecossistema de inovação.

Reforçar os institutos de investigação e inovação, de que a plataforma tecnológica STEP, debatida esta semana no Parlamento, é um bom exemplo.

É por aqui que temos que ir, para que a Agenda Europeia para a Inovação sirva as pessoas e reforce a nossa parceria de paz e liberdade.

  Angelika Winzig (PPE). – Herr Präsident, geschätzte Frau Kommissarin! Obwohl Frauen 52 Prozent der Gesamtbevölkerung ausmachen, stellen sie nur 34,4 Prozent der Selbstständigen in der EU und 30 Prozent der Gründerinnen und Start-ups. Das unternehmerische Potenzial von Frauen ist somit eine unzureichend genutzte Quelle für Innovation, für Wirtschaftswachstum, aber auch für die Schaffung von Arbeitsplätzen. Eine der größten Hürden für Frauen ist die Tatsache, dass Unternehmerinnen oftmals mehr risikoavers handeln als ihre männlichen Kollegen. Hier müssen auch noch Schritte gesetzt werden, auch im Hinblick auf Innovation.

Als Unternehmerin eines technischen Betriebs ist mir auch sehr wichtig, dass auch bei der Deep tech innovation und anderen Spitzentechnologien hier berücksichtigt wird, dass Frauen mehr eingebunden werden. Wir haben in der Europäischen Union viele begabte Frauen, die einen zentralen Beitrag für unsere Wirtschaft und für unsere Gesellschaft leisten können. Für diese Innovatoren und für die Start-ups muss es sich aber auch wieder lohnen, in Europa zu bleiben. Machen wir doch Europa zur Location for Innovation!

  Josianne Cutajar (S&D). – Mr President, a competitive, sustainable and resilient European economy is one which not only cares for its smallest sectors – its SMEs – but one which also embraces and nurtures new blood in the form of scaleups and startups. For this reason, we need a New European Innovation Agenda that focuses on investments, incentives and fostering skills successfully. That would free the European Union from its dependencies, not only when it comes to deep tech scaleups, but also in relation to other essential sectors like health and agriculture.

The emphasis on regional innovation valleys, which aim to support regions lagging behind, is essential, but we also need to make sure that disadvantaged and underrepresented cohorts in our societies will be able to make the most of this initiative. I therefore ask the Commission on how it intends to implement better these aspects effectively, and also how it intends to integrate also islands, which could also be a laboratory for innovation.

  Dace Melbārde (PPE). – Priekšsēdētāja kungs! Labvakar, komisāres kundze! Jaunā Eiropas inovāciju programma ir apsveicama ceļa karte, skaidrojot inovāciju nozīmi, īpaši digitalizācijas un reģionālās izaugsmes kontekstā.

Pirmā risināmā lieta, ko vēlos izcelt, ir iespaidīga ģeogrāfiskā plaisa starp dalībvalstīm attiecībā uz investīciju piesaisti uzņēmumiem un inovācijām. Piemēram, nesen Inovāciju fonda darbības dati liecina, ka 15 dalībvalstis saņem tikai 10% no finansējuma, kamēr sešas lielās valstis — 70 %.

Šāda situācija rada divu ātrumu Eiropu un kavē Eiropas Savienības kopējo izaugsmi, jo daudzsološi projekti no mazākām dalībvalstīm nereti nesaredz dienasgaismu. Tas ir arī viens no katalizatoriem tā saucamai smadzeņu aizplūšanai no valstīm ar jaunākām inovāciju ekosistēmām. Tādēļ, virzoties uz priekšu, ir jāiezīmē mērķēts atbalsts tieši tām valstīm, kuras pašlaik ir finansiāli nelabvēlīgā situācijā.

Otrkārt, vēlos izcelt arī kultūras un radošo sektoru, kas ir milzīgs Eiropas ekonomikas dzinējspēks, bet joprojām atgūstas no pandēmijas sekām. Mērķēti finansējuma avoti, atbalsts šim sektoram ir vitāli svarīgi kopējās Eiropas inovāciju vides veidošanai.

Un, visbeidzot, mums ir jāpanāk būtisks lēciens Eiropas Savienības augstākās izglītības attīstībā. Vienlaikus ir svarīgi ne tikai izglītot jaunus talantus, bet arī nodrošināt, ka viņi paliek Eiropā un stiprina reģiona konkurētspēju un izaugsmi.

  Jiří Pospíšil (PPE). – Pane předsedající, dámy a pánové, vážená paní komisařko, dovolte mi několik poznámek k tomuto velmi důležitému tématu. Téma inovace je téma klíčové pro budoucnost Evropy. Já nejsem tak optimistický jako někteří kolegové. Domnívám se bohužel, že v inovacích trošku zaostáváme za třeba Spojenými státy americkými nebo některými asijskými zeměmi jako třeba Jižní Korea. Procentuálně dáváme menší podíl na inovace než tyto země a bohužel se to začíná již odrážet ve výsledcích. Velmi dobře a pozorně jsem tedy poslouchal, vážená paní komisařko, Vaše vystoupení, že toto téma je jedna z priorit Vaší agendy a že do budoucna se Evropská komise a evropská politika na tuto oblast chce zaměřit.

