WRITTEN QUESTION E-2419/99 by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Winning the technical innovation battle.
C 303 E/58 Official Journal of the European Communities EN 24. 10. 2000 (2000/C 303 E/051) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2418/99 by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission (16 December 1999) Subject: EU support for the launch of the Latin American Stock Exchange Sponsored by the leading financial players in Spain and Latin America, the recent launch in euros of the Latin American Stock Exchange provides the legal and administrative wherewithal for diversifying numerous European portfolios, a particularly desirable development in view of the fact that the economic cycle of Latin American countries is unrelated to that of Europe, and indeed, varies greatly from country to country within Latin America itself. Given the Latin American Stock Exchangeís importance for EU-Latin American financial relations, what is the Commissionís position with regard to this initiative and to what extent is it prepared to help consolidate and expand it? Answer given by Mr Solbes Mira on behalf of the Commission (3 February 2000) The Commission welcomes the launch of the Latin American stock exchange as this initiative may provide additional sources of capital investments, contribute to portfolio diversification by offering new areas of investment to European investors, and contribute to the visibility of the euro on the international financial markets. to Latin America through external The Commission follows with interest developments of this sort. However, as a commercial operation of the private sector it is not for the Commission to support or to be directly involved in the expansion of this initiative. (2000/C 303 E/052) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2419/99 by Salvador Garriga Polledo (PPE-DE) to the Commission (16 December 1999) Subject: Winning the technical innovation battle The need to win the technical innovation battle in all sectors of European industry is a challenge no less crucial to the future of the Union than those of monetary union and the common security policy. The first hurdle is to convince all those concerned, including the general public, that the Union as a whole will suffer a grave defeat if Europe fails to win a leading position in technological innovation. How does the Commission intend to alert public opinion to the crucial need to win the technological innovation battle? 24. 10. 2000 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 303 E/59 Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission (24 January 2000) The Commission agrees upon the importance of innovation in boosting economic growth and promoting the development of all industrial sectors in a changing world. Innovation opens up new sectors of economic and social activity. It continuously redefines the markets, bringing about new products and processes to foster the competitiveness of enterprises. Innovation is not just an economic mechanism or a technical process. It is also, as outlined by the Honourable Member, a social phenomenon. Through it, individuals and societies express their creativity, needs and desires. Innovation is therefore intimately connected to the social conditions in which it is produced. An informed public debate on the importance of innovation for our societies, in particular to enterprises, is essential. The policy debate on innovation launched by the Commission, starting with the white paper on growth, competitiveness, employment, with the green paper on innovation (1) and subsequently the Action plan on innovation (2)í already recommends promoting public recognition of the benefits of innovation. The Commission will continue to pursue an innovation-inspired enterprise policy and take new actions. there is no better guidance than the principle of For public awareness campaigns on innovation, subsidiarity. There are many initiatives and successes at national and regional in this field. The exchange of experience between initiatives taken at national level needs to be stimulated and also, where appropriate, the linking of networks at European level of successful ventures, if this helps with their dissemination and improvement. The Commission, especially in the framework of the various specific programmes of the 5th framework programme on Research and development (R+D) (1998-2002), has foreseen the appropriate mechanisms for stimulating such actions aimed at raising public awareness. These activities include the organisation of European prizes ü such as the Descartes and Archimedes prizes (3) ü, international conferences, various publications, as well as the use of advanced information and commu- nication tools (Internet sites) by Internet and CD-ROM/DVD based information services on research projects and activities, for example CORDIS (4), Prosoma (5), and others. level Such activities (implemented through calls for tender, calls for proposals for projects and accompanying measures) help identify and give public recognition and visibility to outstanding technological results, which are relevant to the advancement of science and innovation in Europe. (1) COM(95) 688 final. (2) COM(96) 589 final. (3) Call for proposals for indirect research, technological development (RTD) actions under the specific programme for RTD and demonstration on improving the human research potential and the socio-economic knowledge base. Distinctions for high-level research work. OJ C 344, 1. 12. 1999. (4) http:/www. cordis. lu/. (5) http//www. prosoma. lu/. (2000/C 303 E/053) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2429/99 by Piia-Noora Kauppi (PPE-DE) to the Commission (16 December 1999) Subject: Measures to prevent the smuggling of illegal immigrants The smuggling of illegal immigrants into the EU Member States has become a major criminal activity. According to the statistics of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) in Vienna, last year alone over 400 000 people arrived illegally in the EU, 60 % of whom came by transport organised by criminal networks. The head of the ICMPD, Jonas Widgren, considers that the trade in