Maritime industries

Raw materials play a key role in industrial competitiveness, including in sectors developing environmentally friendly technologies, such as electric cars and photovoltaics. Building on previous initiatives, the European Commission has proposed a set of actions that seek to enhance the EU’s access to raw materials in its competitiveness, social and environmental dimensions.

The Enterprise Europe Network helps European SMEs to find business and technology partners and apply for EU funding. In addition, small businesses operating in 17 key industry sectors from retail to space technology can count on customised support from the Network. In these sectors, specialists from across Europe come together to organise brokerage and matchmaking events, using their expertise to find new markets and opportunities for companies.

The High-Level Expert Group on Key Enabling Technologies met today to endorse its mid-term working document. The document was received by European Commission Vice Presidents Antonio Tajani, Neelie Kroes and Commissioner Geoghegan-Quinn. The report presents a diagnosis of the current situation on the deployment of key enabling technologies in EU industries.

In order to seize the opportunities opened up by internationalisation, enterprises need to take care of several aspects, not least the protection of their intellectual property rights. A new EU-US portal provides a wealth of useful information in this domain.

Excessive volatility of prices on all major commodity markets occurs at a time when the competitiveness of European industry crucially depends on efficient and secure access to raw materials. Raw materials are vital for the EU’s economy and particularly crucial for the development of modern environmentally friendly technologies such as electric cars and photovoltaics. The recent volatility in commodity prices threatens to increase inflation and global raw material markets are becoming increasingly distorted due to protectionist measures. The price fluctuation on the agricultural commodity markets has an impact on farmers, food-makers and consumers, including in the poorest countries. In response to these challenges, the European Commission presented today an integrated strategic vision to tackle challenges in Commodity markets and on Raw materials.

[B]The EU is failing to close the innovation performance gap with its main international competitors: the US and Japan. Although the trends in most EU Member States are promising despite the economic crisis, progress is not fast enough. While the EU still maintains a clear lead over the emerging economies of India and Russia, Brazil is making steady progress, and China is catching up rapidly.[/B]

Two important European Commission-funded projects were launched in January 2011 for the implementation of Europe's Global Monitoring system for Environment and Security, GMES, following the recent signature of two contracts worth EUR 2 million each.

The single market is a key driver of growth and jobs, but it needs timely and effective implementation of relevant legislation in order to function smoothly. As guardian of the EU Treaties, the European Commission monitors the application of EU law and investigates any infringements committed, so as to ensure that citizens and businesses can fully enjoy the benefits of the Union’s basic principles, such as the free movement of goods.

Enterprise and Industry magazine n° 9 - December 2010

The European Commission has unveiled an ambitious plan to boost Europe’s innovative potential with the aim of turning ideas into jobs and green growth. The strategic approach streamlines efforts on key challenges, such as climate change, energy and food security, health and an ageing population. In addition, it seeks to improve co-operation between the public and private sectors, while removing bottlenecks which prevent ideas from getting to market.

A competitive industry is key if Europe is to remain a global economic leader. In order to promote a successful industrial policy in our fast changing world, the European Commission has set out a wide-ranging strategy that aims to maintain and support a strong, diversified and competitive industrial base in Europe. This industrial base should play an important role in meeting crucial objectives for the European economy, such as creating new jobs and promoting sustainable growth.

[P]The Design and Learning Conference 2010, organised by DG Education and Culture, follows on the success of a first conference on design organised for the European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009. Its objective is to explore in depth the multiple relationships between design and learning from a policy making point of view.[/P]

[P]The Support for Industrial Innovation Unit of DG Enterprise and Industry (ENTR-D2) will organise, in cooperation with the Autonomous Region of Aosta (Italy), on 22-23 November 2010, a seminar on “How can service innovation help promote sustainable tourism in rural and mountain regions?” The seminar will take place in Saint Vincent in the Autonomous Region of the Aosta Valley and is now open for [link]http://www.proinno-europe.eu/aosta-seminar-registration-form (registration)[/LINK].[/P]

In its discussion paper "Trade, Growth and World Affairs", the Commission analyses how trade is an engine for economic growth and job creation. It proposes a strategy to reduce trade barriers, to open global markets and to get a fair deal for European businesses. The overarching aim is to take a more assertive approach to ensure the benefits of trade reach European citizens.

The Europe INNOVA Conference ‘Reshaping Europe: Addressing societal challenges through entrepreneurship and innovation’ was opened Thursday 28 October by Jean-Claude Marcourt, President of the EU Competitiveness Council and Heinz Zourek, European Commission, Director-General, DG Enterprise and Industry.