Osobně se domnívám, že je to otázka zaprvé balíku peněz, který jde tímto směrem, a za druhé, jakým způsobem ty peníze jsou rozdělovány. A v rámci inovací je celá řada témat, která je možné jednoznačně podpořit, jak otázky výzkumu, a to výzkumu akademického nebo výzkumu aplikovaného, kam může jít více peněz a mohou být rozdělovány třeba na principu excelence. Je mnoho excelentních oborů, kde je Evropa lídrem, kde jiné země nemají takovou odbornost a kde finanční pomoc Evropské unie posílí naši pozici ve světovém globálním měřítku. Je celá řada oblastí, které zaslouží naši pozornost. Já osobně se domnívám, že je důležité téma start-upů, které zde bylo zmiňováno. Takže prosím tam napřeme konkrétně naši pozornost.

  Stanislav Polčák (PPE). – Pane předsedající, paní komisařko, já tento program a tuto agendu vítám. Nový evropský program inovací pomůže Evropě vyvíjet nové technologie pro řešení nejnaléhavějších společenských výzev a uvádět také na trh nové technologie. Je navržen tak, aby se Evropa stala předním hráčem na světové inovační scéně. Nicméně se nabízí otázka, jak hodlá Komise přispět k dosažení cílů Zelené dohody prostřednictvím tohoto inovačního úsilí, koordinace a investic a zároveň zajistit konkurenceschopnost evropského průmyslového odvětví, které právě čelí velkým výzvám dekarbonizace. Považuji také za důležité, aby v této věci velmi úzce spolupracovaly Komise, Evropský parlament a Rada. A jsem také rád za přístup Rady. Konkrétně za českého předsednictví v prosinci loňského roku přijala Rada své závěry právě k této iniciativě. Vlastně ji podpořila. Nedávné krize ukázaly, že je třeba, aby EU podporovala otevřenou strategickou autonomii za účelem omezení závislosti a zranitelnosti, jež ovlivňují také náš průmysl v negativním slova smyslu. Musíme posílit vlastní kapacity EU ve strategických oblastech a to se bez ambiciózních investic do inovací rozhodně neobejde. Chci vyzdvihnout důležitost adaptace na novou vlnu inovací a zdůraznit nutnost posílit součinnost mezi stávajícími programy a také inovace v oblasti financování. Zkrátka bez inovací nebude evropské budoucnosti.

Catch-the-eye procedure

  Juozas Olekas (S&D). – Gerbiamas pirmininke, gerbiama Komisijos nare. Iš tikrųjų, inovacijos yra kelias į Europos Sąjungos konkurencingumo stiprinimą. Jūs čia gražiai pristatėte Europos inovacijų darbotvarkę ir galbūt galimą jos finansavimą, tačiau kitų metų biudžete mes matome sumažėjimą lėšų, skirtų inovacijoms. Taip pat mes jaučiame, kad Europos Sąjungos finansavimas yra neatitinkantis šiandieninių inovacijų poreikių, lyginant su Azijos šalimis ar Jungtinėmis Amerikos Valstijomis. Dar vienas dalykas, kuris labai svarbus inovacijų pasiekime, yra regioninių skirtumų sumažinimas. Jūs paminėjote, kad iš tikrųjų Horizonto programa ir kitos [programos] galėtų padėti tiems mūsų inovacijų centrams, kurie yra regionuose. Todėl kviesčiau sustiprinti šitą kryptį, kad mokslininkai iš įvairių šalių galėtų labiau įsijungti į bendrus projektus ir jie nebūtų taip fragmentuoti. Mums reikia didesnės sinergijos ir regiono mokslininkų pritraukimo.

(End of catch-the-eye procedure)

  Iliana Ivanova, Member of the Commission. – Mr President, honourable Members, thank you very much for this discussion and for the pertinent questions and contributions, which we will certainly consider in our ongoing and upcoming work dedicated to the Innovation Agenda and to its various flagships.

Next year we will publish a report to take stock of the Agenda’s implementation. It will allow us to identify the way for improvement, and target our efforts where they are most needed. Today, we already highlighted some of the current actions and achievements. The debate showed again the overarching role of innovation in today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.

From my side, I would like to clearly reaffirm that Europe cannot compete in this global innovation race without mobilising an adequate budget, and certainly more funding is needed. Without mobilising all its untapped resources, any gender, geographic or sectoral gap would make our efforts less effective and less credible.

We have the ingredients to make Europe a real innovation champion in a world where old and new technological superpowers are multiplying their efforts. We have talent and competences. We have excellent research centres and a strong industrial base. We have dynamic ecosystems and investors. But we need to better match these ingredients and exploit fully their potential.

  President. – The debate is closed.